Enemies, Foreign and Domestic

My reading of James Madison’s Federalist 46 is that being armed goes beyond privilege, in many ways it is a responsibility for able-bodied men as de-facto members of the militia. Guns are still easy to get. Here’s some thoughts in case you’re in the market:

Handguns

Handguns come in semi-automatic or revolver models. My preference is the semi-automatic pistol, which cycles bullets through the chamber by a combination of kickback and a spring. Some old-timers prefer revolvers, but they are not being rational. Semi-autos hold more rounds, have a simpler action, and can be reloaded more quickly.

If you are an able-bodied male, choose a 40 or 45-caliber pistol for its knock down power. If you are a female (other than Janet Reno), or a female may be the one to use the weapon, choose a 9mm.

People have a thing about Glocks, but I prefer the Smith and Wesson Military and Police line. In either case, the most important thing is that the weapon fits your hand comfortably.

Rifles

Rifles are either single action, semi-automatic, or fully-automatic.

The government forbids you from owning a fully-automatic gun. I don’t see the point of a single action rifle other than maybe a safety issue with inexperienced shooters, or for marksmen or snipers working at long distances.

You can buy ‘dumbed-down’ semi-automatic military rifles at a dealer. The most common types are M-16 knock-offs and AK-47 knock-offs. All it takes is a driver’s license and a 5-minute background check in my area.

The military adopted the M-16 because it uses a smaller bullet (5.56mm) and has less resulting ‘muzzle-climb’ when fired in fully-automatic mode than the M-14, which uses a 7.62mm bullet. There is no reason whatsoever to purchase a 5.56mm knock-off because there is no muzzle climb in semi-auto mode.* People must like the look of the thing.

Buy an AK-47 knock off. They are cheaper and fire the more powerful 7.62mm bullet. You can buy the Romanian model for $350 or the Yugoslavian model for around $500. If you can afford the Yugoslavian model, it seems to be better made. The AK-47 is tried, true, and currently the weapon of choice in LA gang wars.

Take advantage of your 2nd Amendment rights; and I’ll argue your 2nd Amendment responsibilities. Ammo is good; more ammo is better.

*Update: Just saw a show that argues that the smaller bullet is better for killing people because the 7.62mm round punches straight through a body but the smaller caliber tumbles, tearing tissue. I’ll still stick with the bigger bullet.