Sharpshooter

I've always loved watching the idiots with 4-wheel drive on their first(?) snow-covered road. They're all, "Watch this suckers, I can go and you can't!" Then they try to turn or stop. That's when they figure out that the laws of physics don't give a tinker's damn how much money they spent on their fancy trucks. Just because you can go doesn't mean you can whoa. The only downfall was having to write the accident report.

Outstanding!

I thought 98Z5V had a good point: read the article all the way through. So I did. I even went one better and read the Yale article all the way through. Here's what I came up with: The Politico article was written by Jon Stokes, Editor Emeritus at Ars Technica ezine. He suggests a federally issued license for possession of all semi-automatic firearms. Patterned after the NFA requirements, he believes any possessor should then be allowed to own/possess NFA items (machine guns, suppressors, etc.). That's all there is to it. The rest is explanations why this would be a good idea. Let's compare that to the article written by Egon D. Cohen & Kristina M. Johnson, contributors to Yale Law & Policy Review. They suggest a federally issued Restricted Firearms License for possession/ownership of semi-automatic rifles and shotguns plus all handguns. Patterned after the NFA requirements for the owner, then extended by requiring individual weapons to be licensed. The rest is explanations why this would be a good idea. And that's all there is to that. The differences? The Cohen & Johnson approach includes licensing individual weapons. The similarities? Each suggests a federal license for possessors/owners. My analysis is that these are functionally identical. Each creates a national registry of gun owners (no, not all gun owners, but certainly a large number of us). In my opinion, that's your first step down the rabbit hole to complete confiscation. Am I being paranoid? Am I being paranoid enough? Both articles were matters of opinion, not codified into bills. Each was preaching to the choir (both Politico and Yale are distinctly left-leaning organizations), so it's not surprising to me that the articles have so much in common. What does surprise me is hearing us debate which is better, and with such vehemence. So, which one to back? I choose None Of The Above. I'm still living in a country bound by laws. I may not like all of them, but I'm pretty happy with the overall system, and that system says you can't change the law except by votes in the legislature. Even then, those laws are subject to review by the courts. It's been a bumpy road but, so far, it's still the best one I've seen. When I see a law proposed in the legislature, or an opportunity to voice my opinion to the legislators, then I'll get fired up and do what I can. In the meantime, I'm only here for the beer!

Okay, so another newbie dumba$$ question. I've got a DPMS G2 .308 but I don't have the time or money to run magazine after magazine through it. My normal routine is to run 4 or 5 rounds, trying to get it sighted in (at 40 yards, I've got the Magpul BUIS all the way to the left and it's still grouping a couple of inches away from center), then giving up in disgust and breaking it down for cleaning. So, if I'm doing it this slowly, does it really need to run wet? If so, just for my understanding, why? What makes these things so different from my 1911s, my Browning Sweet 16s, my Remington 1100s, etc.? You get the idea. None of them needed to be soaked in oil to run. Why does this one need it? (Not that I'm arguing ... just wondering.)

What he said!

Sensible.

Not as bad as having someone who doesn't ever practice. When I was on the force (small town PD), we instituted required qualifications and had one guy show up with ammo so old it was glued to the cylinder, green gunk all over. I'd like to think those days are gone, but people are still people so I'm sure it still happens.

+1

Well, crap! I went to comment and found the comment period was closed. Seems it's a 30-day period, which began on 12/26/2017. If someone hears about some other viable way to comment, please post it.

I'm late to the party, but I'm still here. Thanks for the link, jtallen83. It was eye-opening.

Logically, it should have flown. In 2017, in the U.S. deaths by automobile topped 40,000 while deaths by firearms were less than 16,000. Clearly, cars are more dangerous than guns but if you're licensed to drive in one state, every other state recognizes that right and allows you to drive in their state. Reciprocity. But who ever said politics had anything to do with logic?

No argument from me about this, but I was always taught that 2-legged vermin were notoriously easy to kill. Not so with deer size game or larger. YMMV.

Politicians are one reason we need the 2nd A. Stalin instituted the Great Purge and killed over 600,000 of HIS OWN PEOPLE. Pol Pot caused the deaths of 1.5 to 3 million Cambodians, HIS OWN PEOPLE. I'm more worried about edicts from my own politicians than I am about any invasion by a foreign power, and I think I've got history on my side.

Back in the day (mid-70s), Japan was noted as having the highest murder rate per capita of any nation. But they didn't allow guns in civilian hands! How did they do it? Knives, bricks, poison, garrottes, you name it. As long as it didn't go BANG, they killed each other with it. I've never understood why people think objects do anything not directed by a human being. Don't fear my weapon ... fear me, if you give me cause.

Okay, the video just convinced me: I gotta get me one of them drum mags! I bet I could get my limit of geese with one of them! Or maybe take it rabbit hunting! Yeah, that's the ticket!

I use it routinely. They don't track your personal information. Yes, I know I'm paranoid. But ... am I paranoid enough?

Welcome from Arkansas, and thank you for your service.

Welcome from Arkansas.

What can I say? I'm a slow learner.

Oh, you had to bring that up! I went through 3 of them before I found my last (and I do mean last!) one. We've been together now for coming on to 33 years. I think I'll keep her. Yes, she gave me permission to say that! (I'm the one getting the slap, of course.)

Howdy, y'all! (That's a friendly hello to one of you. If it had been sent to more than one, it would have been "all y'all." Got to have your grammar right!) It seems like I'm supposed to tell you about myself. Well, I'm an X. Ex-Navy, ex-firefighter, ex-police officer, ex-firearms instructor, and more. I finally ended up being a computer systems engineer (but they wouldn't give me my engineer's hat, so I quit that too) and now I'm having fun with words (I'm a writer, editor, and publisher) and figuring out how to enjoy life. That last one is an on-going process. My handle, Sharpshooter, I earned when I was a cop. I went to a combat shoot back in the mid-70s. I'd worked the day shift and had to hurry to get there before the match closed. I shot in the last group of the day. One of the range officers had been there since dawn and had shot in the first group. He'd scored a 533 out of 600, the top of the Sharpshooter class. A 534 would be in the Master class, so he had that Sharpshooter's trophy tied up! Nine hours later, I showed up and shot a 533, just like him, but I had 13 bullseyes ... he had 12. I edged him by a bullseye, and took home the trophy and a new nickname. I think he eventually forgave me ... I've lurked here for the past couple of days and the interplay between you people really impresses me! I hope I can fit in too.

Another newbie here, but only my membership in the AR-10 pattern club. My first rifle was a Winchester .22 pump, bought new for me on my 6th birthday, and it will qualify for social security this summer. Yes, I've still got it. I'm here because of my wife. She made me do it. She asked me, "If you could only have one rifle, what would it be?" That brought up the best all-around caliber (.308, naturally) and the best launcher for said caliber. After a lot of comparisons, the AR-10 rose to the top. Of those, a DPMS G2 edged out the others, mostly because of weight, accuracy, and cost. And now I'm finding changes I want to make. Don't ask me to come to the dark side ... I can't afford it. But I'll admit the light's getting dimmer around here!