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Archive-name: rec-guns-FAQ-pointer Last-Modified: 1995/02/20 What follows is the pointer to the rec.guns FAQ. Due to its near encyclopedic proportions, it was decided that the FAQ not be posted in its entirety, but instead just this pointer to the FAQ would be posted periodically. The rec.guns FAQ is now primarily available via the WWW. Graphical browsers are available for most major platforms. Also available are text-based browsers for those only having text based access. Check in news.answers for the World Wide Web FAQ for more information about this excellent hypertext system. The rec.guns FAQ is also available via anonymous FTP. For those of you that do not have FTP access, instructions as to how to use email to have parts of the FAQ automatically sent to you are included at the end of this posting. ****************************************************************** * The rec.guns FAQ is available via WWW at the URL: * * http://sal.cs.uiuc.edu/rec.guns/ * * #### If you have access to the WWW, please use this site! #### * * #### It is *much* easier to use than the FTP site! #### * * Also found here are firearm image, sound, and target archives. * ****************************************************************** * The rec.guns FAQ can be found on the rec.guns FTP server, * * flubber.cs.umd.edu (128.8.128.99) in the directory /rec/FAQ * ****************************************************************** * Check out the new RKBA and Tyranny pages at this site: * * http://sal.cs.uiuc.edu/rec.guns/rkba.html * * http://sal.cs.uiuc.edu/rec.guns/tyranny.html * ****************************************************************** In order to allow people to download parts of the FAQ at the granularity of single articles, each article appears in a separate file on the FTP server mentioned above. The filename of each article is made up of the section in the FAQ where it is found, followed by a period and the suffix ".txt" Thus, the article in the section III. Firearm Information by Type C. SEMI-AUTOMATIC PISTOLS 2. Models and Manufacturers a. 1911A1 - Where to get Information on Gunsmithing would be found in the file /rec/FAQ/IIIC2a.txt Hopefully this will please the MS-DOS people, as well as make filenames faster to type. Note that the outline of all of the subjects covered can be found in the file FAQ1 in the same directory. There is still a ton of stuff missing from this FAQ. If you feel comfortable writing about one of the missing topics, please email me! David M. Putzolu - dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu - My opinions _________________________________________________________________ I. INTRODUCTION A. Changes Since Last Posting by David Putzolu (dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu) The REC.GUNS FAQ pointer was last posted on February 20, 1995. The following list shows a change code followed by a topic area. The key to these codes is: * CCC = Change to the topic. * +++ = Topic has been inserted or filled in. * --- = Topic has been deleted. Changes since last posting: * I. Introduction * II. Laws + C. State Laws o 1. Concealed Carry Laws # CCC b. Acquiring a Non-Resident CCW (11/16/94) (Mike Cavanaugh has updated this excellent review of CCW laws.) o +++ 3. Washington State Laws (01/17/95) (John Landry provides a complete guide to laws related to the RKBA in this state.) + CCC G. Guide to NFA Weapons (01/12/95) (James Bardwell has updated this comprehensive guide to machineguns, silencers, etc.) * III. Firearm Information by Type + B. Revolvers o 2. Models and Manufacturers # +++ a. Charter Arms Bulldog (01/13/95) (Chris Luchini finds this revolver tough, but somewhat lacking in accuracy.) # c. Smith & Wesson @ +++ 2. J-Frame (11/14/94) (Chris Luchini gives an overview of this fine family of revolvers.) @ +++ 3. K-Frame (11/14/94) (Chris Luchini makes a good start towards a FAQ entry for this family.) + C. Semi-Automatic Pistols o 2. Models and Manufaturers # d. Browning @ +++ 1. Buck Mark 22 (01/24/95) (Bob McCormick describes in detail this .22 self loader.) # e. Glock @ CCC 2. Pistols (01/17/95) (Chris Luchini has revised this article for us.) # +++ l. Steyr TMP/SPP (01/12/95) (Ming Tshing examines this odd firearm.) + D. Rifles o 2. Models and Manufacturers # b. Heckler and Koch @ +++ 3. MP5K (01/12/95) (Ming Tshing has written another excellent article about an HK firearm.) @ +++ 4. MP5K PDW (01/12/95) (Ming Tshing has written another excellent article about an HK firearm.) @ +++ 5. SP89 (01/12/95) (Ming Tshing has written another excellent article about an HK firearm.) # CCC g. SKS FAQ (01/13/95) (Bob Horn has updated this comprehensive guide to the SKS rifle.) # +++ h. Springfield Armory M1-A (01/24/95) (Ian Kerfoot gives a glowing review to this truly great rifle.) # +++ i. Steyr AUG/AUG SA (01/12/95) (Ming Tshing has written a complete review of this most modern of assault rifles.) + E. Shotguns o 1. Shotshells and Loads # +++ c. High Brass, Low Brass, and Shell Length (11/18/94) (Chris Luchini discusses issues related to shotshell sizes) o 2. Barrels and Chokes # +++ a. Vent Rib (VR) Barrels (11/18/94) (Chris Luchini explains the use of a vent rib on a barrel) # +++ b. Rifled vs. Smooth Bore (11/18/94) (Chris Luchini has written up the differences in these two barrel types) o 3. Models and Manufacturers # +++ b. Ithaca (02/14/95) (Jeff Larson reviews this shotgun, pictured in the rec.guns image archives) o 4. Miscellaneous # CCC b. Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays (01/13/95) (Scot Heath has updated this guide to the differences in these shooting sports.) * IV. Comparative Firearm Information * V. Defensive Use of Firearms * VI. Hunting Issues * VII.Reloading Information + G. Reloading Information by Calibre o +++ 1. Reloading the 7.62x39 Cartridge (01/13/95) (Bob Horn has written an interesting article about this perhaps underrated calibre.) * VIII. Techniques * IX. Competetive Information * X. Miscellaneous + J. Body Armor Information o +++ 3. Summary of Technical Aspects (01/24/95) (Julius Chang has typed in all the relevant details of body armor - a must read for anyone interested in the subject!) * XI. Contact Information + D. Firearms Schools o +++ 1995 Gunsite Calendar (01/13/95) (Chris Luchini provides an class schedule for this excellent training center.) * XII.Accuracy + C. Miscellaneous o +++ 3. Quick Detachable Rings and Mounts (01/17/95) (Chris Luchini has updated his report on the various options we have here.) * XIII. Safety and Security + A. Safety o 1. What about Children and Guns? # +++ b. Child Gun Safety FAQ (11/29/94) (Patrick Casey and John Gushenan have written an excellent, comprehensive article on the subject) o +++ 2. Taking Reponsibility (11/29/94) (Preston Covey writes about taking responsibility when using a firearm) o +++ 3. Armed and Groggy (11/29/94) (A rec.guns reader relates a story about the value of being alert) o +++ 4. Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety (11/29/94) (An excerpt from Jeff Cooper's book, The Modern Technique of the Pistol) o 5. Hazards of Lead Exposure + +++ a. Introductory Article (11/29/94) (Preston Covey relates the hazards of lead exposure to firearm enthusiasts and some helpful ways to avoid them) + +++ b. ASLET Lead Article (01/18/95) (Steve Munden and Patrick Casey reproduce this article from the American Society of Law Enforcement Trainers for us.) B. Security * 1. Gunsafes + +++ b. High End Gun Safes (11/29/94) (Chris Luchini tells a chilling story of safe vulnerability) + +++ c. Safe Manufacturers and Models (01/17/95)(Julius Chang has gathered lots of information about commercially available safes for us.) * +++ 2. Trigger Locks (11/29/94) (a rec.guns reader reviews Master Lock's trigger lock) * +++ 3. Keeping the Piece (11/29/94) (Lyn Bates' excellent article about gun safety and children) OUTLINE FOR THE REC.GUNS FAQ ORGANIZATION by David M. Putzolu (dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu) Below is a list of all of the topics that the rec.guns FAQ. Because the FAQ has grown quite large, it was decided that a pointer to where the FAQ can be obtained via ftp would be posted instead. For people who do not have ftp access, a brief instructional guide on how to use email to automatically have FAQ articles sent to you appears at the end of this posting. Note that this is simply the outline for the FAQ. The FAQ documents themselves can be found at the rec.guns FAQ FTP site. _________________________________________________________________ To find out the names of the files in which each part of the FAQ is stored in, use one of the following: * If viewing this article via news, see the beginning of this posting. * If you have this as a file, get the file faqIntro.txt located at the FTP site flubber.cs.umd.edu in /rec/FAQ * If viewing this as a hypertext file, click here _________________________________________________________________ Subject Outline: * I. Introduction * II. Laws * III. Firearm Information by Type * IV. Comparative Firearm