This article was very good about Australia and how they were able to confiscate guns and how something similar might look in the United States. The Australia "model" is popularly referenced by many folks as a result of recent shootings including the President.

I don't link many articles requiring the reader to click but this one is worth reading from the source:
http://thefederalist.com/2015/06/25/the-australia-gun-control-fallacy/

There has been a lot of discussion about people having a lot of guns - something that the media likes to call an "arsenal." How many times have we heard "The shooter had x-number of guns..." with him or in his home. Not sure what it matters how many he has at home matters, but media seems to think it does. What's worse is that often times "arsenal" equates to not very many firearms, sometimes as few 3 or 4. In the recent Oregon shooting the shooter had a total of 13 firearms, of which 7 were found at home. This has prompted some people to claim that there should be restrictions on the number that a person can have arguing that a person only has two hands and can only use two at a time. This is true - however, I do not see the reason to limit the number a person can have, after all we can only hold two at a time right?

I write this even as the President has spoken of requiring special licensing for individuals who may exceed an arbitrary number of firearms purchases, sells, or transfers. I didn't see a number specified but Federal Lawyers and the ATF have previously expressed that such a requirement would be illegal and unenforceable. My guess is it will target people who might have an "arsenal."

(Source: https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-weighs-expanding-background-checks-through-executive-authority/2015/10/08/6bd45e56-6b63-11e5-9bfe-e59f5e244f92_story.html)

This prompted me to realize that a great number of people are NOT familiar with firearms and are grasping at concepts (any) that may help (in their mind) these tragedies. I was recently in conversation and pointed out that firearms are a tool - with specific purposes and functions. I pointed out that just for hunting that a person could potentially have:

1-goose shotgun, 1-duck shotgun (i'm not using a 10 ga for duck), 1-deer rifle, 1-elk rifle, 1-long range game flat trajectory rifle, 1-big game rifle, 1-Varmint rifle, 1- brush rifle (hog),  1-small game rifle, 1-hunting revolver (again multiple can be needed depending on game)

That's *10* firearms! An "arsenal" according to some!

I haven't even touched upon home defense, self defense (yes they can be different), competition (IDPA, 3-gun, trap, clays, etc), or just plinking.

And the 10 are just plain old hunting firearms. They are not even potentially scary looking (shotguns, bolt actions, revolver, etc) aka 'military-style' looking.
However, some of them certainly could be.

The AR15 that for some reason inspires fear in non-gun people can easily be used for deer, elk, long range game, big game, varmints, hog, and small game. The platform is remarkably adaptable (changeable caliber) and very accurate. Non-gun people might be surprised that the cartridge that the military uses was actually for VARMINT hunting. (Yes, gun people will be quick to point out the leade differences between 5.56 and .223 which is a technical difference that makes no difference for this discussion but I know someone will point it out).

I will also point out here that I was very explicit in using hunting firearms since they seem to be more accepted (by non-gun people) but that the 2nd Amendment, as the NRA slogan used to say: "Ain't about duck hunting." Remember, the Standing Army was DISBANDED after the Revolutionary War, but I digress.

I write this knowing that the average reader is a gun person and none of this will be new to them. However, it is my hope that someone potentially using Google to find out why a person has a gun "arsenal" might find it.

Sorry, for the changes. I am currently trying to find a new theme for the site. I like the old one, but it is so old that it was missing a lot of functionality and I had lost control of my sidebars completely. I could manually code it, but every update would wipe them out.

I kind of like this one, but it is far from perfect. However, the sidebars at least work. Let me know if you hate the theme.

My Dad recently confronted a burglar and wanted some very small and lightweight. He preferred a semi-auto, but it needed to be able to fit into a robe pocket. Since he is older I worried about his ability to be able to rack a semi-auto slide under stress or late at night. The first pistol I thought of was the Beretta 21a Bobcat because of the tilt barrel making loading/unloading simple. But, I couldn't find one (he can't have mine). He actually wanted a 25ACP. I personally prefer the 22LR but I thought the straight wall cartridge might feed better, especially if the pistol isn't kept clean and well lubricated--something I find that the Bobcat requires. The Bobcat does not like to be run dry.

