Uvalde Hunting Trip
I got a call from my pal Johnny Van Etta asking if I wanted to spend a couple of days with him at his deer lease near Uvalde, Texas. I was excited about spending some time in the hill country of Texas so I agreed to meet him in the Wal-Mart parking lot in Uvalde and follow him out to the lease. I don’t remember ever being in Uvalde before but I figured it must be okay because this Wal-Mart was a Super Center and that indicated to me that I was still in civilization.
I hooked up with Johnny just as the sun was setting and after a stop at the local grocery store and a liquor store we headed out of town. We left the paved road a few miles outside of Uvalde and I followed him through three bump gates one open gate, one locked gate and one Aggie gate. An Aggie gate is a locked gate with another unlocked gate beside it just in case you don’t have a key. The road got progressively rougher as we traveled perhaps eight miles from the paved road. We were so far from civilization that my cell phone lost signal about five miles from our final destination. And like I told Johnny, even my GPS couldn’t find a satellite.
Finally, we arrived at the hunting lodge. There I met a couple of the other hunters who share the lease on the property. They had their wives with them and were enjoying a relaxing few days away from the hustle and bustle of city life. The six of us enjoyed an evening meal together. Why does food cooked on a grill in the country taste so much better than something prepared in your own kitchen? Anyway, my filet mignon was just marvelous.
The lodge has an interesting history. It was originally built to be a recording studio. It was constructed from native rock and has some really interesting stone artwork built into the interior and exterior walls. There is power and running water and even satellite TV. The main floor has a couple of very nice master bedrooms and a bathroom, while the “studio” has been converted into a bunkroom. Also, there is a common room where the TV is located and this room has a round fireplace in the center and glass walls with a fantastic view of the surrounding countryside. There is a spiral stairway from the common room to a half basement where is located the kitchen, dining room, pantry and another bath. This basement is a walkout into the back of the lodge where there are a number of grills and picnic tables to enjoy when the weather is nice. The story is that the fellow who built this place hoped to have Willie Nelson come and record music and party with the owner. It is unknown if there was ever a recording made there.
We got up early in the morning and headed out to our various hunting stands. There was a map to study showing the location of the hunting stands and feeders. I was given #10 so I looked at the map and figured how best to get there. I drove down to the Aggie gate and parked the truck and walked to the stand. Let me rephrase that. I parked the truck and started walking toward the hunting stand. Keep in mind that it is pitch black and I’ve never been here before. Therefore I missed the flag showing the shortcut to the stand. I continued on to the feeder and it dawned on me that I missed the shortcut. So figuring that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line I headed in the direction of the stand. It was too dark to see the stand from the feeder but I knew the general direction. I had my SureFire flashlight and used it to pick my way through the undergrowth and cactus plants. Probably about 20 yards into the wilderness I was completely lost, not sure even what direction to go to get back to the feeder. I knew the wind was out of the south so I took a northeasterly tack where I figured the stand was located. I encountered a fairly steep slope that was not easy to scale so I had to zig-zag around to make any upward progress. I got to a point where I could see the stand with the aid of my SureFire. To make a long story short, I made it to the stand with my tongue hanging out and with scant time remaining before daylight.
I remained in the stand until about 9a.m. and did not see any animals larger than a sparrow. So I packed up and headed back to the truck. It was an easy walk along the marked route I had missed in the dark and I made a mental note on how to return. I did find a very nice Smith & Wesson pocket knife along the trail that someone had lost. The guys back at the lodge knew who it belonged to so it will get returned to the owner. A light drizzle started just as I got to my truck. The wind picked up and seemed to be much cooler as I arrived at the lodge so it was nice to catch a hot breakfast of scrambled eggs and pan sausage.
Early afternoon the weather settled a bit and Johnny asked if I wanted to try a different stand that afternoon and I said sure. So about 3 in the afternoon I headed off to stand #11. It was a lot easier to find than #10. Of course it was daylight this time. I drove past the feeder and on past the stand then turned around and parked the truck about 20 yards from the stand. I got all my stuff into the stand and settled back to see if anything was happening.
I scanned the countryside with my binoculars to see if there was any life out there. Some really colorful cardinals were hanging around the feeder but other than that I didn’t see anything. In fact I started naming the cactus plants. There was prick, big prick, old prick and sticker just to mention a few.
At about 6 pm the sun dropped behind a hill and I decided it was time to pack stuff up to head back to the lodge. And while I was getting my stuff together I saw a deer step into the road about halfway between the stand and the feeder. I wanted to get a good look at the deer to make an estimate of the Boone & Crockett score. So I got my binoculars and estimated the score to be between 170 and 180 Dun and Bradstreet. It was a doe.
A doe makes good sausage too so I picked up my trusty lever action Winchester 30-30 with open sites and leveled it toward the doe. I deftly cocked the hammer and slowly pressed the trigger while holding the sites on target. A 150 yard shot with open sites and a cross wind is a pretty difficult shot to make. Fortunately I had only about 50 yards with no wind. The soft nosed bullet found its mark and the doe dropped in her tracks. Satisfied that she was done for I continued to pack my stuff. When I looked up again, she had her head up and was looking around. So I grabbed my AR-15 and put a 223 round into her head. I put my stuff into the truck and drove past the deer and on to the lodge to get some help loading the deer into the truck.
Johnny arrived a few minutes after I got there and we headed back to pick up the doe. It was dark by that time and when my headlights lit up the doe, she had her head up again. What does it take to kill this animal? Johnny got out and pulled his Glock 17 out and put two rounds of 9 mm hardball in the head of the doe. The deer continued to breathe and act like it was not ready to give up so Johnny whipped out his Kershaw knife and slit the animal’s throat. Finally she breathed her last and we loaded the carcass into the bed of the truck.
We both decided there and then that we would change our carry ammunition from hard ball to hollow point. The hardball ammunition just does not have enough stopping power because it goes through and through without doing much damage on the way. A hollow point should expand and impart its energy into what it hits. And in a life threatening situation I want all the stopping power I can muster.
Back at the lodge we hung the doe up and dressed the meat out. I put it in my ice chest and covered it with ice for the trip back to Houston the next day. The other two guys showed up with one hog each and they dressed them out as well. We cleaned up and cooked dinner that evening while discussing the day’s hunt. Dinner was quail and baked potatoes followed by a little college football on TV.
We slept in the next morning and then headed back to Houston. There was a short stop in Katy to drop off the deer meat for processing into sausage and then back to the house.
I gave Johnny the back strap from the deer and thanked him for inviting me to go on the hunt. I also want to thank Sarah, my six year old granddaughter, for the camouflage hat that I now consider my lucky hat and will wear it each time I go hunting.
WHIDPA Year End Party
The West Houston IDPA (WHIDPA) club holds several matches each month. They shoot IDPA matches the first Saturday of each month as well as every Wednesday evening. They also hold a three gun match on the second Saturday of the month.
