MEMBER MEETING Recap Web Site Additions · 2019-10-26 · Tactical Pen/Kubaton These could be considered concealed weapon depending on the design and use, and non-lethal alternative

The Reticle©

, Straight Shooters Newsletter October 2017 Page 1 of 7

MEMBER MEETING Recap By Terry Marksberry

Announcements

Member Meeting Schedule: Savannah has had

scheduling issues with other events, but should

settle down in 2018. Always check the website

for the latest: either the Home Page (upper left

corner) or Events Tab | Member Meetings.

Club Shoot Ranges: The local indoor is no

longer used due to the lead contamination

problems, but if you want to individually go, do

so at your own risk.

Emeralda range is outdoors, so may have limits

due to inclement weather.

However, those wanting to shoot

indoors can now do so with NEW

service to Shooters World in Tampa. One

hour of shooting, One hour of shopping or

relaxing. Note it is not an excursion; participants

limited; mini-bus does not have restrooms. See

the website for details under Events tab | VSS

Club Shoots.

Orlando Gun Show: next show is Oct 14th

&

15th

. Check website Resources Tab | Firearms

Resources.

Reload Range NFA Expo: December 2nd

and 3

rd all day event to include vendor demos,

raffles, simulator time, shoot your own gun(s),

or buy a gun at special prices. Check the

website for details (Home Page, upper right

under the What’s New section).

Web Site Additions

Product reviews (Education tab)

What to do when your doctor asks about your guns

Shooters World updates

USCCA vs. NRA Carry Guard

Warning shot – short version, DON’T do it. Read the background and recent legal

decision in FL. Hint: you will likely go to

jail. See web site and READ the material to

see why a warning shot is a bad idea.

By the way, since our Club web site has so

much information, do you have trouble finding

something? Solution: use the search box and

type in what you want to find. Easy!

OPEN CARRY – NO PERMIT – 29 States

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OPEN CARRY

WITH PERMIT – 14

NO OPEN

CARRY – 6

Main Meeting Topic

First of all, our Florida CCW stands for

Concealed Carry Weapon. It does not state

Concealed Carry Gun or Firearm although a gun

falls in the weapon category. Now, some legal

minutiae.

Florida Statute 790.001 (3)(a) defines a weapon

as a Dirk (fixed blade dagger), metallic

knuckles, Billie (club), tear gas gun, chemical

weapon or device and “other” deadly weapon

concealed from the ordinary sight of another

person. 790.001 (3)(b) includes tear gas gun or

chemical weapon or device except self-defense

chemical spray SOLELY for self defense may

be compact, carried on or about your person and

contains less than 2 oz. of chemical material.

Considering this, Simple or Aggravated Assault

crimes are NON-lethal 60-80% of the time. In

these cases, producing and using a firearm could

violate proportionality resulting in arrest.

You may be wondering what is proportionality.

It is the amount of force used has to match the

threat. Lethal force is imminent death or great

bodily harm (GBH) using a firearm, knife, blunt

force. For example, someone younger and

bigger than you are assaults you (verbal or

physical threat to cause harm to you), and then

commits battery (actually touching you) might

include a firearm or knife or baseball bat, etc. If

someone yells at you that they will kill you and

walks away, there is no imminent death or

GBH.

So, how do you defend yourself? Frankly, the

first objective is constant awareness, avoidance

(escape or safe distance), and attract people as a

witness or to help. In sum, make yourself look

like you are more trouble than you are worth

bothering with.

If you carry objects for protection you must

include not just deadly force, e.g. gun, but also

for non-lethal protection, e.g. pepper gel,

kubaton (know how to use it), stun device, loud

noise, etc.

Let’s examine.

Carrying a knife can be lethal or non-lethal in

Florida which has the most ambiguous knife

laws in the country. A “common pocket knife”

does not require a CCW license, but defining

such a device is ill defined. Generally it must

be folding, have a blade less than 4 inches, and

if concealed, must be closed. Whereas, a

ballistic knife is illegal. Then again, Open

Carry of any knife (including fixed blade) is

legal IF the clip and tip of the knife is showing

and normally visible.

Do the courts agree with this? Well, yes and no.

A common pocket knife may NOT have too

many features, but doesn’t describe what those

features or how many is too many. Some

features are serrated blade, spear tip, fixed

blade, finger grips, or assisted opening. We

suspect that assisted opening is generally a

switch that automatically releases the blade

without further human intervention. However,

what about an EMS knife that has a thumb hold

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for one-hand opening but requires constant

contact and motion to open. Not defined.

