"An armed society is a polite society."
-Robert A. Heinlein
"A well armed populace knowledgeable in the proper use of firearms, being necessary to the perpetuation of individual liberty and security in an independent nation, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed."
-Martin T. Ingham, translating the 2nd Amendment of the US Constitution in modern parlance.
Above and beyond any sport or game, I understand that it is a fundamental right of every American to keep and bear arms. Unfortunately, there is a certain mindset in our nation today, heavily influenced by foreign viewpoints and ideology, that people who own guns are somehow barbaric, or uncivilized. I counter by pointing out how civilized it truly is to keep and bear arms.
| Bearing Arms is Civilized! |
As a proud gun-owner, I have felt the sting of persecution and bigotry leveled against me. In today’s society, those of us who practice our constitutional rights are becoming demonized and harassed more and more. In many cases, we're treated as second class citizens. I find this intolerable, and we must challenge anti-gun hatred whenever it is spit out at us.
| Gun Owners are Too Persecuted |
Regarding the bearing of arms, I have also been a vocal advocate for everyday citizens carrying guns, both openly and concealed. I believe our nation would be stronger and safer, not to mention more constitutionally sound, if every state in the nation took a page from Vermont’s book and abolished the need for concealed carry permits.
| Martin's Arguments For This Policy |
| Concealed Carry, is it Constitutional? |
Children Are The Future: It may seem strange to some, but at the tender age of 3 I was taught to shoot with a single shot .22 rifle, and was given a deep respect for firearms, and the knowledge to never misuse them. This is something that is being stolen from our children these days. So many parents think their kids are “too young” or “not ready,” and years go by and before you know it you have an unruly teenager who has never been taught basic firearms safety, and thus they either don’t understand guns and are more likely to shy away from them, or become dangerous, abusing firearms with no sense of how to use them properly. It is for these reasons that I intend to teach my children how to shoot as soon as they are physically capable, and be sure that they will grow up with a solid grasp on the proper use of guns, and how not to use them! I would recommend to any and all parents in modern day America that they take their children with them to the shooting range. Make sure they learn the fundamentals of firearms, and instill in them a love of guns before the gun-grabbers or “gangstas” get to them first!
Martin's Favorite Calibers:
Every shooter has some favorite calibers. Some prefer their calibers based on performance, others on aesthetics, or because of historical fame. There are a wide variety of factors, and an ever wider variety of calibers to choose from, so everybody can have their own unique assortment.
Is bigger better? Some people may think so (especially those .50BMG fans), though I find myself more of a mid-range caliber fan. Although I have some magnum favorites, most of my rifle cartridges are in the moderate power capacity.
I am a fan of odd and obsolete calibers. Sure, everybody has a .30-06 or a .30-30, but there is something a little too plain about those for me. Thus, I am always in search of new and unusual calibers.
.32-40: Here is a cartridge that most anyone will agree is archaic and obsolete. Despite that, I have a certain affinity for this caliber, as do a lot of other shooters, many in the Cowboy Action game. I have an 1894 Winchester chambered in this caliber, and have found that you can reload this cartridge to pretty much duplicate .32 Special ballistics. However, many rifles in this caliber are designed for weaker, black powder loads, and the case itself has a smaller capacity, which hinders it in many cases. Still, I enjoy this chambering.
.30 Remington: Remington’s Rimless version of the .30-30, created for use in their Model 8 Autoloading Rifle. This cartridge is fun due to the rifles it is chambered in, the Model 8 in particular. The .30 Remington is alleged to give better performance than the .30-30 Winchester, and while I can’t say it is “superior” I can say it has proven itself to me to be at least the equal in functionality of the 30-30, and its growing obscurity makes it more fun.
.33 Winchester: This is a rare caliber, indeed, and I must say I’m surprised it faded so easily, considering its usefulness. This powerful cartridge is suitable for killing just about anything, and would work well in many modern firearms. Unfortunately, it can only be found in the somewhat rare 1886 Winchester and original 1895 Marlin. I’m unfamiliar with other rifles chambered in this caliber, but they may exist, and no doubt custom shops have made up other rifles in this caliber. If you need something strong enough for Bear, you can bet your life on a .33!
