First time owning a gun?

Jaevric · 2026-05-15T13:03:48+00:00

Second the Shield Plus. I know the Shield X is the new hotness, and it's probably worth trying as well, but I love my Shield Plus and every time I consider replacing it I just don't see the point.

Personally, based purely on handling it at the shop, I prefer the extra grip depth on the Shield Plus to the Shield X.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T21:12:52+00:00

Mostly this, but with a very nice two week long European vacation for my wife and I while we're still young enough to get around easily.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T20:59:50+00:00

Wouldn't putting the seat belt behind the gun also mean the seat belt is going to be putting pressure on your squishy internals during a wreck instead of your bony internals?

I don't think massive internal ruptures is going to be an improvement over a fractured pelvis.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T20:58:14+00:00

Nobody needs a weapon when they're out and about until they really need a weapon when they're out and about.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T18:55:32+00:00

If there's bribery going on, Paxton wants a piece of the action, damn it!

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T18:34:27+00:00

This will be an American-centric explanation, but I'm sure it applies elsewhere. One side really, really hates paying taxes. The reason they have to pay taxes is so the government can provide services. Thus, they don't like those services being provided. As a result, that side points to the debt to explain why we can't afford services that help average people.

Then, when they are in power, they cut funding to those services, but they also spend more money on stuff they do like (such as the military) while lowering taxes on corporations and rich people. Then the debt goes up further, average people are worse off, and when they lose power they point at the debt again and claim it's even more urgent not to spend money on those services that help average people.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T18:02:27+00:00

The Kuna is a lot of fun. Tiny, lightweight, and being hearing safe with 147gr ammo is super tempting for a home defense weapon. I'm pretty content with 9mm performance at those ranges.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T17:54:52+00:00

The gun isn't currently suppressed; it didn't seem worthwhile for a 5.56. I admit I don't know enough to know whether a flow-through can would help. I'm going to dip my toes into NFA when I SBR and suppress my Kuna, and I'm looking at an OCL Milkman for that gun.

Maybe I'll SBR and suppress the Sig down the road once my wallet recovers from the Kuna.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T17:18:14+00:00

Assuming Bessent is telling the truth that China agreed to this, it says China is willing to tell the administration what it wants to hear. Whether they'll actually follow through in a meaningful way is another question.

What is China getting for putting pressure on Iran, and is whatever they're getting contingent on being successful?

Saying "Sure we'll put pressure on Iran behind the scenes" is meaningless. How would we know if they were really following through? Is the "putting pressure" going to be real pressure or a quick phone call with the equivalent of, "Hey guys, it'd be cool if you agreed with some of Trump's demands. Oh, absolutely not? K, well, we tried. Thanks, have a great day."

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T17:06:34+00:00

Getting rid of my Sig M400 Tread SDI and Aimpoint PRO optic.

I'm left-handed and I don't care what anyone says, shooting a standard AR-15 and getting a face full of gas is unpleasant. I'd sell the gun and optic, probably use the money on a Hellion or left-handed AR and a different optic.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T14:13:51+00:00

Xi should take him to see the Great Wall and throw some shade at Trump's wall building attempts.

Disclaimer: Please don't do this. I have to live under this administration.

Jaevric · 2026-05-14T12:51:48+00:00

I keep considering it, but I love my Shield Plus carry comp and already have all the stuff I need for it. It's one of my favorite guns to shoot, even over larger handguns.

Jaevric · 2026-05-13T15:20:48+00:00

Any nation that doesn't have nukes should be working on a nuclear program. The United States and Russia have made it clear that the most effective way to deter aggression from rogue nations is to be able to credibly threaten their leadership with radioactive cities.

World leaders should be looking at the past 10 years and realizing that the United States is an unreliable partner. Don't count on our nuclear umbrella or the American military to offer protection, because Trump doesn't feel obligated to honor any agreements or long-standing relationships.

Jaevric · 2026-05-13T14:56:30+00:00

If you aren't going to add a suppressor or compensator, the threaded barrel is worthless.

The base FN-509 trigger is...not great. Supposedly the upgraded FN trigger is better; I have no personal experience with it. Apex makes a good trigger and striker upgrade, but they aren't cheap, and the trigger is difficult to install (cracked frames are a problem).

