A few decades back, a guitar student of mine was an ex-Marine, and in the Marine Corps, he developed an enthusiasm for target shooting with a pistol. He invited me to come with him to a local pistol range. I found trying to put a bullet into a 3" black spot on a piece of paper at 25 yards quite a challenge and a great deal of fun—sort of like golf.

Loren had a .22 target pistol (I forget which brand) and a fine-tuned Colt .45 automatic "Gold Cup," the target model of the slab-sided military sidearm. Kick like a mule!

I went to a local sporting goods store and bought a Smith and Wesson Model 41 target pistol (long barrel) and, on a whim, a Walther PPK, 9mm. short—this was nearly the same pistol that James Bond packed around. Small, compact, powerful for its size. Europe's answer to the .38 caliber snub-nosed revolver.

Interesting to note that when I bought these guns, there was no background check of any kind. The store clerk didn't even ask me for I.D. (!!)

For a couple of years, Loren and I, and a couple of other friends, would spend Sunday afternoons either at the Seattle Police Athletic Association's pistol range (Loren was a member, although he was not a policeman) blowing holes in paper targets, or out at a gravel pit "plinking." Filling empty beer or soft drink cans with water, setting them on a fence rail, and blazing away at them. A soft drink can filled with water makes a very satisfying geyser when hit square-on with a 9mm bullet!

I haven't gone shooting for a number of years, now, and my pistols reside safely under lock and key. I have no plans to join an unofficial civilian militia. Crazy! If the U. S. government turns into a dictatorship, I will simply move to Canada. If someone tries to break into my apartment, he will, first, have to deal with a secure building, then get through some efficient locks. My wife and I feel pretty safe in our snug little nest.

But--if someone does manage to break in, he may find himself being whipped about the head and shoulders with a sport fencing saber, left over from my days of emulating Zorro at my local athletic club.

I understand that, although private ownership of handguns is illegal in the UK, ownership of shotguns IS legal. If push came to shove, I'd prefer to face someone who is armed with a snub-nosed revolver than some nutter with a double-barreled shotgun!!

Don Firth