Information * V. Defensive Use of Firearms * VI. Hunting Issues * VII. Reloading Information * VIII. Techniques * IX. Competitive Information * X. Miscellaneous * XI. Contact Information * XII. Accuracy * XIII. Safety and Security _________________________________________________________________ * I. Introduction + A. Changes since last posting + B. FAQ Organization, etc. + C. Legal Disclaimer + D. Basic Gun Safety + E. Terminology & Acronyms + F. The most common FAQ on rec.guns: I am thinking of buying a gun... + G. Why Should I Join the NRA? + H. I Don't Have FTP capability - can I use Email to get FAQ Articles? + I. A Handgun Primer For Novices * II. Laws + A. Contact info for ILA & other services + B. International Information o 1. Country Laws o 2. The European Firearms Pass + C. State Laws o 1. Concealed Carry Laws # a. Concealed Carry Laws by State # b. Acquiring a Non-Resident CCW o 2. Interstate Transportation of Personally-Owned Firearms o 3. Washington State Laws + D. Judicious Use of Deadly Force (Article Not Present) + E. Relevant Literature o 1. Judicious Use of Deadly Force - Video Review o 2. The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy + F. Firearms and Airlines + G. General Guide to Class 3 Weapons + H. Federal Law and Armor Piercing Ammunition * III. Firearm Information by Type + A. Literature o +++ 1. With Compliments of Colonel Colt - Video Review + B. Revolvers o 1. Commonly Available Cartridges o 2. Models and Manufacturers # a. Charter Arms Bulldog # b. Dan Wesson # c. Smith & Wesson @ 1. 586/686 @ 2. J-Frame @ 3. K-Frame o 3. "What to Look for in Buying a Revolver" o 4. .38 and .357 Interchangeability + C. Semi-Automatic Pistols o 1. Commonly Available Cartridges o 2. Models and Manufacturers # a. 1911A1 @ 1. .22 Conversion Kits @ 2. Where to Get Information on Gunsmithing # b. Beretta 92FS Stainless # c. Bergmann Bayard Model 1910 Pistol # d. Browning @ 1. Buck Mark 22 @ 2. High Power # e. Glock @ 1. Accessories - Aro-Tek extended slide release review @ 2. Pistols @ 3. Help! The finish on my Glock is wearing off! @ 4. Trigger Options # f. Haemmerli # g. Heckler and Koch USP # h. Norinco Model of the 1911 # i. Ruger MkII - Cleaning & Reassembling # j. Sig Sauer @ 1. Changing Triggers @ 2. Model Information @ 3. Safety Warning from SIGARMS # k. Smith & Wesson @ 1. Model 3913 @ 2. Model 41 # l. Stery TMP/SPP # m. Taurus @ 1. Taurus PT-22 @ 2. Taurus 99AF + D. Rifles o 1. Commonly Available Cartridges # a. An Examination of Norinco 7.62*39 Corrosiveness o 2. Models & Manufacturers # a. AR-15 @ 1. How to Build an AR-15 @ 2. Further AR-15 Building Hints # b. Heckler and Koch @ 1. HK-9x Series @ 2. HK-51 @ 3. MP5K @ 4. MP5K PDW @ 5. SP89 # c. The Lee-Enfield FAQ @ 1. Table of Contents @ 2. General Info, #1 MkI @ 3. Chronology/History @ 4. Shooter/Handloader Info @ 5. "short bits" @ 6. annotated resource list # d. M-1 Carbine mini-FAQ # e. M-1 Garand @ 1. Brief History & Field Stripping @ 2. M-1 Garand - What to Look For @ 3. Instruction Sheet for Purchase from DCM # f. PolyTech M-14 # g. SKS FAQ # h. Springfield Armory M1-A # i. Steyr AUG/AUG SA o 3. Miscellaneous # a. What is Jeff Cooper's Scout Rifle? + E. Shotguns o 1. Shotshells and Loads # a. Shot Sizes # b. Load weights, shotsize, and Dram equivalents # c. High Brass, Low Brass, and Shell Length # d. Buffered Loads # e. What's a "gauge," anyway? # f. Different shotgun shell lengths - what's the deal? o 2. Barrels and Chokes # a. Vent Rib (VR) Barrels # b. Rifled vs. Smooth Bore # c. Chokes # d. Barrel length (Article Not Present) # e. O/U vs. S/S o 3. Models & Manufacturers # a. Benelli # b. Ithaca o 4. Miscellaneous # a. Shotgun Fit Parameters # b. The Difference between Trap, Skeet, and Sporting Clays # c. Reducing Recoil # d. Ghost Ring Sights + F. Black Powder Firearms (Article Not Present) + G. Airguns o 1. Airgun Pellets for Training and Competition * IV. Comparative Firearm Information + A. Literature (Article Not Present) + B. Double Action v. Single Action v. Safe Action v. Squeeze Cocker + C. Glock v. Sig Sauer o 1. The Glock's Case o 2. Glock Rebuttal (Article Not Present) o 3. The Sig Sauer's Case o 4. Sig Sauer Rebuttal (Article Not Present) + D. Reliability: Semi-Automatic Pistols v. Revolvers (Article Not Present) + E. Accuracy: Bolt Action Rifles v. Semi-Automatic Rifles (Article Not Present) + F. Bullet Velocity & Weight as related to effectiveness o 1. The Facklerite's Case (Article Not Present) o 2. Fackler Rebuttal (Article Not Present) o 3. The Marshall-Sanow Case (Article Not Present) o 4. Marshall-Sanow Rebuttal (Article Not Present) + G. Calibre Issues o 1. The .45 ACP's case (Article Not Present) o 2. .45 ACP Rebuttal (Article Not Present) o 3. The 9mm Parabellum's case (Article Not Present) o 4. 