Gun Culture

Firearms Private Sales: How to Protect Yourself

firearm sales rifle_opt — Parting with a firearm is never easy, but sometimes, it must be done.

Sometimes, it happens. You don’t use a certain firearm so much and it’s taking up space in your gun locker, or you fall on some financial hardship and you need to generate some quick cash. Firearms are a quick way to make some money. But how do you sell your firearm? This is something that most people don’t have any clue as to how to conduct themselves. Unfortunately, I’ve had to sell many firearms that I’ve owned over the years, but fortunately for you, the reader, that has given me some knowledge and tips that I would like to impart to you right now.

1) Your best option is to sell to somebody you know.

It goes without saying that the internet is a very strange and often dangerous place. Many websites, such as Craigslist and Backpage, have started to crack down on firearms classifieds, so your options in that department are also limited. The best and safest way to sell your firearm is to sell it to a friend, somebody you know personally and that you would trust with a firearm. Keep in mind that even with private sales, all local, state, and federal firearms laws apply, the biggest of these being that you cannot sell a firearm to felons, those who have been found guilty of domestic violence, or the mentally adjudicated. If you sell to somebody in one of those three categories and you are found out, then you will be punished in accordance with the law. Aside from that, your friends will be your best and safest option. You can invite said friend into the comfort and privacy of your home and conduct the transaction there, away from prying eyes and hoplophobes.

2) Your second best option would be a friend of a friend.

None of your friends have cash, or aren’t interested in what you’re selling? Perhaps a friend of a friend is. In this case, if you trust your friend’s word and they vouch for the buying party, then doing the transaction at home can work. Personally, if I don’t know the person, I prefer to meet at the mutual friend’s place, or in a public place, even if my friend vouches for them, as I tend to err on the side of caution. With the friend of a friend, you’ll want the mutual friend present to act as a witness. You’ll also want to generate a bill of sale, which we’ll talk about in a bit.

firearms sales grocery parking_opt — A grocery store parking lot is a solid choice in sales venue.

This should be common sense, but if the Army has taught me something, it’s that you must repeat common sense things just in case the Good Idea Fairy inspires somebody who is unknowing to do something that is not within their best interests. I have done meets with people who I have met on the internet. The first tip is to pick a public place. That way, should they get any ideas, there will be plenty of witnesses to back you up. Lots of witnesses tend to deter those with devious motives.

3) When meeting a stranger, don’t go unarmed or alone.

Another common sense tip. If I’m selling one of my guns, I make sure I have one locked and loaded on me. If you don’t have one, then borrow one. If you can’t borrow one, you shouldn’t be selling to a stranger. You don’t know if this person is a legit person or somebody with nefarious intent. Be prepared to defend yourself if necessary.

Also, remember that there is safety in numbers. This is a tip that I personally need to work out. I usually end up going alone, but I do go armed. Chalk that up to infantry mental invincibility syndrome.

4) Maintain positive control over the weapon until payment has been produced.

firearms sketchy people 1_opt — If these guys show up to buy your firearm, it would behoove you to walk away.

Obviously, you will let the potential buyer inspect the weapon for viability. Having said that, make sure the weapon on sale is either within arm’s reach or on your person. This may seem like paranoia, but this is actually common business practice. Notice when you go to a convenience store, the clerk will pull the product to their side of the counter until payment has cleared? The reason being is that if you reach across that counter, grab the product, and leave without paying, that’s a felony. It also gives them a chance to pull it out of your reach to deter you from theft. Same principle applies here. Make it an untenable option for the buyer to walk away without payment.

5) Generate a bill of sale.

This is a CYA move. You generate a bill of sale that includes:

-your name

-the buyer’s name

-the serial number of the gun

-the agreed upon price

-the day that the transaction was completed

This way, should the firearm you’re selling ends up at a crime scene and the police come knocking on your door, you can produce the bill of sale and point them elsewhere. A bill of sale will save you all sorts of trouble. Keep them stored somewhere and do not throw them away. You never known when you might need them. If the buyer refuses to sign a bill of sale, then refer to my final tip:

6) Be willing to walk away.

This applies both to pricing and to suspicious activity. Set a price you’re willing to come down to, and name a higher price. Naturally, the buyer will haggle. If they won’t meet your bottom price, then don’t be afraid to walk away. Know the value of your firearm. Also, along those same lines, be ethical. Don’t try to stiff the other person. I’ve seen a lot of that recently, with people selling PMAGs for $60 a pop. Sure, free market economy and such, but it’s simply unethical in my eyes. Do right by the consumer, but don’t let the consumer screw you over on price.

firearm sketchy people 2_opt — You probably shouldn’t sell your firearm to this guy, either.

