Posted on 02/16/2009 4:57:47 PM PST by 2ndDivisionVet
The sounds of bullets echo across the hills of Rocky Fork Lakes Conservation Area shooting range off U.S. 63, cracking through the air at nearly a thousand feet per second before being swallowed by nearby mounds of dirt and cardboard targets. Inside the gully is the long column of gunmen, squeezing the triggers and sending fire screaming from the muzzles in rapid flickers of light.
For Chris Everman, one of the shooters at the range Tuesday afternoon, it's just stress relief.
"Blowing something up is always fun," Everman said. "Just holding that much power is cool."
Everman is one of many Missourians who is currently in the firearms market, which had an increase in demand shortly after Barack Obama won the presidency in November 2008.
According to the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System, which conducts background checks necessary to legally obtain a firearm on behalf of participating states, there has been a nearly 42 percent increase — or 449,712 more checks — from November 2007 to November 2008.
Additionally, checks have seen increases of nearly 24 percent in December 2008 and a nearly 29 percent in January from those months the previous year.
Everman, who has been going to the range for nearly 10 years, said he has noticed an increase of gunmen in recent months.
"If it's a nice Saturday, it's pretty packed," Everman said. "Or about 5 o'clock in the evening people like to rush out there and shoot off a few rounds."
Bob Cron, a clerk at Target Masters in Columbia, said the market demand for firearms is considerably higher than in the past, and said he believes there is a causal connection between the Obama administration and the gun hype.
"The supply is way down," Cron said. "Before the election, we were selling probably one or two AR-15s (a semi-automatic rifle) in a week. And a week after the election we probably sold, like, 20."
Cron said he believes the increased demand of firearm supplies is driven by a fear of gun regulation by a Democratic-controlled Congress.
"They're hoarding," Cron said. "I'm on a couple discussion boards and I hear guys talk about going up and buying a case or two of ammo every payday. And that kind of stuff wasn't going on before the election, so it's post-election buying frenzy anticipating with the Democrats in control of everything that we're going to have more gun control."
Cron says he is not optimistic about the state of firearms, and believes the fear generating market sales is legitimate. He cited the H.R. 45: Blair Holt’s Firearm Licensing and Record of Sale Act of 2009 and President Obama’s voting record as an Illinois legislator as reason for concern. He called the H.R. 45 Act an “Illinois gun control law on steroids.”
The H.R. 45 Act, which was introduced early January and is sponsored by Rep. Bobby Rush, D-Ill., provides "for the implementation of a system of licensing for purchasers of certain firearms and for a record of sale system for those firearms, and for other purposes."
Cron said ammunition prices have been going up as well, but is unrelated to the election results.
"They haven't taken any huge price jump since the election, but they've been going up for a year," Cron said.
Many gun aficionados say they feel the sting of recent increased prices of firearms at some retailers. Columbia resident Charles Mills is one of them.
"I was looking at a muzzle kit," Mills said. "They were selling it for $79. And I go in there today just to get ammunition, and I look at the same thing and they want $229. Prices are getting pretty high."
Rob Rasmussen, who was also at the shooting range Tuesday, holds a similar view.
"Gun prices have gone through the roof. It's ridiculous," Rasmussen said, standing beside a table where the deep blacks and sun-struck silvers of a Colt-45 revolver, Ruger P95 and a CZ-52 pistol lay. "I just think they (gun merchants) want to use that fear that most gun buyers have that some Democrat's going to take away their guns to jack up gun prices. But nobody's going to take away guns."
Even amid the fear that the sky is falling onto gun-owners, many said they do not see guns disappearing from the American culture anytime soon.
“Guns are always going to be there,” Everman said.
“People are going to get guns regardless,” Mills added. “Quite honestly it might be the thing that makes us the safest from invasion of any other countries, because every other country on earth knows: Americans are armed.”
Upgrade your Colt then for crying out loud!
PSST...
If you are selling that old, ratty, used and abused absolutely useless Colt that only a deranged connoisseur would want, just realize that they ARE worthless worn out pieces of crap.
Send it to me and I will pay shipping and dispose of it for you just because I happen to be a nice guy. : )
“Rob Rasmussen, who was also at the shooting range Tuesday, holds a similar view.
“Gun prices have gone through the roof. It’s ridiculous,” Rasmussen said, standing beside a table where the deep blacks and sun-struck silvers of a Colt-45 revolver, Ruger P95 and a CZ-52 pistol lay. “I just think they (gun merchants) want to use that fear that most gun buyers have that some Democrat’s going to take away their guns to jack up gun prices. But nobody’s going to take away guns.”
Keep kidding yourself, Bob.
If it is Springfield it "ain't" worthy until it totes at least a 16" barrel.
May God let the flame throwers trigger.......
Why, oh why do you depend upon a Kimber when you tote a vintage Colt refurbished by you?...
Concealed carry, The Colt is bigger than the Ultra Carry 2.
