Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with shooting

VEGAS, BABY!

jason's_planet — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 16:11:06 -0800

Next month, I will be travelling to Las Vegas. For the very first time in my life. I have a whole bunch of Vegas-newbie questions. I’d like to ask you for your help. 1. What will the weather be like in mid-March? Would a dip in the pool be comfortable?

2. What’s the best car rental spot in Las Vegas? Does it cost significantly more to rent a car with GPS?

3. What’s a good beginner-friendly poker room, preferably one with lower limits? I love poker but the unfortunate reality is that I haven’t played in years. I am not World Series material. Not at this point, at least. If it helps, the model I have in mind is the poker room at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City. Something like that.

4. For that matter, where can we find casinos that hit the sweet spot I’m looking for, that is – reasonably cheap gambling without being seedy or nasty?

5. What’s a good place to play Keno?

6. Where can we find sports book rooms with a wide range of events? Of particular interest would be sports rooms that allow you to gamble on UK football.

7. You know that place in Minnesota where you can drive a tank? And for a little bit extra, you can crush a car with said tank? Do they have a branch in Las Vegas? (This is a long shot, I know. But I thought it was worth a try.)

8. What neighborhoods should we avoid for safety/crime reasons? I live in NYC. I don’t own a car. Walking is my default mode of transportation. Where do I NOT want to be walking?

9. Where can I find a guide to the personality/vibe/crowd of various casinos? If it helps, both of us are middle-aged kind-of-sort-of bohemian nerds.

10. What is the etiquette of tipping dealers when you win? What’s the standard percentage?

11. If I find myself awake before noon, and not in the mood to gamble, where can I kick back with some good coffee and a decent pastry?

12. Where can I find good, cheap craps tables?

13. Tell me about the Las Vegas art scene. I understand that UNLV has a very good fine arts program. Where would I be able to see some good art by local artists? While I’m on the topic, which casinos have the best art?

14. Is Chinatown worth a visit? Are there any good restaurants?

15. Which of the local shooting ranges would you recommend? I'm looking for a beginner-friendly place with a good selection of weaponry.

16. What else should I know? Any other recommendations, advice, or Vegas-related opinions of any type would be most helpful.

Is this gun, um...safe?

doogan nash — Mon, 14 May 2012 14:49:24 -0800

How can I tell if this very old rifle is safe to fire? I have a 60+ year old .22 rifle of my dad's that has been sitting in my house for quite some time, and I'd like to fire it at the local firing range. Is there a way I can tell if it's safe to do so? There's no visible rust, no cracks in wood or metal, all appropriate pieces seem to move in appropriate ways when dry-fired, etc. Everything seems to be in working order, but it hasn't been fired in about 20 years, and I just don't know. I'm a complete novice in the world of guns, and this is actually the only weapon I've ever fired, and I haven't done that since I was about 12 or 13. My plan was to clean it and take it to the range, but I was hoping there was something I could do to give me some level of confidence that the thing won't explode in my hands as soon as I squeeze the trigger. Thanks.

Impact on Norway after 2011 summer

infini — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 23:54:22 -0800

Help me understand my Norwegian colleague's tears (during a conversation where topic led to the events of the summer in Norway and the subsequent impact on society). Last night we went out for a drink and snacks after work which might have turned into 3 or 4 by the time the topic of conversation turned to what had happened in Norway this past summer - that is, the actions of Anders Breivik and in particular the shooting on the island of young people from around the country.

I believe the question asked, or what he was saying when the tears came suddenly (he was not visibly upset in any other way that I could tell) was "the impact of this shooting on our society". After that I didn't think I could ask questions and just let him speak and compose himself - I recall bits about being able to take long walks in the countryside being part of Norwegian life, hunting and gun ownership and that the right wing extremists were almost obsolete.

But I don't understand what led to the tears and now have no way to ask further (they - he and his wife, had no close losses and were in fact here in Africa when that happened). Since I would not want to upset my friend again I would appreciate if any Norwegians or other informed people could share any insights on the impact of this event on their society. If it helps, the gentleman is in his late thirties and a father of two.

No guesswork please if you have not been there or don't have any first hand knowledge, it seems this is a sensitive topic.