Also: if there’s something off with the buyer, even if you can’t explain it, then cancel the sale. This is definitely one area where you want to err on the side of caution. We have a responsibility as firearm owners to prevent these tools from falling into the wrong hands. If the buyer looks and acts sketchy and suspicious, don’t complete the sale and leave. Don’t go straight home, either: drive a scenic route back to your house to ensure the person hasn’t followed you.

Selling your firearm sucks, but sometimes it’s necessary. Just do your best to be smart about it. Take some precautions to protect yourself. Keep on your toes and somebody will walk away a new gun owner, while you’ll walk away with some extra money in your pocket.

Feature image provided by Torange

Editor’s note: The byline of this article was previously incorrect. This piece was written by Steven Hildreth Jr

Is the Pistol Brace Next To Be Banned?

“White House orders pistol braces to be banned” Imagine clicking on your favorite news site or gun blog and reading those very words. Don’t think it can happen? remember that recently owners of slide fire or “bump stocks” found themselves in the very same situation. An accessory that was legal for years was suddenly called out by White House and through series of instructions from then U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions to the Justice Department was made illegal in less than six months. POOF just like that something that was legal was now illegal without any due process.

The History of the Brace

In was back in 2013 when inventor Alex Bosco came up with the pistol brace and after letter back from BATFE about the legality of the newly created device Bosco found himself in partnership with Sig Sauer and the SB-15 pistol brace was unleashed on the world. The world hasn’t been the same since as the SB Tactical pistol brace has been adopted and created for several weapons platforms and the gun gods smiled down from heaven and the masses rejoiced.

The letter from BATFE, the support of a giant of the industry like Sig Sauer and their legal team added instant credibility to the SB Tactical brace and made the industry explode. All was good for a year or so until the waters got muddy when BATFE released some rather vague guidance on the brace seeming to reverse their early interpretation of the braces as being “ok” to use. The summary of the series of events was this essentially this: Don’t put the pistol brace to your shoulder or it might make the weapon subject to NFA rules and regulations. Shouldering the weapon constitutes a redesign of the weapon from a pistol to a short barreled rifle.

Anti-Glock: The Dark Side of Plastic Perfection

Upon hearing about my fellow TAG team member Brian‘s article titled “Do All Roads Lead to Glock?,” I knew with absolute certainty I had to present the other half of the argument and be that guy—the Glock hater. I’m tired of shootists perpetually singing the praises of this platform—it’s the ultimate in reliability, they’re inexpensive, all the pros use them—and I intend to call attention to a few of the downsides. If you read this article and say, “well half of that is just personal preference,” you’re absolutely correct. Take it with a grain of salt. And if you’re a devout Glock lover, a couple ibuprofen, too.

1. Spongy trigger:

Stock triggers on Glocks are like bad employees: They’re creepy, gritty, and inconsistent. Don’t feed me a line about aftermarket modifications to improve the trigger, either. Yes, I know that Glock, being so popular, has widely available aftermarket parts, many of them inexpensive and easy to install. But if I buy a new car, I don’t want to have to immediately take it to a body shop to have the steering improved, even if it’s cheap to do it.

2. No external safety:

Not a problem for pros. Some would even argue that not having an external safety makes the Glock that much simpler or more streamlined. But pros aren’t the only ones buying Glocks. In fact, newbie shooters seem to gravitate toward the platform based in large part on pop culture (Hollywood action movies and rap songs come to mind), and since they fall well within a new shooter’s modest price range, many end up taking a Glock home as their first handgun. The problem is, a new shooter may lack the trigger discipline necessary to safely operate it. Having those extra manual safeties in place provides a cognitive layer of protection: It forces the shooter to consciously take that external safety off prior to pulling the trigger, and reinforces the notion that the gun is now fully prepared to fire.

3. Unnatural grip angle:

Not the same for everyone, I know. Some people find that the Glock points very naturally for them. For me, when comparing the grip angle and overall “feel” of a Glock to that of, say, a Sig Sauer P225, it’s on par with comparing a wide, lopsided brick to a handful of pizza dough.

4. Poorly manufactured sights:

The Glock’s plastic sights are probably the only parts of the gun that don’t align with Glock’s M.O. of durability and longevity. With regular holstering and unholstering, they may wear out, chip, crack, break, fall out, or otherwise leave you shooting like Paul Hogan in the film Lightning Jack. Yeah, yeah, you’re going to say “well mine haven’t,” or “you can just replace them if they break.” Well, let’s just say I’d prefer to not have to. See #1 for more on that.