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YES! lol
“And so the John Moses closed his eyes and whispered a soft word into his closed hand and when he opened it there appeared a golden shape and he said, “Let it be of grains 230,” and it was, and he closed his eyes again and whispered into the other hand and he opened that hand and waved it above the hand that held the golden shape and said, “Let the lightning bolt pierce the air at 830 feet per second,” and it was so. And he saw what he had done and he smiled, for it was good. And there was great rejoicing in all the land.” And balance was returned to the universe.
But then appeared the Great Prohibition and with it the tribes Purple, Parker, Floyd, and such. And there came a man Elmer of the tribe Keith and he carried with him the idea of a thunderbolt that struck faster than the very lightning that gave it sound. And he said, “Drive the thirty-eight to the speed of magnumnimity,” and they did, and it went so fast that when it finally stopped the so named .38 had worn away to a .357 as it really were. And Elmer said, “Let it be so,” and it was. All 158 grains of it.
Some time and two great wars later, a prophet the people came to know as William of the tribe of Jordan appeared, having walked the walk of Marine in the Second War and Korea to the Borderlands. He cast a tall shadow and came bearing No Second Chances. He spoketh in a mighty voice and the chieftains of the Smithites and Wessonsees bowed before him and when they arose there appeared the Model 19 and it was a Combat Magnum. And it was really good. I mean, it was REALLY good.
And in time there appeared the the Hatcherites and the Facklerians, the Taylorans and the conjoined Marshall-Sanowites. Holes appeared in the ends of the golden shapes and the lightning was made to travel faster. The thunderbolt felt even before the lightning flashed.
And the 158 grains became the 125 grains and they moved at 1,500 feet per second--and more--and that was almost too much of a good thing . . .
And then there appeared the Gaston and in his hand he bore the Glock in caliber square of three and he called it Seventeen, a prime number, All Hail, and as much as the discordant tribes of the Big & Slow and the Small & Fast hated to admit it, life became if not better then certainly much more simple than it hand been since the day the stick first struck the stone. And the golden shape was made to travel at speeds that would not disrupt the quantum foam . . . and, according to the nonbelievers, a lot of other things.
And so it is.
SHEESH, let it ride and look into the "New Agent" for crying out loud...
It's dependable, lightweight, and accurate.
I think I’ll stick with the Kimber and put my spare cash into up-grading my 870 and my 835. Boyds has some real nice thumbhole stocks.
So let it be written; so let it be done. Amen.
Amen and then some. ;)
Browning 1911:1-45
You're thinking about 8 years too early here...
Mark
“best pistol for home defense?”
Taurus’ new “Judge” with the .410 shotgun shell.
a) It’s a revolver, so it won’t jam
b) It’s using shotgun shells, so if you miss you’re not going to have a bullet sail through three walls and accidentally hit something you don’t want to hit
c) If you miss, you’ll at least deafen whomever you’re aiming at
d) The large blast pattern means you’ll probably hit whatever you’re shooting at.
It’s a lot like the old “Thunder 5”, but it’s made better.
And it’s got an integrated trigger lock in case you’re the type that cares about those things.
BTW, a 12 ga. pump shotgun with 2 3/4”, low recoil 00 buck is best for home, defense, IMO.
—
And he said unto them, “You shall forever recognizeth your bretheren by the tattoo that each shall bear in the web of his shooting hand, and when you see this mark you shall know that he whomsoever beareth it, too, Commandereth, and if that mark be calloused than you shall know that he who beareth it hath fired rounds in number worthy of awe, but if that mark be severe and of proudflesh than surely he who beareth it must be of the tribe of Neophyte and Newbie and should be shown mercy and kindness for the sake of encouragement.
But be warned! The mark borne by the Neophyte and Newbie resembeleth greatly the mark borne by he who toteth the abomination of alloy frame and so its days in number shall be greatly shortened.” and he who toteth the abomination shall be relegated to great handwringing and incessent questioning of the Forumites about metal fatigue, cycles, recoil buffers and soft-shooting ammunition on 1911forums.com, for the sense of impending doom shall haunt and overwhelmeth him wheresoevereth he may go and regardless of how he may try to rationalize his choiceths.
I Colt's: 2-45
(OK; Really. Make it stop! LOL)
I’ll chime in on the advice that it should be one you are most comfortable with. In all likelihood, if you have to use a pistol for home defense, it’ll be in the middle of the night, and you’ll have just been woken up. So, keep it simple.
For simplicity, I think the revolver trumps the semi-auto. Although I use my semi-autos for target and carry and prefer shooting them, the revolver is in the nightstand.
The Taurus Judge revolver is an excellent choice for home defense because it fires the .45 ACP and the .410 shotgun shell. With the .410 you don’t have to have perfect aim, which you won’t have in the dark and pumped up on adrenaline. Even police, with all their training, miss more than they hit in a gunfight.
If you’ve got enough time to arm yourself with a shotgun, thats better than a pistol. Keep one nearby.
Buy a revoler, they rarely jam. Get as large a cartridge as you can handle, go to a range and rent some guns. Also get a pump shotgun, Remington or Mossberg, 12 gauge. Buy lots of ammo and practice until proficent with both. Then get a semiautomatic carbine, and a bolt action rifle. repeat the above.
.45 autos and .38 specials apparently.
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