Aging

Buying a Handgun.

~ grant.gallagher

Author ScotShot Scott is an NRA and USCCA certified Instructor and Training Counselor in a range of firearms, and home and personal defense disciplines. In an Alternate Universe, he is a husband, father, grandfather, scientist, musician, educator and grumpy old professor. Just your average reactionary, short, fat old bald guy!

So you have decided to buy your first handgun. Well, as you saw previously, you’re not alone. In 2020 and 2021 in particular, the extent of handgun ownership has been increasing at an accelerating rate. At one point in 2020 people were literally buying any gun they could find, sight unseen. The reasons for this are obvious – political unrest, rioting and looting, rampant crime, “Defund the Police” and of course, COVID. More and more, we in the Silver Tiger community are taking responsibility for ourselves and with that comes the question, “Do we need a gun?”

There is a huge range of handguns to choose from and it can be difficult to make one’s way through the maze. Should I get revolver or a semi-automatic? What caliber should I choose? Do I want a big gun or a little one? Do we both need one? Is this gun too heavy? Is this gun too light? Well, let’s take an introductory look at some of these questions.

Buying a handgun legally. Every State has its own rules and regulations for buying a handgun legally, so we are not going to address these elements here. However, if you would like to get advice for your particular State, please contact us, using the “[email protected]” email address.

Revolvers are mechanically very straightforward. They have few moving parts and are very reliable. There’s little else to do apart from pointing the gun at the target or assailant and pulling the trigger to discharge the firearm. This is a huge advantage if you’ve been wakened at night, or you need to work quickly. Revolvers do have two important disadvantages however: they are difficult to reload quickly and, they often don’t hold more than five or six rounds of ammunition. Don’t disregard either of these points, because in any defensive encounter that you may be unfortunate enough to be in, you will fire more often and more quickly than you think you will.

Semi-Automatic Pistols have the main advantages that they are easy to reload and they hold more ammunition generally, so you can fire more shots before needing to reload. This may be important. However, their big disadvantage is that they have more moving parts and are mechanically more complex. While modern pistols are extremely reliable, they are still slightly less-so than revolvers. It’s up to you as individuals to decide what works best in your home-defense plan.

What Caliber do we need? A lot is written about so-called “Stopping Power” with the general theme that “bigger bullets are better”. My advice is not to think about that at all. The best caliber for you is the one that you are comfortable shooting. Yes, that can even be the humble 22LR. While 9mm is the most common and is a very effective defensive round, it’s hopeless for you if the gun hurts your hand every time you fire it, because you won’t train with it. Trust me, you won’t find anyone who is willing to walk towards you while you’re firing a 22LR or 380ACP handgun at them! So, find a caliber you like to shoot, and practice with it.

Large gun or small? Small guns are very attractive and appealing when you pick them up to try out in the shop, principally because they are light in the hand. Don’t be deceived. It’s better to choose a larger gun, for two reasons. First, it’s easier to hold and manipulate a larger gun without your fingers getting in the way of themselves. More importantly, small guns send more recoil straight back into your hand and so are more difficult to shoot. This is true regardless of caliber. It’s about the weight of the gun. Larger, heavier guns absorb more of the recoil from each shot and so are easier to shoot consistently. Larger guns also aim a little better, too.

How many guns do we need? My honest answer will always be that every adult in the home should have their own handgun for home and personal protection. If it is possible, then ideally they should be the same model handgun. If this isn’t possible, then every adult should be familiar and able to competently to access, load, unload and operate the family handgun, and practice with it at the range. If this isn’t possible, then they should take the same ammunition, or be from the same manufacturer and so on. We want to maximize using each other’s gun in an emergency.

Remember, anyone who has a gun should take basic safety training in the handling and safe-storage of their firearm. This is particularly true if your grandchildren come visiting!

Don’t hesitate to reach out with your questions or comments!

You’re not Alone !

~ grant.gallagher ~ 2 Comments

Author Heidi Bergmann-Schoch is a United States Concealed Carry Association multi-discipline instructor and Training Counselor (instructor-trainer), as well as a multi-discipline instructor for the NRA and a Chief Range Safety Officer. Public Safety orientated, she has served working nights as a Nationally Registered Paramedic and a Police Officer working patrol, training and handling a Patrol/Narcotics K-9 and an adjunct Tactical Officer. She does some of her best work in the dark. Spending a good part of her life breaking, training, and showing horses, she understands the art of compromise and the benefits of Advil. She can usually be found on her farm with her husband and a plethora of animals, as well as plenty of bees.

You’ve bought your first firearm! You’re excited and a little nervous that something you would never have considered owning 3 years ago has come home with you to help keep you and your loved ones safe. Every once in awhile, you get together and go shoot for an hour then head home, satisfied you’ve shot “well enough” and fairly confident of your abilities.