The Anti-Glock Talk: A Rebuttal — Photo composite courtesy of thehistoryblog.com (1911) and gunblast.com (Glock 19), respectively.

5. Void of aesthetic appeal:

Most Glock owners grudgingly admit that these guns are dog-ugly (okay, maybe not as bad as the one shown top, which was apparently made by a Russian amateur gunmaker using sawdust and epoxy, and chambered to 9×18 Makarov—yeah, it’s a real gun), but what really makes them unappealing to me is their lack of character. Unlike a blued, steel handgun with walnut grips that just takes on more and more character and patina with time and use (right, above), a used Glock looks about like a new one (right, below). Bland.

Conclusion:

Because I don’t want any death threats over this, I’m going to do a couple things. First, I will reluctantly admit that, in a pinch, I would gladly take a Glock over a rock of similar weight and dimensions. They are reliable, they are plenty accurate for most defensive applications, and they hold an impressive amount of ammunition given their weight. Second, I openly invite you to explain to me (please be civil, I have a fragile ego) why I’m horribly wrong and an embarrassment to the shooting sports in the comments below.

Primary image courtesy of improguns.blogspot.ca

Article written by Nate Granzow

The Great Caliber Debate: What action movies have to say about 9mm vs .45

I’ve owned a 1911 for some time, and although I’ve had other pistols before it, I’ve found that there aren’t very many guns I’m more accurate with than my trusty old black and brown .45. To be honest, I’ve never put much stock into the Glock vs 1911 debate. They’re both reliable, accurate, and easy enough to clean once you get the hang of it (though the Glock is admittedly a bit easier). In my opinion, the 1911 vs Glock argument is no different from the Ford vs Chevy one – it really comes down to individual models and owner preference.

Now, I’m certain that plenty of 1911 (and other .45) owners will bring up the increased stopping power allotted by their larger ammunition. Many Glocks are chambered in 9mm – a smaller round that some would suggest offers a reduced ability to transfer the kinetic energy from the bullet into the target. Nine-Mil guys will reply by countering those claims using math and science (two things I’ve never excelled at) before bringing up the increased magazine capacity provided by choosing a smaller round.

Now, I own both a 1911 and Glock 19, and recently I’ve taken to carrying the Glock more often because of its smaller footprint and lack of jagged edges chewing away at the love handles I’ve carefully crafted out of cheap vodka and expensive steaks over the past few years. At the range, I’m admittedly more accurate at twenty-five meters with the 1911 than I am with the Glock, but I’d chalk that up to the shooter, rather than the gun. They’re both great platforms that have proven themselves time and time again in combat and at ranges all over the world.

So, because I skipped most of my high school and college math classes, and because the differences in accuracy between a .45 and a 9mm aren’t more pronounced than my own limitations, I’m left with only one real means of comparison to help me decide which cartridge is right for me when I head out into town: which one is used by cooler movie action heroes?

The 9MM Team

John McClane (Die Hard), Martin Riggs (Lethal Weapon), and John Wick (John Wick)

Fun movie fact, the 9mm Beretta 92 you can see Bruce Willis’ John McClane carrying in the first (and best) Die Hard movie is the very same 9mm Beretta 92 you can see Mel Gibson’s Martin Riggs carry in Lethal Weapon. Both of these protagonists display an incredible amount of 80’s movie awesomeness, with McClane throwing Professor Snape out a window and Riggs fighting Gary Busey in the rain to prove, once and for all, that he’s the best Special Forces guy in Danny Glover’s front yard that day.

Because I grew up watching these movies (Die Hard remains a Christmas tradition in my house) I consider each of these guys to be the very definition of bad ass – but the fact that they were both playing police officers that were clearly issued the Beretta could take away a bit of the coolness factor. The fact that their movie-ending victories didn’t rely on their 9mm guns of choice also hurts. These issues would normally give the advantage to the .45… were it not for 2014’s John Wick.

Wick, played by Keanu Reeves, is a retired assassin that decides to go on a murderous rampage, laying waste to the entire Russian mob because a bad guy killed his puppy. If that doesn’t sound awesome to you, the part of your brain that watches movies must be broken.

John Wick uses a number of weapons throughout the movie, but his primary pistols, the ones he has buried in concrete beneath his basement, are Heckler & Koch P30Ls.

