The Math Teacher moonlights as Mary Kay Man

I'll be carrying something besides a gun

As most of you know in addition to being a gun addict I am a teacher in the public school system. I really love teaching and believe that God has called me to this field. I went back to college full time at Kennesaw State University at the advanced age of 45 to earn my degree in education. In order to make myself a better teacher I graduated from the University of Texas at Arlington last December with a Master's in Curriculum and Instruction. Needless to say, all of this education I have acquired over the last few years was not free and I had to take out numerous loans to be able to pay for it. It is now time to begin paying back those loans and to be honest the teaching profession isn't the most lucrative field I could have chosen. I didn't need any of my degrees to see that I had more money scheduled to go out than come in.
Mathematically, this is a recipe for disaster.

There are two solutions to this problem.
Decrease the amount going out. (Spend less)
Increase the amount coming in. (Make more)

Spend less -
We could eat out less, which we have started.
Reduce or cut out the cable/Internet bill. I was able to get it reduced but I can't cut it out.. I mean, wouldn't you miss me?
Use less water, cut the lights off, run the thermostat up or down.
Don't drive any where unless you have to.
And I'm sure you can think of all the same ones I did.
The problem is that we never have lived what you would call, "high on the Hog", so there isn't really that much to be saved.
I could stop buying ammo/guns and sell what I have. Just so you know how serious this is I have actually sold seven guns the summer and I have shot very little. That's why you haven't heard much from me. (This is supposed to be a blog about guns.)

Make more -
As a teacher I don't really have time for a second job at Kroger, McDonald's, Walmart, etc. so I began to look at other things I might do. After extensive research on various things such as Tupperware, Pampered Chef, Disciple's Cross, Fuller Brush, etc.; I have decided to become a Mary Kay Independent Beauty Consultant.

When you stop laughing understand that Mary Kay is a fantastic company with a really good program to help people. Will I be doing your make-up and hosting a lot of parties?  Probably not, but I do promise to give you the best possible customer service and get what you need to you as quickly as possible. 
So check out my website and help a teacher out -
Mary Kay by Bill Stanley
And as always.....

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher

New Gun = New Job?

I want everybody to know that I did get a new gun a couple of weeks ago but there is absolutely no truth to the rumor that I will be joining Navy SEAL Team 6 this summer. I'm guessing this rumor got started because the new gun I have is a Sig Sauer Navy Special P226 MK25. Yes, this is the exact same 9mm handgun that SIG sends to the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC). It comes complete with a phosphate finish applied to all internal components, “providing corrosion resistance in even the harshest of saltwater environments.” As opposed to the mildest of saltwater environments like maybe a salt water fish tank.

It even comes with an engraved gold anchor right on the side of the gun. Apparently, “the pistol’s slide hints at its military origin, while the UID code on the right side serves as a genuine badge of authenticity.” Better yet, “The true mil-spec 1913 rail is machined into the hard coat anodized alloy frame, providing a solid mounting point for lights, lasers and accessories.” The MK25 comes complete with two-piece polymer grips, SIGLITE night sights, three mags, and a card certifying that yup, it’s a collector’s piece alright. This firearm came from Stoddard's Range and Guns in Douglasville and I got it by trading three guns for it. That's right three guns. It was a pretty good deal when you consider that “the only other way to obtain an authentic MK25 pistol would require a Naval enlistment and training with elite forces.” That’s IF you got in AND you don’t get to keep the gun even if you DID. Which you probably wouldn’t so  . . .

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher

To shoot or not to shoot?

To shoot or not to shoot? That is the question.

Since most of you know I am a big supporter of the Second Amendment you probably think this article has to do with something really important like when is it OK to pull your gun and shoot someone who is trying to hurt you or your family. Or is it alright to show a bad guy your weapon in hopes of scaring him off? Those are both very important topics but shall be addressed another day.

What I want to talk about today is, should I go to the range and shoot today? Most of the time when I make my weekly visit to the range it is with my 21 year old son. We started shooting together about 4 years ago and have gone most every Saturday since then. As you might expect, I enjoy shooting but part of the fun has always been spending time with my son, Joey. It's cool that he has grown into a fine respectful young man and even more cool that we have something that we can do together. When we first started, I could always out shoot him. He out shoots me sometimes now. Don't tell him but I think that is kind of cool.

