Following Brass down the Rabbit Hole

[Uncle Gizmo]

I brought a wire brush for cleaning the the tile adhesive off the newly laid kitchen floor. I got what was declared a brass wire brush on Amazon, but on inspection I don't think it is Brass. One of the comments was that the person had checked it with a magnet and found it to be magnetic, hence it's not brass. The seller insisted it was brass. I want to check it myself but I can't find a magnet, although I know I've got one somewhere! So as an alternative I searched the internet for household chemicals to identify brass, Nothing came up, then I searched for the temperature it glows at, I've got a blow lamp, I could warm it up and see if it glows readily and melts, or whether it glows brightly without melting, which would indicate that it's steel... My Googling led me to this page:-

Annealing Brass - Science vs Myths

Kind of long winded but bare with me. I am relatively new to long range precision shooting and have definitely been bitten by the bug. Started with factory ammunition and now have taken up reloading. Annealing was the next step in my progression. As is my nature I read everything I could and...

www.snipershide.com

which must obviously be Americans because they are talking about guns! I was amazed at the technical details about out brass bullet casings, annealing them, reusing them, how this affects the accuracy and all that! So as you can see I have gone down a blooming rabbit-hole again! I could do with one of those guns!

 

[Isaac]

Out of curiousity, what is it like to buy a gun in the UK? Can you? Is it "hard"? Are they very limited?
Can you own one or does it depend on the locality?

 

[pbaldy]

which must obviously be Americans because they are talking about guns

You've been hanging around Col too much.

 

[NauticalGent]

The word impossible comes to mind...

Tony, some of my countrymen are so "ate up" with guns it is almost scary. I own one myself and I am a fairly decent shot but that is where it ends. I know a few people who could have written that article...

 

[Isaac]

The word impossible comes to mind...

Tony, some of my countrymen are so "ate up" with guns it is almost scary. I own one myself and I am a fairly decent shot but that is where it ends. I know a few people who could have written that article...

Yeah I agree, definitely plenty of people take it WAAAY overboard. Here in Arizona the laws are some of the most liberal in the land, and many proudly own AK-47's. Of course, most gun owners are very decent people who simply enjoy it as a toy, and for whatever peace of mind it gives them.

@Uncle Gizmo I'm also curious about whether people worry about home invasions, muggings, road rage and such things. I mean, I know America is not the only country in the world with problems of people on drugs, burglaries, violent crimes etc. Do people sometimes wish they could at least have a semiautomatic small firearm for that hypothetical day when they wake up to someone coming in their patio glass door?? We have plenty of those events, and I always pity the people who have nothing but a call to 911 and a sharp pencil if the time comes.

All I ask from our Second Amendment is the right to bear reasonable arms, like I have a .380 semiautomatic and that's it. I've taken it to a range a half dozen times to make sure I am not totally stupid with it. It sits in a box with a full clip in it, but nothing chambered. My kids are now both >= 18. I feel that's a pretty reasonable scenario and would like it to continue being legal for the future.

From a lot of the stories I hear about (frequently) in the news relating to "road rage" and women being followed, I would very much like the women in my family to carry a loaded pistol in their car as well. It's legal in Arizona with virtually nothing required, but our family does not do so. We never venture through the bad parts of the city, but if we had to, I would carry. It just makes sense..

Then there are people who do stupid stuff, like showing up to protests carrying guns, or the state capitol to make (some kind of) a point. Or brandish the gun without need. Or let uncontrolled kids near it. Or get drunk.

Lots of arguments on both sides, but I'd hate for it to just be 'taken away' - because when that happens, obviously, criminals will still get them; then where are you at? In a situation where only criminals have guns! I guess you could call this argument "balance of power". Nuclear disarmament sounds GREAT, until you wake up one day and only North Korea, Russia, China and Venezuela have nuclear power

 

[Uncle Gizmo]

Out of curiousity, what is it like to buy a gun in the UK? Can you? Is it "hard"? Are they very limited?
Can you own one or does it depend on the locality?

It's possible to have shotguns and rifles. I'm not sure about handguns, I suspect you're not allowed to have them, but I wouldn't know for sure. I know about shotguns and rifles because I'm from a farming background and and most farmers will have a shotgun for shooting pheasants, rabbits and vermin, and occasionally a rifle, for shooting foxes.

