Pre-NRAAM Glock 43 Launch Party in Nashville
On the evening before opening day of the 2015 NRA Annual Meetings & Exhibits in Nashville, Tennessee – just weeks after the early rumors and official announcement – a small group of attendees was invited to the Nashville Armory for the official Glock 43 launch party. The GunLink team was among that group and we had a chance to see, handle, and shoot the new single-stack 9mm pistol before most people even see them show up at their gun shop. There isn’t much that can improve on shooting “free” ammo out of other people’s guns (and we took the opportunity to make two trips each through the firing queue with 3 mags on each round) – but being a brand-new pistol made it that much better.
To be honest, I wasn’t expecting to be impressed. On paper, the specs didn’t seem that ground breaking. It has roughly the same profile as a double-stack G26, albeit thinner, but with a significantly reduced capacity (6+1). The Glock representative at the event referred to it as basically a “Glock 26 Slim” (see the comparison below, left-to-right: G42, G43, G26) It is too big for pocket carry but too small for a high round count and, I thought, too small to be comfortable to shoot.
The G43 is a good example of why you cannot judge a book by its cover, or a pistol by its spec sheet. Continue reading
Armed Citizen: Convenience Store Owner Fells Armed Robber
The owner of MiPueblo Food Store in Smith County, Texas was tending to his business when a customer alerted him to two suspicious men who had asked the customer what time the store closed. Later on, an armed and masked man entered the store and attempted to rob it. The owner responded by retrieving a gun and exchanging gunfire with the criminal, killing him. The owner was not injured during the incident. (The Tyler Telegraph, Tyler, Texas 01/27/15)
See more stories of how responsible owners have used their firearms to protect themselves at NRA-ILA Armed Citizen.
Grid Down Survival Guides Help Preppers Make Ready
Survival-minded readers will appreciate the latest series of books coming from Whitman Publishing’s Second Amendment Media: Grid Down Survival.
The Grid Down Survival Guides offer preparedness information that would be vital in many disaster situations although, as the name implies, they focus on a grid down scenario in which infrastructure fails and societal norms begin to collapse. Grid Down could be anything from minor disruptions in every day creature comforts to SHTF/TEOTWAWKI (s**t hitting the fan /the end of the world as we know it) and, in the spirit of “hope for the best but prepare for the worst,” the guide series puts a good deal of focus on the latter end of that spectrum. Such a scenario may sound far-fetched but, realistically, we could be one relatively minor disaster away from a grid-down situation at any moment.
Consider the devastating aftermath – both natural and man-made – when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. Consider the events that unfolded during the nationwide “protests” stemming from the situation in Ferguson, Missouri over the past year: violence, looting, burned buildings, national guard mobilization, police shootings, interstate highway shutdowns and more. Consider the fragility of our power grid in the scope of threats like the 2013 sniper attacks on California power stations, which knocked out 17 transformers that took over a month to repair, solar flares, or enemy attacks and the amount of time it would take to recover given the production capacity for power station equipment and the existing stock (or lack thereof) of replacement parts.
The “war on coal,” the fight against hydraulic fracturing (fracking), pushback against the Keystone XL Pipeline and other factors may even further imperil our energy infrastructure – even if only by causing increased economic strain on the industry and consumers. Crumbling bridges and non-existent “shovel ready” highway projects might show cracks in our transportation grid. With economic turmoil in the European market (Greek tragedy?), Russia tangling with Ukraine and annexing Crimea, Iranian nuke talks, conflict with the Norks over hacking allegations, and countless other examples of instability in the world, it just makes sense to be prepared. Continue reading
Armed Citizen: MA Resident Defends Home from Pair of Intruders
A Springfield, Mass. resident was at home with his 3-year-old daughter when a pair of brothers attempted to break inside. The criminals appear to have believed the homeowner was someone else, referring to the resident by the wrong name, kicking the door, and shouting threats. The resident retrieved a gun, retreated to a bedroom, and fired at the criminals when they got inside the home. The gunfire struck one of the home invaders and caused both to flee. The intruders were captured by police shortly after leaving the home.
A local news report states that the homeowner was in compliance with Massachusetts’ onerous firearm licensing and registration regime. Springfield Police referred to the incident as “a justified self-defense shooting.” (The Springfield Republican, Springfield, Mass. 02/07/15)
See more stories of how responsible owners have used their firearms to protect themselves at NRA-ILA Armed Citizen.
Armed Citizen: CCW Permit Holder Stops Meth-Addled Carjacker
A man who was high on meth attempted to carjack three different vehicles in Clay County, Ind. before being stopped by a Right-to-Carry permit holder.
First, the meth user attempted to gain access to a woman’s car, after which she used cell-phone to alert police. When this failed, the carjacker attempted to enter a vehicle holding three children. The criminal then stuck his hand through the passenger’s window of a third vehicle and attempted to unlock the door. The passenger sitting in the car, a Right-to-Carry permit holder, responded by retrieving a gun and leveling it at the carjacker, prompting the criminal to flee.
Police later captured the meth user at a nearby hotel. (The Brazil Times, Brazil, Ind. 02/09/15)
See more stories of how responsible owners have used their firearms to protect themselves at NRA-ILA Armed Citizen.
Armed Citizen: Woman Kills Home Invading Sex Offender
A woman was at her Van Zandt County, Texas home when she became aware of a man attempting to gain access to the house through a side door. The woman retrieved a gun and shot and killed the intruder.
It was later determined by local media outlet KLTV that the home invader was a suspect in an arson investigation earlier in the week, had an extensive criminal record, and had only recently been released from the county jail on charges of failing to register as a sex offender.
Van Zandt County Sheriff Lindsay Ray expressed his support for the armed citizen, stating, “Presently, as the result of underfunding and inadequate staffing at the Van Zandt County Sheriff’s Office, homeowners need to take appropriate precautions to protect their families. I will continue to support the law abiding citizens of our community when they are forced to take actions to protect their lives, liberty and property.” (KLTV, Tyler, Texas, 02/10/15)
See more stories of how responsible owners have used their firearms to protect themselves at NRA-ILA Armed Citizen.
