Hillary Clinton: February 29, 2008

Background check system could prevent Virginia Tech massacre. Q: Did any role that federal government plays fail those students at Virginia Tech? A: Yes. You know, I remember very well when I accompanied Bill to Columbine after that massacre and met with the family members of those who had been killed and talked with the students, and feeling that we had to do more to try to keep guns out of the hands of the criminal and of the mentally unstable. And during the Clinton administration, that was a goal–not to, in any way, violate people’s Second Amendment rights, but to try to limit access to people who should not have guns. Unfortunately, we saw the tragedy unfold at Virginia Tech. We now know that the background check system didn’t work, because certainly this shooter, as he’s called, had been involuntarily committed as a threat to himself and others. And, yet, he could walk in and buy a gun. Source: 2007 South Carolina Democratic primary debate, on MSNBC Apr 26, 2007. Dirt E. Harry

John McCain: February 28, 2008

I know how to use guns; but I don’t own one. Q: Tell us about your gun collection, roughly how many you own, what your favorite make, model and caliber is, if any of them require a tax stamp? A: For a long time I used a lot of guns, including carrying a .45 as a pilot flying in combat over Vietnam. I know how to use guns. I don’t own one now. Source: 2007 GOP YouTube debate in St. Petersburg, Florida Nov 28, 2007. Dirt E. Harry

Barack Obama: February 27, 2008

Provide some common-sense enforcement on gun licensing:
Q: When you were in the state senate, you talked about licensing and registering gun owners. Would you do that as president?
A: I don’t think that we can get that done. But what we can do is to provide just some common-sense enforcement. The efforts by law enforcement to obtain the information required to trace back guns that have been used in crimes to unscrupulous gun dealers. As president, I intend to make it happen. We essentially have two realities, when it comes to guns, in this country. You’ve got the tradition of lawful gun ownership. It is very important for many Americans to be able to hunt, fish, take their kids out, teach them how to shoot. Then you’ve got the reality of 34 Chicago public school students who get shot down on the streets of Chicago. We can reconcile those two realities by making sure the Second Amendment is respected and that people are able to lawfully own guns, but that we also start cracking down on the kinds of abuses of firearms that we see on the streets. Source: 2008 Democratic debate in Las Vegas Jan 15, 2008. Dirt E. Harry

Hillary Clinton: February 26, 2008

Get assault weapons & guns off the street:

Q: How would you address gun violence that continues to be the #1 cause of death among African-American men?

A: I think it’s important to remember that the crime rate was driven down, & gun violence was driven down in the 1990s because of a combination of policies, like 100,000 police on the street and getting assault weapons off the street, and because of a growing economy. 22 million new jobs gave people who were hopeless a better chance for a future. So I want to get back to what works. This administration has tried to kill the 100,000 police. You’ve got mayors whose police force is outgunned by the criminals and the gang-bangers. Assault weapons are back on the street. We’ve got to go and do what works again. In addition to having policies that will get guns off the street, we do have to give young men particularly a better chance of a future that includes educational & economic opportunities & second chances when they get caught up in the criminal justice system. Dirt E. Harry

To sum it up: February 25, 2008

I don’t know about you, but this article by Tom Gaylord has been most informative. Thanks again, Tom for your dedication to our passion and to our sport. Dirt E. Harry

To sum it up: February 24, 2008

A Shooting Chrony is a valuable addition to your shooting equipment. Once you start using one, there is no end of useful things you can find to do with it. The way the Chrony is made, you can start with a basic machine and add capability as you see fit. Next to the guns, themselves, this is one of the handiest things any shooter can own. Dirt E. Harry

Printer paper: February 23, 2008

Loading the paper is tricky at first, because the instructions are graphic only and not very clear. The secret is that the advance button only moves the paper one line at a time, so it takes a while to advance the paper through the printer. Once you know that, a new paper roll feeds easily. Dirt E. Harry

Printer paper: February 22, 2008

The printer comes with a small roll of paper contained inside its case, but you will want to use it with a standard printing calculator paper roll that comes from any office supply store. A wire axle pops out the top of the printer to hold a standard 2.25″ standard printer paper roll. The printer ink roller is also a standard office supply item. Dirt E. Harry

Using the optional printer: February 21, 2008

One nice thing about the printer is that it does the recording automatically. That leaves you free to shoot the gun. Another plus is the printer cable allows you 16 feet of separation from the Chrony, while still being able to see the velocities printed out as you shoot. Because the printer is an option, you can wait to buy it later. The chronograph works fine without it. Dirt E. Harry

Using the optional printer: February 20, 2008

With the Chrony, you buy only what you need and nothing extra. However, one option most people will want is the ballistic Chrony printer. It provides much more than just a record of your shooting. For starters, it has a 16-foot cord, so it also serves as a remote control, so you can position the chronograph away from your shooting location and still control it. While the printer has no LCD display, you can read the velocity directly from the paper tape. This unit operates on four AA batteries but can also run on household AC current through the supplied adapter. That makes it a perfect accessory for the home experimenter. Dirt E. Harry