Desert Messenger

March 6, 2013

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March 6, 2013 www.DesertMessenger.com To lock or not to lock ... a firearm By Preston Johnson I just saw in your paper that QPD is giving out free gun locks. As a ���rearms instructor that teaches the Arizona Concealed Carry Weapons (CCW) permit class this makes me cringe every time I see this ���goodwill��� gesture on the part of our local police departments. Many people think this is a great safety measure and it is de���nitely secure, but it is not accessible to the gun owner, especially if they need to get to the ���rearm to protect yourself or your family. For example if someone is breaking into your Home or RV in the middle of the night how much time do you need to get access to your personal protection ���rearm? We train our students to get access to their ���secured��� ���rearms in under 15 seconds. Most gun owners are unaware that trigger or cable locks cannot be put on loaded guns or they violate the warranty agreement of the manufacturer. So you have an unloaded gun and have to load it in the middle of the night. Good luck with that. You just got to meet Mr. Murphy of Murphy���s Law. Secondly, most trigger locks have a ���key��� that locks and unlocks the device. Where do you keep the key? If its close to the gun then the ���rearm is NOT secure because somebody can get the key and unlock the gun. On the other hand, if the key is not in the master bedroom with the ���rearm you now have to go on ���patrol��� in your own home or RV to get the key. You will most likely meet the burglar face to face without a loaded weapon at your disposal. Hello again Mr. Murphy! OPINION I���ve been teaching personal protection class classes most of my adult life and the only device that meets the Security vs. Access dilemma of ���rearm safety is a ���rearm lock box, without a key, that uses a touch pad to unlock the device. It bolts to the ���oor of your bedroom and a loaded ���rearm in is inside the box because you need protection NOW. The cost is more than a free trigger lock, about $100 dollars, but you know something? You and your family are worth that extra expense, so DO NOT be a Scrooge when it comes to ���rearm safety. Get the right security device and get some training. We also recommend a ���ashlight accompany the ���rearm as well. Why? Because bad guys do NOT come in board daylight. They come during dusk and dark light conditions. Have you shot a ���rearm using a ���ashlight? Most gun owners have not, but the reality is you need to learn. White light identi���es a friend or a threat. Red dot lasers do NOT identify either. In my ���rearm safety classes I tell the story of the mother who heard someone breaking into her house through the window above the kitchen sink. She pointed her ���rearm and red dot laser on the dark shaped intruder and ���red her gun as they were crawling inside the window. When the mother turned on the light she found she had fatally shot her 17 year son, who had lost his house key. White light from a ���ashlight may have prevented that tragedy. Responsible gun owners secure their weapons, but they also obtain access to them in the event of an emergency. Good luck and be safe! Preston Johnson pjohnson@citadelccw.org (928) 220-1818 Citadel Firearms Training Page 17 Be kind whenever possible. It is always possible. Dalai Lama Nature���s Nuggets BUYS & SELLS GOLD ��������������������� ��� ������������������������ ��������������� We pay 80% of Spot & Up Gold Sand Concentrates Placer Gold 24 Mesh Size up to Nuggets D & B Leather BERTHA IS BACK! Leather as low as 50��/ft! 5,000 sq. ft. upholstery 3-4 oz brown! 5 diesel loads Garment Leather! Belts & Buckles Scrap Hides $2.00/lb. Two Big Locations QUARTZSITE, AZ Main St. and Tyson Wash (behind Dorothy & Toto Ice Cream) Open 7 days/week Nov. - mid-March 928-927-4077 BROAD ACRES SWAP MEET - LAS VEGAS, NV 2930 N. Las Vegas Blvd. Richard Trusty 928-927-5479 435-730-3388 Richard Thomas In Quartzsite over 15 Years! Quartzsite Licensed Business (corner of Pecos) Every Sat. & Sun. Buffalo, Elk, Deer, Goat Furs New Zealand Sheep Skins, Tooling Ladigo For Mail Order Call: 775-751-5351 SONORAN SOLAR & WIND LIMITED TIME AVAILABILITY High Quality Industrial Grade SHARP SOLAR PANELS 24 VOLT / 175 WATT - USED - A 1 CONDITION $175.00 EACH CHARGE CONTROLLER 12/24 Volt/45 Amp MPPT - $269.00 SOLAR PANELS ��� $250.00 EACH 12 VOLT / 120 WATT / 6.7 AMP CHARGE CONTROLLER 30 AMP / 12 VOLT - $79.00 Local Delivery Available YUCCA / KINGMAN LAKE HAVASU PHOENIX VALLEY 928.530.9126 - CRAIG 928.486.1524 - MATT 480.259.9559 - DON

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