With Christmas Eve and Christmas Day upon us, I join the rest of the Backwoods Home team in wishing the best of holidays to you and yours.

I was gonna make this entry about the many more people this year than last, who have given or received the gift of self-protection and protection of others, but my old friend Dave Workman beat me to it, here: http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/wi-experience-should-be-wake-up-call-to-wa-senators .

Dave also shares another amusing observation, here: http://www.examiner.com/gun-rights-in-seattle/ccw-rush-surprises-media-elite-authorities-except-for-one-al-mayor-perhaps

Be sure to check the links on both.

Gun purchases are up hugely this Christmas season, all over the country. My last class of the year was last weekend, in Wisconsin, the most recent state to get shall-issue concealed carry. Tens of thousands of people have flooded the authorities with applications for concealed carry permits. I expect that this will save lives as soon as this coming year, if not before 2011 runs its course.

The firearm is a symbol of responsibility, a tool of rural living, and sometimes-needed safety/rescue equipment wherever you live.

If you’ve given such a gift of safety and recognition of responsibility – or received one – feel free to share the experience here.

From this end, best wishes for a safe, happy, and renewing holiday weekend.

1 COMMENT

  3. I spent a delightful afternoon with my brother and his one teen and 2 pre-teen boys. We enjoyed the range time with “Msrs. Barrett, Glock, and Winchester”. Absolute joy and pride seeing the next generation not only shoot, but practice impeccable range safety and respect. The sincere desire to learn and maturity displayed is still playing through my thoughts tonight.
    Merry Christmas to you Mas and pass along the same to “The Princess”.

  5. Mas,
    As a Washington State resident, I hope we get to change our liberal-gun-hating senators in 2012.

    Oh, and Merry Christmas ya’ll ~;-)

  7. Merry Christmas to you & your family, Mas!

    I finally got to the range a couple of days ago & it was a sunny 68 degrees outside…in December! Then your new book arrived from Amazon & it’s great! I hope your Christmas is as much fun as mine has been so far.

  9. Merry Christmas Mas to you and the family.
    Let me begin by saying after reading a story you posted I visited Harry Beckwith Gunshop in Miconopy. Thank you for that information. My wife purchased me my first Christmas present at Beckwith’s a Ruger LCP. Under the Christmas trees sits a Marlin 30-30 and for me and for my 19 son a colledge student a Remington 870 home defence 12 ga.. In my house being a retired police officer, I have trained and taught all of us take our personal safety seriously and we hunt so you will definately find guns a part of each and every Christmas here.
    Have a blessed Holiday season and a Happy New Year.
    Jack

  11. Glad to see that Washington is opening up on Carry permits. Understand that they now have reciprocity with Tenn.
    Good article Mas.
    Thanks for links..
    Ken
    PS Santa left me two boxes of 45 TCJ and two boxes of 9mm TCJ
    to practice with,

  13. Mas,

    I’m looking forward to receiving my Christmas present, which is yet to arrive; a Laserlyte target. My wife’s New Year’s resolution is to get her Concealed Pistol Liscense here in Michigan. She informed me that she has designs on my S&W 642-CT. Consequently, I will be “forced” into getting a new carry gun! I’m considering a Springfield XDm Compact .45. It is such fun just going through the possibilities!

    Blessing to you and yours.

    Mousegun Mike

  14. My 13 year old son received his first new gun for Christmas this year. We gave him a Remington 870 combo that will serve him for many years in the deer blind and in the field taking pheasants and quail. It was a proud day for me to say the least.

    Merry Christmas to all – and be safe.

  15. Merry Christmas,

    My wife loved her new Walther PK380 I got her. She could wait to go out and shoot it. It is a great gun for her and very fun for me as well.

    I cant wait to finish building my AR. I got most of the parts, just waiting for a few more to finish it up and go play.

  16. Massad…Merry Christmas to you and the family.

    I did very well….Got a newtome AR…and we are waiting for the final OK on the wifes carry permit….so hopefully we’ll be “pistol shopping” in the near future too!!

  17. Still waiting for our governer to give us the gift of concealed carry. I am sure we’ll be waiting for a long time. It’s hard to change the liberal, big city mindset.

    Who knows. It’s going to be an interesting year.

    Merry Christmas to all!

  18. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Mas.
    Thanks for the link to Grant Cunningham that you furnished in your earlier article. Just finished his Revolver book on my iPad and it is very worthwhile read.
    Your “In the Gravest Extreme” (1980 print edition) is my self-required reading every two years when I renew my (rare) California CCW.

  19. Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, Mas.
    I bought myself a Beretta 92 FS M9A1 the day before Christmas, and the ammo from Underwood Ammo in W. Virginia just came in today.
    Going to the range tonight.

  21. Merry Christmas and a Happy new Year to you and yours Mr. Ayoob.

    Got my wife a spanking new Smith & Wesson model 36 chief special +P airweight for Christmas, and gripper grips to go with it. She likes to shoot regular .38’s in it, I haven’t brought out the +P’s for her to shoot just yet.