Gonna get a gun...am I crazy?

[jjwankenobi]

Minor update:

Finally got to the gun range almost two months after we were originally supposed to go and I was...underwhelmed. It all seemed monotonous after 30 minutes and it didn't help that an hour and a half of shooting cost $75. More if we opted for bigger guns.

So I dug up my old CO2 powered Walther PPK bb gun, refurbished it and started plinking away in my back yard. Much more cost effective than a real gun, much safer and pretty much the same experience as the real thing IMO.




I guess I'll be buying that Camaro when I'm 50 after all...

[obakemono]

hey JJ, glad to hear you checked out the gun range to get a feel for a pistol before buying one. If your still interested in protecting your family while at the same time not introducing a "lethal" weapon into your home. I have a suggestion.

My grandfather kept a shotgun loaded with rocksalt under his bed (for bears), I have a similar set up, though its never preloaded. I can tell you from personal experience (please don't ask) that in those frantic moments after you realise someons in your home a shotgun is much easier to handle (and harder to miss with), besides an intruder will think twice if you have a shotgun pointed at them, also the rock salt will take down anyone smaller than Andre the Giant and the risk of killing them is much much lower.

my 2cents

[jjwankenobi]

Originally Posted by obakemono

hey JJ, glad to hear you checked out the gun range to get a feel for a pistol before buying one. If your still interested in protecting your family while at the same time not introducing a "lethal" weapon into your home. I have a suggestion.

My grandfather kept a shotgun loaded with rocksalt under his bed (for bears), I have a similar set up, though its never preloaded. I can tell you from personal experience (please don't ask) that in those frantic moments after you realise someons in your home a shotgun is much easier to handle (and harder to miss with), besides an intruder will think twice if you have a shotgun pointed at them, also the rock salt will take down anyone smaller than Andre the Giant and the risk of killing them is much much lower.

my 2cents

Thanks man.

Remind me never to come over to your place unannounced.

[Darth Cylon]

Hey JJ, I just saw this post. Did you go to DVC in PoCo?

I though a Jedi like yourself would prefer a more elegant weapon?

[jjwankenobi]

So uncivilized...



...but it gets the job done!

Yeah, we went to DVC. Nice setup, great staff. Good selection of firearms. Hella expensive, though.

[Darth Cylon]

I know. It's like burning money at DVC.

Have you considered a cross bow?

[Nullray]

I just bought a high power compound bow. It is great fun and good upper body conditioning. If your not a vegetarian and want non GMO real organic food then hunting game is a way to be extremely healthy. A gun is another way to hunt and participate in a great community. Most legal owners of firearms are very conscientious of what they have and store it according to government laws. I am looking at getting my PAL and possibly my Restricted this year. I agree that fire arms are not for kids but proper education and access control would stop any unfortunate incidents. I believe in the saying. Guns don't kill people... People kill people. If you put a firearm on a table it is just a piece of metal. Nothing happends unless someone touches it, but perhaps it shouldn't be out in the first place. Keep it in the clubs and be safe.

[Jefro]

Originally Posted by jjwankenobi

Minor update:

Finally got to the gun range almost two months after we were originally supposed to go and I was...underwhelmed. It all seemed monotonous after 30 minutes and it didn't help that an hour and a half of shooting cost $75. More if we opted for bigger guns.

So I dug up my old CO2 powered Walther PPK bb gun, refurbished it and started plinking away in my back yard. Much more cost effective than a real gun, much safer and pretty much the same experience as the real thing IMO.




I guess I'll be buying that Camaro when I'm 50 after all...

Renting is expensive since unfortunately the club is trying to make money from it. Even shooting 24/7 and buying factory ammo gets expensive, you need to reload your own.

Myself, I cast my own lead bullets (lead I get for free via wheel weights @ tire shops) and all my brass (regardless of caliber) I've also got for free from fellow shooters or people who leave it on the ground that don't reload. So I only pay for primers and powder which regardless of caliber is approx $55 for 1000 rounds (and I can load approx 500 an hour).

Depending upon the type of shooting you get into a BB gun just doesn't compare. I personally love long range rifle (200-300 yards). Then theirs pieces of history like a 1873 Single Action Army in 45 Colt or a Dirty Harry Special in 44 Magnum that are just insane to shoot for the first time.

What types of pistols or rifles did you get to handle and fire on your trip to the range ? What distance were you shooting at ? And what kind of target, paper or steel etc...

[osotech]

For a gun to be effective as a mean of defence in your home is to have it ready to fire and close by... bad idea !

Originally Posted by Commandoclone87

I always wanted a replica (non-firing) shotgun just so that if somone broke in, I could scare the shit out of em. Would also work if I ever have a teenage daughter.

With our wonderful canadian law if you point a fake gun(be it toy, bb gun, prop...) your in the same shit as if it was a fully loaded fonctionnal gun.
AND if someone enter your home in the middle of the night and he is not carrying any weapon and you "defend" yourself with anything (even a duster) its no more legitimate defence its called excessive force and your in trouble. The only thing the law allow you is to do a citizen arrest.

Originally Posted by sikkbones

wasn't one of these used in a videogame of some sort?

Captain Harlock have one...

[jjwankenobi]

Originally Posted by Jefro

What types of pistols or rifles did you get to handle and fire on your trip to the range ? What distance were you shooting at ? And what kind of target, paper or steel etc...

I chose the time-tested 1911 .45 ACP. My stainless model was made by Sig Sauer but I was kinda bummed they didn't have one made by Colt but the range officer told me there's little difference. My wife opted for the Glock 17 9mm (she would have preferred something smaller like a .25 ACP pistol like the Beretta Jetfire but they didn't have any).

We both bought 50 rounds each which took about an hour to get through. Wifey was "done" after about 15 rounds so really I got to try both the .45 and the 9mm.

DVC's indoor ranges are 17 yards long and we were shooting at paper targets.

Coincidentally, the Mozambique Drill is very difficult to achieve when you are a first timer with a .45. After a couple attempts I resorted to slow methodical shots to the target's torso.

If you are ever in the area I definitely recommend giving DVC Indoor Shooting Centre a visit. http://www.vancouvergunrange.ca/