WHIDPA started out the year collecting an extra dollar from participants each time they shot a match. The money was placed in a fund that is used to purchase awards and guns that are given away at a year end party. And that dollar is matched by the club and the Impact Zone shooting range. Each time someone participated in one of the club events he was given a ticket for the gun drawing. The final tally was 143 different shooters in the drawing. Some had only one ticket and others had over 30 tickets. And by the end of the year there was enough money to purchase nine handguns and one shotgun.
The year end party was held after the match on December 9th at Repka’s, a restaurant about three miles from the range. The party was well attended and a great time was had by all. Awards were given in each division and classification for performance over the entire year. A number of gag awards were presented that added to the enjoyment of the event. But the most fun was when they called a winning ticket number for a gun and everyone looked at their tickets in hopes of finding a match. Samantha Newton’s ticket number was the first one called at the year end party, way to go Sam.
I wanted to mention a few of the people who worked so hard over the last year to make WHIDPA one of the most successful IDPA clubs in the Houston area. First is Mike
D'Elia founder of the club and considered as an example for those who follow in his footsteps. Garry Newton worked tirelessly to come up with the scenarios and set up the match events. Steve Gates does so much for the club and is the go to guy when you need something done. Bob Wolff runs the 3-gun match almost by himself. Phil Oxley is the range owner and a huge supporter of IDPA and WHIDPA. There are many others I could mention like Samantha who helps her dad set up the match. To everyone else who contributed to the success of the club I want to extend a heart felt THANK YOU on behalf of the officers and members of the West Houston IDPA club.
What’s ahead for WHIDPA in 2007? It is impossible to predict the future, but if 2006 is any indication, it should be one of the best years yet. Keep up the good work WHIDPA.
A flash of an idea came to my fertile or is that feeble mind. Is it time to have a World Championship IDPA match? The IDPA National Championship match that is held in the United States has been the World Championship match by default simply because it is the largest and attracts the most international competitors. My thought would be to hold a World Championship match in each of the member countries on a rotational basis. We have at least nine countries around the world that have IDPA clubs. There would be a lot of obstacles to overcome because of the different laws in the member countries. But then it might be easy to get some special treatment for competitors due to the publicity that counties outside of the US would receive for hosting a World Championship match.
Some criteria would have to be established for competitors to be eligible for the World Championship match. Just for argument sake let’s say we use a system where top shooters in each division and classification gain points at a regional, state or national match. We could award 5 points for first place, 4 points for second place and so on. And when a shooter accumulates at least 15 points then they would be eligible for the World Championship match.
The Match Director for a World Championship match would need to be someone from the host country. There are a lot of practical reasons for this choice. He would have no language problems and he may know government officials that would smooth the process of receiving competitors from other lands.
Safety Officers would have to be top notch with a lot of practical experience in national matches. Or maybe they should come from the ranks of certified Safety Officer Instructors. I would volunteer.
I would let the staff shoot the match. However, in order to be an actual competitor and shoot for score they would have to qualify just like other competitors. I see this as more of a check of the scenarios for safety and suitability for a match of this significance.
I don’t honestly believe that something like this will ever happen. But it is kind of fun to fantasize about.
H. R. 1022
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.
This bill is in the first stage of the legislative process where the bill is considered in committee and may undergo significant changes in markup sessions. The bill has been referred to the House Judiciary committee. Many times these bills die in committee and my hope is that this bill will die there. I have included a list of the members of the Judiciary committee at the end of this text of the bill. I encourage you to contact members of the committee and express your feelings about this new assault on the Second Amendment to our Constitution. See complete text of the proposed reauthorization of the assault weapons ban below.
110th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 1022
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
February 13, 2007
Mrs. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary
_______________________________________
A BILL
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007'.
SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT FOR 10 YEARS OF REPEALED CRIMINAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.
(a) Reinstatement of Provisions Wholly Repealed- Paragraphs (30) and (31) of section 921(a), subsections (v) and (w) and Appendix A of section 922, and the last 2 sentences of section 923(i) of title 18, United States Code, as in effect just before the repeal made by section 110105(2) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, are hereby enacted into law.
(b) Reinstatement of Provisions Partially Repealed- Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:
`(B) knowingly violates subsection (a)(4), (f), (k), (r), (v), or (w) of section 922;'; and
(2) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:
`(i) is a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or semiautomatic assault weapon, the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years; or'.
SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.
(a) In General- Section 921(a)(30) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended to read as follows:
`(30) The term `semiautomatic assault weapon' means any of the following:
`(A) The following rifles or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, Misr, NHM 90, NHM 91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR;
`(ii) AR-10;
`(iii) AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite M15, or Olympic Arms PCR;
`(iv) AR70;
`(v) Calico Liberty;
`(vi) Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle or Dragunov SVU;
`(vii) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or FNC;
`(viii) Hi-Point Carbine;
`(ix) HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, or HK-PSG-1;
`(x) Kel-Tec Sub Rifle;
`(xi) M1 Carbine;
`(xii) Saiga;
`(xiii) SAR-8, SAR-4800;
`(xiv) SKS with detachable magazine;
`(xv) SLG 95;
`(xvi) SLR 95 or 96;
`(xvii) Steyr AUG;
`(xviii) Sturm, Ruger Mini-14;
`(xix) Tavor;
`(xx) Thompson 1927, Thompson M1, or Thompson 1927 Commando; or
`(xxi) Uzi, Galil and Uzi Sporter, Galil Sporter, or Galil Sniper Rifle (Galatz).
`(B) The following pistols or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) Calico M-110;
`(ii) MAC-10, MAC-11, or MPA3;
`(iii) Olympic Arms OA;
`(iv) TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22 Scorpion, or AB-10; or
`(v) Uzi.
`(C) The following shotguns or copies or duplicates thereof:
`(i) Armscor 30 BG;
`(ii) SPAS 12 or LAW 12;
`(iii) Striker 12; or
`(iv) Streetsweeper.
`(D) A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine, and that has--
`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a threaded barrel;
`(iii) a pistol grip;
`(iv) a forward grip; or
`(v) a barrel shroud.
`(E)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
`(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply to an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.
`(F) A semiautomatic pistol that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and has--
`(i) a second pistol grip;
`(ii) a threaded barrel;
`(iii) a barrel shroud; or
`(iv) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at a location outside of the pistol grip.
`(G) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.
`(H) A semiautomatic shotgun that has--
`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a pistol grip;
`(iii) the ability to accept a detachable magazine; or
`(iv) a fixed magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds.
`(I) A shotgun with a revolving cylinder.
`(J) A frame or receiver that is identical to, or based substantially on the frame or receiver of, a firearm described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I) or (L).
`(K) A conversion kit.
`(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.
(b) Related Definitions- Section 921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(36) Barrel Shroud- The term `barrel shroud' means a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel of a firearm so that the shroud protects the user of the firearm from heat generated by the barrel, but does not include a slide that encloses the barrel, and does not include an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel.
