The Rifle no Rifleman should be without
December 13, 2009During Friday Night BWI conversation discussion of Firearms came up. I feel it is altogether appropriate to discuss firearms while enjoying alcohol and tobacco. I suppose that is why there is an entire branch of Federal Law Enforcement dedicated to regulating/destroying that manage-a-trois of natural human pleasure wherin we may pursue happiness. In such conversations among men of high caliber it is only natural that they boast of their abilities with whatever weapon they posess. That is because ballistic skills have been something men have worked hard to master since the dawn of time.
These ballistic skills have morphed into other games of competitive nature designed to entertain. Hoseshoes, baseball, football, golf, discus throw, basketball, tennis, bowling, darts, pocket billiards, bottle toss, ALL these competitive sports as well as many others descended from ballistic skills early man used to insure survival. It seems that the further humans have been removed from having to hunt for their food on a daily basis in order to survive, the greater amount of time and energy they spend engaging in or being entertained by competitive sport. Let’s take Tiger Woods as an example. He is able to swing his club in order to drive his balls toward any hole he chooses, regardless of distance or prevailing conditions. This skill descends from mastery of the earliest ballistic skills that insured human survival. Having mastered these skills that have morphed into an entertaining sport, Tiger has earned an income that allows him to manage all of his survival needs without having to be concerned with his day to day existence. It’s too bad that he didn’t pick up any of the Martial Art genes from his Mothers side of the family.
For the rest of us, being able to accurately use a firearm is probably something we have considered may be useful in defending our lives or feeding ourselves with. Coming from a Marine Corps family I was taught that the only thing that matters is being able to hit what you aim at. I was never given over to the concept of supressive fire , except when it is placed accurately in order to cover an advancing element. Even then it has to be rounds on target right.
This is why I have always personally gravitated toward U.S. Made rifles. Like Tatersalad I have experienced the highest quality Romanian made AK-47 from the receiving end and at close range. Unlike Tatersalad I didn’t get hit. RD can relay the experience his Son had in Iraq while clearing a building. Thirty rounds were fired from an Iranian with an AK at point-blank range but the man with the AK took a Seventeen round burst of fully automatic fire to his face. He lost the gunfight even though he had the drop on his target from a covered position.
The simple fact of the matter is that there is no substitute for accurate Rifle Marksmanship. Good Marksmanship is achieved by having an accurate weapon in the hands of a skilled Rifleman. Becoming a skilled Rifleman can be a time consuming and expensive task. While most anyone who wants to aquire marksmanship skills are more than willing to invest the time, money is an issue for anyone.
This is why God has blessed us with men who were able to harness and direct the energy of a .22 caliber longrifle bullet. Weapons that have utilized this particular round have been responsible for training the most accomplished Riflemen in the world. It allows the novice rifleman to acquire the skill without breaking the bank. Furthermore, it is accurate out to great distances, in some cases equally to their higher caliber counterparts. This allows a Rifleman to become familiar with all the variables he must consider when placing rounds on target with any caliber rifle. Beyond that, regardless of the caliber fired in most cases putting rounds on target gets the job done.
The .22 caliber longrifle can be depended on to put food on the table. It has been used to kill human beings with a single shot. The ammunition is inexpensive and can be easily transported in large quantities. Most high quality semi-automatic .22 Rifles can be purchased for less than $250.00 . It makes a great Christmas gift and is the perfect rifle for giving children their first lessons in Rifle Marksmanship.
Beyond that, there are several very inexpensive conversion kits that make this rifle a WHOLE LOT more fun for kids of ANY age…
R.D. Walker :
Date: December 13, 2009
Since my dad bought me my first bolt action .22LR when I was 13, I have always had a soft spot for that round. It is quiet, low impact and – in the right hands – deadly, precisely accurate.
notamobster :
Date: December 14, 2009
Brad – I wasn’t arguing that I support the ak over american made rifles, just that it can be an effective weapon in the right hands.
I like mine. It’s great fun to shoot, though not as much as fun as the P.O.F. in .223 – the gas piston function of the POF makes for an amazing time at the range.
I also enjoy my remington 700 adl. (black on black synthetic)
Coincidentally, I killed my first and only buck (all does, since then) with a Marlin .22 semi-auto. I was out in the woods, gettin drunk with a buddy after school, chewing tobacco.
ATF, huh? I always wondered why they grouped those things together…
Jim 22 :
Date: December 14, 2009
Don’t think I need a full-auto .22 – but would like to try one sometime. The tracesr make for a nice touch in the video.
Brad is right about the .22 being useful for training and food gathering. Useful for learning shooting positions, sight alignment and trigger control.
These things should be practiced until you no longer have to think about them. When you get to that point you can use your new skills on bigger guns.
Most people do better if they don’t start with semi-autos. It’s too easy to get carried away with firepower and lose track of the need for accuracy. Start slow, work on the basics, and gradually speed will come. Much like learning to play a musical instrument.
R.D. Walker :
Date: December 14, 2009
I am late to this discussion but here are my thoughts. If a man had a semiauto .308, a .12 gauge and a .22, and a .40 pistol, he would have all the weaponry he would ever need.
An Springfield Arms M-1A is a great rifle. It will take down anything including a bull moose, bear or charging human. It has the power to punch through sheet steel and drops whatever it hits. It is a reliable, powerful weapon for big game or real war.
For shotguns, you just cannot top a Remington 870 for value to utility. If you have a birdshot and a slug barrel, you should never go hungry as long as birds fly and deer walk. With 00 buckshot, it is the best close in defense weapon known.
A good bolt action .22 is great for all the reasons Brad mentions.
For a handgun, I have a Glock 23 that I wouldn’t trade for anything. It is just the right size to carry, its .40 round packs a punch and it never, ever malfunctions.
Reasonable people can disagree, but that is my two cents.
R.D. Walker :
Date: December 14, 2009
You could consolidate the .308 and .22 and get a single .223 I suppose. You would lose some advantages at both ends though.
joe buzz :
Date: December 14, 2009
I was able to work in a 2hr range session this weekend. It had been a while since I had some decent trigger time. The affordable .22 Wolf match ammo is very accurate in my cheap bolt gun.
Jim 22 :
Date: December 14, 2009
RD, you are right about your selections. They are all good guns. Only reason I favor birdshot in the shotgun over buckshot – for home defense – is because of wall penetration. three or four layers of half-inch sheetrock will render number 8 shot ineffective. If you have others in adjacent rooms or have neighbors close by you will make them safer with birdshot.
At indoor ranges there is no difference in effectiveness. Even out to about fifteen or twenty yards. Even if you use one-ounce trap or skeet loads.
00 buckshot will penetrate far more than that.
For everyone else – RD’s selections are good. But other guns are just as good.
Quality counts. Cheap guns misfire, fail to feed, and break down.
You are much better off with a long gun than a pistol. Shotguns and rifles are easier to hit with than handguns and far more powerful. Think of pistols as almost last resort. Better than a knife or your fist. Vastly inferior to long guns.
R.D. Walker :
Date: December 14, 2009
Good point about the buckshot. You better know where you are shooting because it will penetrate. There is nothing that you can legally own that will quickly put more lead down range than a shotgun.