HeloDude

Dude, relax. No one is 'flaming' on you (we save that for gangbangs with BQZip's Mom). As long as you're not being a douchebag, just about any question/discussion is welcome here. You asked some questions which led a lot of us to feel the need to guide you back to the right path of sound judgement with firearms--no biggie. Everybody has to learn somehow and we've all been there. As for the shotgun question, I think you received a lot of sound advice on here, and God knows there's plenty more of good (and bad) advice on this crazy thing we call the internet. It's always better to go basic/less expensive (I didn't say cheap) earlier on, and then as you get more proficient, learn more, etc then you'll determine what you like/dislike and can start making more informed and expensive purchases if you see fit. The cool thing about a pump shotgun is that it's not that hard to find a buddy with one and test one out at the range or something to that effect--you'll see what we're talking about soon enough. Same thing for basic pistols (ie Glock vs MP vs XD)--quite a few ranges have these guns to rent and you can check them out to make a better decision. Or like the shotgun, maybe you have a buddy with one of the pistols you're interested in and can try his. Welcome to this addictive passion of firearms and shooting--be prepared to spend some money as you learn more and the addiction grows. ...side note--M2: I miss your weekly new firearms purchase postings. Now that costs are coming back down, I expect to see weekly pictures of new AK's that you will then subsequently lose in a boating accident the following day.

Dude, no offense, but I think you need to do some serious research on home defense and firearms. If somebody has broken into your home while you are there, under most State laws (disclaimer--I am not an attorney, so research your own State laws), you can reasonably (and legally) assume they are there to do you harm...so why would you ever want to 'intimidate' someone who is already trying to cause you and your family harm? Would you ever conceal carry a weapon without a round in the chamber, suggesting that there is an 'intimidation' factor of racking the slide to charge the weapon...and at the time when you will need it most? If you are serious about home defense, you would not want to limit yourself by not being as prepared as possible, ie waiting to charge your weapon until the person could see/hear you. Some semi-auto shotguns have been known to not reliably cycle (I have a Saiga 12, trust me, I know), and the ones that are known to work really well (the Benilli, for example) cost quite a bit. A solidly maintained pump shotgun rarely fails and can be cycled quite quickly with training and practice. My advice: Do some solid research on home defense with and without a shotgun, talk to folks who practice home defense, and then if you chose to and are ready, buy pump shotgun with a solid reputation--hard to go wrong with a Remington 870 IMO. Later on as you learn and train/practice more, you may feel more comfortable spending the extra money ($350 vs $2K) in upgrading to an auto. Of course, it's your call.

Do you work at the Program Office (formerly known as the SPO) or is this just your emotional guess?

It's always those damn right wing Christian Tea Partiers...even in London. This is sick and a shame. The article claims LE confiscated a firearm--how did these guys have a gun in the UK when they're essentially banned?

Handgun--any of the ones you mentioned is a solid choice. Go with the one you feel most comfortable with and shoot the best. Shotgun--I think a pump for primary home defense is still the way to go (less to go wrong with the pump). But if you really want to spend the money on an auto, it's tough to beat a Benelli M4.

What does the average line guy have to 'prove' about the CV-22? And to who?...your buds in the other 130 squadron? Your job is to fly the line, learn the mission and the aircraft, take care of additional duties, etc. Let your upper level leadership take care of proving capabilities.

The guys who make bank on a deployment are single guys who can deploy for a year, move everything they own into storage, then get back and shortly PCS. Married guys still need a house, pay to feed their kids, bills, etc. So you're kind of comparing apples and oranges.

Tis' true...usually takes a good 3-4 weeks minimum to be able to correctly apply the new binary standard.

Looks similar to the cockpit of Huey. There's no autopilot to 'disengage' to feel like a badass in a Huey.

Buddy--Huffingtonpost?? Did you get lost again online? (I actually go there a couple times a day...one of the sites I go to get the 'left' point of view)

I just have a hard time taking anything a Lt says seriously.

You mean--just think of the amount 'YOU' will save on ammo.

Ram--seriously, this really gets its own thread? Somebody at least post pictures of boobies or something then.

