While Big Bubba was still living in Phoenix, (remember, I told you we moved him to L.A.?), he signed up for a weekend course to procure his CCW (Concealed Carry Weapon) license.
While still at home he had never shown much interest in firearms, so I didn't push him. Now that he's out on his own, he's QUITE aware there are dangerous shadows behind some bushes. He started asking questions and decided he wanted a handgun.
I suggested he take the CCW course.
He's a good student. Although he had never before shot a firearm in his life, he used a 9mm Beretta in the course and finished at the top of the class.
"What do you want to do now?"
I like the .45 Auto and had tried to lead him in that direction. I told him I'd buy him a gun for Christmas and suggested the 45, but he had valid points:
"I loved shooting the 9. It's smaller and can be more easily carried."
At that point I read a review on the piece you see pictured above.
I chatted with my friend the gunsmith and we discussed the vast improvements in quality and reliability Kel-Tec has made recently. (Their customer support now garners rave reviews.)
The price was right.
I ordered one exactly like the piece shown just before Christmas. It arrived at the store today. I can pick it up after a three-day wait,
(to insure I haven't gotten angry about being denied tenure,
I assume.)
He cannot legally carry it concealed in L.A., but he'll have it handy for home defense, (and maybe folks there will start to think rationally and change the law?)
Whatever... I'm anxious for Bubba, (and me) to get a chance to fire the thing.
14 comments:
Not many gifts last a lifetime. That's a good one.
I've never seen that gun before. It looks like a VERY nice carry weapon though.
Greybeard,
Before sending the weapon to your son, please understand that Calif. is one of the most draconian of gun control states.
Before he can legally take possession of it, the gun must be sent to a Calif. FFL. Then, your son will have to pay a transfer fee, take a safety test (another fee) and wait 10 days before picking it up. The city of Los Angeles may have further laws to be complied with. Also, importing a magazine with a capacity of more than ten rounds is a felony. Your son (and you) have a decision to make in how this is handled.
I can assure you that LAPD will JAM HIM UP if he is found with the weapon and the appropriate paperwork is not complied with. It sucks to live in LA.
Having said that, what a great gift!
Thanks Capt. for the valuable input.
My initial reaction to such "draconian" regulations is to try my damndest to figure out how to flank them.
The gun will be registered in my name. It's my intent to carry it to him the next time we are in L.A..
Quite honestly, it matters not a whit to me if he ever takes legal ownership of it. What are the ramifications if I "loan" the piece to him so long as he keeps it at home?
He has never planned on staying more than a year in California because of stupid laws like this.
Tell me again...
When does the revolution begin?
If I slur my spelling forgive me. I'm cooling my jets after an "all nighter" on stage 21 at MGM/SONY.
Yeah, the country of California is extreme in many ways now. I'm 5th gen. Californian and this is not the same place that I grew up in.
I grew up with guns, my granny taught me to shoot in the backyard of our Ca. home. If we did that today SWAT would be zip tieing our wrist and putting their knees on our throats by now.
The way I see the issue of carrying a gun nowadays is "don't ask, don't tell".
For home defense a pistol is fine during daylight hours, but at night it can be real hard to line up a front sight with a rear sight.
A 12 Ga. pump is real fine in close quarter situations at any given hour.
All in all though Ca. is safe as any other place. Don't believe the hype; keep an open mind and watch where you are going and you'll have a fine time anywhere you might find yourself.
"All in all though Ca. is safe as any other place. Don't believe the hype; keep an open mind and watch where you are going and you'll have a fine time anywhere you might find yourself."
With emphasis on the "watch where you are going", CP!
One night during the first time I attended the Robinson Helicopter Safety Course ('83) me and three friends decided we'd do a little exploring. From Torrance we took off on Crenshaw Blvd and started working our way North and East, finally finding ourselves in a neighborhood with bars on the windows and groups of "young male youths" hanging out on street corners...
Compton. We quickly backtracked and then stayed on better-lit streets with shops without bars on windows.
Two weeks later I read the news of a family that took a wrong turn in Compton and all were shot dead there. Obviously, our "radar" was better than theirs.
If you've been reading regularly, you know I bought a Remington 870 pump shotgun three months ago for exactly the reasons you state.
Big Bubba is just starting down the self-defense path.
I suspect his collection of firearms will grow as funds permit.
How many kids these days have Grandmothers (or anyone) take them out and teach them how to use firearms safely and effectively?
We're losing the fundamentals, aren't we?
Greybeard,
If i remember correctly failure to transfer through the process is a misdemeanor, as is "loaning" a handgun. The odds are there will never be an issue, but if he ever does have to use it, it will become and issue. The California Rife and Pistol Association publishes a booklet for $1.50 that explains all of the petty bullshit gun laws in Calif. It might be worth it. Good luck.
HAHAHAHAHA!
Holy "F" ing SH-- GB! You drove into South Central my man! LAPD calls that "THE JUNGLE" and they don't even go in there!
We used to film there but after having our trucks and people shot at we decided it might be a good idea to try somewhere else. Nothing like hearing small arms fire and then hearing a whoosh or a snap near your head.
That pistol is a good intro. for BB.
COMPTON?! HAHAHAHA!
You have an angel looking over you GB!
As an added safety net make double sure that his NRA membership is up to date. It's good to have them on your side if you do have to go defensive.
Yeah I know, CP. I have always felt my Guardian Angels have had to work overtime to keep me alive!
He's already an NRA member TJ...
Signed up during that time they were giving complimentary memberships a few months ago. Your point is well taken and good advice for all... we'll make sure to renew when the time comes.
(I've been a Life Member for 30+ years.)
Sig P229 .40
That works well too :)
I walked out the door of the gun store today with the Kel-Tec in hand for $329 TOTAL Clint. The Sigs are wonderful, high quality firearms, but I don't think I can touch a new Sig for anything close to that price, can I?
The PF-9 gets good reviews and is a "starter" piece for BB.
Sigs can come later.
Absolutely not.
I've bought two of them from different shops in the last two months and paid more than $800 for both. Both had "extra's" like night sights, extra mags, etc but try finding one without. My guess is that with prior planning you might find one for around $600 as plain as you can get it but that's very much a guess. I've never seen one for less than $700 new.
With that said, both of my Sig's are P229's (one in .357Sig and one in .40 for the wife) and they're worth what you pay for them. It's just getting the savings account to let loose of that much money is a multi-year event... at least for me it was.
I've become a fan of "The Judge" by Taurus. Shoots .410 shotgun shells and .45LC, ouch.
Any gun that works when called upon is better than the "best" one left at the gun store. Spend the extra money and time on training and practice. Put lead downrange until it is second nature.
Great choice GB....Good luck
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