The Gun Counter

Editor's Notebook: Value and Values
by Rich Grassi


An assortment of concerns settled in on the last day of August. For one, an email which purported to repeat a report from Sunday's Los Angeles Times. It's alleged that the purveyor of fact noted a fear of limitations of gun rights led to a run on ammo. Further, the sender quotes the intrepid reporter as breathlessly writing, "Stacks of ammo, one piled high at gun shops across America, have dwindled. Prices paid by consumers for much-sought-after Winchester .380-caliber handgun bullets (sic) have doubled."

We too are fans of Winchester, but would much prefer a supply of .380 caliber handgun ammunition, much handier than simply the projectiles. More than the "fear of limits" reportedly identified by the Times, it's the proliferation of small, light, easily hidden and used .380 Autos out there. A close friend who's carried a small revolver for many years - originally in .38 Special and since 1996 in .357 Magnum - has asked me about purchase of Ruger's overwhelmingly popular LCP .380. He'll get the one I'm buying from them.

The issue, more than incorrect nomenclature, is incorrect logic in the form "after this, therefore because of this". Had they cited 5.56, for example, the conclusion is likely to have been only slightly better than their example. More likely is a range of causes. Since 1994, people have found out a few things. One, guns are fun when properly employed. The other is that government should have nothing to do with guns. Extend that to raising children and decisions as to religiosity, and we're on the right path.

Attendance at shooting schools and various training venues is up, we're told. Repeat clients are more common. Training burns up ammo.

Does this mean there was no hoarding? That's an absurd conclusion. A correspondent reported that an acquaintance was asking what to stock up on that would most likely increase in value at the highest rate. Some call it speculation, others call it profiteering. Does it mean that the November elections had no impact on sales? Again, it's obviously related. Why do people assume that the current government is a threat to gun rights?

Because it is.

On a more personal note, it struck me that the last day of August immediately precedes September 1st. Obvious, I know, but September 1st has held a special meaning for me for many years. It's the traditional first day of dove season, the first of the Fall hunting seasons. It's an occasion greeted by lots of noise, great consumption of shotgun shells and few feathers!

My father, who taught me to shoot and hunt, started me out on dove hunts. He took a minor risk as youngsters tend to be impatient when on a stand - in our area we pass-shoot at doves. (Notice, it's not "shoot doves." It's shoot at them. If you don't know why, get a license and have someone hook you up.) It took some guidance to get the patience.

I learned to identify the gray dive-bombers based on shape, color and flight characteristics. In so doing, I learned to identify some other birds - no-shoot targets, I believe they're called.

I learned to watch other shooters and watch my own muzzle. I learned how the cross-bolt safety worked, what it blocked and, more important, what it doesn't block. Learning lead and follow-through, though it made little sense at the moment, was precedent to the epiphany. When it looked right (and the bird didn't abruptly change course, a rare event), it was right.

The time we spent on that noble and often fruitless pursuit was crucial. It was valuable beyond measure and it's time I'll never recover or relive. We hadn't gotten to hunt for some years as he had trouble getting around. He's now been gone for six long years. Every September 1st, I take a moment to reflect on the man and the life he gave me.

And I give thanks.