What I did find him is a Taurus PT-22 Poly. He is already a Taurus fan and a has a Taurus 85. Additionally he likes "features" like the internal lock and safety (on a DAO?) I have to remember it is not for me.

Here are some pics with my notes comparing it to my Bobcat.

• I was genuinely surprised at the PT-22 grip. It is much larger than the Bobcat. The magazine also has an extended base plate that is wide and long
• The PT-22 is a DAO pistol
• The PT-22 has a magazine disconnect safety that also locks the slide
• Both pistols have a locking safety. The Bobcat can be locked cocked and locked or with hammer-down DA
• Disassembly is the same but note that the magazine must be in the PT-22 to move the slide
• The PT-22 is supposed to be .8 ounces lighter than the Bobcat - they feel the same.

Click on pic to enlarge

The PT-22 in the box.

Comparison pic PT-22 (L) vs Bobcat (R)

Bobcat on top - pretty close in size overall

You can see how much wider the base plate is on the PT-22.

PT-22 baseplate lets you get an extra finger on the grip

PT-22's feed ramp (right) is much more extended
The tilt barrel is cool - makes it easy to load/unload and requires no hand strength to function the slide

Bobcat vs PT-22 magazine. Size difference is immediately apparent

PT-22 front sight is taller

PT-22 rear sight groove is also larger. Note that the PT-22 has a bobbed hammer

Note the triggers are cut differently especially the bottom hook on the PT-22 (top). The material and thickness seem the same.
How do they compare? It is probably not fair since my Bobcat is 10-20 years old and very well broken in - it is smooth as butter in SA or DA.
The Taurus is of course safety heavy. It snaps clean though (remember to use an empty case or risk breaking the firing pin!)

For some reason the pistol comes with a bag as does the internal lock.
I am not a fan but my Dad likes them.

I included this from the manual because they have some very strong feelings on +P and +P+ ammo.
To be fair the manual also does talk about using the safety if you "must" carry it loaded whereas a lot of other manufacturers just say not to.

Disclaimer: All trademarks are registered to their respective holders. I am not affiliated with any of these companies or products in any way. The pics are not stock photos and are my own - all items are privately owned.

I had the opportunity to hang out with a couple friends and the conversation came up of what we were all carrying. As it turned out we were all carrying some popular subcompact pistols: a S&W (tm) M&P (tm) 9c, a Springfield XDS, and an M&P Shield (tm)  - all in 9mm. Too bad I didn't have my new Glock 43, but unfortunately I haven't broke it in yet.

So, naturally, I took a few comparison pics for the curious (since we were).

A couple of notes first: the Shield (tm) had the longest grip. The 9c (tm) had the shortest, at least with extended mags. All of the pistols were almost identical in thickness - except of course for the 9c (tm) obviously double stack grip. The XDS had the best feeling trigger IMO and was the most streamlined, probably able to fit in any of the other two's holster. One person found the XDS' grip texture be a bit too aggressive firing. I thought it was fine, and although the XDS appears to have the highest bore axis, shooting it didn't reveal any noticeable difference.

Anyway, on to a few pics. Order is the same: 9c (tm),  XDS, Shield (tm)

Click on a pic to enlarge

LEGAL NOTICE: All trademarks are registered trademarks of the companies they are registered to, as are the companies. Any such references or trademarks are made only as a result of quoting the below referenced article. The references will be removed (again) at the formal request of the referenced company or trademark owner.

I (me or this blog) do not represent any of the companies, organizations or trademarks referenced by the quoted article. Nor am I affiliated in any way to anything. Please do not threaten to sue me again.