My very limited recollection of the rules regarding having firearms is that primarily you need some private land where you are allowed to shoot, your own land, usually if you are a farmer, alternatively a farmer you know who gives you permission to shoot on his land. The guns must be kept locked up in a suitable gun locker when not in use.

I'm not sure about this bit but I think if you travel somewhere in your vehicle with the firearm in it, it has to be out of sight like in the boot, and you can only travel to somewhere where you are allowed to shoot. If you popped into town with it in the car you would get into trouble.

To obtain your firearms licence you have to have a medical, and I think this is to do with your state of mind. I'm not sure of the frequency of firearms licence renewals. There are also special cases for people that specialise in firearms, and members of gun clubs. I understand you can use handguns in gun clubs, I'm not sure if you're allowed to own one, and if you are allowed to transport it to and from the gun club. I've never come across that.. It's actually something I need to look into, because one of my bucket list items is to go to a shooting range and learn how to shoot a handgun properly. I might have to come over to America to do that!

British Pistol Club

The British Pistol Club was founded in 1957, for the encouragement of International Pistol Shooting, and is the oldest and largest shooting club exclusive to pistol in Great Britain.

www.britishpistolclub.org

 

[NauticalGent]

if you travel somewhere in your vehicle with the firearm in it, it has to be out of sight like in the boot

Big No-No in the US unless you have a concealed carry permit. If you get stopped, you are obligated to inform the police you are carrying. If the find out you are and have not told them, things go south and fast...

 

[AccessBlaster]

In California you have to separate the ammunition from the firearm. I will usually put the firearm in the trunk and the ammo in the backseat while traveling to the range. It's common sense really.

 

[Isaac]

It's possible to have shotguns and rifles. I'm not sure about handguns, I suspect you're not allowed to have them, but I wouldn't know for sure. I know about shotguns and rifles because I'm from a farming background and and most farmers will have a shotgun for shooting pheasants, rabbits and vermin, and occasionally a rifle, for shooting foxes.

My very limited recollection of the rules regarding having firearms is that primarily you need some private land where you are allowed to shoot, your own land, usually if you are a farmer, alternatively a farmer you know who gives you permission to shoot on his land. The guns must be kept locked up in a suitable gun locker when not in use.

I'm not sure about this bit but I think if you travel somewhere in your vehicle with the firearm in it, it has to be out of sight like in the boot, and you can only travel to somewhere where you are allowed to shoot. If you popped into town with it in the car you would get into trouble.

To obtain your firearms licence you have to have a medical, and I think this is to do with your state of mind. I'm not sure of the frequency of firearms licence renewals. There are also special cases for people that specialise in firearms, and members of gun clubs. I understand you can use handguns in gun clubs, I'm not sure if you're allowed to own one, and if you are allowed to transport it to and from the gun club. I've never come across that.. It's actually something I need to look into, because one of my bucket list items is to go to a shooting range and learn how to shoot a handgun properly. I might have to come over to America to do that!

British Pistol Club

The British Pistol Club was founded in 1957, for the encouragement of International Pistol Shooting, and is the oldest and largest shooting club exclusive to pistol in Great Britain.

www.britishpistolclub.org

Thanks Tony, very interesting to learn. I like to hear the information from a resident themselves rather than just googling it, gives me a better sense of what the reality is.

Big No-No in the US unless you have a concealed carry permit. If you get stopped, you are obligated to inform the police you are carrying. If the find out you are and have not told them, things go south and fast...

I think it depends a lot on the state, though. In Arizona, " If you are 21 or older and legally allowed to own a firearm you can carry a fully loaded and concealed handgun in a vehicle."

 

[Isaac]

In California you have to separate the ammunition from the firearm. I will usually put the firearm in the trunk and the ammo in the backseat while traveling to the range. It's common sense really.

Unless you are thinking of self-defense from Road rage, in which case it would be kind of hard to make any use of it

 

[AccessBlaster]

Unless you are thinking of self-defense from Road rage, in which case it would be kind of hard to make any use of it

I don't have a carry permit so mine goes into the trunk for security reasons.

 

[The_Doc_Man]

In Louisiana, your car is considered an extension of your home with regards to privacy and the presence of guns. You can have a gun concealed in the car but it IS a good idea to notify an officer if you are stopped and a search gets under way. A search of the car requires a probable cause (like you smoked pot recently and it stinks of drugs).