`(37) Conversion Kit- The term `conversion kit' means any part or combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a firearm into a semiautomatic assault weapon, and any combination of parts from which a semiautomatic assault weapon can be assembled if the parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.
`(38) Detachable Magazine- The term `detachable magazine' means an ammunition feeding device that can readily be inserted into a firearm.
`(39) Fixed Magazine- The term `fixed magazine' means an ammunition feeding device contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm.
`(40) Folding or Telescoping Stock- The term `folding or telescoping stock' means a stock that folds, telescopes, or otherwise operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of a firearm.
`(41) Forward Grip- The term `forward grip' means a grip located forward of the trigger that functions as a pistol grip.
`(42) Pistol Grip- The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.
`(43) Threaded Barrel- The term `threaded barrel' means a feature or characteristic that is designed in such a manner to allow for the attachment of a firearm as defined in section 5845(a) of the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)).'.
SEC. 4. GRANDFATHER PROVISION.
Section 922(v)(2) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(1) by inserting `(A)' after `(2)'; and
(2) by adding after and below the end the following:
`(B) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm the possession or transfer of which would (but for this subparagraph) be unlawful by reason of this subsection, and which is otherwise lawfully possessed on the date of the enactment of this subparagraph.'.
SEC. 5. REPEAL OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS.
Section 922(v)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `(3)' and all that follows through the 1st sentence and inserting the following:
`(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm that--
`(A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, level, or slide action;
`(B) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or
`(C) is an antique firearm.'.
SEC. 6. REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR THE TRANSFER OF LAWFULLY POSSESSED SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS.
Section 922(v) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer a semiautomatic assault weapon to which paragraph (1) does not apply, except through--
`(A) a licensed dealer, and for purposes of subsection (t) in the case of such a transfer, the weapon shall be considered to be transferred from the business inventory of the licensed dealer and the dealer shall be considered to be the transferor; or
`(B) a State or local law enforcement agency if the transfer is made in accordance with the procedures provided for in subsection (t) of this section and section 923(g).
`(6) The Attorney General shall establish and maintain, in a timely manner, a record of the make, model, and date of manufacture of any semiautomatic assault weapon which the Attorney General is made aware has been used in relation to a crime under Federal or State law, and the nature and circumstances of the crime involved, including the outcome of relevant criminal investigations and proceedings. The Attorney General shall annually submit the record to the Congress and make the record available to the general public.'.
SEC. 7. STRENGTHENING THE BAN ON THE POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF A LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.
(a) Ban on Transfer of Semiautomatic Assault Weapon With Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (y) the following:
`(z) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer any assault weapon with a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.
(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(z) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.'.
(b) Certification Requirement-
(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922(w) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(A) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by adding `or' at the end of subparagraph (B); and
(ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and
(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:
`(4) It shall be unlawful for a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or licensed dealer who transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device that was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection, to fail to certify to the Attorney General before the end of the 60-day period that begins with the date of the transfer, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Attorney General, that the device was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection.'.
(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (a)(2) of this section, is amended by adding at the end the following:
`(9) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(w)(4) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.'.
SEC. 8. UNLAWFUL WEAPONS TRANSFERS TO JUVENILES.
Section 922(x) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or
`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'; and
(2) in paragraph (2)--
(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and
(B) by adding at the end the following:
`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or
`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.
SEC. 9. BAN ON IMPORTATION OF LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.
(a) In General- Section 922(w) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--
(1) in paragraph (1), by striking `(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2)' and inserting `(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B)';
(2) in paragraph (2), by striking `(2) Paragraph (1)' and inserting `(B) Subparagraph (A)'; and
(3) by inserting before paragraph (3) the following:
`(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to import or bring into the United States a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.
(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 921(a)(31)(A) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `manufactured after the date of enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994'.
Here are the members of the Judiciary committee:
Democrat
Hon. Berman(D) California, 28th
Hon. Boucher(D) Virginia, 9th
Hon. Nadler(D) New York, 8th
Hon. Scott(D) Virginia, 3rd
Hon. Watt(D) North Carolina, 12th
Hon. Lofgren(D) California, 16th
Hon. Jackson Lee(D) Texas, 18th
Hon. Waters(D) California, 35th
Hon. Meehan(D) Massachusetts, 5th
Hon. Delahunt(D) Massachusetts, 10th
Hon. Wexler(D) Florida, 19th
Hon. Sánchez(D) California, 39th
Hon. Cohen(D) Tennessee, 9th
Hon. Johnson(D) Georgia, 4th
Hon. Gutierrez(D) Illinois, 4th
Hon. Sherman(D) California, 27
Hon. Weiner(D) New York, 9th
Hon. Schiff(D) California, 29th
Hon. Davis(D) Alabama , 7th
Hon. Wasserman Schultz(D) Florida, 20th
Hon. Ellison(D) Minnesota, 5th
Republican
Hon. Sensenbrenner Jr.(R) Wisconsin, 5th
Hon. Coble(R) North Carolina, 6th
Hon. Gallegly(R) California, 24th
Hon. Goodlatte(R) Virginia, 6th
Hon. Chabot(R) Ohio, 1st
Hon. Lungren(R) California, 3rd
Hon. Cannon(R) Utah, 3rd
Hon. Keller(R) Florida, 8th
Hon. Issa(R) California, 49th
Hon. Pence(R) Indiana, 6th
Hon. Forbes(R) Virginia, 4th
Hon. King(R) Iowa, 5th
Hon. Feeney(R) Florida, 24th
Hon. Franks(R) Arizona, 2nd
Hon. Gohmert(R) Texas, 1st
Hon. Jordan(R) Ohio, 4th
Choosing the Wrong Handgun
I really don’t like to give advice to anyone about what handgun is best for them. But so many people choose the wrong handgun that I’m going to do it anyway. As I’ve said before, selecting a handgun is much like buying a new pair of shoes. You need to try the fit and feel of several and find one that you like. I had one lady tell me not to use that analogy because women will buy shoes that look good verses what feels good. And that probably describes how a lot of folks purchase handguns. They buy a gun because it looks flashy or because some friend has suggested some kind of gun that the friend thinks will fit their needs.
So I’m going to express my opinion about how to choose a handgun in a way that someone unfamiliar with handguns can understand without taking a graduate course to become a gunsmith. I need to explore such things as size, action, caliber and reliability. What follows is the culmination of several years of competitive shooting, advanced handgun training, teaching handgun classes and personal observation.
One of the things to consider is what size of handgun to get. You need to think about how you plan to use the gun. For competitive shooting you will want to use a full-size gun. A small gun might be what you would use for concealed carry or as backup gun.
Here is an example of someone who chose the wrong gun. I had a lady (senior citizen) come to my ladies class wanting to practice before she took a concealed handgun license class. She had borrowed a Glock 26 from a friend and was totally unfamiliar with the firearm. I’m not saying that a Glock is a bad choice for a handgun. I’m a huge Glock fan and I sometimes carry a G26. What I am saying is that it was a bad choice for this lady. She had problems trying to operate the slide on the gun during loading and unloading. It is typical of small semi-automatic handguns that they require a fair amount of strength to operate the slide. She also had trouble holding the gun because of the small grip. I’ve put new base pads on my G26 magazines that give me a place for my little finger. A much better choice for this lady would have been a full sized pistol or perhaps a revolver. I don’t see the logic in borrowing a gun to take the CHL class anyway. But that’s another story.