So now for the problem. Joey has a job. Now, don't get me wrong I think the fact that he has a job is great. Heck, I have a job and so do most other responsible people. The problem is that Joey and I like to shoot early on Saturday mornings. Joey has started working almost every Saturday morning. The reason we go on Saturday mornings is it's usually less crowded and less people just means there is less chance for some sort of accident to happen. At a public range, you never know who the person in the next lane may be and how safe are they with their guns.

Do I go to the range early in the morning and shoot by myself?
Do I not go shooting and wait for when Joey can go?
Do I go later in the day?
There are some Saturdays that we could go later in that day but that doesn't work every weekend because sometimes he works most of the day.

I guess the real question is do I like shooting well enough to do it by myself?
Well, duh. Where's my range bag?

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher
  

Why do people want guns?

There are as many different reasons for wanting to own a gun as there are guns to own.

First, a gun can be used as a sporting tool. Guns can be used for target shooting and for hunting. I enjoy target shooting and it is very popular in the United States. You don't see it glamorized much but there are even a few different shooting events in the Olympics. The Olympic games include competitions for both men and women, with a total of 15 events in all - including five in each of the three major shooting disciplines – Rifle, Pistol and Shotgun. Men usually compete in 50m rifle three positions (prone, standing, kneeling); 50m rifle prone; 10m air rifle; 50m pistol; 25m rapid fire pistol; 10m air pistol; 10m running target; Trap (shotgun); Double Trap (shotgun); and Skeet (shotgun) Meanwhile, women sure shots usually participate in 50m rifle three positions (prone, standing, kneeling); 10m air rifle; 25m pistol; 10m air pistol; Trap (shotgun); Double Trap (shotgun); and Skeet (shotgun). As you might have guessed guns are also a vital part of hunting. I myself have never been hunting but it is something that I think I want to try. Maybe this fall....

Guns are also a valuable tool for self-defense. A gun is an equalizer. This means that a gun allows a small or nonathletic person to defend themselves from a criminal no matter how big or strong the criminal may be. There is an old saying that says, "God made man, but Samuel Colt made them equal". Guns are also actually a great crime deterrent. When a criminal thinks you might be armed, he is less likely to choose you as a victim. The right to defend oneself from criminals is a basic human right, and a gun is one of the best tools to protect yourself, as well as your family, from crime. If you look at most mass shootings, they ended when someone else showed up with a gun, usually the police. The criminal either surrenders or takes their own life. This would lead you to believe that if they thought someone in that school, church or office had a gun they never would have started.

Finally, the founding father's believed that gun ownership was necessary for a country to truly be free. They created the Second Amendment so the people could protect themselves from the government. If the government distrusted the people so much as to disarm them, then that government no longer truly represented the people. In other words, in our structure of government, the power is supposed to lie in the hands of the people. How would it make sense for that government, of the people, to take away the most effective means of self defense from those people?

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher

Why do I carry a gun?

I'll preface this by saying that I carry a gun most every where I go. In fact, there are only two places that you would find me without a gun.

So, why do I carry a gun?

1. Because I can. It is a right afforded to me by the U.S. Constitution and the Georgia State constitution. It is afforded to me by a concealed carry law that law abiding citizens should never have had to fight for. Nonetheless, it has been hard won through long and expensive legislative action to develop what we have today. It is a right and the more of us who obtain the license and carry the guns, the harder it will be for controlling politicians to reverse it in the future.

2. Because it is my duty to take responsibility for my and my family's safety. I have lots of friends who are police officers but police generally arrive at a crime scene after the criminals are long gone and the devastation to citizen victims is already done. It is foolish indeed to believe that that our civil governments have the ability to protect us from the sub human predators of our society.

3. Because I live in a real world in which I recognize that dangers are present. To do otherwise is to stick our heads in the sand and ignore an ever-present danger among us.

4. Because I want to be part of what makes criminals wonder if the next person they choose to assault may be the one that ends their life. The more law abiding citizens that are armed, the less sure criminals can be of the outcome of their actions against us.

