John Stossel / ABC News Explode Gun Control Myth

MCRGO (Internet) ^ | 1/24/04 | Stu Chisholm

[Glockslinger]

Last night's ABC News magazine program, "20/20," had a pleasant surprise for the pro-gun community in a segment called "Lies, Myths and Downright Stupidity."

John Stossel, known for his segments called "Give Me A Break," who now also has a book by the same name, exposed many of the commonly held beliefs that we usually just accept, but have no true basis in fact.

One in particular, labeled "Myth #3: Guns Are Bad," pointed out many things that second amendment advocates have known for years; that guns are used much more often for defensive uses than in crime. Citing data from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), he also exposed data showing that popular methods of gun control, such as the Brady Bill, have had little if any effect on crime.

Interviewing a group of prison inmates, Stossel reports, "Some maximum security felons I spoke to in New Jersey scoffed at measures like the Brady law. They said they'll have no trouble getting guns if they want them. A Justice Department study confirmed what the prisoners said. But get this: the felons say that the thing they fear the most is not the police, not time in prison, but, you, another American who might be armed."

Stossel goes on to say to say that many states have passed what he refers to as "gun un-control" in the form of concealed carry laws, which have been shown to be an effective deterrent to violent crime. Some women say they're comforted by the new law, according to the report.

The segment concludes by saying, "Many people are horrified at the idea of concealed carry laws, and predict mayhem if all states adopt these laws. But surprise, 36 states already have concealed carry laws, and not one reported an upsurge in gun crime."

What is amazing about this exemplary, straight forward report is that is appeared on a prime-time ABC news program, a network that has a reputation for being very un-friendly to the NRA and the pro-gun community at large. Whether or not ABC has reconsidered it's official policy, or if it is simply John Stossel's own research and opinion remains to be seen. In any case, ABC is to be commended for it's airing of the truth behind an often controversial, yet vital issue.

See the whole program at: http://abcnews.go.com/sections/2020/2020/myths_john_stossel_040123-1.html

~Stu Chisholm

[ExSoldier]

Go to IDPA.org I think. Find an IDPA club in your area or start one and get the ranges to sign on for a piece of club fees. International Defensive Pistol Assoc is for the money the best and most realistic "game" lol going. MY IDPA club is but one of several in my area and we practice with real world scenarios often drawn from local crime scenes. I'm an IDPA certified range safety officer and now I'm real sorry I spent the money on a lifetime IPSC membership, because the IPSC mentality and the $5000 "race guns" is a total waste of time and effort for something that does not come close to what's real for the street. In IDPA the "race gun" is a banned item. You carry what you can carry on the street, either revolver or semi-auto. Nothing smaller than 9mm. Typically, you draw from a concealed position and "solve the problem." There is a limit of 18 rds on each possible problem, versus the almost unlimited numbers of rounds that can be expended in an IPSC course.

"IDPA NOW........IDPA FOREVER!!!"

[ExSoldier]

I saw this! Coulda knocked me over with a feather. I'll bet Stossel has the same high esteem at the networks and other media outlets as Bernie Goldberg from BIAS and ARROGANCE fame, not to mention the lovely and extremely brilliant Ann Coulter. I am just finishing "Arrogance" and finished "Slander" by Coulter. They all made me feel so good, and not so alone. Another function served by FR!

[Squantos]

Join IDPA and attend their matches and shoot at the ranges that support them.....and allow practice sessions to compete in the IDPA.

Aside from the IDPA dedicate 2/3's of your range time to fast , safe presentation and fast accurate hits. Hits as ya know are all that counts so speed without hits is pretty .........pretty scary. You as I carry a 1911A1 and thus know it is the FASTEST semi-auto handgun in trained and practiced hands. If you can't put rounds on paper or steel fast then look at your carry round ...too hot ? or do ya need to work on the grip and or the gripping surface...ie; checkering, stippling, poorboy (my choice) skateboard tape, Jerry Barnhardts Burner grips ? What ever works.

The last third of your range time is policing brass to keep your range environment pristene and your reloading costs down....:o)

My last suggestion (in this post) is to get a IWB leather holster with a thumbreak if your new to the 1911A1 or you safety doesn't have a positive strong fit. I don't like holsters that clip on or paddle as they tend to stick out and have play in em when ya draw. Kramer makes a really nice one as does Galco.

Stay Safe LC !

[wardaddy]

Good stuff....

[Travis McGee]

LOL, so true! With armed civilian homeowners, the first and last thing they may hear is BANG!!

[Travis McGee]

That's right, go animal! Actually, I look so nuts that very few punks ever make eye contact with me, and usually they cross the street to get clear of my path. I just seem to have that aura of "go ahead punk, make my day." Seriously, looking like a scrapper goes a long way towards avoiding scraps.

[Travis McGee]

Ranges are okay to practice some skills, and they're better than nothing by a long shot. But a free-fire zone "cinder pit" or similar is WAY better! That's where you can really get freeform and make up games as you go. Spin draw fire, dive roll fire, run from cover to cover, etc. Plus, much better targets are possible, at a variet of ranges, angles and elevations. Have a friend call out your targets just before drawing, so that you don't know until that moment what you'll be shooting at.

The main point is that you can learn a lot of better skills outdoors with no lanes and rangemasters. Not pinging on ranges, they have to be that way for safety. But you'll learn a LOT more by getting out into a free-fire zone pit.