Size does matter. And I’ve come to the conclusion that small handguns are not a good choice for novice or beginner shooters. Another reason for this conclusion is that small lightweight handguns tend to have a lot of recoil that novice and beginner shooters have trouble handling. This is why bigger and heavier guns make a lot of sense. My belief is that people should become proficient with a full size gun first. And later move to a smaller handgun if they feel the need.
The action of a handgun refers to the design of the gun in the way that it functions. For example, the action of a revolver includes a cylinder, a trigger and a hammer. Most modern revolvers are double action meaning that the trigger is used to rotate the cylinder and cock & release the hammer. They can also be used in the single action mode. Meaning that you can cock the hammer (this action also rotates the cylinder) and then the trigger is used only to release the hammer. And there are double action only revolvers like the hammerless or covered hammer type pocket revolvers. Many older types of revolvers are single action only.
Revolvers are a bit more difficult to learn how to shoot accurately because when used in the double action mode the trigger pull is long and the shooter tends to move the sights off target while pulling the trigger. Also, some revolvers have a very heavy trigger. This means that it takes a lot of force to pull the trigger. And again this contributes to reduced accuracy.
The semi-automatic pistol will have a trigger, hammer, moving slide, slide release, magazine release and safety that the shooter will need to manipulate in order to use the gun. There are several types of pistols and each type is unique in the way it operates. Some have a grip safety while others have a magazine safety and almost all have a thumb safety. The design of the magazine release and the slide release can be different depending on the gun manufacturer. Safe-Action designs might not have an exposed hammer or thumb safety. So you can see that the semi-automatic pistol is a little more complex to learn and to operate.
People are typically a bit more accurate with them. But, because they are more complex than revolvers the shooter needs to become proficient manipulating the gun. Pistols are more prone to jam and if the shooter plans to use it in a personal defense mode then the shooter needs to know how to clear a jam quickly and get the gun back into service.
The National Rifle Association has a class tailored to folks that get a new gun. This class is called the NRA First Steps Pistol Orientation and the goal of the class is to provide beginning shooters with an introduction to the knowledge, skills, and attitude necessary to own and use a specific pistol model safely. I highly recommend that people take advantage of this kind of training because the shooter will enjoy the gun a lot more if they learn to use it correctly from the beginning..
My recommendation for the kind of action a shooter should choose is based on the intended use of the gun. I guess I’d have to say that a revolver should be the gun of choice for a beginner shooter who plans to use it for recreational shooting. The revolver is easy to load and unload. It is not as likely to jam. And a revolver is a lot of fun to shoot.
If the intended use of the handgun is for home defense, personal protection or concealed carry, I would recommend a revolver to novice shooters for many of the reasons stated above. However, if the shooter is willing to get some training and practice with his handgun I would recommend a pistol. Pistols have the advantage of holding more ammunition than revolvers and are typically much faster reloading than revolvers.
I want to address the physical characteristics of handguns. I find that many styles of pistols are clunky and feel uncomfortable in my hand. I know this is a personal thing. And this is why I tell a person to try different guns until they find one that feels good in the hand. Pistols manufactured by Ruger and Heckler & Koch are fine handguns but some models don’t feel good in my hand. However, someone with larger hands would probably prefer these handguns. Also, I tend to shy away from guns that have sharp edges around the top side of the gun. Things like the rear sight, the thumb safety or slide release can cause injury if the edges are not smooth.
The 1911 frame style handgun seems to fit my hand. I have a couple of them and I’ve put thin grip panels on them because I found that I don’t have a problem engaging the grip safety with the thin grip panels. And I’m able to reach the magazine release and slide release buttons without shifting my grip. I’m a right handed shooter and I don’t like an ambidextrous safety on my gun. I prefer a full sized handgun. My thought is that I have better control and better shot placement with a full sized gun.
I didn’t like Glock pistols when I first tried them. They seemed too big for my hand. But after a couple of years of competitive shooting I tried one again and found that I liked the design. Now I have two of them. I guess the lesson here is that your preferences may change over time so never rule a particular gun design out. Also, it has been my experience that new shooters tend to have few problems manipulating a Glock verses about any other type of semi-automatic pistol.
When it comes to trigger pull I like a trigger that is within the 2 to 7 pounds range. Any lighter pull I consider unsafe and anything heavier causes me to forfeit accuracy. Also, I like a fairly short trigger pull and reset. Pistols with a double action first shot give me trouble with shot placement of the first shot but may be a safer choice for concealed carry. I’ve tried some of the double action only pistols and find the length of trigger pull to be unsuitable for my purposes. However, this type of trigger might be good for a backup gun. The only gun I use that I shoot double action only is my model 625 Smith and Wesson 45 ACP moon clip revolver. I shoot this gun in competition and have had extensive trigger work done on it so that the trigger pull is very smooth.
The kind of sights that you get on a handgun is largely a matter of personal preference. I like simple notch and post type sights. I know a lot of shooters who have spent a lot of money to have night sights put on their guns only to discover that there is very little practical need for them. Some of my handguns have night sights on them because that’s the way they were configured when I purchased them. I wouldn’t go out of my way to have them added. Basically I use night sights when it is dark to verify that my gun is on my night stand. I can understand if you plan to use your handgun as a competition only gun that you might want to add holographic sights, a red dot or laser to the gun. But I think a lot of shooters are sold a bill of goods by a crafty salesman at the gun shop. Some people just like to add whistles and bells to their guns. In my mind it is just something else that is likely to fail at the most inopportune time. I like the KISS principle, Keep It Simple Stupid.
The subject of caliber is one that you can study and read about until it becomes so convoluted that it is difficult to make an intelligent decision about which one is best for your particular needs. Stopping power, recoil, wall penetration, magnum, +P, hollow point, jacketed and so on are a lot of terms that confuse the issue.
Here again the choice of caliber is largely dependent on the purpose that you have for your gun. For purely recreational purposes it is hard to beat the .22 caliber gun. They are very inexpensive to shoot and even children can handle the recoil without problems. For other types of shooting I have found that 9mm is probably the best choice for shooters because it is cheaper and has less recoil that most other calibers.
My recommendation for caliber is to get the biggest caliber you can handle effectively. For most beginner shooters that will be 9mm. That’s what I started with and then moved up to a .45 caliber after developing my shooting skills.
Finally, I want to discuss reliability issues. If your intention is to use your handgun for personal protection, you will want the most reliable handgun you can have. Although not entirely true, the more you pay for a gun the more reliable it should be. Probably the most reliable type of handgun is a revolver. Police carried them for years because they would reliably work when the need arose. In recent years police have started to carry semi-automatic pistols. This is due to a number of factors including advances in design (reliability), more ammunition capacity, faster reloading and better training.
