If you’ve somehow stumbled into this distant and lonely corner of the Internet gun universe, welcome! I’m Mr. Untactical (you can call me Mike), and I’m using this blog to help chronicle our journey from completely untactical neophyte gun owners to, well, we’re not really sure where the journey will lead just yet! If you’ve read our other articles, you know we’re pretty darn new when it comes to experience with a firearm. Mrs. Untactical has her days when she believes I’m taking this whole “gun thing” just a little too seriously. My belief is if you’re going to purchase and use a gun of any kind, you need to know as much as you possibly can about that gun. |
THE FOUR RULES:
- Treat every gun as if it is loaded (ALWAYS!)
- Never point a gun at anything you are not willing to destroy
- Keep your finger off the trigger until you have made the (conscious) decision to shoot
- Be sure of your target and be sure of what is beyond your target, too
For those entering the world of guns these are the four most important things you can learn. Learn them first and learn them well.
Rules? We don’t need no stinking rules…
Look. I’m all for freedom. After all, freedom is one of the founding principles of America. But, if you are EVER going to pick up a weapon, these four rules need to be ingrained in your mind. The second thing you should know is, perhaps, counter-intuitive. Look back at that word in the last paragraph: freedom. No other right, not even freedom of religion, creates such a schism between our citizens these days as the freedom to keep and bear arms. If you have made the decision to purchase a firearm, you are now on the 2A team. |
Your race doesn’t matter. Your sexual preference doesn’t matter. Your gender doesn’t matter. Your career, your education level, your location, your political affiliation… none of that matters anymore. If you’ve bought a gun, you are now a member of the second amendment (2A) team.
People in your church, your sewing circle, your spinning class, your bridge club, the PTA, your family, your friends – basically everyone you know – has an opinion these days on the second amendment.
If you own a gun, or even if you go to the local gun shop and look at a gun while you’re thinking about owning a gun, all those folks will know where you stand on 2A. If. You. Tell. Them. About. Your. Gun. In our post-modern world it seems like we share everything. What you ate for lunch; where you went for the weekend; your latest relationship status; dog and cat pictures. You name it, we share it. I can tell you from personal experience, the first week we owned our Ruger 9E, I told a lot of people about it. I couldn’t help it. I found myself opening conversations with friends, “Hey, do you shoot?” It’s probably a good thing we live in the South, in one of those states that gets thrown under the bus regarding antiquated ideas concerning guns, history, NASCAR… you know: we’re rednecks. But you probably figured that out from my poor grammar, right? And, just to set the record straight? I don’t like NASCAR, Monster Trucks, and I don’t hunt. But, because we live down here, the answer I received when I asked that question was a unanimous, “Yeah, I shoot.” |
Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t stoked in a, “Imma gonna go shoot somethin‘!” way, I just discovered (more accurately, rediscovered) how much I genuinely enjoy shooting.
However, I soon realized that no one else but Mrs. Untactical (and our sons and relatives we’ve shot with, or will shoot with) really needed to know we have a gun. It doesn’t matter if you plan on going down the concealed carry (CCW) road. Regardless of today’s political climate; perhaps even more so because of the 2017 tragedies in Las Vegas and Sutherland Springs, TX, our status as gun owners is no one else’s business but our own.
“… the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed.”
Don’t worry. You don’t have to go underground. You will encounter folks who will, like you, be new to guns. You will encounter old hands who, to use a well-worn cliche, have forgotten more about guns than you’ll ever know. And everyone in between. Study hard, practice, learn all you can.
Above all, have fun!
Stay safe, thanks for reading, and God bless.
Mr. Untactical