9mm Parabellum Rebuttal (Article Not Present) o 5. Other calibres and their suitability to purpose (Article Not Present) o 6. Calibre Interchangeability o 7. 9mm V. 10mm High Performance Ammunition Tests * V. Defensive Use of Firearms + A. Legal Disclaimer + B. Reviews of Literature and Other Relevant Information o 1. John Farnam's Shotgun Course # a. Review of the Actual Course # b. Video Review o 2. Shoot To Live - Video Review o 3. In the Gravest Extreme - A Review o 4. Some Reviews by Seth Eliott + C. Home Defense - An analysis of this topic with a focus on home defense. + D. Out-of-Home Defense - An analysis of this topic with a focus on carry out of the home. + E. I want a pistol for defensive use. Which one should I get? - A faster reading, less detailed handling of the same topic as section F, below. + F. What Kind of Gun Should I Buy? - An in depth essay of firearm type, model, and calibre selection. * VI. Hunting Issues + A. Calibre Issues o 1. Is .223 ok for hunting? (Article Not Present) o 2. Is 9mm/7.62*39/.357/.45ACP/etc. good for bears? * VII. Reloading Information + A. Introduction to Handloading o 1. Pistol and Rifle Handloading: "My Adventures in Reloading" o 2. Shotgun Handloading (Article Not Present) + B. Progressive v. Standard Reloaders o 1. Accuracy Issues (Article Not Present) o 2. Price / Expandability (Article Not Present) o 3. Rate of Production (Article Not Present) + C. Bullet Manufacturer Information o 1. Hornady Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading, 3rd Ed. o 2. Nosler # Nosler Reloading Manual, Number Three o 3. Sierra # Sierra Handgun Reloading Manual o 4. Speer # Speer Reloading Manual, Number 11 + D. Powder Manufacturer Information (Article Not Present) o 1. Hodgdon # a. Hodgdon Data Manual No. 25 + E. Pistol/Rifle Reloading Equipment Manufacturer Information o 1. Dillon # a. Dillon Priming Tray (also about RCBS tray) o 2. Hornady (Pacific) (Article Not Present) o 3. Lee (Article Not Present) o 4. Lyman # a. Lyman Reloading Handbook, 46th Edition o 5. RCBS # a. Rock Chucker Master Reloading Kit Review + F. Shotgun Reloading Equipment Manufacturer Information o 1. Hornady, MEC, and Posness Warren + G. Reloading Information by Calibre o 1. Reloading the 7.62x39 Cartridge + H. Miscellaneous o 1. "A Report on the Dedicated Systems Electronic Scale and and Powder Dribbler System" o 2. Dedicated Systems Goes Bankrupt o 3. "Some Words on Adjusting Dies" o 4. What is the Benefit of Nickel Plating Brass? o 5. Alternative Methods of Cleaning Brass o 6. Safe Storage of Powder and Primers o 7. Can I Neck Size Belted Brass to Increase Case Life? * VIII. Techniques + A. Pistol Techniques o 1. Carry Techniques (Article Not Present) o 2. Cleaning # a. Semi-automatics # b. Revolvers o 3. Presentation (Article Not Present) + B. Rifle Techniques o 1. Carry Techniques (Article Not Present) o 2. Cleaning (Article Not Present) o 3. Presentation (Article Not Present) o 4. How to Refinish a Rifle Stock * IX. Competitive Information + A. List of Olympic Shooting Events + B. IPSC Information o 1. Basic Introduction to IPSC o 2. In Depth IPSC Information (long) * X. Miscellaneous + A. DCM Information o 1. DCM Summary - "Uncle Sam Sells Garand Rifles to Civilians" o 2. DCM Update - Some Changes to the Program + B. Bill Ruger Consumer Debate Summary (Article Not Present) + C. Lubricants & Solvents o 1. Homebrew Recipies # a. Ed's Red o 2. Information about commercially available lubricants and solvents # a. Prolix # b. TW-25B o 3. The Case Against Petroleum Based Lubricants + D. Peltor Tactical 7-S Stereo Hearing Protector - Review + E. Female-Specific Issues Relating to Firearms + F. The Points System of GCA'68 + G. FFL Information o 1. Rob's Quick Guide to Getting a Federal Firearms License (FFL) o 2. The Curios and Relics FFL + H. How to Become a NRA Certified Firearms Instructor + I. Literature List o 1. Book Reviews by Henry Schaffer o 2. About Massad Ayoob, popular Firearms Author o 3. Police Survival Shooting - Video Review + J. Body Armor Information o 1. Body Armor Reference Information o 2. Bullet Proof Vest Companies o 3. Summary of Technical Aspects + K. Gunsmithing Information o 1. How is a Barrel Fitted to a Centerfire Rifle? * XI. Contact Information + A. Gun Rights Organizations o 1. NRA o 2. ILA o 3. Democrats for the 2nd Amendment o 4. Other Gun Rights Organizations + B. Merchandise o 1. Bullet Proof Vest Companies o 2. Mail Order Gun Supplies o 3. Firearms Periodicals + C. Internet Gun Resources + D. Firearms Schools o 1. Listing of Schools o 2. 