I carry either a Glock 9mm or a Kimber .45 most of the time. I have found both of these guns to be very reliable. I practice a lot and shoot a couple of times a week on average. Most people do not get that much trigger time. However, if your desire is to carry a pistol, I would encourage you to practice at least once a month so that you can become proficient with the gun and be able to clear a malfunction when it happens.
If you are not willing or able to spend the time to become proficient with a pistol then I recommend a revolver.
Women’s Introduction to IDPA
The Tactical Shooters Club holds a weekly indoor IDPA match on Tuesday evenings at the Memorial Oaks Shooting Club and I’ve been working with the owners to put together something specifically for women. The idea of a women only IDPA match was suggested. I contacted IDPA headquarters and ran the idea by them. Their suggestion was to not call it a match but rather an introduction to IDPA. Basically, if you call it a match, then it should be open to any IDPA member regardless of gender. And thus the Women’s Introduction to IDPA was born in November of 2006 with the goal to get more women involved in IDPA shooting.
I began on Thursday evenings to teach a women’s only class the basics of defensive pistol shooting. My background as a Certified NRA Pistol and Personal Protection instructor is helpful, particularly when someone with limited shooting experience joins the group. The women are welcome to try it one time without joining the IDPA and if they want to continue to participate then they are required to join.
I’ve tried to create a non-stressful, non-competitive and safe environment for them to practice with their handguns. In the beginning most of the ladies do not even have holsters. I don’t turn anyone away for lack of proper equipment. In fact, I’ll loan them a gun if necessary. The shooting format is basically the same as our Tuesday evening IDPA matches but with scenarios designed to rehearse specific shooting skills. I found that women seem to like the relaxed atmosphere where there is no pressure to perform competitively even though we use a timer and follow IDPA rules for scoring.
Now my original four ladies, Andrea, Debra, Kelly and Kim are working on more advanced defensive pistol and competitive shooting skills. And they are regulars at our Tuesday IDPA matches. These ladies comprise what I call my core group and they do a lot to advance the whole idea of getting more women involved. They pitch in to make new shooters feel welcome. I was a little concerned that the group might not like it when I had to devote some extra time with new shooters to explain the basics of pistol shooting and safety. But my fears were alleviated when they told me that they enjoyed helping me by talking with new shooters and sharing how they felt the first few times they came. It sure makes my job easier if the new shooters are put at ease and are comfortable in the environment.
Debra gave me the following testimony: “I initially joined the Thursday night ladies IDPA because I wanted to get comfortable with my handgun. My handgun had spent two years in solitary confinement in my closet and I was no longer comfortable with it. The first class I attended was intimidating. I missed the target most of the time and jumped every time the timer went off. It was only the patience and support from our instructor that kept me coming back. It took about four classes for me to get comfortable shooting scenarios.
I continue IDPA mostly because it is fun. But I can’t dismiss the practical purpose. I can stand at the range all day and shoot a target but that will not prepare me to defend myself. In class, I shoot multiple targets, shoot while moving, learn to clear gun jams, shoot from cover and master reloads just to name a few. Thank you, Gary, for your continued support and training.”
Kim put in her two cents worth: “I started coming to the Ladies Introduction to IDPA because I grew up with rifles and shotguns, but knew nothing about hand guns. The thought of just going to the range bored me. I wanted something more challenging than just a CHL class or regularly scheduled target shooting at the range. The IDPA night seemed like a fun and challenging way to learn a little more about handguns.
Now I go every Thursday night when I'm not offshore because I find the different scenarios challenging and fun. I may not always shoot as well as I would like, but I always learn something new.
I can't think of any place I'd rather be than at the range shooting IDPA scenarios on Thursday night. My speed, accuracy and comfort with my Glock have increased far faster than I could have on my own. IDPA nights teach you to deal with four or five different things all while handling your gun safely and effectively. This sort of training means that when something does go wrong, you have the confidence and the comfort level to deal with it in a rational way.”
I must take a moment to acknowledge the support of Richard “Shorty” Shipp. Shorty is relatively new to IDPA shooting and when he heard that I was going to do this Thursday evening thing for ladies only, he volunteered to help. He and I are of similar age and I would never have pegged him to be a ladies man like me. Boy was I wrong. He is truly a babe magnet and at least three ladies from his office have begun shooting with us on Thursday evenings. I insisted that he become an IDPA Safety Officer and made him attend my SO class. Now he runs the timer while I observe the ladies and critique their performance. He has taken it upon himself to spend a few minutes with new shooters on the range before the regular Thursday evening session starts. In this way the new shooters receive some orientation and it saves valuable range time. Shorty, I can’t imagine doing this without your help.
I want to thank the management of the Memorial Oaks Shooting Club for their support. They took a chance and agreed to close the range to the public every Thursday evening so I could move out in front of the shooting booths and set up to teach the ladies. The range has already begun to see an increase in membership and business as word gets out and more ladies join the fun.
Thanks also to the folks at IDPA Headquarters for guiding me in the right direction.
The success of this program speaks for itself. Hopefully there are others around the country that can devote some of their time and talent to get more women involved by starting something similar. I can tell you that the ladies are very excited and enthusiastic once they get hooked on the sport. I have to admit that I get a huge thrill every time one of my students masters a new skill or steps up to the line in a shooting competition. Not to mention the fact that I get to hang out with a bunch of beautiful women every week.
Report - IDPA Europe
It was my honor to be invited to go to Bologna, Italy in April of this year to participate in a Safety Officer Training class. Bologna is the largest city in the Emilia-Romagna region, situated between Tuscany and Veneto.
Information from WikipediA (online free encyclopedia) describes Bologna as the jewel of northern Italy, an elegant and sophisticated university town considered by many to be the gastronomic capital of the country. Bologna is a well-preserved medieval city rich with beautiful cathedrals, towers, piazzas and charming narrow streets, painted in dark red and orange colors typical of Northern Italy. Situated in the fertile Po River Valley, the rich local cuisine depends heavily on meats and cheeses. As in all of Emilia-Romagna, the production of cured pork meats such as prosciutto, mortadella and salame is an important part of the local food industry. Well-regarded nearby vineyards include Pignoletto dei Colli Bolognesi, Lambrusco di Modena and Sangiovese di Romagna. Tagliatelle al ragù, lasagne, tortellini served in broth and mortadella, the original Bologna sausage, are among the local specialties.
Robert Ray from IDPA Headquarters and I flew to Milan, Italy where we were met by Giorgio Acerboni, area coordinator for Italy, and Franco D’anna from Michigan who served as chief Safety Officer Instructor (SOI) and interpreter.
Before going to Bologna we toured a couple of shooting ranges near Brescia, Italy. The first is where the IDPA Italian National and European Championship matches will be held at the end of October of this year. There are a number of shooting bays and the plan is to set up the Italian Nationals with each bay sponsored and manned by a different Italian IDPA club. There will be ten scenarios in the Italian National match. Another six scenarios will be set up for the European Championship. The European Championship consists of all sixteen scenarios. Shooters have the option to shoot both matches if they want or they may shoot only the one of their choice. Side matches will be set up in other bays for shooters to play in.
