Monday Gunday: Linkdump Edition

Since I have a fair number of firearms novices who read my blog, and because I accomplished nothing notable this weekend, I figure it might be a good idea to include some articles and videos for those who are fascinated by the idea of guns but who know precious little about their proper terminology or how they operate.

Therefore, we start with some easy to digest videos:




There are more videos in the series as well.


(hat tip to Weerd for first posting this.)


Next up is a nice Primer on the Shotgun from The Art of Manliness website. This article is mostly correct, though it subscribes to the all-too-common fallacy of "criminals will shit themselves if you make the ch-chunk sound with a shotgun."  Let me briefly explain why this is a bad thing:

1. If your first choice is to "scare them a little" rather than telling them to freeze or shooting them, you should not own a gun. Period. Do not own one if you are uncertain you can use it to kill another human being in self-defense. Otherwise you will hesitate, and then the criminal could disarm you and use it against you. Or you could "fire a warning shot" and then who knows where your shot will go and who it will hit?
2. Never approach a home invader with an unloaded weapon. In the time it takes you to chamber that round, you could be killed. If you are uncomfortable with keeping a shotgun loaded all the time (perhaps you have small children in the house), then chamber that round before you leave your room. 
3. Don't give away your position while you are vulnerable. If the intruder hears the click, he may turn around and attack you before you can clack. If you don't like the thought of just shooting someone unannounced, then you may of course shout "Freeze!" or the like. But for God's sake, do it with a LOADED weapon.

There is also a nice beginner-level article on rifles and how to operate them.  However, please avoid their "How to correctly clean your revolver" article (link deliberately not included).  It is filled with all sorts of inaccuracies and wrong information. 

I realize there should probably be a third offering here but I can't think of anything. If you, dear reader, can think of anything I should add, then please inform me.