Knives require close proximity to the assailant,

are potentially lethal and could be taken away

from and used on you. Unless you are agile,

trained and really good at physical combat, most

of these are not viable self defense weapons.

Now what? Stun Devices perhaps.

Florida residents may purchase and possess,

carry open or concealed, Stun Devices used for

self defense without a license. However, they

may not be carried on school property or school

event (3rd

degree felony). They can cause the

assailant to be dazed or confused, loss of

balance or muscle control lasting several

minutes and time for you to escape. Although an

intimidation factor, remember you must have

physical contact for it to work. They come in

various sizes from key chains, to pocket/purse,

flashlight combo (bigger now), or anti-grab

(biggest). Also don’t forget to ensure the battery

is charged before you go out! Final thought:

they are illegal in some states and municipalities

Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts,

Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Rhode

Island, Wisconsin, D.C., Annapolis &

Baltimore, MD, Chicago, Philadelphia, and

Crawford County, LA.

These are recommended EDC devices.

Pepper Spray/Gel

These are legal to carry with or without a CCW

in Florida and open carry. However, they may

not be taken to schools or jail and not pointed at

law enforcement officers.

Technical: spray is good to 10 ft with a broad

spray which is affected by the wind. Gel is

good to 15 ft with a directed spray and much

less affected by the wind. The shelf life is on the

canister, but store at room temperature (not a

hot car) and limited to 2 oz. volume. These also

come in large and keychain sizes. Considering

use is likely outside, GEL is a better choice over

SPRAY.

. These are recommended EDC devices.

Next up are baton

type (close quarters)

devices.

Self Defense Baton

like the police carries

for quick deployment

to strike arms, knees,

or head. Training is required and may not be

easily concealed.

Tactical Pen/Kubaton

These could be considered concealed weapon

depending on the design and use, and non-lethal

alternative. Batons and stick type kubaton

should be

used on

bony areas,

pen/kubaton

on soft tissue areas. Both should be used to

strike hard and fast multiple times.

Finally, loud and bright.

The Personal alarm is legal to carry open or

concealed without a license. They are designed

to attract attention and hopefully assistance.

Flashlights with LED lights can be blinding in

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low light (night), enhances awareness and allow

for avoidance or escape.

Summary:

If you carry concealed firearm:

Avoid proportionality issue

Carry one or more non-lethal alternative(s)

Learn how to use all of them

If you do NOT carry a firearm:

Get a CWFL to be safe

Carry one or more non-lethal SD items

Learn how to use them

In both cases, maintain HEIGHTENED

AWARENESS. Know what and who is around

you!

INSTRUCTOR’S CORNER

By Stephen Mosel

PERFECT PRACTICE

Maximizing your time at the range can be a

challenge. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve

gotten back from a practice session, slapped my

forehead and realized I hadn’t worked on the

one thing I went to the range for in the first

place! With all the excitement and fun of

firearms going off, making certain you’re doing

things safely, hanging targets and checking your

equipment, you can easily get sidetracked as

you go through a session. Below are some tips

for making your practice sessions count.

MAKE A CHECK LIST: Do you want to

concentrate on making sure the trigger lies

perfectly on your finger pad? Do you want to

work on your breathing techniques for Bullseye

competition? Did an instructor give you a tip

about your grip that you want to explore?

Whatever you want to work on, write a check

list before you go to the range and be sure to

read it a few times while there. Otherwise, like

ignoring a grocery list, you’ll be sure to forget

something.

DON’T WASTE BRASS (It can get

expensive): Just like at a golf range where

golfers get into a rhythm and – because they’re

doing well - rapidly hit ball after ball without so

much as a thought as to their technique, shooters

often blast away, happy that the shots are

generally hitting the target. It’s always

satisfying to “get into the groove”, but be

certain you know why it’s happening. No, you

don’t want to over-analyze technique, but be

sure to stay in control of the proceedings. If you

get too relaxed…….well, read on below.

KEEP UP YOUR ENERGY LEVELS:

Towards the end of a session, when shooters are

starting to get tired, the shot groups inevitably

start to expand. When your concentration

wanes, the likelihood of a “flyer” (one shot well

out of the group) is greatly increased. Stay with

your basics (trigger control-grip-stance-sight

alignment-breathing, etc.) all the way through

the session. Also, as we tire, safety

considerations can suffer and with this sport,

that’s not something you want to have happen.

VARY THE TARGETS: Keep things

interesting by shooting at different kinds of

targets. After you’re finished with the standard

targets, put up a target backwards and think

small. Fire a round into the blank paper and

make that strike your target. Thinking small will

make you concentrate even harder. Or, before

you go to the range, tape small card-size pieces

of scrap paper to a cardboard backer and you’ll

have a target that will last a long time and is far

more fun. You’ll then be able to move around

the targets for a more realistic shooting

experience. Just remember to stay in your safe

space and to follow local range rules regarding

rapid fire practice. If you’re at a range that

offers alternative targets like steel, check that

you have the proper kind of ammunition and the

distances are safe; be certain to take advantage

of that option.

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There are ranges like RELOAD that offer

multiple shooting experiences including a

virtual range, automatic weapon fire, and

beautiful regular ranges. The many offerings

make the excursion well worth your time and it

all helps make you a better shooter. But going to

a more convenient and simpler range like our

own Emeralda, can be a very rewarding

experience. At whatever range you’re at, think

outside the box to make the day more

interesting, but always return to the basics to

keep safe and keep your groups closer to the ten

ring.

MEET THE MEMBER By Stephen Mosel

MEMBERSHIP MAESTRO

So many shooters start their association with

guns while still just tots learning how to handle

a firearm from a parent or relative. With our

Membership

Chairman,

Armand

Codoner, it

was quite a

different tale.

Armand’s first

foray into the

world of

shooting was

upon joining

the thin blue

line of the NYPD. Born and raised in Flatbush

Brooklyn, he was a New Yorker thru and thru.

After Brooklyn Technical High School and the

College of Staten Island (majoring in

mechanical technology) followed by a few

“normal” jobs, Armand was accepted into the

ranks of the New York City Police Department

in the 75th Precinct, East New York, Brooklyn.

They had

him training

as a computer

programmer when, due to severe budget cuts in

all NY departments, he was laid off after only

two years. It was difficult to gain employment

as potential employers felt that the ex-cops

would just go back to the department as soon as

the budgetary concerns were worked out.

Armand tried a few low-paying jobs, even

delivering bagels at one point. Of course, the

news wasn’t all bad as he was to meet his future

wife, Patricia, through his uncle (only eight

years older – more like a brother, really). His

uncle was dating Patricia’s sister and knew that

Patricia needed a prom date. The rest, as they

say, is history. The happy couple just celebrated

their 49th wedding anniversary!

In addition to the good news on the marital

front, Armand’s patience paid off when he

landed his career job as a Senior Systems

Analyst, developing applications for ABC

News. His job included travelling with Good

Morning America to Europe, Scandinavia,

Canada as well as throughout the U.S. as I.T.

support. He retired from ABC after 25 years.

Looking for a spot to land, he finally gave in to

the charms of our community and he and

Patricia moved to The Villages in 2013.

Always having wanted to rekindle his shooting

abilities, he joined The Straight Shooters that

same year and volunteered to use his working

skills helping with Membership. He figured that

since there were only 200 members, how hard

could this possibly be?! Oops! But, with VSS

currently at about 2300 members and counting,

Armand has turned his office into Straight

Shooters Central, with ink-jet printers and paper

folders dedicated to Club activities only. He

does find time to shoot and has completed the

Distinguished Expert level in the Winchester

Program with his Beretta 9mm, which also

serves as his home defense gun. Never one to do

things the easy way, Armand’s vision, following

some surgery, unusually went from right-eye

dominant to left-eye dominant. When he finally

figured that one out, his shooting results got

even better. With all the current building going

on in The Villages, he sees a possible need to

cap the membership in the not-too-distant

future. But right now, he’s working hard to

handle the numbers. Armand is another great

example of the kind of dedicated member that

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makes the Club run so well. Say “Hi” to him at

the membership table the next time you attend a

General Membership Meeting. As always, he’ll

be there!

Seminar Review, Sept. 2017 The semi-annual gun cleaning came off without

a hitch and no incidents. Word is that all guns

that came into the meeting, left fully assembled

without any leftover pieces or parts. Good job!

September 2017 Raffle Winner The giveaway gun was a 9mm Springfield

Armory EMP4. There was only one September

Member Meeting due to Hurricane Irma.

And the winner was:

Robert Spatz

Congratulations Robert!!!

Ocala Sportsman’s Association

Handgun & Rifle (Outdoor Range)

Shooter of the

Month for

September at the

Ocala Sportsman

Association was:

Session II

John Kardel

Winchester / NRA Achievements Attained Expert: Michael Blatti,

Ronald Kinman, Raymond

Navitsky, Martin Rosenberg and

Joseph Wemlinger

Attained Pistol Defense I, Distinguished

Expert: Ron VanDevander

Attained Pistol Defense II, Distinguished

Expert: Ron VanDevander

You can always see the current standings on the

web site by clicking the header and follow

Events Winchester QP | WMP standings.