These 9mm pistols don’t seem to have any trouble dispatching Wick’s opponents, despite the smaller size of the round when compared to its .45 caliber competition. In fact, John Wick was such an incredible movie, I would argue that his use of the 9mm more than compensates for both McClain and Riggs opting to resort to their bare hands with the movie’s finale on the line. In other scenes and in the sequel, Wick can be seen carrying custom Taran Tactical Glock 34s, and at one point, he even scoffs at the magazine capacity allotted by the 1911…

The .45 Team

Sergeant Major Basil Plumley (We Were Soldiers), The Punisher (The Punisher), Sarah Connor (Terminator 2)

Unlike the 9mm category, which saw at least two different pistol platforms, everyone on the .45 team uses the same gun: a 1911. Now, this isn’t just because I’m partial to them, but I’d argue it’s also because the 1911 has a formidable appearance, making their use on screen an often-intentional inclusion as the director attempts to say something about the person holding the weapon.

Sarah Conner’s use of the 1911 helps the viewer better appreciate her character’s development. In Terminator, she was a victim that relied on others to protect her. By Terminator 2, Linda Hamilton’s Connor is pointing a 1911 in your face and karate-kicking hospital orderlies.

Shown: Character development by way of pistol

The Punisher (as played by Thomas Jane in 2004) lingered on the decorative 1911s his father kept in a case before Frank Castle’s (the Punisher) family is killed. He then uses those same pistols to aid in his quest for vengeance against those who murdered his family.

Most important, however, is Sergeant Major Basil Plumley. In “We Were Soldiers,” Sam Elliot’s Plumley chooses not to carry an M16 into the field, opting to rely only on his trusty 1911. The man epitomizes the bad ass, supremely salty, Sergeant Major we all envision when we imagine a war hero. Calm, collected, and always angry, Sergeant Major Plumley made for one hell of a movie hero.

Here’s the thing though, the real Sergeant Major Plumley reportedly once led a bayonet charge with nothing but his 1911 in combat, and despite some questioning the validity of parts of Plumley’s acclaim, it’s pretty impossible to deny that a man referred to by his own soldiers as “Iron Jaw,” was totally badass.

The Conclusion

Ultimately, choosing a handgun based on what you’ve seen in movies is a ludicrous proposition, but when it comes to choosing an ammunition standard (and firearm to shoot it with) for your own purposes, there’s nothing wrong with making a purchase just because you like the gun. If you’re on the fence between a Glock 17 and a 1911, I can assure you that they’ll both shoot straight, they’ll both take down a bad guy or two, and they’re both reliable weapons. The same can be said for a number of other firearm types and models.

So if you’re going to spend hundreds of dollars or more on something, make sure it’s something you like. If you like your Beretta more because John McClane carried one, it’ll make it that much easier to justify the expense in your mind, leaving your conscience clear until it’s time to start spending money on pistol modifications like the ones I’ve already filled three websites worth of shopping carts with for my newest Glock.

Remember, for my money, you won’t go wrong as long as you choose the gun you’re comfortable with and practice with it often enough to develop the skillset you need.

Images courtesy of the Internet Movie Firearm Database

Feature image courtesy of Lionsgate

Shoot to Wound and other Misinformed Ideas

WHY DIDN’T THE PERSON JUST SHOOT THE BAD GUY IN THE LEG?

Law enforcement and those carrying a firearm for self defense are poised with the same question every year; Why didn’t they just shoot to wound or shoot them in the leg?

Sometimes those asking the question sincerely don’t know and want to understand. Other times it gets asked in a critical opinionated way, almost always made out of ignorance or bias.

LEGS SHOTS CAN KILL

You have all sorts of veins and all sorts of arteries in your legs. The legs are the place where the largest artery in the body bifurcates (splits up) and runs along side the largest bone in the body which is held under tremendous pressure by the largest muscles in the body.

A gunshot wound to your femur bone causes things to shatter! When bones shatter near veins and arteries, they are sliced open and bleed quickly. Time is short if this happens.

RESPONSIBLE FOR EVERY ROUND

Police are responsible for every round that exits the muzzle of their firearm. Everything that goes down range has to be accounted for.

Center mass of the human body is the least likely area to have over penetration and continue down range. The center mass of a body is the slowest moving component. They head, arms, and legs move very quickly.

Legs and arms are smaller in mass/depth than the torso.

DEADLY FORCE BY DEFINITION

The intentional application of force by firearms or any other means reasonably likely to inflict death or serious physical injury (Great Bodily Harm, RCW 9A.04.110).

Shooting a leg is deadly force just like shooting in the chest….or the head. Deadly force is deadly force is deadly force.

TRAINING BY HOLLYWOOD

Have you ever shot a gun? A moving target? Shooting to wound isn’t a thing. Police officers and deadly force situations aren’t being directed by a Hollywood director that pauses the scene and sets things up perfectly so that John Wayne perfectly makes the shot and doesn’t hurt any good guys down range.

