Assault Weapons - What's Real and What's Hype

While cleaning up my hard drive, I ran across a letter I wrote to the editor a local high school newspaper. My wife's sister was attending this high school and there was an article written by the editor stating we need to ban "assault weapons." Of course its written by a kid with no real world experience, but it aggravated me nonetheless. The media and politicians have been teaching kids that guns are bad, and that we all can go down to the local gun shop and buy automatic weapons. Well as most of you know, it's not that easy. The letter is long winded but worth the read and contains a lot of facts. If you think that politicians are trying to ban "assault weapons" or if you think its easy to get automatic (select fire) weapons then you couldn't be more wrong...

A Letter to the Editor

Dear Editor and staff,

            I am writing in regards to a recent article concerning the recent gun control debate. First, let me preface by saying the article was well written and contains some valid points. However, my concern lies with an inaccuracy in information given to the reader. This particular misinformation problem does not just pertain to this article but to a lot of media outlets. What I am referring to is the term “assault rifle.” What is an assault rifle? Merriam-Webster defines it as:

Military firearm that is chambered for ammunition of reduced size or propellant charge and has the capacity to switch between semiautomatic and fully automatic fire.

My concern is with the term “automatic.” In your recent article you mentioned there should be a ban on these automatic assault weapons. Well, let me inform you on the subject. The automatic assault rifle has been banned since May 19, 1986. The law was passed under the Firearm Protection Act and it prohibited the transfer and possession of machine guns (referring to automatic weapons). Any automatic weapon made after that date are illegal to possess, manufacture or distribute. Automatic weapons made before that date are allowed to be owned still, as they are grandfathered in. The National Firearms Act of 1968 required that these firearms were to be registered with the ATF specifically and any movement of them is monitored extensively, including the transport over state lines. The average person may own these firearms. The process is as follows:

Private owners wishing to purchase an NFA item must obtain approval from the ATF, obtain a signature from the Chief Law Enforcement Officer (CLEO) who is the county sheriff or city or town chief of police pass an extensive background check to include submitting a photograph and fingerprints, fully register the firearm, receive ATF written permission before moving the firearm across state lines, and pay a tax.

In addition to the regulation, the distributors are required to pay special taxes and are monitored by the ATF. So it seems to me that “assault weapons” are already very well regulated.

                So now that we have established what an assault weapon is, the question begs “What are we trying to ban then?” What the media portrays as an assault weapon is actually a semi-automatic firearm, with no selective fire feature, that has been modeled with tactical features and cosmetic upgrades.  Case in point, we will look at the Federal Assault Weapons Ban (commonly called the Clinton gun ban) that was passed September 13, 1994 and lasted till September 13, 2004. In The FAWB, they were unable to ban assault weapons, as they were already banned. What they did, however, was ban weapons that had similar cosmetic features of actual assault weapons. Items such as collapsible stocks, pistol grips, flash suppressors, etc., suddenly turned a hunting rifle to an assault weapon. Did these features improve or modify the firing, capacity, or lethality of the weapons? No. So in fact, these weapons are no different than your grandfather’s hunting rifle, except for some black plastic pieces.

                Now onto the crux of the matter. Were assault weapons (once again rifles with automatic capability) used in recent shooting like the ones in Colorado or Sandy Hook Elementary? Once again, no. they are semi-automatic weapons. They are designed and operate exactly like any pistol, revolver, auto loading shotgun and yes, hunting rifles.  The media and movies portray images of automatic weapons sweeping whole rooms, killing several people with a single trigger pull. That’s just not the case. The people who were firing these weapons would have to aim and pull the trigger each time, looking at each victim one by one. So I ask you, who is the evil one? The gun, or the man?

                Speaking of the FAWB, I would like to mention some research studies associated with its success.

• ·         In 2004, a critical review of research on firearms by a National Research Council panel noted that academic studies of the assault weapon ban "did not reveal any clear impacts on gun violence" and noted "due to the fact that the relative rarity with which the banned guns were used in crime before the ban ... the maximum potential effect of the ban on gun violence outcomes would be very small.”

• ·         In 2004, a research report submitted to the United States Department of Justice and the National Institute of Justice found that should the ban be renewed, its effects on gun violence would likely be small, and perhaps too small for reliable measurement, because rifles in general, including rifles referred to as "assault rifles" or "assault weapons", are rarely used in gun crimes

• ·         University of Pennsylvania found no statistically significant evidence that either the assault weapons ban or the ban on magazines holding more than 10 rounds had reduced gun murders

• ·         Research by John Lott in the 2010 third edition of More Guns, Less Crime provided the first empirical research on the 2004 sunset of the Federal Assault Weapon Ban. Generally, the research found no impact of these bans on violent crime rates, though the third edition provided some evidence that Assault Weapon Bans slightly increased murder rates.