Help me track all the straights in my sport

mattr — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 07:10:21 -0800

I'm looking for a score tracker that multiple users can utilise to upload scores, track progress and analyse results I'd like this to run in conjunction with my Wordpress site - although that's not critical, I could run in a subdomain as well. My website has a community of around 150 people that might use this...

The sport is Clay Shooting (or sporting clays) - and shooters shoot different practice and competition rounds of different lengths, over time. I think this would be great if they could upload a scorecard and track their % progress and other variables that come into play.

Is there a PHP application that I could customse for this?

Beginning Gun Advice?

DMan — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 11:17:01 -0800

I'm interested in getting into shooting guns (targets, not hunting). Looking for advice on where to start. So although I've always been interested in guns (and have played plenty of Airsoft over the years), I got the chance to actually shoot some real firearms last weekend, and I think I'm hooked. It's even more impressive that it took this long because I live in Texas...

So I'm looking for some advice on where to start. I've shot a shotgun, rifle and pistol and enjoyed them all, but I think I liked the rifle best and the shotgun least. I'm open to any of the three though, so if one would be better to start with then I'd like to know that.

I'm also not sure what caliber I should start with, I was thinking a .22 since the guns and ammo are cheap and they don't have as much recoil, but would I be better off getting a larger-caliber weapon to get used to recoil from the start? I just really don't know what the best way to go is.

I look forward to hearing your advice. This is something I'd like to get a start with so I can be doing it for the rest of my life, but I want to be smart about my choices now so as to build a strong foundation in skill. Thanks all!

Shooting in Amsterdam

alby — Sun, 06 Mar 2011 09:38:05 -0800

I'd like to go pistol shooting in Amsterdam. My friend and I are in Amsterdam for a couple of days in a month's time and we'd like to go shooting whilst we're there*. All of the information I can find on the internet is aimed at Stag/Bachelor Parties and that's not really what we're looking for. I don't speak any Dutch so the small number of websites I can find are fairly impenetrable, even with the benefit of Google Translate.

* Handguns are banned in the UK, and other firearms are highly restricted, so we can't do it at home.

Non-VA shooting locations for The New World movie?

schampeo — Thu, 28 Oct 2010 08:40:39 -0800

In the 2005 film The New World, by Terence Malick, there are a few scenes featuring John Smith, post-Jamestown, hanging out with Inuits on a gray rocky shoreline. Any idea where they shot that?

How do I get rid of pigeons from my balcony?

Anonymous — Thu, 07 Oct 2010 08:34:23 -0800

How do I get rid of pigeons from my balcony? I want to get rid of them without spending more than $50 and with the least effort.

I live in Montreal. Will the pigeons be hanging about all winter?

I don't like the idea of hurting animals, but I like less the idea of living with pigeons cooing and pooping. I am prepared to buy a pellet gun (which I can sell after) and shoot enough of them that the rest avoid my third-floor balcony. I don't like the idea of going downstairs and picking up the bodies though. Is this legal in Montreal?

The Myth of the Quick Draw

zzazazz — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 08:05:08 -0800

I read an article a couple of years ago, I think it was written by Larry McMurtry, about the myth of the quick draw. Essentially the writer said that no one in their right mind would approach an enemy with their weapon holstered and the quick draw is a myth of Western fiction. I've done some searching of databases and online and I can't find the dang thing. This article could have appeared in the NY Times or the New York Review of Books and may not necessarily have been written by McMurtry.

Pretend it's Johnny Cash's bucket list...

rileyray3000 — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 15:36:52 -0800

I'm making a tourism list of things involving smoking, drinking and shooting for someone who loves all three. Where would I find places that fit the bill? I'm making up a tourism list for work that involves places to go in certain cities - mainly southern and midwestern but NOT limited to them - that have activities that someone can do that let someone really smoke, drink or shoot at stuff.

My dream list? Things like: you get to shoot antique handguns, drink thousand dollar a shot bourbon straight from the barrel and you get to smoke cigars with guys who tried to kill castro...or something.

It's an open list and I'm looking for ideas for it. Do you have any ideas? Or are there any places online that specialize in these areas where I can grab some ideas?