1995 Gunsite Calendar + E. Literature Reviews Available at flubber.cs.umd.edu + F. People To Contact if You are Curious About Firearms + G. The Net FFL List - People Who Offer FFL Services + H. The Police Bookshelf * XII. Accuracy + A. Pistol o 1. General Accuracy Tips + B. Rifle o 1. Why Should I Bed My Rifle? o 2. How do I Epoxy Bed a Rifle? o 3. Why is Belted Brass Less Accurate? + C. Miscellaneous o 1. Scope Ring Lapping # a. What is Scope Ring Lapping? # b. How do I Lap Scope Rings? o 2. Two Shooters, Same Rifle, Different Point of Impact o 3. Quick Detachable Rings and Mounts * XIII. Safety and Security + A. Safety o 0. Basic Gun Safety (section I.D.) o 1. What About Children and Guns? # a. Introduction # b. Child Gun Safety FAQ o 2. Taking Responsibility o 3. Armed and Groggy o 4. Jeff Cooper's Rules of Gun Safety o 5. Hazards of Lead Exposure # a. Introductory Article # b. ASLET Lead Article + B. Security o 1. Gunsafes # a. General Information # b. High End Gun Safes # c. Safe Manufacturers and Models o 2. Trigger Locks o 3. Keeping the Piece I. INTRODUCTION B. FAQ Organization, etc. by David Putzolu (dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu) This is the FAQ for rec.guns. It is organized in a hierarchical outline form with a list of the topics at the beginning. This FAQ is a compilation of the writings by various of the people in the rec.guns forum. If you have any questions that the FAQ does not answer, please post a message to rec.guns and you will find lots of helpful, friendly people willing to reply. If you feel that the FAQ contains incorrect FACTUAL information, (example: the number of cartridges a Beretta 92FS standard magazine contains) please contact the maintainer, David Putzolu, at dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu. Include the section that the error is in as well as the context of the error. If you disagree with some of the arguments in regards to areas that are a matter of opinion (example: is a 9mm or .45 better for defensive use?) or find the arguments to be incomplete, you must provide a complete re-write of the area in question, which, in any case, may or may not be included, depending on the judgement of the maintainer and possibly other individuals. Your other option, of course, is to post an article on rec.guns on the subject, and if you find sufficient support to change the FAQ then it will be changed. I. INTRODUCTION C. Legal Disclaimer by David Putzolu (dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu) The contents of this FAQ and the entire FAQ is simply a compendium of the writings of many of the knowledgable people on the rec.guns forum. No part of this FAQ should be viewed as legal advice. The reader must take full and complete responsibility for the laws regarding firearms in his jurisdiction as well as proper safety precautions involving every facet of firearms and related components. Any and all of this FAQ may contain errors, and it is the responsibility of the reader to check with his local law enforcement authorities as to the laws which dictate how, when, why, and where he may use firearms in any situation. Note that each article in this FAQ is the intellectual property of its author, who retains the copyright to it. Permission is explicitly given to distribute this FAQ in its entirety via the Internet and other computer networks. Permission is explicitly denied to publish this FAQ in any other medium, including but not limited to CD-ROM, books, and magazines. In order to gain permission to reproduce any part of this FAQ in such a medium the person/organization wishing to publish said part of it must get the individual permission of each and every author whose writings he wishes to publish. _________________________________________________________________ Note for those who are potential authors: I am perfectly happy to grant anonymity to authors of FAQ articles. Furthermore, I am willing to accept articles from anonymous remailers or any other anonymizing method. I do not keep any record of original authors when they request anonymity. I. INTRODUCTION D. Basic Gun Safety by Christian J. van den Branden Lambrecht (vdb@ltssg3.epfl.ch) Well I guess everybody knows all this perfectly but it is always good to review these things even if it looks like the first