Secondly, Renato Lamera, exhibition shooter and world record holder for hand thrown clay birds, is building what will be a shooting resort of world class proportions. He plans a hotel, restaurant and hiking/exercise trail on the site of the range. He had opened a portion of the skeet and trap range just a week before we arrived. The pistol bays are still under construction and we met with him to discuss how best to build these bays to facilitate IDPA shooting. This place must be seen to be believed. There are underground tunnels leading to the clay bird throwers so they can be charged without shutting down the range. Shooters may be observed from behind glass walls and there are seating areas to just sit and enjoy the shooting.
We arrived in Bologna on Friday evening and had a little social time with some old friends I had met the last time I went to Italy. Saturday we went to the range and set up to begin the SO class. I didn’t believe it was a shooting range at first. From the front the building looks like a school building or perhaps a warehouse. However, the entire back side is a range. Specifically, it is an Olympic shooting range with about 60 shooting positions. Another part looked like it was for air guns and finally another portion was set aside for IDPA shooting.
The classroom had two overhead projectors that we used to project the course material in both English and Italian. Franco presented the information while Robert and I responded to questions raised by the students. Late in the afternoon I played the part of a shooter and Franco was the Safety Officer while we demonstrated many of the things a safety officer will be challenged with during a match. It was a lot of fun and I think Franco learned as much as the students.
Saturday evening we went to dinner and everything the online encyclopedia said about the food in Bologna is true. I’ve never tasted better cheese or prepared meats. Dinner was over about midnight and one of the students asked if we wanted to see the shop where he makes shotguns. So without a moments’ hesitation we were off to see his shop. These are side-by-side shotguns only and every part is handmade. He makes one or two of these guns a year and the price starts about $40,000. I need to talk with my wife about an increase in my allowance. I tore myself away and returned to the hotel and bed about 2 a.m.
Sunday SO training was similar to that presented on Saturday but the students were already safety officers and this served as a refresher for them. Mostly we discussed some of the finer details of the IDPA sport. Several side meetings were held with range owners from around Italy and other member nations about the upcoming Italian Nationals and European Championship matches.
We departed Bologna in the late afternoon and drove to Bergamo, Italy. Monday in Bergamo was spent seeing the sites and watching people while relaxing in a quaint piazza sipping a cool drink. There was the obligatory trip up to Bergamo Alta, the original walled city on a hill top. The view from the high city is spectacular. Late in the afternoon we took the funicular down to the lower city for some shopping and then returned to our rooms to pack for the return trip to the good old USA.
The final evening in Italy it was my pleasure to treat Giorgio, his wife and two daughters, Robert and his wife Ronda as well as Franco to dinner. We had real Italian pizza and an unforgettable time of fellowship.
Fishing in Canada
My friends of almost 30 years, Roger and Alverna Peterson, own a cabin on Finlayson Lake near Atikokan, Ontario, Canada and have invited me to come and stay with them for several years. Roger always told tales of the great fishing that I could expect if only I would come for a visit. So I decided that 2007 was the year I would take him up on his offer. I didn’t have to pack very many clothes because a washer and dryer are available at Roger’s cabin. Also, there are at least 50 sets of rod and reels to choose from, several boats complete with motor, trolling motor, fish finder and GPS. There is also a float plane if needed.
I asked my road dog, Johnny Van Etta, if he would be interested in spending some time fishing in Canada. He started packing. We departed Houston in the early morning on July the 4th for another great adventure.
Handguns are almost impossible to import into Canada. And traveling for two days without personal protection is not something we wanted to do. It occurred to me that we could have our protection at least part way if we could figure a way to leave the guns in Minnesota while we were in Canada and pick them up on the trip back. Johnny contacted the International Falls, MN Chief of Police, Chris Raboin, to inquire about leaving our handguns with him while in Canada. His reply was, “Yes, you can drop your hog legs off at our door. You will be issued a receipt. You can redeem your weapons in person when you return from Canada by presenting your receipt. Have a nice trip.” Problem solved.
Johnny and I decided we would drive because neither of us had ever seen Minnesota. We drove about 1000 miles the first day and stayed overnight in Iowa. We drove the remaining distance the next day and arrived at the lake around 7pm. I had heard that Minnesota was the state of 10,000 lakes. I think that was a lot of propaganda because I counted only 31 as we drove through the state.
We crossed into Canada at International Falls, Minnesota. But prior to crossing we went to the police department and left our hog legs in the care and custody of the nice policeman. We stopped by a grocery store and stocked up on snack type food. Then we stopped at a sport shop and got some night crawlers as requested by Roger. The final stop prior to departing the country was the gas station to top off the gas tank because gasoline in Canada is over $5 a gallon.
We breezed through Canadian customs without any problems and immediately got lost. Somehow we missed a turn and wondered around until we found a kind native who gave us directions to the highway headed east. The road signs indicating the legal speed limit are in kilometers per hour. Fortunately my speedometer has both mph and kph scales so we were able to drive the prescribed 90 kph (about 56 mph) without violating any laws. Of course I mentioned to Roger that I didn’t care what the signs said, there was no way I was going to drive 90 mph on those twisting and turning roads. I think Alverna thought I was serious and we all had a good laugh. It did take us a little while to realize that the signs giving distances to towns were in kilometers too. And we felt better when we figured out it was only 86 miles to Atikokan not 140.
There was a plan to bring a truck load of fish back to Houston. Johnny took his vacuum sealer and we planned to seal and freeze our limit each day. We discovered that we could only have two days limit in our possession. That means the huge ice chest we took to pack full of fish to bring home was way more than we needed.
As I mentioned, we arrived at our destination about 7 o’clock in the evening and discovered that the little resort was having a fish fry and covered dish get together. They invited us to sit down and enjoy some food with them. So far the trip was off to a good start. Finlayson Resort consists of a few rental cabins, a camping area and a small office/store. There are a number of private cabins like Roger’s. The normal summer population excluding rentals and campers is probably not more than 30 people.
The next morning we went to the store and got our fishing licenses and headed for the lake. Fishing was only fair for walleye and northern pike but the small mouth bass seemed to be hungry. Small mouth bass are a hoot to catch. They jump a lot more than their cousins the large mouth bass. And if you hook one in the 4 to 6 pound range they fight like something twice their size.
One day we drove to another lake and launched the boat. Some people had told us about catching over 60 walleye in this lake. We did catch a couple but they seemed not very active. Roger tried to stir up the fish by driving the boat in a tight circle. He immediately caught one after that, however, it didn’t work the second time we tried it. The highlight at this lake was we saw a moose swimming in the lake. We must have disturbed it because it climbed out, gave us a good once over and moved off into the forest.