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher

Shooting a Handgun Accurately

I enjoy shooting and go to the range most every weekend. Although I'm no expert by anyone's definition, I think I'm at least an adequate shot at around 20 to 25 feet. So I thought I would share some basic handgun shooting tips. There are of course many different ways to shoot a handgun but I'm going to concentrate on the simplest handgun techniques that I feel will work for most people.

There are five major components of an accurate shot:
the stance, or how the body is positioned;
the grip, or how the gun is held,
the sight alignment,
the correct trigger pull, and
the follow through.

Stance

A proper stance provides the following:
*Good stability and ability to handle recoil
*Natural position allowing as many muscles to be relaxed as possible and reducing shaking and tension while shooting
*Easy transformation to moving or shooting in different directions

There are number of different stances. One of the simplest stances to master for a newbie is the Isosceles stance. The name comes from the shape created by the arms and the body of a shooter when looking from above.
Here is how you do it:
1-Set your feet apart at about shoulder width or slightly wider.
2-Move the strong foot slightly back.
3-Point your toes straight.
4-Slightly bend your knees.
5-Lean the entire body toward the target.
6-Roll your shoulders forward and relax.
7-Grab the gun (see next step for the proper grip) and extend both arms in front of you.
8-Slightly bend your elbows to the side (not down). The arms should not be tense in elbows and shoulder more than it is needed to keep the gun up.
9-Relax your wrists. Let them absorb the recoil. When shooting, the gun should move up and down hinged at your wrists. The elbows and the shoulders do not move.
Try it a few times in front of a mirror.

Grip

Here is how you do the basic two hand grip:
*Place the gun in the web of your hand as high as possible.
*Move your index finger above the trigger guard.
*Move your thumb forward and slightly upward.
*Squeeze the rest of the fingers around the grip. You should use the strength similar to what you need to use a hammer.
*Put the middle of the weak hand index finder under the trigger guard
*Form a fist with your weak hand, squeezing around your strong hand. Use slightly more strength with your weak hand than you use with your strong hand.
*Make sure that the base of the thumb of your weak hand touches as much metal of the gun as possible.

Sight alignment

The sights are coming in different shapes and sizes, but the underlying principle is the same. You need to align three objects: the front sight, the back sight, and the spot on the target you want to shoot at on a single straight line both vertically and horizontally.
In most cases the eyes should be focused on the front sight. The target and the back sights should be out of focus. In rare cases when you shoot at very short distances (e.g. under 6 feet), you should focus on the target instead, switching to more intuitive “point and shoot” mode. But for the majority of the cases you should look and concentrate at the front sight.

Trigger pull

Incorrect trigger pull is the biggest source of inaccurate shots. Even experienced shooters tend to “anticipate” the shot and compensate the movement, jerking the gun too early and, as a result, missing the target.

Here are the proper steps to pull the trigger:
*Place the point between the first and the second phalanx of your index finger on the trigger
*Pull it back until you have picked up the slack.
*Squeeze the trigger, steadily increasing the pressure. No jerking movements.
*Make sure you squeeze directly backward, without applying any pressure to the sides.
*The shot should happen suddenly, surprising you. That will prevent you from jerking the gun in anticipating movement.

Follow through

The main goal of the Follow through is to prepare for the next shot as fast as possible with minimal effort and re-aligning.
As soon as the shot is produced, while the gun is still moving in your hand, move the finger back, releasing the trigger to the point it resets. You should not release it completely all the way, just to the point it resets and would produce another shot when squeezed again.
If you are using the proper stance and grip the recoil moves the gun first up and slightly aside, and then the gun naturally moves down. Catch this movement down and direct it to the new or the same target. Do not use a separate movement, just ride the same one the gun does anyway. Simply correct it slightly so it ends up in a place you need.
As a result of a proper follow through you will finish the shot with your finger on a trigger ready to pull and the sights on the target. With some practice it becomes an automatic reflex laying a good foundation for rapid fire.

As I said - I am no expert but maybe these ideas will help you enjoy shooting as much as I do.

Thanks for listening,
The Math Teacher