pages of every gun instruction manual. Please remember that nothing here should be seen as legal advice. Everything is disclaimed. Before buying or even handling a gun, one has to realize that it is something different than any other object in the sense that a gun can cause serious injury or death. Handling a gun makes you responsible for what happens with it at that time. If you own a gun, you are undertaking full responsibility for safety and security at all times. This means that you have to ensure that you or other people using your gun with your consent handle it properly. You have to make sure that nobody can steal or use your firearm without your consent. The actual rules are: Always treat a gun as if it were loaded until you visually check it out. Never point your firearm in any direction you do not intend to shoot. In particular, never point your gun in the direction of other people. Always have your gun pointed in a safe direction. Before handling a firearm, understand how it works. Do not assume that a gun is secure, i.e. some guns have excellent security systems to prevent accidental firing (e.g. when dropped), others don't. Do not put your finger on the trigger unless you are ready to shoot. Keep your firearm unloaded when you are not using it. Never pass your firearm to anybody until you have checked that it is unloaded. If you have to carry your gun loaded, always point it in a safe direction (e.g. the ground). Never carry your gun with the hammer cocked. You should store your firearm and ammunition in separate locked places. Pay particular attention that no child has access to the gun. Be sure of your target and what is beyond it. If you own a gun for home defense, most of these safety rules will be violated. However in some countries, home defense can be important. You will then probably store your gun loaded in a place that you can quickly reach if you feel you are threatened. In this case, be really sure that it is unaccessible to children. Buy then the safest possible gun for this purpose. When choosing a handgun for home defense, revelvers are a good choice because they are much safer than semi auto pistols. If you are not very familiar with handguns or do not practice a lot, you should go for a revolver. Their drawback is lower capacity. Among semi autos, Glock are good defense guns due to their safety mechanism, making them much safer than any other semi auto, and their high capacity. [Maintainer: Note that there is a more comprehensive section in V. Defensive uses of firearms that can be found later in the rec.guns FAQ. Furthermore, a good overview of purchasing a handgun can be found in the article 'I.I. A Handgun Primer for Novices' as well as in the article 'V.E. I Want a Pistol for Defensive Use - Which One Should I Get?'. Finally, there is an entire section of this FAQ just devoted to Gun Safety and Security - see section 'XIII. Safety and Security'] I. INTRODUCTION F. The most common FAQ on rec.guns: I am thinking of buying a gun... what should I buy/do? by the Moderator of Rec.Guns (magnum@cs.umd.edu) You will get much advice from others on the net who read your post. But what seems to be the best advice we can give you, in my opinion, is to get enough info so you can make an informed choice yourself. This is not only a consumer issue, but also a safety issue. Before you buy, I strongly encourage you to take a basic firearms safety class, such as the NRA Personal Protection course. I suggest the NRA class in particular because it is generally of very high quality, at comparatively low cost (e.g., my wife and I, who are both certified NRA instructors, offer this at our cost of materials); many classes offered commercially, on the other hand, offer far less comprehensive a syllabus, and charge much more. The NRA class not only covers the basics of operation in a firearm, but safety issues in use, storage, transportation and cleaning. We also bring in both a lawyer and an officer to discuss both legal and practical issues related to use of a firearm in self defense. Its a great way to get a lot of questions answered! In general, we encourage people to take this course *before* purchasing a firearm, since it can help you make up your mind about even *whether* to purchase. But also, by being more informed about use and operation, you can't help but be a better consumer when you go shop. Many people find that some firearms felt comfortable in their hand while they were absolute novices; but once they learned the proper way to handle the firearm, other models