• ·         The Brady Center to Prevent Gun Violence examined the impact of the Assault Weapons Ban in its 2004 report, On Target: The Impact of the 1994 Federal Assault Weapon Act. Examining 1.4 million guns involved in crime, "in the five-year period before enactment of the Federal Assault Weapons Act (1990-1994), assault weapons named in the Act constituted 4.82% of the crime gun traces ATF conducted nationwide. Since the law’s enactment, however, these assault weapons have made up only 1.61% of the guns ATF has traced to crime."

In conclusion, I would like to commend your thinking on increased background and mental health checks. I believe these types of measures would properly reduce the amount of violent crimes where a firearm is used. However, I do not believe that punishing the law abiding citizen with new legislation is the answer. I am a firearm owner, and concealed carry licensed holder. I do carry a firearm with me, not only to protect my family and my property but to protect you and yours. I stand ready to defend myself and others against deadly threats, day after day.  Wayne LaPierre once said “The only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is with a good guy with a gun. ” I plead with you to look into these facts and research and not play into media hype. Don’t take away the rights of the good guys, but limit the power of the bad ones.

The Last Round You'll Ever Need - Or Is It?

If you have been on any sort of social networking site in the last week, you more than likely have seen the image above followed by the phrase "The Last Round You'll Ever Need." But is it? I'm not completely sold. First, if you haven't seen it, watch the promo video below. I mean DAMN. The narrator's deep voice, automatic gunfire, ballistics gel moving like Ralphie May in an earthquake; what's not to like? They call it the Radically Invasive Projectile or R.I.P. for short (even has a catchy nickname.) From what I know, these aren't for sale yet, but the consistent postings list a $2 per round price tag. That's $40/box of 20 rounds (about $13 more than the Speer Gold Dots I carry.)

The video uses a series of shots into ballistics gel to show the rounds "impressive power." I have never used ballistics gel, so I won't pretend to know anything about it. What I do now is that no matter what round you put through at it, it will deform, wiggle and dance like the inside of a lava lamp. So discredit all of that, especially the machine gun fire. Also, I know that the most important thing regarding ballistics tests is penetration and permanent wound cavity. I recommend doing your own research, but the FBI states the recommended penetration is 12" or more. As you can see in the picture below, from their site, those little metal shards that break off barely reach 5 or 6 inches.


Also look at the all of the wound cavities. They are very thin. Sure it makes a nice impressive temporary cavity as seen in the videos, but once the gel stops moving there is really very little real damage. Only the middle piece made it past that 12" mark. Also I want to note that in the video the shots were all done into straight gel. There were no barriers like denim in front of it to give it a realistic idea of what penetration would be.

The last thing I want to leave you with, is this: What about all those shards? What if you hit off center and they exit the body? Or it hits a barrier first? Watch this video from G2 showing the round entering. See the SEVERAL pieces that exit the gel? This seems to me like its basically shrapnel flying in every which direction. Sure it looks cool, but is is practical or safe? God forbid I have to use it in a home defense situation, it nicks drywall before it hits the baddie and a one of those pieces flying off to hit one of my kids. I like the idea of knowing what I am aiming at and knowing whats beyond it. I feel like these rounds will be a little unpredictable, and I don't like that.

Personally, I think its gimmicky and nothing more than a fun way to destroy stuff. As for me and my family, I will continue to protect them with 124gr Speer Gold Dots.

Bro, Do You Even Carry?

If you are reading this, you have probably considered concealed carry. Some of you probably already do. If you are still on this fence, just starting, or don't understand why someone would need to tote a gun around with them, this post is for you. Concealed carry is definitely a lifestyle choice, one you may be considering soon. It takes a bit of practice, trial and error and a heavy dose of confidence, but really not difficult at all. Hopefully this post will ease any qualms you may have.

First let me say, people that carry concealed are not paranoid. We are not out looking for a fight either. As a matter of fact we spend a great deal of time and money hoping to never have to use the skills and equipment we have. The best way I can think to explain concealed carry is to relate it to the seat belt in your car. Everyday you climb into your car and put on your seat belt. You aren't planning for an accident, you just want to be prepared for the unexpected. Concealed carry is the exact same way. You wear it everyday and hope you never have to use it. 