.44 Magnum: Okay, so this is a common caliber, but it is a classic. I enjoy the power of the .44 Magnum. It is fun to shoot, and sure to keep you safe from the most vicious animals in the woods or on the streets. Nothing tells a mugger “get away” like a stainless steel Ruger Redhawk .44 Magnum, and there are few other calibers strong enough to take down an angry bear in the woods, should such a beast seek to gnaw on you. It may be a little too strong for some to handle, so you’ve got to know your limitations, but for me this caliber is a good fit.
.35 Remington: A caliber that is pretty common, thanks to Marlin chambering it in their Model 336 Lever action rifle. This caliber is good for blasting anything at 100 yards, and has a lot more punch than a .30 caliber.
.32 Winchester Special: Another common caliber which I find functional and fun. It has pretty much the same power and accuracy as the .30-30, but is more appealing because of its unusual nature. I am also a fan of the .32 Remington, found primarily in Remington’s Model 8 Autoloader and Model 14 slide-action rifle.
Martin's Top 10 Gun Wish-List:
The following list will be updated periodically, as new guns are acquired, other guns are desired, and as my tastes change and a gun-want gets dropped. This, of course, is by no means a comprehensive list, but the few guns on the top of my list which I’d really like to own someday. So, in no particular order, here it is:
1: Model 8 Remington in .25 Remington Caliber: I am quite a fan of the Model 8, and I have fired model 8’s in .30, .32, and .35 Remington, but I have never had the pleasure of firing a .25. In the last few years, my desire to acquire a .25 Remington has grown, and if one comes my way at a reasonable price, I’ll be sure to snatch it up.
2: Savage Model 99 in .303 Savage: I have never owned a Savage 99, though my father had one in .30-30 when I was a child. He didn’t really like it, and I was too young to appreciate it, so he sold it years ago. I wouldn’t mind having a 99 Savage today, and I’m a fan of odd, obsolete calibers, so a .303 Savage would be my pick.
3: Winchester Model 71: The mid-30’s update of the classic 1886 Winchester. What rifleman wouldn’t want to own one of these beauties? So many critics talk about the superiority of the Model 71 over the 1886, and I’d like to do some comparing of my own. It would be hard to beat an ’86, in my opinion, but a 71 would be a welcome addition.
4: 1893 Marlin .25-36: Marlin’s version of the .25-35 Winchester, the caliber alone is worthy of my desire, but I also find the early, flat-bolt design of the 1893 Marlin to be far more stylish and attractive, compared to the clunky, round-bolt models today. I would love to own a .25-36!
5: 1895 Winchester in .405 Winchester: Theodore Roosevelt found this rifle and caliber most useful in Africa, as did many other big game hunters. John Browning’s last lever action design for Winchester is a must have for any lever action lover, and the .405 was the ultimate caliber for this excellent rifle.
6: Winchester Model 54: I’m not big on bolt-action rifles, but I wouldn’t mind having one of the first successful commercial bolt action rifles, namely Winchester’s Model 54. I’d like to find one in .270 Winchester, or .22 Hornet.
7: .45-70: For years, I have been looking for a nice rifle in .45-70 Govt. There are plenty out there, but none have come along with the combination of desired traits and price. Sure, I could buy a new Marlin guide gun, but modern Marlins are big and clunky. They don’t fit my tastes. I wouldn’t mind finding an old, flat-bolt 1895 Marlin in .45-70, or perhaps 1881 Marlin. Then again, I wouldn’t mind getting an 1886 Winchester in .45-70, but finding an original for any decent price is next to impossible. A trapdoor Springfield wouldn’t be bad, either, but prices are rising.
8: Ruger Redhawk .41 magnum. I have never personally owned a .41 magnum, but I have shot those owned by others, and I must say they are very nice. They are a nice medium magnum, stronger than the .357, but not as heavy as the .44 magnum. .41’s are growing harder to find, because those who own them don’t want to part with them, for good reason.
9: .500 Smith & Wesson Magnum: Power! Naked, merciless power! One of the largest and strongest magnum revolvers ever developed, I would like to have one of these someday.
10: Desert Eagle: I’d like to get my hands on a Desert Eagle someday. Any caliber would do, though if I could get one in .41 magnum it would kill two wants with one buy!
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A message to the gun-grabbers: