Monthly Archives: October 2012
Julie G On How She Manages to Keep it Classy while Bringing the Awesome
Julie G – the nicest badass ever. Guns by Smith & Wesson. Photo by Yamil Sued.
When The Noob suggested I interview Julie Golob for GN a little while back, I practically spit my coffee out all over the keyboard in my enthusiastic effort to respond in the affirmative. Julie is a world-class athlete with some 120 championship titles in seven different action shooting disciplines, as well as an author, veteran, social media consultant and hunter. She also happens to be one of the most gracious and kindest people I’ve come across in the gun world. Her passion for the shooting sports, and introducing new folks to firearms, is virtually boundless. On the heels of her big announcement that there will soon be another little Golob gunner running around, I had the privilege to speak with the pretty powerhouse about writing, shooting, family and how she keeps that signature smile on her face.
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Review: The Ruger American
Whether or not to buy the Ruger American Rifle came down to a coin flip for me. A few months ago I was overcome with two distinct itches. One was to buy a new gun and the other was to CoinStar the change in my change jar, which was beginning to weigh more than my children. The two itches seemed to complement one another, and the two candidates for my splurge came down to a Chilean military Madsen rifle in .30-06 (I have an affinity for old military rifles) and the Ruger American Rifle in .270. In the end, the Ruger won by virtue of its price. I had exactly enough money to pay the $375 price tag with what was in the coin jar while the Madsen would have required a little extra.
One could say that this story makes Ruger’s entire sales pitch when it comes to the American Rifle. It’s inexpensive yet comes with the kind of bells and whistles one would expect from higher priced rifles. The fact that I was literally able to buy a modern hunting rifle with loose change is the kind of garbage I would expect to see in a Ruger commercial, but there you go. I guess you win this round, Ruger!
But “inexpensive” doesn’t mean “quality,” and although I was willing to give the American a shake based on its price point, it would still have to prove itself both on the range and in the field. I was finally able to to take it to the first today, and the results were rather striking. Continue reading
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Reader Question: Big Guns for Small People
I got an email from a reader named Mike:;
I found your site about three months ago. I love your articles. They are funny and very informative and I look forward to reading every new one. I recently started to get more involved and interested in shooting and my fiancé has taken an interest in it as well. She is a petite woman with small hands and short fingers. She has fired a ruger sr22 that we rented at our local range and loved it. She tried to move up in caliber the last time we took a range trip but my s&w 6946 has a thick frame and grips. I was wondering if you could suggest some pistols with a short trigger reach and thinner frame or slimmer grips that she may be able to try out before I purchase her one. As of right now she doesn’t like the kick of a compact but that could be because my buddy’s khar polymer .40 is a little much. I guess I’m asking if you have a list that is within a reasonable price because when I think single stack it leads my mind to the 1911a1 which I’ve heard has a short reach but they tend to run a little high. Thanks for taking your time to read this I figure you’re a busy person and I look forward to reading more of your interesting articles even if you can’t help me out.
First off, thanks for reading and thanks for sending in the question! Continue reading
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It All Started With Some Swearing…
One year ago, I got frustrated. I was annoyed that I was having a very hard time finding out the answer to a simple question. At this point, I can’t really remember what the question was. I do, however, remember the feeling of trying to find that answer.
The blogs I had stumbled across seemed to be talking at a higher level than my question and, for the most part, seemed to be more concerned with politics and showing off how good they were at the range than anything else. The forums, with only a couple of exceptions, were filled with elitist fanboys who would rather flame you off the board than answer a simple question. I remember seeing a post on a rather prominent board where someone was asking if there was a significant advantage of .45 over .40. You would think the guy had pimp slapped the Pope. There were almost 3 pages of nothing but insults and not a single attempt to even answer the question in a polite manner.
I shouldn’t have been surprised. It is the internet, after all.
But just because that’s the way things are doesn’t mean I have to accept it. A short while later, I launched GunNoob.com. I had a rough idea of what I wanted to do with it and the site has evolved a bit since then. I wanted a friendly place where someone could ask even the most basic question and get a straight answer with no ridicule. Continue reading
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Best Gun for Home Defense?
Most people looking to buy their first gun tend to have the same question: What’s the best gun for home defense? I know I have a tendency for long winded introductions, so I’m going to skip right to the point: Let’s answer that question, shall we?
Note: The original opening I had in mind was 6 paragraphs. You’re welcome.
So what does “home defense” entail? Close quarters combat in relatively tight spaces. There are obstacles and hallways. Defensive situations are fast, and violent. As such, maneuverability is of utmost importance.
So what are the options? You have the choice of a rifle, a shotgun and a handgun. Continue reading
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