or configurations become preferred. Finally, by getting hooked up with other knowledgeable shooters (who take or teach the class) you can often try out many different types of firearms, to help you decide which you like. You wouldn't invest in a car without a test drive; don't invest in a firearm you've never driven either. These same people can help you find safe and economical places to shoot, that is important to help you stay safe and proficient with the firearm if you choose to buy. Please feel free to ask all the followup questions you like; safety is that important to us here. Also let us know of your experiences, and give us feedback on how to best help the next novice who inquires. Welcome aboard -- stay safe -- MODERATOR, rec.guns I. INTRODUCTION G. Why should I join the NRA? by Don Baldwin (donb@tamri.com) Dear fellow shooter, I asked to write this part of the FAQ because I thought that having a liberal Democrat advocate joining the NRA would make a point regarding our firearms rights and the preservation thereof: that we're all in this together and that we had all better do as much as we can do protect those rights, NOW! The NRA is a very controversial organization in some circles and has taken a lot of heat from both sides of the gun debate. Some pro-gunners are contemptuous of its compromises, while gun control advocates call it inflexible for NOT compromising. Whatever your view, it is a sure thing that if the NRA did not exist today, we would now be living under gun laws as bad as those in Great Britain and similar countries. "Needs-based" licensing, registration, arbitrary bans on whatever is called the criminals' "weapon of choice" by those seeking to make easy political points at the expense of law-abiding citizens, storage requirements that make defense use practically impossible...these are the laws we would almost certainly be living under today, if the NRA did not exist. Since becoming active in the area of gun rights, I have read a bit about some of the charges made against the "inflexible" NRA...that they oppose all gun control laws, that they specifically opposed laws banning "cop killer" cartridges. The fact is that the NRA proposed an Instant Background check as a better alternative to the Brady Bill's waiting period but that proposal was turned down by the gun control advocates, despite the fact that a background check could block some sales of guns to criminals and waiting periods could not. I have also found out that the NRA SUPPORTED the law banning "cop killer" bullets, once that law was refined to the point where it would not ban ordinary hunting cartridges. Aside from their political advocacy of gun rights, the NRA also provides a number of valuable community services: gun safety materials and classes, shooting competitions and criminal justice reform policy suggestions that would punish violent criminals HARD. Today, the media and opportunistic politicians are attacking gun rights and the NRA as never before. Please join the NRA today and help make sure that they do not get their way! Don Baldwin [Maintainer: NRA Membership Division: (800) 368-5714] I. Introduction H. I Don't Have FTP capability - can I use Email to Get FAQ articles? by Lance ?, Relayed by Dave Aronson If you have e-mail access to the internet, you can get access to any ftp site via e-mail from these two 'ftp via e-mail' servers: ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com ftpmail@sunsite.unc.edu Here's a help file (on teetot.acusd.edu, as /pub/Beelzebub/FTP_via_Internet_Mail). How To Receive Documents from an FTP Archive via Internet MAIL ---===--- I have had several requests for documents from the archive at: etext.archive.umich.edu from people that DO NOT have anonymous ftp access. There is a server at: ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com that can accept "batch" ftp requests from you and then return the documents bac k to you via internet mail. The general way to communicate with this server is as follows: mail ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com Subject: <return> <ftp command> <return> <ftp command> <return> <ftp command> <return> . . . <ftp command> <return> quit <return> <exit mail program and send mail> To get a list of commands and some information about this service: mail ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com Subject: <return> help <return> quit <return> <exit mail program and send mail> Let's say that you wanted to get a list of all the files available in the JBS directory of my archive at