Article source: http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-lapd-officers-gun-purchase-discounts-smith-wesson-20150925-story.html

Quote begins below:

Gun discounts for LAPD unit may have violated ethics rules
By KATE MATHER
Los Angeles police officers in a unit that evaluated Smith & Wesson handguns for a new department contract used their relationship with the gun company to privately purchase discounted pistols for members of the unit, a possible violation of city ethics rules, according to a report made public Friday.
The officers bought about $27,000 worth of discounted guns and magazines last year shortly after Smith & Wesson pistols became the LAPD's standard-issued duty weapon, according to the investigation by Inspector General Alex Bustamante.
The Firearms and Tactics Section officers cut the deal with the gun company at a Las Vegas gun show even though Smith & Wesson had previously refused another request on behalf of the department for a similar discount for all LAPD officers who might want to privately purchase pistols, the report said.
The deal allowed the unit's officers to make a “one-time, bulk purchase” of guns and magazines at a discounted price. Forty-two officers ended up buying 67 guns, Bustamante found, pooling their money into a single cashier's check sent to Smith & Wesson.
Although the unit's officers were allowed to purchase various pistol models and calibers, the report found that the average discount for Smith & Wesson M&P 9-millimeter handguns was about $125 to $130 off the already reduced price of $455 usually offered to law enforcement officers.
City ethics rules prohibit city employees from trying “to create or attempt to create a private advantage or disadvantage, financial or otherwise, for any person,” Bustamante's report said.
In addition, employees who are required to file statements of economic interest are not allowed to solicit gifts or accept gifts of more than $100 from a “restricted source” —someone who has sought or signed a contract with the city employee's agency. City ethics rules also prohibit “restricted sources” from offering or giving those employees gifts of more than $100.
Bustamante's report said eight of the officers who privately purchased the weapons using the discount were required to file statements of economic interest. The report did not name any of the officers.
The Police Commission, the civilian board that oversees the LAPD, is scheduled to discuss the report at its meeting Tuesday and determine whether further action should be taken.
The Firearms and Tactics Section tested and evaluated different pistols for the LAPD before the Smith & Wesson M&P was approved as the department's standard-issue duty weapon, replacing pistols manufactured by Glock.
LAPD officials told the inspector general that the private purchase orders were necessary for the section's officers because the department's new Smith & Wesson pistols were issued to recruits but not firearms instructors, the report said. Among the section's responsibilities is providing firearms training to officers.
But Bustamante said recruits were issued only M&P 9-millimeter handguns, while the Firearms and Tactics Section officers were also allowed to purchase other pistol models and calibers using the discount.
Cmdr. Andrew Smith, an LAPD spokesman, declined to comment on the report.
“The department only recently received a copy of the report and we are in the process of reviewing it,” he said. “We will discuss it with the Police Commission.”
The commission's vice president, Steve Soboroff, said he wanted to know why the officers requested and obtained the discounted guns and whether ethical and department rules were broken. He said it is possible that the officers did not know what the rules were.
Soboroff said he hoped any problems could be “solved in a positive manner.”
A spokeswoman for Smith & Wesson could not be reached for comment.
The inspector general's findings were part of an investigation into the way the new pistols were tested and evaluated. Bustamante's report said the LAPD's Policy and Procedures Division should have coordinated and supervised the evaluation of the weapons the department could have chosen but was instead left out of the process.
Instead, the Firearms and Tactics Section officers tested three types of pistols in 2011: the Glock Gen 4, the Springfield Armory XD-M and the Smith & Wesson. The department initially recommended the Smith & Wesson, saying it “outperformed the competition in almost every single category,” according to Bustamante's report.
Officials told L.A.'s General Services Department — which makes purchases on behalf of city agencies — there was no need for a competitive bidding process because the Smith & Wesson pistol was a “sole source” exception, meaning it was the only product that met the LAPD's specifications.
Smith & Wesson signed a contract with the city, Bustamante wrote, but it was never executed. The General Services Department determined the Smith & Wesson pistol did not qualify as a “sole source” option because Glock was another viable choice.
In 2012, officers with the Firearms and Tactics Section met with Glock representatives, Bustamante found. Glock offered the LAPD some perks should the department continue its contract, including an enhanced maintenance package and warranty.
Officers then recommended that the Glock gun be used by the LAPD, according to the report. The LAPD told the General Services Department that it now considered Glock pistols the best option and again pitched the guns as a “sole source” option.
The city again rejected the idea of a “sole source” contract. The General Services Department ultimately decided the Glock warranty didn't meet the department's needs. The contract went to a Smith & Wesson dealer in October 2013.
Three months later, the Firearms and Tactics Section officers negotiated their discount deal with Smith & Wesson at the Las Vegas gun show.
The inspector general's report said the “deviations” that occurred during the process — in which department personnel did not follow appropriate channels for evaluating and selecting the guns — “were not unique to the procurement of the Smith & Wesson pistol and had similarly occurred with several other equipment items.”
Bustamante outlined a series of recommendations, including making sure employees who evaluate products for the LAPD understand the city's ethics rules and implementing better oversight of how equipment is evaluated before it is purchased.

Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

Recently there was an insane editorial on the 2nd Amendment posted in the LA Times:
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/editorials/la-ed-0922-guns-dc-20150923-story.html?ref=yfp

At least they call it an opinion piece. Here is the quote that is the most insane:

This page believes the Supreme Court erred in the initial Heller decision by upending an interpretation of the 2nd Amendment that had been embraced for half a century — that the amendment's reference to a "well-regulated militia" limits the right to keep and bear arms to organized military units, such as the National Guard.

Wow.

I wrote this response:

(Well that is too small to be readable so here it is):

Say this out loud and you can (hopefully) see how ridiculous it is:
The 2nd Amendment of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution protects "the right to keep and bear arms to organized military units, such as the National Guard." Yes, because that needed to protected.

1. National Guard came into existence in 1933.
2. The 50 years of history alluded to mysteriously is a huge misrepresentation of U.S. vs Miller (SCOTUS)
3. Since when does the Bill of Rights protect the rights of the Standing Army? That's a bizarre twist. Consider the fact that after the Revolutionary War the Standing Army was DISBANDED!

I am posting this today because others have noticed the editorial and responded also. We should not such a ridiculous claim to stand on its own:
http://bearingarms.com/second-amendment-written-1965/

We need to educate people! The irony is that this author is accusing of rewriting history, when that is EXACTLY what they are trying to do! And what is worse is that the 50 years of "history" they are referring to is incorrectly interpreted.

I am sure that we all have encountered that place where we cannot legally bring a firearm. I am sometimes forced to leave it in my vehicle or hotel room, etc.  As a result I have been using a Gun Vault NV300 for about a year primarily leaving it in my vehicle, sometimes dragging it into a hotel room or even at home (when leaving a loaded firearm on the night stand may not be a good idea).

I have been happy with it, but decided to purchase a second lock box for the home so I can leave it there to use whenever I need it. I also had the idea that a 3-digit combination in the car was not a good idea since I can be gone from the car for hours - If you have the time, there are only 1000 possible combinations to go through. The box itself is also very small and light, so I thought maybe a bigger/heavier one might be better and hoped for a beefier lock mechanism.

I purchased the Hornady TriPoint for these reasons. They were both in the $30 range and use a similar setup: locking box padded with foam and both have a cable lock attachment (a hole drilled through the side) that you can loop it onto something stable to keep it secure. Basically it works like a bicycle cable lock.

The Hornady is definitely larger and heavier. This actually was a detriment in my case. It was noticeably harder to hide as the Gun Vault was able to slip under my front seat and be easily covered with the floor mat. The Hornady was very noticeable. I am going to try getting an additional floor mat and make it look like a part of the car (just another unexplained hump?). The big advantage to the Hornady for me are the three locking points vs the single latch of the Gun Vault (see pics below). Another plus to me is that it uses a barrel lock key. I think the pics will explain better than I can write.

