Breaking Records

The post below, where Piers Morgan whined about the number of guns sold in the US since March, is only part of the story.  US citizens are buying guns in record numbers.  In June alone, the FBI conducted 3.9 million NICS checks.  That is a record number.

I hit a couple of pawn shops today, places that normally have a nice selection of used Glocks, or Smith's or Sig's.  The shelves were virtually empty.  I later turned to one of my local merchants, Liberty Arsenal, just down the road from the house.  He deals in all types of firearms, and it's oe of those shops where you can sit and talk for hours, if you have the time.

He tells me that the last quarter has been an amazing time to be a dealer.  He's selling guns to people who, three months ago, were anti-gun.  He also tells me that NICS is backlogged to the point where if you are a fist-time gun buyer, you will probably get delayed, meaning that he has to wait three days to give you the gun.  He tells me that one 80 year old woman came in earlier this week to by an AR-platform rifle, the last he had in stock.  She will pick it up tomorrow.

I had been thinking about getting a handgun that fell between my 1911s and my Ruger LCP.  Something small enough to be unobtrusive, but with enough oomph to get the job done.  I had decided on either a subcompact Glock or a SW M&P Shield.

I carried a full-sized M&P in .45 as a duty pistol for several years, and really liked it.  I shot it well, and the hinged trigger on the M&P really doesn't bother me.  It is what it is, and I've learned to shoot it.

Today, at my local merchants, he happened to have two M&P Shields that his distributor had ust dropped off.  I quibbled a bit, then dropped a card on the table and asked for a 4473.  I was not delayed, and within ten minutes, I was out the door.

I can see, right now, it needs a sight upgrade.  And, I'll need to find some ammo, and a holster for it.