Wednesday, January 23, 2008

The European Shooter

Filigreed gunOver the weekend I posted an article by El Inglés about the need for a worldwide network of people interested in guns, in order that people who live in countries with firearms restrictions might easily make contact with people in other countries who could give them instructions and training in the use of guns, all done in a completely legal manner.

El Inglés has now started his international firearms blog, The European Shooter. Readers are advised to drop by his site and see what he has to offer.

Here’s what he says by way of introduction:

As promised, here is the URL for the new blog I have put together to try and help shooters from around the world coordinate their efforts. I will be updating it sporadically with my own thoughts on the topic, for what they are worth. Those who think I’m talking rubbish are invited to correct me by submitting essays, articles, or anything else for publishing. I hope that we will also be able to share contacts, experiences, opinions, and insights. E-mail me at euroshooter@gmail.com if you feel the urge.

— El Inglés

Below the jump are some of the people and organizations that expressed an interest in El Inglés’ idea in the comments on last weekend’s post:
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Skeleton with gun, from a ghost town in Wyoming

10 comments:

Homophobic Horse said...

Organising the paramilitary in public online. To learn gun skills we will never get a chance to use in our disarmed home countries (assuming they don't invent some spurious new abitrary laws and through us in prison).

AMDG said...

Very interesting initiative.

I understand that shooting sports are also a possibility to get initiated. I plan so start when my children are 16. I do not see how they could be outlawed.

SouthernFriedBear said...

Re: children -- They can learn proper sight picture with air guns (long or short). That right there is the main challenge.

Air guns aren't just for children. A former co-worker of mine found an air pistol of a size and shape as his carry pistol. He set up a pellet trap in his home and would shoot a few rounds whenever the mood struck him.

X said...

They're already rumbling about a ban on airguns in the UK. Typical...

Unknown said...

You also may want to contact the folks at:

Appleseed Program

for their travelling basic marksmanship program.

Dymphna said...

Does anyone know if an air gun would frighten off deer without harming them? They eat *everything* and think our yard is their lunchroon.

If I go out to scare them to leave, they simply hide behind the forsythia bush, thinking they can't be seen.

Unknown said...

D:

Where I grew up a million years ago (central NY), the local orchard used to use lions' urine as a chemical deterrent to deer predation.

Now that's a tough job - lion urine collector!

Just scroogle "deer repellent" if you want to pursue the non-violent approach to these omnivores. An air rifle's pellets would likely break the skin of the animal and IMHO would not be cricket. YMMV.

Connie du Toit said...

We've been doing something similar to your suggestion for about seven years. It was the brain child of (my husband) Kim du Toit who blogs at TheOtherSideofKim.com.

His personal efforts grew into a concept we call "A Nation of Riflemen" (NoR). That site is thenationofriflemen.org.

In addition, there is a related site, members who are part of an online forum of folks (to keep the discussions apolitical at the NoR site) who do the volunteer work, volunteering their time to bring new shooters into the fold at: GunThing.com.

Anyone who wants a shooting buddy/mentor only need write Kim and we'll find a volunteer.

Unknown said...

Links referenced by Mrs. duToit above:

The Other Side of Kim

Nation of Riflemen

Gun Thing

Tuan Jim said...

Now I've never walked into a gun shop as a non-citizen, but seeing as many of them do contain their own indoor ranges, an interested parties would probably just need their passport as a form of photo ID.

I'd definitely be prepared to spend at least a few hours there - the first time I went to one to try handguns I had to sit through a safety course and video for about an hour or so before signing some insurance/liability papers.

The deal with a lot of the gun shops as others have mentioned - is that they tend to have a significant selection of weapons to "test-fire" or "sample" - you'll probably pay a small "rental" fee for the weapon, and then purchase a box of ammunition to be expended at the range.

I plan on visiting a few stores again once I get back to the US - and possibly making some purchases in the near future.