etext.archive.umich.edu, do this: mail ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com Subject: <return> connect etext.archive.umich.edu <return> chdir /pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS <return> dir <return> quit <return> <exit mail program and send mail> Suppose you wanted to get the following files from my archive at etext.archive.umich.edu: LWB/JBS/freedom.from.war LWB/JBS/jbs.book.list.01 do the following: mail ftpmail@decwrl.dec.com Subject: <return> connect etext.archive.umich.edu <return> chdir /pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS <return> get freedom.from.war <return> get jbs.book.list.01 <return> quit <return> <exit mail program and send mail> After a while you should get a response similar to this: From: "ftpmail service on ftp-gw-1.pa.dec.com" <nobody@pa.dec.com> To: lwb@cs.utexas.edu Subject: your ftpmail request has been received We processed the following input from your mail message: connect etext.archive.umich.edu chdir /pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS get freedom.from.war get jbs.book.list.01 quit We have entered the following request into our job queue as job number 746315939.01678: connect etext.archive.umich.edu anonymous - ftpmail/lwb@cs.utexas.edu reply lwb@cs.utexas.edu chdir /pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS get freedom.from.war ascii get jbs.book.list.01 ascii There are 463 jobs ahead of this one in our queue. You should expect the results to be mailed to you within a day or so. We try to drain the request queue every 30 minutes, but sometimes it fills up with enough junk that it takes until midnight (Pacific time) to clear. Note, however, that since ftpmail sends its files out with "Precedence: bulk", they receive low priority at mail relay nodes. Note that the "reply" or "answer" command in your mailer will not work for this message or any other mail you receive from FTPMAIL. To send requests to FTPMAIL, send an original mail message, not a reply. As shown in the header of this message, complaints should be sent to the ftpmail-admin@ftp-gw-1.pa.dec.com address rather than to postmaster, since our postmaster is not responsible for fixing ftpmail problems. There is no way to delete this request, so be sure that it has failed before you resubmit it or you will receive multiple copies of anything you have requested. There is no way to ask for only certain parts of a file to be sent. If you receive output from ftpmail that seems to be missing some parts, it is likely that some mailer between here and there has dropped them. You can try your request again, but chances are fairly good that if it is dropped once it will be dropped every time. There is no way to specify that your request should be tried only during certain hours of the day. If you need a file from a time-restricted FTP server, you probably cannot get it via ftpmail. Ftpmail was written by Paul Vixie at the DEC Western Research Laboratory and at the DEC Network Systems Laboratory, from 1989-1993. -- Ftpmail Submission Transcript -- <<< connect etext.archive.umich.edu >>> Connect to etext.archive.umich.edu as anonymous with - >>> ftpmail/lwb@cs.utexas.edu <<< chdir /pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS >>> Will chdir to </pub/Politics/Conspiracy/LWB/JBS> before I do anything >>> else <<< get freedom.from.war >>> get freedom.from.war ascii <<< get jbs.book.list.01 >>> get jbs.book.list.01 ascii <<< quit >>> Done - rest of message will be ignored >>> checking security of host `etext.archive.umich.edu' >>> host `etext.archive.umich.edu' has IP addr [141.211.164.18] >>> host `etext.archive.umich.edu' is also known as >>> `hellcow.css.itd.umich.edu' >>> host `etext.archive.umich.edu' is ok -- End of Ftpmail Transcript -- etc... Please refer to the man pages on ftp for more information on ftp commands. I will, from time-to-time, send/post a list of all files available on my section of this archive. Good Luck, Lance ------------------------------------------------------------------------- End of rec.guns FAQ pointer. + David M. Putzolu - dputzolu@cs.uiuc.edu - My opinions only + + ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ finger for pgp2.6 public key + + "No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms. The strongest + + reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as + + a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government. + + - Thomas Jefferson, proposed Virginia constitution, June 1776. + + 1 Thomas Jefferson Papers, 334 (C. J. Boyd, Ed., 1950) +