There were lots of things to occupy our time when not fishing. We followed some snowmobile trails in a four-wheeler and I went on my first float plane ride. We helped Roger with some of his projects around the cabin.
My friend Roger is kind of a high-tech nut. He built a solar powered electrical system complete with banks of batteries, inverter and diesel generator backup. The system is large enough to run two cabins with plenty of power to spare. It is all monitored by computer and he can log into the system via the internet to check how things are running. He also has some web cameras set up around the house and you can view one of them on line at: http://www.pmmi-inc.com/Webcam.html. This camera is pointed toward the lake and you can see the fish-cleaning house through the trees on the left by the water and the thin yellow line on the right is the wing of the float plane hiding behind a tree.
Roger built the float plane. It is an Experimental and is similar to a Piper J-3. I’d say it is a bit smaller because I felt pretty cramped in the back seat. The plane had a lot less vibration than I remembered the old J-3 having. I was a little concerned about making a landing on water but we made the smoothest landing I’ve ever made in a small plane. Roger and his wife fly the plane to Canada from Texas every year and then back for the winter. They stop somewhere in Minnesota and put the floats on when they fly up and then change back to wheels when they return.
One of Roger’s high-tech devices that Johnny and I encountered was an electronic toilet seat. I was never brave enough to push any of the buttons and I’m pretty sure that Johnny eyed the device with some trepidation as well.
Alverna made breakfast for us every morning. So we helped assemble a gazebo for her. She was able to sit in the gazebo and read or watch the squirrels without being molested by the mosquitoes and biting flies. It has a canvas top and mosquito netting on the sides. Johnny and I spent a lot of time in the evenings sitting outside in the gazebo watching the lake as the day faded into the night.
We thought we should give something to the Petersons as a thank you for hosting our adventure. What we came up with was four, 5-piece, place settings of Knork flatware and a serving set. Alverna was thrilled with this gift. She said the design looked Scandinavian. She immediately took the old flatware out of her kitchen drawer and replaced it with the Knorks.
The return trip was pretty uneventful. We crossed the border with no problem and retrieved our hog legs without incident. Then it was just a matter of putting some miles behind us.
As I reflect on the whole experience, I have to say that the fishing was great but the catching was just so-so. The beautiful countryside, lake vistas, clear fresh air and hospitality certainly made the whole trip worthwhile.
Texas Travel Law
One of the most misunderstood parts of the Texas Concealed Handgun law is the part dealing with travel. At least that is one of the most questioned parts of the CHL course that I teach. The Travel law was slightly modified and clarified and the changes went into effect the 1st of September, 2007.
Laying all the legal mumbo-jumbo aside, the law simply says that if you are in your vehicle, you are considered to be traveling. The gun you have in that vehicle must be concealed but you do not have to have a CHL. You are able to transport the gun concealed from your place of residence to the vehicle and back but you may not otherwise carry it concealed outside your vehicle unless you have a CHL.
You are not protected by the travel law against carrying a firearm illegally if you cannot legally own a firearm or are involved in anything illegal, other than a Class “C” offense (traffic violation), or if you are a member of a street gang, or are a mentally deficient person.
The other part of the law that was changed is that you no longer have to prove that you were traveling. This burden lies with the state or county or city to prove that you were not traveling and thus are guilty of carrying a concealed gun illegally.
The travel law is very clearly defined in the code. However, there is so much misunderstanding and misinterpretation associated with this law that I highly recommend that everyone get a CHL and then there is no question when you have a concealed gun in your car.
It may surprise you to know that law enforcement officers in many jurisdictions do not know or understand this law. And it may cost you a considerable amount in lawyer fees to clear things up if you are wrongly accused of illegally carrying a concealed weapon.
I’ve been known to leave my car gun in my wife’s car. So without her knowledge she could have been breaking the law prior to the change that went into effect on one September.
Consider getting a Concealed Handgun License even if you will only carry in the vehicle. You might avoid a lot of problems.
Display CHL to Law Enforcement
Concealed Handgun License holders who have a handgun on or about their person are required by Texas law to show both their driver’s license and their CHL when asked for identification by a law enforcement officer. You do not have to show your CHL if you don’t have a handgun with you.
But my question is: Why wouldn’t you show both even if you don’t have a gun with you at the time?
Let’s assume you’re not carrying a handgun but you have committed a minor traffic violation and you see the telltale red and blue flashing light bar in your rear view mirror. And being a normally law abiding citizen you dutifully pull safely to the side of the road, roll your window down and wait with both hands on the steering wheel and the overhead light on, if its dark.
The chances are good that the officer has already run your automobile license plate and if it is registered to you, he probably knows that you are a CHL holder. When he asked for identification I would give both the driver’s license and my CHL explaining that I don’t currently have a handgun with me. That should put the officer at ease because he knows that an extensive background check has been done on you in order to get the CHL in the first place and you probably just made a stupid mistake and are not a career criminal.
Now let’s say that the officer did not run your vehicle license plate and simply asked you for identification and you hand him you vehicle operators license. He will then run it through the computer system to see if it is valid and check for any outstanding warrants. And bingo the computer will indicate that you are also a CHL holder. At that time he will come and ask you if you have a handgun.
If you do have a handgun on or about your person, you are subject to suspension of your permit and the officer might get very upset. If you don’t have a handgun you are within your rights not to display the CHL when asked for identification. But again, why go through all the hassle? I don’t know about you, but I want to make friends with the officer in hopes that he will overlook my small indiscretion.
You’ve got to have Good People
Running an IDPA club is no easy task unless you have quality help. No one individual can do everything required to run a club. And believe me, I’ve tried. Let’s review some of what it took to get the Tactical Shooters Club going.
When I started out I had a minimal amount of help. I paid the club affiliation fee, bought insurance, storage shed, target stands, targets, staplers, tape, sticks, timers, clipboards and everything else it took to run a match out of my own pocket. The club now is pretty much self supporting. But recovering my investment is slow. I’m not really complaining. I could recoup my investment much faster if I charged the shooters more to compete. But I don’t want to do that because it costs them about $18 to shoot now. Only $2 or $3 dollars of that goes to the club and the rest is paid directly to the range owner in range fees. There is no intention to make the club profitable. As long as it continues to pay its own way, that is all I could ask for.
We shoot on an indoor range that somewhat limits what scenarios we can shoot. It is only 10 bays wide and 50 feet deep. Basically, we have to keep all the shots in the bullet trap, so we do a lot of skills type scenarios as well as regular scenarios. I will never complain about not having enough room after having gone to the Arkansas Winter match in Springdale a couple of times. They conduct a great regional IDPA match on a range that is smaller than the one we use. I’m fortunate to have several shooters with a lot of experience and they can always come up with a new scenario when I run out of the over 1,100 scenarios I have collected over the years.
My first objective was to find a range to hold matches. I started at an outdoor range and had a lot of difficulties with the weather. Having only one match a month and then getting half of the matches cancelled due to weather seriously impacted both wallet and membership. I then moved to an indoor range and started have matches every Tuesday evening. This has met with some success. We can get anywhere from 10 to 20 shooters every Tuesday and don’t have to worry about the weather.
