The Fire Ant Gazette - A Midland, Texas Blog

We Answer Your Questions
Category: Kitchen Sink...
Posted Wednesday, September 07, 2005 at 09:16 AM [GMT-6]

In the pursuit of transparency in blogging, and also because it's a lot easier than coming up with something to write on my own, I'd like to answer a couple of unrelated questions submitted by a regular Gazette reader.

The first question pertains to a feature of the Gazette itself, something that you might have only recently noticed. Immediately after accessing [your URL] my browser then states "connecting to callhome.textamerica.com" before loading the main page. It happens only when visiting the Gazette and no other blogs or sites. Any ideas? Is this supposed to happen?

This message is being triggered by the connection to the server that hosts MissingKatrina.com, from which I'm getting the little Flash movie shown at the top of the sidebar on the Gazette's home page. This Flash movie is linked to photos of people who are missing since the hurricane hit the Gulf Coast. I know it causes a slowdown in the loading of the page and I'm sorry about that, but I'm going to leave the link and movie in place for another week or two. I figure the service could use all the publicity it can get.

The second question is about guns...my guns, to be specific. In the previous post, I mentioned that I'd grab both my handguns and ammo as part of my List Of Important Things When Bugging Out (LOITWBO). If you don't mind me asking, what type of handguns have you selected and on what basis of criteria? I'm asking because I've noticed the amount of research you put into your equipment choices.

First, you overestimate my commitment to research, but that's another story. I think I've mentioned this before, but I have two Colt revolvers. One is a blue-steel .357 Python with a six-inch barrel, totally stock except for after-market grips. I'm not a handgun expert, but it's hard to imagine a sidearm that's more accurate than a Python. The 6" barrel is not optimum for portability, of course, and the gun itself is heavy. But I'm very satisfied with it.

The other gun is a Colt Trooper, a cheap .38 Special with a 2" barrel. This gun is worthless for anything other than a knife fight, IYKWIM. Beyond ten feet, you need to duck when you fire it because you stand as good a chance of hitting yourself as what you're aiming at.

And, just to clarify things, I don't have a concealed carry permit, I don't routinely carry firearms when I travel, and these guns have been used only for shooting at targets...and pretty infrequently at that. If any of the preceding habits were to change, I'd probably buy a 9mm Glock 17 or Beretta 9000S Type D.

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Comments

I like the Glock a lot. I think Beau is planning to buy one for me at some point - he joked about getting one for me as a wedding gift. Romantic!

Posted by: jen at September 7, 2005 09:42 AM

Beau's a lucky, lucky man! ;-)

[MLB is a shooter, too.]

Posted by: Eric at September 7, 2005 09:45 AM

Next time I presume to critize your blog, or its content, I should ask myself, "do I feel lucky?"

Posted by: Jeff at September 7, 2005 10:27 AM

Went to a Gun Show over the weekend in Ruidoso. Saw a gun I liked...it was a Taurus 22 Caliber. I want a small hand gun, nothing heavy or too difficult to load. Any ideas?

BTW, I'm going to gun class. Has MLB done that? If so, I'd like details.

Posted by: julie at September 7, 2005 02:17 PM

My Taurus .357 sits on my parents table because looters have appeared in town. Three men stopped my brother and offered to "relieve" him of three drums of fuel. His Colt .45 convinced them to look elsewhere.

Guns are good.

Posted by: Daniel Morris at September 7, 2005 02:22 PM

Julie, the Glock 9mm comes in a small (mini?) version. I'm not sure of the model number, but it's very small and light. Of the guns Beau taught me to shoot that was the one I preferred and shot the best with.

Posted by: jen at September 7, 2005 02:25 PM

Jeff, since you're a pal, I'd come at you with the Trooper, as you'd stand a much better than 50-50 chance of escaping unharmed. ;-)

Julie, if you want a gun for personal protection, I side with the experts who recommend something with a little more punch than a .22. Jen's probably on the money with the Glock mini, but Beretta makes some very small 9mms also.

MLB hasn't taken a gun course, but I'd contact someone at the Midland Shooter's Association for recommendations. Either Tony Dilley or Freddy Haltom could help you. Heck, I'll bet George over at Sleepless in Midland is an expert on such things.

Daniel, I'm glad your family understands the value of having the right tools to protect themselves and their property. It's so sad that it's needed, but that's the reality.

Posted by: Eric at September 7, 2005 02:36 PM

Based on your needs, it sounds like you've done your homework with your choices, Eric!

So do your alternate selections. Glocks have the reputation of being as simple and reliable as possible and that Beretta 9000 looks fantastic!

It looks like something Matoko Kusanagi would be carrying.

In fact, so does the Glock!

Firearms purchases should always meet one important criteria. Did any of your favorite Anime/Manga characters carry one? :D

"It's so sad that it's needed, but that's the reality."

Very true.

Thanks for clarifying the "text-America" issue, too! That's one of the problems we PC owners face: we're infinitely more prone to unexplained and downright weird anomalies while on-line.

I'm not sure if any of my favorite Anime/Manga characters uses a Mac. I'll have to check. ;-)

Posted by: Mr. Freen at September 7, 2005 03:07 PM

I'm not sure if any of my favorite Anime/Manga characters uses a Mac.

Dagwood Bumstead uses a Mac and that's good enough for me!

Posted by: Eric at September 7, 2005 03:27 PM

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