Click on any pic for full-size

Here you can see the physical size difference and 3-digit combo vs barrel lock:

Here they are both opened up:

Another pic for size comparison:

Here is the Hornady 3-point latch system (aka "TriPoint" ):

Single latch of the Gun Vault NV300:

Hornady's 3-points locking points in the frame:

Closeup of one of the Hornady's locking points:

Here is a closeup of the Gun Vaults locking point. Not sure why there are 2 notches since it only has a single latch:

Here are both the units open. Notice that they hinge open on opposite sides (Gun Vault top, Hornady bottom):

Closeup of the Hornady cable. Notice that the side that actually goes in the lock box has a spacer:

Close up of the Gun Vault. The diameter of the 2 cables is about the same although the Gun Vault might be a little thicker. Notice that the loop-through loop is noticeably has a larger opening. This makes it much easier to attach it to things:

For fun here is a pic of the underside of my Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) seat where I looped the cable through a bar:

Here is an alternate Jeep Grand Cherokee (WK) mounting point. Underneath the passenger seat. I then stretched the cable forward and placed the box under the driver's seat. Makes it easy to access from the rear passenger seat.

At home or hotels I attach it to anything that I can. I usually attach it to the bed frame. They can take the box but they will have to take the bed frame with them. I am going to see if I can hide the Hornady, I feel safer with it since it (appears) to be more pry resistant. If I can't however, I will just switch it out for the Gun Vault and keep the Hornady at home.

However, either of these boxes is a worthy investment at about $30. As always, safety first!

40 ounces – wait - what?

To be honest, when the 40S&W came out in in 1990 I was under-whelmed. I felt that the flexibility of the 10mm was close to ideal and that the 40S&W would never catch on. I actually was a fan of Evan Whildin's of Action Arms Limited (think Uzi) 41 Action Express. Ironically, the 41AE was designed to replicate the 41 Magnum which itself was designed as the “ideal” law enforcement cartridge (according to Bill Jordan et al)

But I was sure wrong about the 40S&W! At the time it seemed to fill in the middle-ground and resolve the great caliber debate: 9mm vs 45ACP, fast vs slow, single-stack vs double-stack mags, light vs heavy. It caught on quickly and like a wild fire among law enforcement and quickly became the dominant round. I can't help but think that the fact that we were under the 1994 high capacity magazine ban limiting capacity helped fuel its popularity – at least in the civilian market.

Despite this, it would take me about a decade of a proven track record to warm up to it. Let's face it – the older I got, the heavier that full size 45 felt.

What was once old is new again!

Enter 2014 and the FBI has re-adopted the 9mm (more on that in a minute) and it seems that the internet is a buzz with stories of how the 40 is either dead or dying. More recently I have even seen a trend of where very well-known firearms experts seem to go out of their way to discredit the 40S&W. Not that I necessarily disagree with their reasons or evaluations (there is a pro and con to everything), but I find the sudden upswing of anti-endorsements odd.

Just yesterday I saw a thread where a prominent competition shooter said that he (still) preferred the 40 to the shock of many on the internet. There was a bit of criticism and I was surprised to see him defending his choice and even qualifying it. Gosh folks—he can shoot whatever he likes. I will never understand why anyone cares what someone else uses.

Speaking of what is old is new - consider the possibility of another assault weapons ban. It is a common mantra of anti-gunners' "common sense" legislation. If we were limited to 10 rounds in new pistols again worse (all firearms) would your opinion change? Think that it couldn't happen? Tell me how it couldn't happen for the decade that it did. It is only because of the NRA that there was a 10 year sunset. If not for that clause we would STILL be under its limit (end political rant).

Internet declares the 40 S&W in its last days

But I digress, why do I think that the stories of the 40's death are exaggerated?

The biggest reason is that it still holds about 60% of the U.S. Law enforcement market.

That is huge – it means that there are more 40 S&W pistols in service than ALL other calibers COMBINED!

Incidentally, the most popular law enforcement pistol is the Glock 22. Glock civilian sales are completely different and the best seller in the U.S. is the model 19.

But the FBI just switched to 9mm so the 40 will die out!

Will it? I was wrong about the switch-over to 40 S&W but this time I am not seeing the massive shift to follow the FBI like we have in the past. Yes, I know that there are some, but not like before.