Start saving your steel cans for outdoor targets. They move when you hit them, and last longer than thin aluminum. Best are big head-sized cans like large coffee cans. Scatter them all over the hillside, and blast away!

[wardaddy]

I bet you aren't saying freeze to an unknown shadow in your house at 2:00 AM.....unless you have teenaged daughters and then you might want to make sure you aren't dusting Romeo.

That is precisely why a good male alpha dog (in the house at night) is the perfect companion to the gun.

I still need to make the old boy a cross though I did seed his grave with some nice winter rye.

[Squantos]

You lose a pup WD ?

[wardaddy]

Yep...see my page....best dog we ever had.

[Mulder]

I don't like holsters that clip on or paddle as they tend to stick out and have play in em when ya draw

I tried the clip-on holsters for awhile and had the same problem.

Then I tried one with two belt loops, but only spaced 1" apart. This was better than the clip-on, but still allowed for some lateral movement and some twisting of the holster.

Last year, I finally decided to do it right, and paid $100 for a Milt Sparks Versa-Max II holster for my Sig 229. The belt loops are spaced about 6" apart, which makes for great stability assuming you are wearing a good belt, such as a 1.5" Wilderness Instructor's Belt.

It's without a doubt, the best holster I've ever owned.

[ExSoldier]

Ummmmm Travis...you're a SEAL and when the SEALs get together to "play" this is what I would expect them to do. But the rest of us mortals are going to get KILLED following that advice. Most of the instructors I know will get killed doing that stuff and so will 99.9999% of the novice shooters here. IDPA teaches safety and smoothness and with smoothness comes speed. All of the safety requirements on an IDPA range will go a long way to preventing needless casualties in real life, too. C'mon Travis, remember that not everyone on FR has your experiences and training!

[Squantos]

Milt Sparks is quality rig...... BTW I busted a the cross pin in my SIG 239 slide. The one that holds the firing pin in. Just looked up one day at the range and it was hanging out the right side of the slide while the left part of the once one piece pin was still in place. No abuse or hot loads er nuthing. SIG reps sent me another so I'll keep ya posted as to what I think is causing it.

My 220's and 228 have never done this .......you ever seen such ?

Stay Safe !

[Mulder]

My 220's and 228 have never done this .......you ever seen such ?

I've never that had the problem with any of my Sigs, but I recall reading of a few other folks having that happen.

The only problem I've ever had with my 239 is that it doesn't like the CCI Blazer ammo. About 1 out of every 50 rounds doesn't ignite on the first hammer strike. I haven't had the problem with other ammo, so my solution is to not use any more Blazer.

[Squantos]

Weird.... I use the CCI blazer 44 special 200gr gold dot HP's and have never had a problem with hard primers. I carry em mostly in my 696 S&W and a Charter Arms Bulldog Pug .

My confidence is low for reliability with the 239 right now till I find out WHY the pin broke. I had'nt even put 500 rounds thru it when it broke.

Let me know if ya find the reason.

Stay Safe !!!

[Travis McGee]

My 8 year old daughter is still 25 years away from being allowed to date.

;^)

[Travis McGee]

What? You don't do that? I'm not talking about everybody moving and shooting at the same time. When lots of people are firing, sure, you have to maintain some basic firing line protocals. But for one or two shooters, an open pit can't be beat for shooting in a wide variety of angles etc. I think most proficient shooters can certainly do this safely and gain a lot from it. Defensive shooting won't occur in lanes.

[Dr.Zoidberg]

Just shot him a thank you.

And now thank you for the link 7.62x51.

[wardaddy]

It would seem from what I have read about confrontational spontaneous shooting that it pays to be prepared to get to it and have good aim and steady nerves.

You read about the Old West shootouts and the winners were often the most aggressive and first willing to go to work and have good aim and rock steady nerves.

Having never been in a corral standoff shot out, I'm not quite sure how I'd react, but your comments remind me of Holiday at the OK Corral or the Kevin Costner character in Open Range when he knows the fight is immiment and just carries it to them dending them reeling.

I know, it's Hollywood but the fight scenes in both those movies seem pretty realistic....like the Greensboro Klan/Commie shootout we all saw. The Klan won because they were more determined and agressive and the commies though armed let their bravado expose them poorly.

As for home defense shooting....most of it takes place in 7 yards space and in the dark or near dark. Keep one's head, be sure of the target and shoot till they are down good.

Just my layman talk, my reaction to danger has typically been either fear or anger. I think anger makes for a bit more brazen action, but fear is a motivator, I have fought pretty good fisticuffs scared to death.

[Travis McGee]

I've never been in a real shootout, so it's all theory to me. But I think the cowboy and gangster movies teach some bad lessons, where good and bad guys stand in the open blazing away at one another. I think in reality, you had best get to cover first! My limited experience shooting wax bullets in ship holds etc tells me that shooting from the open turns one into a bullet magnet right away. Even if you hit the other guy, he will react by blasting away at your muzzle flashes even if that's all he can see. So much better to be behind a wall, vehicle etc. Even if that means "running" for the first few seconds of a shootout!

Of course there are situations where you have no choice but to advance, firing and being fired at, in the open. But I think that is the exceptional situation and not the rule. Rule 1 should be do everything you can not to become a bullet magnet! That means move to cover first.

Of course if you're lucky and you have to fire from the open like the Klan-commie shootout, or our forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, you may be blessed with enemies who can't hit a barn. But that's not the way to plan or train. Train like your enemies are good shots, and get cover first.