I’m here at home on a day off, having just finished 40 category 1 CME credits ( it’s a doctor continuing education thing). Thus, the prospect of doing MORE study today is gagging me. So, I thought I’d just give a little recap of what has been going on here in LateBloomer-Land since SHOT Show.

After my last post, I did complete at least “part” of my needed “Maintenance of Certification”, PLUS the above mentioned 40 CME credits. But, since re-certification  is a months-long process, that’s something that will be hanging over my head for – well- months yet. Yippee. 

I’ve contacted my FFL shop and Benelli about getting my hands on my silent auction ETHOS,   http://www.benelliusa.com/ethos-shotgun   and I’m chomping at the bit – not that I could DO anything with it in this weather. But I’m like a kid at Christmas with this stuff – I want to touch it and admire it and maybe take it with me at bedtime like a Red Ryder or a toy Zeppelin. (And if you didn’t get that movie reference, we need to have a talk LOL)

My club had their membership renewal meeting on Sunday, so I’ve got that done for the year. They also reminded me that with my new ETHOS in hand, I could start joining them for sporting clays on the first Sundays of the month. Guess that settles that. With IDPA matches on the first Saturdays, and sporting clays on the first Sundays, I’ll just have to inform my colleagues that I can never work another first weekend call again, ever LOL!

Last week we had a brief thaw and a spate of temps in the 50’s, so I seized the day and ran to the range. I FINALLY got my beautiful Adams Arms pink rifle  http://www.adamsarms.net/   sighted in with my 3-Gun scope. 

Which brings me to my last point, and soapbox issue for the day – Green Tip Ammo. If you have been living in a cave for the last couple weeks, I’ll give you a brief synopsis as I understand it. ( The “as I understand it” is a very important caveat – LOL. A perhaps more reliable synopsis can be found here http://www.unapologeticallyamerican.com/the-atfs-green-tip-hysteria/

Since the current administration has been unable to get any anti-gun legislation through Congress (thank goodness), they are now throwing any extra-legislative measures they can find at the wall to see if they stick. The latest effort at wall-flinging has been the ATF’s ( BATFE – elemenopee) determination that commonly used “green tip” rifle ammo ( coincidentally very common ammo for those scary, black “assault rifles”) is now going to be reclassified as “Armor-piercing”, and thus banned. Well, alrighty then. Never mind that it doesn’t actually pierce any armor, beyond the ability of any other rifle round, it doesn’t even fit the ATF’s own definition of an armor-piercing round. But when has consistency and fact ever bothered the federal government when they are on a mission?

Even though green tip has a steel core, it is still a largely lead bullet. I use all-lead on steel targets just to reduce wear and tear over time, but I use green tip quite a bit for paper target practice. Yes, even your friendly neighborhood pediatrician uses this ammo. Thus, the federal government’s attempt to demonize a type of ammo that has been in common use for 30-ish years is simply a ridiculous and craven political ploy with no basis in real world fact.

Please don’t brush this off with an “Oh well, I don’t use this kind of ammo anyway” nonchalance. I personally try not to wear my tinfoil “too” tightly, but even I recognize that this is only the beginning. If they win this one, which round are they going to ban next?

#SaveGreenTip

     … From my Cold, Green Fingers

    #SaveGreenTip