A couple people had expressed interest in this topic, and I have a bit of extra time for a couple days, so here goes:
Bona fides: I am a former infantry NCO and sniper, hunter, competitive shooter, reloader, hobby gunsmith, sometimes firearms trainer and currently work in a gun shop, mostly on the paperwork/compliance side. Back in the day, was a qualified expert with every standard small arm in the US inventory circa 2003 (M2, 4, 9, 16, 19, 249, 240B, 21, 24, 82 etc.), and today hang around the 75th percentile of USPSA classifications. I've shot Cap-and-Ball, Trap and Sporting Clays badly; Bullseye and PRS somewhat better and IDPA/USPSA/UML/Two-gun with some local success. Been active in the 2A community since the mid-90s, got my first instructor cert in high school, and have held a CPL for almost twenty years now.
I certainly don't claim to be an expert in every aspect of firearms, there's huge areas that escape my knowledge base, but if you've got questions I'll do my best to answer.
Technical questions
Gun control proposals for feasibility
Industry
Training
Wacky opinions
General geekery
Some competition links (not my own) just for the interested.
https://youtube.com/watch?v=U5IhsWamaLY&t=173
https://youtube.com/watch?v=93nEEINflXE
https://youtube.com/watch?v=utcky0zq10E
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Notes -
I'm very late to the party :/ i have some random questions:
When is a gun worn enough not to be usable?
Is it generally worth taking apart such a worn down gun and replacing the broken part or is this not practical (I'm assuming a broken receiver is a write off)?
Bullpup rifles yay or nay?
Ever watch the Forgotten Weapons YouTube channel, thoughts?
A very long shot but any idea if in any western european country it's practical to go to a gun range as a tourist, particularly as one with no prior experience?
Do you cold blue your guns if they get scratched or is it not worth the effort? Ever done hot bluing?
1: Depends on how you are with maintenance. Some wear parts need to be replaced with some regularity, but as long as the frame, receiver and barrel are all still in working order, the gun can be made functional. Once those major parts wear out of spec either to reduce reliability or accuracy below acceptable standards, the gun is done. Obviously the type of gun and what those standards are will vary widely.
2: Most common wear parts are pretty cheap, it's worth it financially if you can install things yourself. If you have to pay a gunsmith, maybe not. On my competition guns, things like ejectors, extractors, strikers, hammers, sears etc. get replaced every twenty to fifty thousand rounds. Certain springs every 10k.
3: Nay so far, the idea has potential.
4: I have, more the technical stuff than the historical, IDGAF about old military guns. I like it, and found Ian very well informed and properly cautious about conclusions.
5: No idea, but France or Switzerland would be my guess if there is one.
6: I once cold-blued a muzzleloader barrel, never hot blued. I don't really care about scratches unless I'm selling a gun, and then I just take a sharpie to it. :P
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