A Hearty Congratulation to All!!

Upcoming Club Activities

EXCURSIONS

Shooters World: indoor shooting. Monthly; 2nd

Tuesday (next trip is Oct. 10th

). There are a

limited number of participants via mini-bus (no

restroom). Shoot for an hour; shop/relax for an

hour.

Reload Gun Range: Yes, it’s back! Thursday,

Oct. 19th

for 37 participants.

NOTE: Club Membership and Reservations

are required for all Shooting Events

Shooting Events All shoots are scheduled by registering on the

Club web site via Eventbrite.

OPEN shoots at Emeralda Outdoor Range are

on the 1st and 4

th Tuesday, and 3

rd Friday

conducted at 8 and 9 am. Also, an indoor shoot

at Shooters World, Oct. 10th

.

Beginners shoots at Emeralda Outdoor Range is

now both time slots of 8 and 9 am the 1st Friday.

Bullseye Session 11-1 of the Bullseye Shooting

League was started on August 28 and will run

for 7 weeks on Mondays. This session will

consist of both Rimfire and Centerfire. The

shooting will be conducted at the Emeralda

Range in Leesburg, 8-9 and 9-10 am.

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Emeralda events: See the website for directions.

Cost $10 cash; PLEASE try to have the exact

amount since making change can be difficult.

OSA is the 4th

Thursday of the

month at the Outdoor Sportsman

Assoc. Ocala range conducted at

8:45 and 11 am. Each session has a handgun

and separate rifle range.

Winchester is currently once a month at

Shooter’s World in Tampa, generally the 2nd

Wednesday of the month.

Accordingly, the schedule is: Day Date Time Event Location

Mon Oct 2 8-10 am

relays

Bullseye Emeralda

Tue Oct 3 8 & 9 am Open Emeralda

Fri Oct 6 8 & 9 am Beginners Emeralda

Mon Oct 9 8-10 am

relays

Bullseye Emeralda

Tue Oct

10

7:30 am

– 12:30 p

Open Shooter’s

World

Wed Oct

11

7:15 –

11:15 am

Winchester Shooter’s

World

Mon Oct

16

8-10 am

relays

Bullseye Emeralda

Thur Oct

19

8 & 9 am Open Emeralda

Fri Oct

20


Mon Oct

23

8-10 am

relays

Bullseye Emeralda

Tue Oct

24


Thur Oct

26

9:45 &

11 am

Pistol OSA

Thur Oct

26

9:45 &

11 am

Rifle OSA

Mon Oct

30

8-10 am

relays

Bullseye Emeralda

Emerald range as it is supposed to be for use.

Post Hurricane Irma – Swimming, Fishing and oh by the way Shooting Resort.

The water is slowly draining and outdoor

shooting should resume later in October.

Next Seminar Meeting

The next Seminar is Oct. 18th

which

will be on Red Dot Optics, 2-3:30 pm

at Sea Breeze. Sign up on the web site

via Eventbrite.

Education Classes Basic Pistol Safety: Oct 2

nd, Nov 13

th & 29

th,

Dec 4th

& 6th

.

Personal Protection I – In the Home: Oct. 5th

,

Nov. 30th

& Dec. 12th

. (7 participants minimum)

Next Member Meetings The next Member Meetings will be:

Savannah Rec Center:

Friday, October 13th

, 6:45pm – 8:15 pm.

Doors open at 6:00 pm. Topic Armed Defense,

Every Day Carry.

Eisenhower Rec Center:

Monday, October 23rd

at 6:30 pm – 8:00 pm.

Doors open at 5:30pm. Topic will be Sig Sauer

Firearms and Short Subjects.

Gun Raffle for the October meetings:

Ruger American

Compact 9mm

9x19 mm

2, 10 Round mags

3.55” barrel

6.55” long

29.2 oz.

The Reticle©

A monthly publication of the Villages Straight Shooters, LLC

Managing Editor, Steve Gianelos, [email protected]

Layout & Design, Mike Plocharczyk

Electronic (PDF) copies of The Reticle available at:

http://www.vssclub.org/newsletter.html

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.vssclub.org/newsletter.html

Documents

MEMBER MEETING Recap Web Site Additions · 2019-10-26 · Tactical Pen/Kubaton These could be considered concealed weapon depending on the design and use, and non-lethal alternative