My next objective was to recruit willing volunteers from the membership to help run the matches. Many of the regular shooters have taken my Safety Officer class. Now there are several who can and do run shooters through the scenarios. The club has been blessed with a lot of new shooters who become enthusiastic and want to help. I won’t try to mention all of them but I want to single out Richard Shipp or “Shorty” as he is called. Shorty exemplifies what IDPA is all about. He is the first to offer to help another shooter or to buy new target sticks for the club. He has assumed the roll of Range Master and is responsible to insure that we have everything needed to run a match. He will be seen signing up the shooters as they arrive for the match and handing out IDPA membership application forms to new shooters. Shorty can always be depended on to be there when I have to be out of town. Somehow he manages to keep everything going. I guess I will have to consider giving him a raise to reward his hard work.
I’m proud of all the shooters in the way they pitch in and help set up and break down the match. And they are not afraid to grab some tape and help patch up the targets. It is extremely helpful when some of the old hands pitch in and help new & beginner shooters to understand the rules and get them safely through the match. It is largely due to their help that we attract so many new IDPA members.
More than Just a CompetitionAn International Defensive Pistol Association match is more than a shooting match. True, it is a competitive shooting event but the primary focus should be defensive in nature. The reason the IDPA was formed was to have a way practice defensive shooting skills while at the same time having fun doing it.
I was the Chief Safety Officer for the 2006 Italian National match. And I helped teach Italian IDPA Safety Officers in 2007. I noticed that some of my Italian friends had a slightly different view of IDPA. I got the impression that many of the Italian shooters viewed IDPA as simply another shooting competition. Not much different than IPSC, Olympic or other shooting venues. It may be that Italians are so competitive by nature that they fail to see the defensive aspects of IDPA and simply shoot to win the competition.
I understand this attitude because I was very competitive myself at one time. After more than 10 years shooting IDPA I have found why I like it so much. It is not the competition it is the people I have met at all the matches. I still enjoy winning but now if I win or lose it makes little difference. I’m keeping my defensive skills sharp and I’m enjoying the fellowship of some wonderful people.
Here in Texas as in many of the other states that make up the USA, it is possible for a law abiding citizen to carry a concealed handgun for self defense if they have a concealed handgun license (CHL). I have been certified by the Texas Department of Public Safety to teach the CHL class to civilians. My students must take ten hours of classroom instruction including a shooting proficiency test. After the training an extensive background check is done by the state and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to insure that people with criminal backgrounds are not issued concealed handgun licenses. I always encourage my students to get involved in IDPA so they will become good defensive shooters. Those states that have enacted concealed carry laws have seen a reduction in violent crime. It should also be noted that areas of this country that have the most restrictive gun control laws, also have the highest crime rates.
I got my license to carry a concealed handgun in 1996. And I began looking for a way to practice self defense. The IDPA fit my needs perfectly. I could use the off-the-shelf gun I had without spending a lot of money to have it tricked out for competitive shooting. IDPA rules for handguns used in competition are based on stock guns. The scenarios that the IDPA uses in competition are supposed to be defensive in nature. In other words, these courses of fire should be something that could happen in real life like a home invasion, car jacking or robbery.
2007 Goes into History
I wanted to review the events of the year as 2007 fades into the past. It has been a year of extremes for me with many memorable events both high and low times.
The Tactical Shooters Club has grown over the last year with new shooters joining almost every week. I’ve made a lot of new friends and we are now sponsoring an IDPA match twice a week. As you can imagine it would be impossible to manage if it were not for the help received from people like Shorty Shipp and George Gibbons who have assumed the rolls of Range Master and Assistant Range Master. I call them my Range Bitches but only because they enjoy the titles. They can be counted on to keep things going in my absence. Thanks for all your help guys.
The year started on a high note with a deer hunting trip when my old pal Johnny Van Etta invited me to go to his deer lease. It was a successful trip and one that will stand out in my memory.
The Thursday evening ladies only introduction to IDPA shooting was also a highlight of the year. And after they learned almost everything I could teach them we opened Thursdays to all IDPA shooters. We still use that time as mostly a training session but now shooters of both genders can take advantage of the opportunity.
I was in Italy again to give Safety Officer training. I made some wonder friends and had a great time. This time I was accompanied by Robert Ray from IDPA Headquarters and Franco D’anna from Michigan who served as interpreter. I’ll have more about my new acquaintances in Italy later.
Not long after my return from Italy my father fell ill and was admitted to the hospital. I drove to Oklahoma City to visit with him. His wife of 63 years and his two children were at his bedside when he passed away. It was an emotional time for me but as I looked back on his 85 years I had to admit that he really did have a wonder life.
Less than six weeks later my mother was admitted to the hospital. I returned to Oklahoma City to visit mom. She appeared to me to have lost the will to continue on without dad. I returned to Houston and a couple of days later my sister called and told me that she died. Again it was an emotional rollercoaster ride, as you can imagine having to bury both your parents within a six week period of time.
I really needed to have an uplifting experience so when my old friend Roger Peterson invited me to his cabin in Canada for some fishing, I jumped at the opportunity. I invited Johnny Van Etta to go with me mainly because we have traveled many a mile together and he had invited me to go hunting with him earlier in the year. I have to put the Canadian fishing trip on the plus side of the column for great adventures.
When I was in Bologna, Italy this year I met Girogio Simoni the owner of Armeria Zanotti. He makes handmade side-by-side shotguns. I also met Simone Ciucchi who is my main contact with Zanotti. Simone is a sergeant with the Bologna police department. They asked me to try to find someone in the US to be their representative. And after a couple of failed attempts to find someone suitable, they asked if I wouldn’t take on the responsibility. I agreed and started Zanotti USA a representative of Armeria Zanotti. I have arranged a booth in February at the Shot Show in Las Vegas, Nevada and another in May at the NRA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky. My plan is to attend the EXA gun show in Italy in April. I’ll be attending other local gun shows in and around Houston in the coming year. Zanotti is sending me three of their shotguns to take to the gun shows. I’m very excited to be a part of the gun industry.
Another issue I have agreed to help my Italian friends with is starting something similar to the National Rifle Association in Italy. Their gun laws are rather confusing but still better than someplace like England or France. They need an organization with some political influence to help make things better. To that end I am in the process of arranging to have the President of NRA, Mr. John C. Sigler, and possibly the Executive Vice President, Wayne LaPierre attend the EXA show in Italy to take part in a conference with FISAT the Italian federation of shooting disciplines that hope to form NRA ILA Italy. Assuming we can make this happen the Italian NRA organization would be completely stand-alone and not affiliated with NRA in the US. They are only seeking some help with organization and direction from NRA US.
Well this year has been interesting to say the least. And I’m excited to see what 2008 has in store for me. My wish is that all my friends both here and abroad take time to enjoy the past great times and I wish them all a joyous and happy New Year.