SurvivingInfidelity.com^®

To my friends of SI, for any of you who may be interested in a firearms purchase, help cutting through B.S. from a seller, or have questions concerning firearms/ammunition, I gladly offer up experience to pay it forward to the great folks of SI via PM. I have no agenda or sales angle to this; I simply wish to help those who may have an interest with something I love.

I don't presume to be a know-it-all, or final authority, but along the way I have:

- Professional firearm sales of all types, to include custom made firearms, and military exotics. I especially emphasized sales to women.

- Have and hold a current federal firearms license (03).

- Experience as range officer in charge for the US military (Army Infantry), to include training soldiers in the use of sidearm, service rifle, light machine gun, guided missile, and automatic cannon.

- Hired by a propellants company to work in sales and the ballistics lab to engineer, develop and test ammunition, and help with the writing of their manual.

- 32 years of reloading, making 100% of my center fire ammunition (approx 24 calibers), to include custom case forming, load development, load testing (chronograph and terminal) bullet casting, instructing/consulting individuals, etc.

Again, I hope this post does not look like a some sort of brag-fest; that's not what I am about, I just want to help my friends at SI if I can.

P.S. Anyone who might be in the need of someone like me, I sure could use the work... If you are hiring, I'd be interested in talking with you.

When we lived in TX we went to our first gun show (2003) and were quite surprised at how easy it was to get a gun - Private sale = No ID required

We both got our concealed license. During my class while we were outside shooting (it was a hot summer day) an old man passed out while shooting at the target!

The instructor simply grabbed a chair, propped him up in it, and let him continue!

If you live in Texas, you just assume every person has a gun on them..

That is truth right there! They make it SO EASY to own one!!!

I don't have a concealed carry, but have been shooting targets since I was a child. I enjoy going to the range and having fun. We carry them when hiking and backpacking because who knows when you may need them.

FWH has had a concealed carry for a very long time. When he first got it, one had to take classes to show proficiency in handling the weapon and a course on knowing the legalities of using a gun for self defense. You had to renew it every 3 years by taking a refresher class. Now, they did away with the classes and any one can carry concealed. I don't like the new law. I think the classes were a great requirement.

We own a gun safe to keep everything locked up when children are here in the house. I think gun owners owe it to themselves and society to be knowledgeable about their weapon and secure and teach children gun safety.

Edited to add- I just wanted to say about the Woolwich thing- he was struck by a car randomly before those psychos attacked him- the answer to every attack isn't a gun. I very much doubt it would have made a difference today and that comment will be no comfort to that poor guy's family and friends.

I didn't mean it to be a comfort to his family and friends. It was meant as support for the right to self-defense (the subject of the OP).

Do you know anyone who has been a victim of violent crime? If you ask a victim of violent crime if they would have preferred to have been able to fight back against their attacker they invariably say, after the fact, "Yes."

I don't want to argue- I just disagree and that's OK isn't it? I'm sure I'll agree with many other things you say- just not this.

I don't want everyone in London to carry a gun- I don't feel it will help our society.

When I was a school boy I decided to jump to the rescue of a mate- got stabbed in my leg with a screwdriver- did I want to stab the dickhead back? No. Did I want to shoot him? Certainly not. What was it the psycho who tried to hack the poor drummers head off said "eye for an eye"? No thank you.

I respectfully disagree- it's not my country so I can't possibly judge too harshly. I just know I don't want it here.

FYI I've lived in both countries. For years in the UK.

Oh that's cool possibly a slight t/j but I've thought about living abroad before- I think I'm too much of a home bird though! I've been to the US 4 times but I was only 9 the first time and it was Disneyland so I'm not sure it counts as a cultural experience! ha. Since my kids are young we tend to stay in Europe- 3 year old on a long haul flight? No thanks!! ha. end t/j

Yeah it's a tough one for the US so I don't like to judge too much apart from maybe a quick knee jerk reaction initially. When my common sense kicks in- I don't think my opinion's important if you get me?! I can only comment on my little old london town- 'up norf' is too far away for me 'saaarf london' and I'll comment ha

I live in the U.S... And I am a Texan 100%... I have never owned a gun, and have quite the aversion to it. But I know I am in the minority.

I've been to Texas- to Lewisville... there's a lake there and tasty sticky food. That was my experience of Texas and I liked it!! Oh and eff me it was bloody hot!!! My vampiric white skin baked. Just sayin... Over and out!!