Seems like the FBI switches standard issue very frequently. From memory I can think of four changes: revolver to 9mm, to 10mm, to 40S&W and now back to the 9mm. I think that most departments would have a hard time justifying the cost of changing calibers so frequently, let alone BACK to one previously used. Today's political environment is also, unfortunately, much more hostile to law enforcement. I feel that there may be a public backlash to “buying the police new guns.” There would definitely be accusations of funding waste.

Abandoned FBI rounds just don't die

I also question the belief that a round will die out because the FBI no longer uses it. Historically this simply is not true. None of the rounds that the FBI used formerly have died out! The 38, 357 Magnum, 9mm, 10mm, 40S&W are definitely still popular. For literally YEARS people have been saying that the 10mm was dead. At worst, it is a boutique round even though there were new pistols from Glock this year (who already has a pretty good line of 10's), one from SIG (who has never made one previously) and an expanded line from RIA. Not too bad if you ask me. The 40S&W is even more established than the 10mm ever was.

Going down the same road as 41AE and 41Mag?

In fact, of all the rounds discussed I think that the only one that I would say is dead is the 41AE. It was never adopted by any agency and only available from a few providers – in a conversion kit, Tanfoglios and the IMI Jericho. I think ammo only came from UZI/Samson. If you think that the 40 S&W has a bit of kick or is hard on guns the 41AE was worse. I sold my Browning HiPower conversion kit long before it disappeared.

The 41 Magnum has fared a little better – It was adopted limitedly and revolvers are still made. Ammo is still available but far from common place. This is truthfully probably what a lot of people think of (hope?) for the future of the 40 S&W. But, the fact that a very powerful REVOLVER round (significantly more powerful than the 10mm) intended for law enforcement but only adopted by a few agencies (2 or 3?) still exists today is pretty remarkable. Besides Rick (Walking Dead) how many agencies even issue any revolver as a duty sidearm? Maybe some Corrections and Reserves? I think the 40 and 41 Mag comparison is not 1-to-1, but it is noteworthy.

Which is better: 9, 40, 45, 50AE? Google!

The 9mm vs 40S&W vs 45ACP vs whatever debates have been hashed to death on the internet. Way too much time and bandwidth is wasted on justifying what the “best” round is. I am not going to engage in each caliber's pros/cons – and every cartridge has BOTH. Google'g will result in a ridiculous amount of material.

Some arguments are just not worth participating/Google first!

I do feel that I have to point out a weird caliber argument that I saw yesterday. Someone called the 40S&W “Short & Weak” when compared to the 9mm. Now, when the 40S&W was introduced there were people who called it “Short & Weak” in comparison to its big brother 10mm but using the phrase in a justification of the 9mm over 40S&W is just wacky - check your cartridge dimensions first! I wish I had kept the link to that particular thread. On second thought, I am glad I didn't.

My conclusion? Somebody buy me a Wilson (in any caliber)

Carry what you want. They all work...mostly (well, they are all still just pistol rounds). As for the experts – they are not wrong and I respect their opinions (heck, I just bought a Glock 43 as a backup/deep conceal!). I am unsure of the seeming animosity towards the 40 S&W and why there feels like an anti-40 campaign. They are people too and are entitled to their opinion and to buy what they like.

But, like most police departments, I am heavily invested in 40 equipment and ammo. So, my main carry will continue to be 40S&W. Not that I don't think that there are plenty of other reasons to stick with the 40 (it works and I like the boom), but economics alone are a big reason that the 40 S&W won't be going away any time soon.

Some reading material if your bored/interested:

History of FBI hand guns - http://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2011/8/22/a-history-of-fbi-handguns/

The Forgotten M&P (41Magnum) - http://modernserviceweapons.com/?p=3176

Wikipedia entry for 41AE - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.41_Action_Express
(I wish I had kept some of the AAL promo material on it)

FBI Handgun Wounding Factor Effectiveness - http://gundata.org/images/fbi-handgun-ballistics.pdf
(I know it is a bit dated now, but it is worth reading)

Army opens up possibility of adopting non-9mm - http://kitup.military.com/2014/07/army-40-caliber-fbi-returns-9mm.html
(Not likely, but wouldn't that be funny?)

Forms online and confirmed with them that Instructors are eligible.