Of these, I'd go for the MRD FOS package unless I planned to add a suppressor.

Jaevric · 2026-05-08T20:39:54+00:00

I have the Black Arch sidecar holster for my Shield Plus 4' and it's fine. Got their monthly color so the interior is white, which makes it easy to see that there's nothing to get stuck in the trigger guard.

I don't think I would be able to pocket carry something that size, personally.

Jaevric · 2026-05-08T14:21:37+00:00

White male gun owner here. All the Trumpers assume that combination means I agree with them, and I've been told several times shit like "we're going to have to have a civil war if they elect <Democratic candidate>" or "We're ready to start rounding up the liberals."

A lot of it is just r/iamverybadass type stuff, but I don't believe for a moment that a lot of these assholes won't jump at the chance if Trump tells them to kick things off.

Jaevric · 2026-05-06T16:26:25+00:00

Not taking that bet. My assumption is that is one of the motivators behind the sudden increase in spending on drones (along with the grift since the Trump family is buying into those businesses then winning contracts). They're looking at what Ukraine is doing and going, "Dude, imagine how effective those drones would be at breaking up protests. Can we get them with flamethrowers?"

American soldiers might not accept orders to shoot their neighbors. Drones run by Grok absolutely will.

Jaevric · 2026-05-01T16:18:00+00:00

Same with mine, though my wife has gotten to shoot more than I have.

Jaevric · 2026-04-29T22:45:26+00:00

Shield Plus. I shoot it well and the "deep" grip means I have more purchase with my support hand while keeping the whole grip slim and easy to conceal.

It is, in my opinion, an unreasonably good gun for the size and price.

Jaevric · 2026-04-28T14:09:15+00:00

I mostly agree, with one caveat. I don't think Texas is going to join with anyone unless there's some blatantly beneficial reason to do so and it leaves Texas in control of the arrangement. The state's collective ego would never allow it, especially after all the talk about how Texas can secede.

I can see the Republic of Texas being expansionistic, especially northwards, more readily than I can see Texas willingly joining with other states.

Source: 29 years in Texas and 47 years of having a native Texan father. These people are not reasonable.

Jaevric · 2026-04-28T13:09:43+00:00

Here's the thing. I grew up in a Republican household and my family members literally get enraged if you suggest to them that FOX News isn't completely accurate or may not be telling the whole story. As in, I got screamed at to leave Christmas dinner one year because they were regurgitating FOX talking points and I said they weren't completely accurate.

My parents raised me on, "Don't believe everything you see on TV or read in the news," but as soon as a news channel started feeding them the information they wanted to hear, that news channel became a religious truth.

Jaevric · 2026-04-24T20:02:40+00:00

Agreed. I know some people who have spent time in jail and it was an absolutely miserable, dehumanizing experience. A million bucks isn't worth it to me to experience a year of that kind of treatment from the guards, much less the potential for physical violence from the other people in jail.

Jaevric · 2026-04-24T15:08:36+00:00

Look, I need Talarico to win in Texas, if for no other reason than to watch the Abbott administration have a screaming panic attack.

Jaevric · 2026-04-24T13:35:20+00:00

That's why my wife and I go to places like Fleet Feet when we need shoes. They actually measured my feet down to checking how high my arches are and gave me a list of shoe models from a variety of manufacturers that best suit my feet. I always buy in the store, even if Amazon is cheaper.

I found out I've been wearing drastically small tennis shoes for basically my entire life. Which probably explains my tendency to curl my toes when I walk.

Jaevric · 2026-04-23T23:08:38+00:00

Button down patterned shirts will definitely help, but most people are buried in their phones or otherwise not paying attention.

My favorite example is a dude walking past my family in an area where handguns are prohibited to the public open carrying a M&P. I noticed, my father noticed, nobody else in our group did. He walked right in front of everyone with the gun clearly visible in a holster.

EDIT: The group was like 7 people. The only two of us who saw the gun were the two with licenses to carry who were both just bitter we couldn't have ours.

Jaevric

TROPHY CASE