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
Jump in the discussion.
No email address required.
Notes -
This is the best article I've seen on the subject:
Does Bear Spray Work?
The conclusion:
Not Alaska Fish and Game but I used to work for a state Fish and Wildlife service in a state with Brown bears and worked with people who worked in Alaska. The article echo's this but for real deal likely bear encounters the best thing is to not go alone. When expecting bear encounters the Alaska F&G guys I knew of would carry 12 gauges with slugs. They would simulate an attack on the range for new guys, your back is turned and a target comes at you at 30 mph. Goal is to spin around and get a kill shot; pretty much everyone dies without a fair amount of practice.
More options
Context Copy link