A few lessons and classes later you realize you really like to shoot! It’s fun while you’re there! Perhaps your spouse, friend or a relative has a gun too, so you may already have a companion to go to the range with. However with busy lives, one thing leads to another and next thing you know, it’s been a month since you visited your favorite noisy place! So why don’t you go more often? Seems your shooting buddy has been busy with no time to spare. If you were bowling or playing bocci chances are you’d be out there once a week, having set aside a particular time to get together with a group.

If you didn’t have a group but wanted to interact in one, or form one, you could put a notice up on the community bulletin board or even make an announcement on Facebook that you were looking for participants. But what about with firearms? It’s hard. Many of us keep this pass-time quiet, either going alone or with that one trusted friend, so when they’re busy, we become frustrated and our enthusiasm wanes.

I’m pretty open about my involvement with guns, explaining to anyone who will listen how they can be a very safe and effective part of a home defense plan.  I’ll go on to mention they are a fun hobby, an investment (I use this one on my husband!) or a means to harvest dinner. I have many friends who have firearms and many who do not but don’t object to the idea (..they know who they’re running to when the zombie apocalypse happens!). But that’s my life and I’m lucky to have it. I don’t have neighbors who get suspicious when they see a laser beam briefly shine out a window because I’m using a laser target in the living room. My neighbors don’t care if they see me loading the car with heavy rectangular bags or long oddly shaped ones.

Finding friends with similar interest in gardening is one thing, but how do you find like-minded people who like guns? Mention it to the wrong person and suddenly you’re the latest, juiciest topic of conversation in your HOA! The looks, the whispers….just the kind of attention you don’t need!

So how DO you make firearms friends? Start with your local range. Become a member and ask when the best time is to arrive and have some practice time that’s not terribly busy so it’s not too noisy. Weekdays in the morning or early afternoon are usually the best. People who are there aren’t rushing to send a few rounds downrange on their lunch hour. It’s a more leisurely atmosphere and the members there usually have some time on their hands. Maybe it’s a retirement hobby for them. But how do you break the ice and start up a conversation, particularly if you’re new and uncertain? Ask them about their gun! Firearms owners LOVE to talk about their favorite gun, target, latest gadget and how long they’ve been shooting. You can make a friend and learn something new as a bonus!

What about trying to find someone in your neighborhood to go shooting with? That’s a bit trickier. If you have a community center, find a class at the local range you may be interested in and post details on the bulletin board. You don’t have to leave your name, just attend the class and see if a neighbor shows up. Try starting your own group. Post a notice of a meet up at the range.  If you’re nervous about what people may think about the topic, make sure no one is around when you put it on the board. Go ahead, look over your shoulder! It may sound a bit “cloak and dagger” and it IS our 2nd Amendment right, but sadly we know not everyone we meet believes this. Don’t put your name on the notice, but do show up at the range on time. Don’t be surprised when your neighbor from two doors down walks in!

It may take a little bit, but you’re sure to find some friends on the range! Gun owners tend to be friendly, practical people who appreciate others who share their interests. Take that first step, head out to your favorite noisy place and make friends!

They’re always wanting your money – Part 1

~ grant.gallagher

Author Ryan M. Chippendale has been in public safety/service for over two decades. He has held the roles of Police Officer, Firefighter, EMT, CPR Instructor, NRA Instructor, Glock Armorer, and Notary Public, among others.  He is the proud father of three girls (12, 10, 4) and has been married for thirteen years.  He is the son of a senior mother who keeps a running honey-do list for him, and he has expertise with firearms, electronics and computer systems.  He is an ordained minister, is fluent in sarcasm and has been known to be found at a karaoke bar once or twice in his life. This is the first of a series of three blog posts.

Criminals exploit seniors for what they perceive to be naive tendencies but in reality it’s because they are generally too nice… and too trusting.  According to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, scammers cheat seniors our of approximately $2.9 billion annually.  Consider that number is likely low; a lot of these crimes go unreported as the victims are embarrassed or ashamed of being taken advantage of.  I’ve had investigations where I was able to identify victims of a scam, had the criminals in custody, seized the proceeds of the scam, and yet the victim still denied they had been taken.  

After you finish these articles you may be inclined to develop an extremely cynical outlook towards strangers.  While that’s not necessarily the healthiest way to live, a dash or cynicism can help you apply a “smell test” to situations that might victimize you.  As much as it pains me to admit this, some criminals are clever.  Almost to the point where I’ve been impressed by their creativity.  Even the dumb ones are being schooled by a hierarchy. The criminals get together and compare what works and what doesn’t. Often, they use the infamous “Dark Web”, making tracking their communications more difficult.  

Let’s discuss some rules which if you apply to your life, you will protect yourself against 99% of scams we’ve seen.

First, and what is super obvious after it’s explained – the government (or law enforcement) will never call you.

Let me explain… this doesn’t mean that if your car is parked in a construction area and they’re trying to get it moved, a police department wouldn’t call you and ask to have your car moved.  What will NEVER happen is a law enforcement representative calling to tell you that you’re wanted for a crime, or someone used your social security number, or if you don’t do *something* there will be a negative consequence.