If you happen to be lucky enough to live in state that is gun-forward then getting your CCW license can be a very easy and painless process. In the great state of Florida, it was a simple 2 hour class, 2 shots into a catch can out of a .22 short, then 10 minutes at the Dept of Agriculture where the took my photo and fingerprints. They took all this info and submitted to Tallahassee for me and a few weeks later I was licensed to carry. The process is so easy my 70 year old father did it. Florida is a "shall issue" state so they will grant permits to damn near anybody, including people who don't even live in Florida. The proof is in that Florida alone, as of August 2013, has 1,149,836 licensed concealed carry holders. They still do the standard background checks and your prints are run and are on file with the state permanently. Also your license is good for 7 years before it needs renewal. 

Probably the most fun aspect, and the most challenging, is gun selection. This I will tell you is 100% personal. Forget the Internet commandos that tell you.45acp is the only way to go. Forget the 1911 fan boys.. Hell, screw the Glock guys too.  My first carry gun was a Taurus TCP chambered in .380 and only hold 6 rounds. Why? Because it was small, light, and easy to carry There seems to be a big debate over caliber. usually 9mm vs 45acp (then you have those weird .40s&w people).

Now that I have been carrying for a bit, I am looking to upgrade to a compact 9mm. I am looking for more firepower (both cartridge size and capacity) and more options for accessories. Things to consider when choosing a carry gun are: Size, weight, caliber, capacity, safety (with or without), holster availability, night sight availability (if that's something you want)and whether it has a rail for a light or laser. I am a smaller caliber, more capacity, no safety, night sights and  no light kind of guy. My next carry will be the Smith and Wesson M&P9c.

Now onto to the other half that most people the hardest time with: Holster selection. The method of carry and your choice of holster will make all the difference in the world. Inside the waist band, outside the waist band, appendix, ankle, shoulder, belly band, pocket and the list goes on. I recommend researching each of these and pairing it with your clothing and type of firearm you plan to carry. Personally I'm a IWB kind of guy, carried on my strong side. I feel like this gives me the greatest access to my firearm in any circumstance (standing, seated, in the car, while moving, on the ground, etc). Everyone is different however, you may find that appendix or pocket carry is a better option for you. I will say that quality holster will make all the difference. I am firm believer in Crossbreed Holsters and use one for my EDC, I also bought one for my dad.  These thin hybrid kydex/leather combos are really comfortable, have great retention and conceal very well. I can't stand the cheap nylon holsters. They have awful retention and the gun will walk right out of the holster. Don't be cheap people. You spent 600 on the hunk of metal and polymer, and you depend your life on it, so why the hell would you put it in a $10 holster? For the ladies, my wife uses the Flashbang, seen in this video. She carries a small 380 and is able to wear it with just about anything. 

So here you are, CCW license in one hand, Glock 19 in the other. Now what? Well I've said it once, so I'll say it again. TRAIN. The mandatory state class is merely a broad overview of the laws. It doesn't really teach anything in regards to the safe and proper use of a firearm. Companies that teach Concealed Carry classes are plentiful and more than likely, there is one near you. Personally, I am taking my training with Range Time Tactical. Other reputable companies would be Tactical Response, Haley Strategic Partners and Reston Group Training If you plan on carrying, you need to do yourself and everyone else a favor and train with that firearm. Watching Youtube videos or talking with guys on the forums do not count as training. Its good to have the extra knowledge but won't realize what you don't know until someone shows you.

The most important piece of advice I can give you about carrying, is to get out of your own head. You will be paranoid. You will think everyone can see you are carrying a firearm. You'll feel the need to tug down on your shirt, put your hands in your pocket and wear overly baggy clothes. This is all normal. I want you to take a minute and tell me when was the last time you payed attention to someones shirt? Waistline? Ankle? When's the last time you discovered someone concealed carrying? Even with nearly 1.2 million CCW holders in Florida, probably never. So relax. I think people get so caught up in "printing" that they skimp on the gun and go overboard on concealment. I have a buddy that says he can't carry a pocket .380 IWB because he feels he keeps printing, yet I can feel confident in wearing my full size Beretta 92A1. The reason? I got out of my own head. I realized that even if it made a little wrinkle in my shirt, no one is paying that close attention to my shirt.I prefer not to carry that behemoth because its almost 2lbs and I have to wear a pant size bigger.So when you look in the mirror stop staring at the one spot.Relax. It does takes some practice and you will have to make minor adjustments to get it just right.


I implore you to do your own research, get quality gear and get trained. If you have questions, comments or concerns, please feel free to post them below. I will answer to the best of my ability.

Keep Calm and Carry On