Shooting eyeball closeups isn't cutting it anymore

ye#ara — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:34:19 -0800

I've been tasked at school to photograph a negative emotion. I had a plan in place which broke to bits when I forgot my camera at school over the weekend. I need to shoot something tomorrow, but I'm having trouble being more creative than some crude and banal ideas for photographs of fear. I can't find inspiration online - all I come up with is crappy stock photography. Can you please point out for me good online and free resources on scene staging in films, resources on photographing emotions or good examples of emotional photos?

Biathlon for beginners

billtron — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 17:31:16 -0800

I live in East Thetford, Vermont. I've never shot a gun or cross-country skied. How do I become a biathlete? Does one take lessons?

How can I improve my in game basketball shooting?

ben5757 — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 04:46:14 -0800

How can I improve my in game basketball shooting? I have a pretty good shot when I'm just shooting around, but it drastically falls off in in-game situations. How can I practice in-game shooting when I mostly practice by myself?

Did somebody shoot my car?

escabeche — Sun, 09 Aug 2009 16:52:59 -0800

Did somebody shoot my car? This morning in Tucson, AZ we came out of the house we were visiting to find the driver's window of our rental car shattered -- that is, the glass was cracked into tiny pieces but almost entirely still in the windowframe, apart from a small hole, about hand-sized, near the mirror. That part of the glass was scattered on the driver's seat. There was also a small hole in the driver's side door, a little above the handle; the door was still locked. There was nothing of value in the car, and the interior was, as far as we could tell, untouched. No marks on the trunk.

So what happened here? Attempted break-in? But then why not sweep all the glass out of the window? And why not try to force the trunk, when the car itself was visibly empty of valuables? The folks at the rental car agency said the hole in the door looked like a bullet hole. But do people randomly shoot at parked cars in the middle of the night? Would a bullet fired at a car penetrate the outside metal of the door but not enter the cabin? (There was no hole on the inside of the door, and no bullet inside.) And would shooting the door of a car shatter the driver's side window?

No enemies at the gates

nomad — Mon, 06 Apr 2009 14:19:12 -0800

Do ranges exist where you can rent and fire a sniper rifle? A friend and I bit the bullet and shot handguns at a local gun range (in Philadelphia) a few weeks ago. Neither of us had ever shot a real gun before and it was sort of a life-experience field trip. As we were planning/talking about it, the idea of taking the next step and shooting sniper rifles arose. Does the equivalent of an all-in-one gun range for sniper rifles exist? If so, is there one in the Philadelphia area? If not, what is the minimum amount of effort/money required to be able to fire a sniper rifle?

This is (not) a bird.

ddaavviidd — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 09:26:44 -0800

I am looking for a fake bird (obviously real-looking), and just can't seem to find what I am looking for! I am looking for a common, north american bird for a film shooting. Robin, lark, these commonly seen birds. Taxidermists won't do it here because you can't legally hunt them. I am looking for a fake one, perhaps with real feather, and I imagine there is such a thing somewhere online for film purposes (a props company for instance), but can't find any. Anyone has suggestions?

Help with name of Film

maxmix — Wed, 28 Jan 2009 12:34:18 -0800

Can anyone help me with the title of this film??? It's a 1970s US film where some Airmen are trapped in a bunker by a machine gun firing robot (I think). I thought it starred Richard Baseheart, but i've Googled him and I can't find any film he made that is similar!!!! Can anyone help, please.....(It's driving me mad)

Green BBs?

fiercecupcake — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 16:17:41 -0800

I'm asking for a BB gun this Winter Holiday, as a way to ease into learning to shoot. Since I'll be shooting on my land, I'm curious about the ecological implications of BBs hanging around. I assume I don't want the plastic BBs, but are steel ones also a bad thing to leave lying around on the ground? This is not arable land, it's scrubby cedar-and-post-oak, rocky-ground "forest." I am concerned about both immediate dangers to wildlife/waterways and what will happen to the ammo years from now.

Will they rust away? Could I conceivably pick them up with a giant magnet? Forgive my naïveté, I just don't want to do something I regret later and can't undo.

Is there any indemnity?

zap rowsdower — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:53:42 -0800

What happens when a bodyguard shoots and kills someone while protecting their client? A discussion over dim sum lead to the preceding question. Would the bodyguard be brought up on murder charges? Could it be considered acting in self-defense, even if he/she wasn't the primary target of the attackers attempt?