So according to Bill Maher (people can call him a comedian all they want, but he's very much a political influence on the left), redistribution of wealth is a good thing because it keeps the poor people from kidnapping you. And here I thought redistribution was so that Democrats could have more votes? http://www.realclearpolitics.com/video/2013/05/12/maher_if_youre_rich_you_should_be_begging_the_government_to_redistribute_your_wealth.html

Cabeals has PMC X-tac 62-gr .223 brass for $.45/round, max 5 boxes. This is the best price I have seen since mid Dec...prices have been slowly coming down again the past couple of weeks. If anybody needs 100 rounds, it's not a bad price at all these days. http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1431879&categoryId=0&parentCategoryId=0&subCategoryId=0&indexId=0&productVariantId=3195132&quantity=1&itemGUID=4f97061bac1084584a31c2946a5d5d8b&WTz_l=CQO&destination=/checkout/item_added_to_cart.jsp?result=success&productId=1431879&fromCQO=true&backToPreviousUrl=/catalog/search_catalog_command.cmd?item1=FD-218426&item2=&item3=&item4=&item5=&item6=&item7=&item8=&item9=&item10=&&dropDownGroupValues:0=258&WTz_l=CQO&avad=48247_c4476f1b&WT.mc_id=al35987&rid=12&WT.tsrc=AFF

What the hell!!? My imaginary girlfriend is way hotter than Manti Teo's and Maxim didn't list her on their 'Hot 100' list... http://www.breitbart.com/Breitbart-TV/2013/05/10/Manti-Teos-Imaginary-Girlfriend-Makes-Maxims-Hot-100-List

You have to love hearing what the liberals truly believe when they're caught off guard with an unknown open-mic. Anybody who doesn't believe that confiscation (similar to that of most European countries, Australia, etc) is the true goal of the liberals is either fooling themselves or is on the same team as these guys. http://www.examiner.com/article/open-mike-reveals-n-j-senators-contempt-for-gun-owners-confiscation-goal

Ok dude, you went from your argument being that this alleged past affair now makes it more likely that he assaulted that chick, to...what's on a security clearance request form...getting a little bit in the weeds to say the least. Overall though, by your reasoning, everything Bill Clinton or Gen Patreus said was a lie since they both cheated on their wives, and additionally, at least in the case of clinton Clinton, originally lied about it too. Oh, and does that mean that Clinton also assaulted those women he allegedly slept with even before being President, being that one directly has to do with the other, right? I thought you were done talking about this subject? Here's a tip--don't become a lawyer.

I'm glad the Secretary decided to this for the entire military...because in the Air Force, we just had ours a few months ago and everything has been smooth sailing since then, no problems at all...nope, not a single one.

I like it...frankly I wish he took the same approach with Fast and Furious.

"Does this mean I no longer get to go to Air War College in residence?"

Since when has that ever helped any guy get laid?

Dude, you're a tool. You argue this as well as you argue everything else--based off of emotion. You're not a chick, are you? If the AF wants to investigate this guy for something he may have done 9 years ago then I'm assuming that's definitely within their lane of authority (not sure if there is a time limit on brining up such charges)--though they would be singleing him out to a degree because there are a lot more people than you think cheating on their wives...and husbands, and most people just look the other way. But to say that because a guy cheated on his wife 9 years ago gives more evidence that he assualted the recent chick is pretty stupid. Evidence is evidence and the 3-star tossed his conviction because be didn't believe there was sufficient evidence in the trial to uphold the conviction. Try thinking with your brain for a change...

I understand your thought process--but for the sake of argument, what do you mean when you say 'the gun control is fizzling'? I agree that since it has been several months since the last major shooting and now that the Senate vote has come and gone, that the issue is not as front and center in the average American's cross check as it was earlier...and I agree that's good for bringing prices down and availability back closer to normal with respect to firearms and somewhat with respect to ammo. But what happens when there is another mass shooting? You're fooling yourself if you don't think there will be another one in the next 2,3,5,7 years--who knows when, but it will happen. So what then? We play this game all over again? The anti-gun folks will not go away and will be waiting patiently to exploit the next tragedy just as they were with this one. I am just curious how you see...or even how you 'hope' to see this gun control issue play out. Because like I said, the issue will not just go away, and there will be other shootings to reignite the powder keg--so what then? I agree that the less shootings there are the better the argument for the pro-gun folks and vice versa the other way around. Are you just hoping this settles down long enough for you and others to stock up, to help get a pro-gun President and legislature elected, to get more people into shooting/being supporters of The 2nd Amendment...? Legitimate questions that I would like to hear you or anybody else answer. The way I see it, the issue shouldn't even be up for debate and though in the short term it's easier to have the issue lay dormant, it doesn't really do you much good in the long term.