Scammers will cold call you and represent themselves as a member of a law enforcement agency.  They will tell you that you have an outstanding warrant for your arrest (for most folks that’s a scary thought) and that if you don’t do what they tell you, you will be imminently arrested.  Often they want you to purchase gift cards from a local retailer and digitally transmit the funds to the scammer to satisfy whatever fraudulent accusation they’ve convinced you is going to get you arrested.  Can’t figure out how to do that?  It’s ok, they’ll settle for you just reading off the numbers from the card you bought.  They will also instruct you that you must stay on the phone with them the entire time.  While this might make you think there’s some legitimacy to this tactic, it’s solely so you don’t have the opportunity to call someone and ask if something sounds fishy.

No government agency accepts gift cards in payment for anything.  In fact, if anyone ever asks to you buy a gift card, you should assume it’s a scam.  No matter how much how much convincing they use, gift cards = scam.  I’ve experienced cases where the victim received a phone call from a person and the caller ID read “US Marshal Service.”  The scammer instructed the victim to Google the phone number on the caller ID which revealed a legitimate Deputy US Marshal in Texas.  The problem was, the scammer utilized a method called “spoofing” to change their caller ID.  While the situation may have appeared real, once the “agent” instructed the victim to purchase a gift card, then the giant red flag should have gone a mile high.  

Another more disgusting scam targeted towards seniors involves pretending that their grandchildren are in some kind of trouble.  This attack comes from the scammer pretending to actually be the grandchild, or perhaps a law enforcement officer who has their grandchild in “custody”, and needs bail to have them released.  Guess how that bail needs to be paid?  You got it, gift cards.

If the phone rings, and it’s a stranger – you should be skeptical.  Think about it.  Have you ever tried to call a government agency and they actually answered the phone in less time than it takes to cook a roast?  They don’t have the staffing to call YOU either.  In the extremely rare example that it’s a legitimate call, there’s nothing wrong with asking for their contact information and verifying.  Research the phone number, not just calling back the number they give you.  Figure out a way to authenticate who they are.  All else fails, take notes and go to your local police department.  Let a trained professional offer their opinion on the situation. 

  • The Government won’t call you
  • Technology such as caller ID is just as susceptible to exploitation 
  • Anyone asking for payment via gift card is likely trying to scam you
  • Law enforcement doesn’t call ahead their intention to arrest you.  We like surprises.

While this goes without saying, this is absolutely not an exhaustive list of scam possibilities.  In later articles I’ll discuss different tactics a scammer might use to victimize you.

Welcome to Silver Tigers!

~ grant.gallagher

Silver Tigers is a blog dedicated to awareness and preparation in the growing community of active over 60s.

Hello! and “Thank You” for joining us at the “Silver Tigers Training and Preparedness Blog”. Please bookmark the site and subscribe to receive updates. There’s also a Newsletter where we will send ideas, information, classes and so on. You can sign up for that, here.

So, what, or rather, ‘Who’, IS a “Silver Tiger”? It’s you, it’s us, it’s our contemporary friends and family members. We’ve learned a few things in our time and we know how to put them to good use. However, while age brings experience, it also brings vulnerabilities, not least in terms of declining physical ability and unfamiliarity with new technologies. There’s also a more aggressive criminal community out there, perfectly willing to take anything from a computer to our entire life-savings.

As it says, Silver Tigers may be Older, but we are also Bolder, and more willing than ever to take responsibility for ourselves and our loved ones in order to make sure we are safe and secure. Nobody is getting one over on us, not today!

Here at Silver Tigers, we cater to this more experienced league of individuals. People who are well-versed at life in general. There may be things you’re hearing about, such as general preparedness, firearms, a defensive mindset. You’ll learn more about these and other related things here at the Blog. Perhaps you know someone who fell for a con such as the horrible gift-card scam. Perhaps you have experiences you’d like to bring to people. Or, perhaps you just want to be connected to people who share your values. These blog posts give you a chance to increase your knowledge in things that may help you, you family and friends, or even save a life.

As you read through our blogs, you’ll see our goal is to introduce you to topics you may not have considered before or have had minimal contact with. Through our wide variety of contributors, you will experience thought provoking topics, learn new skills and hone talents you might not realize you already have.

You’ll learn about subject matter that will help you navigate this changing world more comfortably and confidently. The posts will highlight things you can personally do to keep yourself safe, warm, dry, fed and aware.

Join us on this journey and keep checking the new topics in each weekly installment. The posts will be waiting for you with your Saturday morning coffee.

Share your experiences, good or bad. Never think you have nothing important to say. Everyone has a fresh perspective and viewpoint about what has helped them and their families. All of us has a list of things we wish we’d been told and hadn’t had to discover the hard way. Share them here. We welcome you to write about experiences you’d like to share. Email them to “author-at-silvertigers-dot-blog”. We shall publish them here on the blog. Slots are open specifically for your contributions.

So, let’s hear from you, and we will contribute $20 to a charity of your choice in your name when we post your contribution for everyone to read.

Hope you had a good day! Join is for many more!