And yes I know lethal force is the last resort, and hopefully the situation would never come to it, but this is a "what if" scenario.

Handguns for Dummies

Anonymous — Tue, 18 Nov 2008 10:49:46 -0800

What are some good resources for a novice looking to purchase a handgun? I am considering purchasing a pistol for 1) home protection and 2) general target shooting. And I will probably only buy one (right now, I'm leaning toward Sig Sauer, but for strictly aesthetic reasons), and have it serve double duty (I don't want to be a "collector"). But I am fairly new to firearms. Where can I go to learn more? About guns in general, but also info on topics like; what makes a good gun for a particular use (not maker, but issues like caliber, stopping power, weight, etc.), price paid vs. overall quality, expert opinions, safety/etiquette, training, etc. Think "if you're a newb, you MUST read X". Even (especially?) if it's overly technical. Online info is good, but printed material is also welcome - as are your recommendations/advice.

Bulking up to shoot?

xetere — Sat, 16 Aug 2008 18:12:12 -0800

Why would someone who is competing in shooting in the Olympics need to dope up? While reading this CNN article about the Swedish Greco-Roman wrestler who threw his medal down and was disqualified, towards the end, it says;

"On Friday, North Korean shooter Kim Jong Su had his silver and bronze medals taken away after failing a doping test."

Not trying to diss the accuracy or skill involved in competitive shooting, but what kind of substances could he possibly have been using to gain an "edge? and why" Are the guns heavy so you need to bulk up? Is there a time limit so you have to be super-quick? I can see that in Skeet shooting but is it enough to tempt one to use performance-enhancing drugs? And what drugs would they be? Speed to make you more awake?

Who wrote a song about the Heath High School shooting?

unmake — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 22:36:51 -0800

Who sings this song (1.7MB mp3) about the 1997 Heath High School Shooting? Been digging though my box 'o tapes, and this haunting song is on one of them but recorded separately from any subsequent DJ set. Googling the lyrics turns up nothing, but the names dug up a tragedy.

The only other detail I can provide is that it was probably recorded at least 5, and probably eight years ago.. because the rest of the tape is WFMU dj's who reference east orange, and the playlists aren't searchable, a hallmark of pre-2001 shows.

How safe is a Glock?

Burhanistan — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 13:54:07 -0800

PistolFilter. I know there are lots of gun related forums/resources on the web (and am looking at those also), but I'd like to query AskMe about Glocks. Specifically what are the practical advantages and disadvantages of the Glock safety trigger mechanism versus traditional safetys? I'm kicking around buying my first gun. I've had experience with handgun shooting before and am fairly competent with 9MMs. I'm just thinking of buying a gun as part of a broader package of survival/emergency gear so I'm not really looking for something that is high maintenance and can handle being stowed away for long periods. So, bonus points for gun recommendations. Thanks!

Deer hunting in New Mexico?

vorfeed — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 09:19:01 -0800

Deer hunting in New Mexico: your experiences or advice appreciated! I'm putting in for a deer tag (for deer taken by rifle; it will probably be a mule deer) here in New Mexico. I don't have any experience with deer hunting, so I'd like to hear from others who've hunted deer in NM. In particular, what's a good unit to put in for, and good areas within the unit to try? Does anyone have a lead on private-land hunting that doesn't involve outfitters and/or paying the landowner a ton of cash? I live in Espanola, but I'm willing to travel pretty much anywhere in the state. I haven't done this before, so general muley hunting advice is also welcome!

I'm not looking for a trophy... I just want to fill my freezer with venison, so I am not all that particular. I mainly want to maximize my chances of getting a tag/landowner's permission, and then have a decent chance of getting a deer. Thanks for any tips you can give me!

Has the world gone mad?

fogster — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 15:51:03 -0800

At least once a week, I read about a mall shooting or something similar. Today's story is about a 16 year old girl who murdered her parents and siblings. What gives? All of a sudden, these insane news stories have become weekly occurrences. My question: has the incidence of these things truly skyrocketed (as it seems), or have they just been getting more attention? And if the incidence has gone way up, can anyone offer credible evidence for why? Is this a uniquely American problem?