The goal is to stop the immediate threat. Law enforcement is not trained to shoot to kill, they are trained to shoot to stop a deadly threat – in defense of life – theirs or others. Where they are taught to shoot on the body is the center of available mass. “Hokey religions and ancient weapons are no substitute for a good blaster at your side”

Force Science Research Center FACTS

Dr. Bill Lewinsky of the Force Science Research Center had this to say about shooting reaction times and movement of the arms and legs;

“Hands and arms can be the fastest-moving body parts. For example, an average suspect can move his hand and forearm across his body to a 90-degree angle in 12/100 of a second. He can move his hand from his hip to shoulder height in 18/100 of a second.

“The average officer pulling the trigger as fast as he can on a Glock, one of the fastest- cycling semi-autos, requires 1/4 second to discharge each round.

“There is no way an officer can react, track, shoot and reliably hit a threatening suspect’s forearm or a weapon in a suspect’s hand in the time spans involved.

“Even if the suspect held his weapon arm steady for half a second or more, an accurate hit would be highly unlikely, and in police shootings the suspect and his weapon are seldom stationary. Plus, the officer himself may be moving as he shoots.

“The upper arms move more slowly than the lower arms and hands. But shooting at the upper arms, there’s a greater chance you’re going to hit the suspect’s brachial artery or center mass, areas with a high probability of fatality. So where does shooting only to wound come in when even areas considered by some to ‘safe’ from fatality risk could in fact carry the same level of risk as targeting center mass?

“Legs tend initially to move slower than arms and to maintain more static positions. However, areas of the lower trunk and upper thigh are rich with vascularity. A suspect who’s hit there can bleed out in seconds if one of the major arteries is severed, so again shooting just to wound may not result in just wounding.

“On the other hand, if an officer manages to take a suspect’s legs out non-fatally, that still leaves the offender’s hands free to shoot. His ability to threaten lives hasn’t necessarily been stopped.”

NOT A PAPER TARGET

Shooting a paper target on a square range with no stress is nothing like a real force encounter. The stress is high, the adrenaline is pumping, and someone is trying to kill you or those you are trying to protect. Often, that threat is closing the gap between you and them and the pressure builds as they approach.

YOU DON’T MEET DEADLY FORCE WITH LOW LEVEL OR INTERMEDIATE FORCE

A driven person, intent on killing you or others, can take multiple deadly rounds and continue to attack. This lesson is a hard lesson that has been learned in blood by American law enforcement over the years. Some of the incidents that stand out in my mind are those such as the Miami-Dade FBI shootout. Rounds that were deadly hit their mark yet the suspect continued to persist and kill for an extended period of time before the body finally gave in.

Motivation, mental imbalance, and drugs can all play a role in the continuation of an attacker.

Put yourself in the shoes of the person trying to stop a real threat. You might think you would do this or that but in reality you have no clue.

The attacker has made the decision that deadly force is going to be used. Not the protector. Don’t lose sight of that.

TASER devices fail, bean bag rounds rely on pain perception, and pepper spray takes time to work and doesn’t work on everyone.

Police don’t want to use deadly force! We don’t wake up saying, “hey, I want to murder someone today.” It isn’t Hollywood, it is a reality.

SPLIT SECOND DECISIONS

If it were plausible to “shoot to wound” law enforcement would be doing it. It’s not plausible. Action beats reaction; every time.

It’s very easy to analyze things from the safety and security of your keyboard. Until you strap on the gear and put yourself between the threat and the public you won’t know the weight – physical weight of the equipment and the mental weight of what is on the line.

The Best (and Worst) Quick Access Safes

It’s a scenario you hope will never happen, but want to be as prepared as possible for. It’s the middle of the night. You’re sleeping, and you hear someone kicking in the door. With no time to spare, you have to jump up, shake off the gossamer webs of slumber and get ready for the fight to protect all you hold dear. Lightning fast, crack open your quick access safe and get that gun ready to go.

There is no single right answer when it comes to storing your defensive firearm. Each person’s living situation is different. Do you live with a spouse? Children? Is your bedroom visible from through a ground story window? There are only some of the variables that make up the equation to decide what level of visual and physical security you need. There are always trade-offs when it comes to the reliability and accessibility of your “go-gun” storage. The more secure something is, the slower it is to access it. Electronics are fast, but not as reliable as mechanical locks.

Having access to a much wider line-up of quick-access “safes” than I, YouTube channel Lucky Gunner Ammo has put together a nice video covering the strengths and weaknesses of a handful of options. Check it out and let me know if you’ve found a system that works well for you in the comments below!

Rex Nanorum

@Rexnanorum