Karlon N. Rama
Stage Five

OVER the years, I have received several dozens of emails from readers. Some ask for a review on a particular gun models while others ask about safety, shooting technique and matches rules.

And I have always been happy to write back. Though not all emails get published, most, maybe three out of four letters sent here, are immediately answered.

Those that we’ve answered so far run the entire stretch of things that burn gunpowder and go bang – from ACP to Zimmerstuetzen. Well, maybe not Zimmerstuetzen.

Those that I don’t respond to, on the other hand, get forwarded to a folder marked “for research”. These are the types of queries that need time to answer.

One such email I got from Fausto Macapobre (fausto.macapobre @gmail. com) last Monday. He wrote:

“Hi Karlon, I'm planning to buy a cheaper but reliable 45ACP or 9mm for practical shooting/self-defense. What made/model can you suggest? What's the fastest and cheapest way to acquire one? If possible, kindly advice from what store should I buy. Thanks and more power!”

There really is no quick answer to this query, my apologies to Mr. Macapobre.

While I can always recommend a model I particularly like, that would be immensely irresponsible and the letter-sender might write me back several weeks later lambasting me for suggesting a lemon.

Worse, the paper’s big brass might put my neck on the chopping board on suspicion that I’ve become a product endorser of sorts. Manila television personalities might be allowed to praise Dr. Vicky Belo as the slayer of wrinkles but Sun.Star Cebu writers sure aren’t.

The best I can do is help the letter-sender weigh options by exploring the models that the letter-sender has short listed, say a Ruger SP101 in .357 magnum and the .45 cal. Warthog from Para-Ordnance.

But when the letter-sender has not expressed any preference, such as Mr. Macapobre in his email, my hands are tied.

The best I can do is raise questions that can serve as guideposts for potential firearm buyers to refer to before making that all-important-decision.

Three things come to mind – intended use, physical attributes of the would-be buyer, and budget limitation.

Buying a gun is no different from shopping for other things. One must have a set idea of what one wants. And if one hasn’t
resolved this, one may invariably end up with something that he or she loves and hates in the same breath.

First, on what is the gun for: true, certain firearm models can be used for both sports and defense. However, there are issues.

Sports shooters, for example, prefer guns that are heavy, so as to dampen felt recoil. They want it with soft triggers, so their shots can be fired quickly. In nineteen-elevens, some neuter the grip safety for speed.

Defense guns, however, should be light enough to be carried comfortably and triggers must be reasonable to prevent
accidents. Among nineteen-elevens, defense lawyers are sure to have a field day over a gun with a neutered safety.

Second, on what the physical attributes of the would-be buyer: guns come in all shapes, sizes and caliber. Each model is designed with the build of the would-be user in mind.

The Desert Eagle, in .357 magnum, is a beautiful gun by all standards. It’s sleek lines ooze with, for the lack of a better word, sexiness.

So much so that when the Desert Eagle first appeared on display here in Cebu at the Magnificent World Guns and Sports shop, people tripped over themselves in being the first to own one.

But when their orders finally arrived, many couldn’t get a full hold of the gigantic pistol. Worse was when some tried to carry it concealed from the waistband. They ended up offending almost every lady they met on the road.

On the third issue, how much is one willing to spend: different guns are priced differently. Generally, one gets what one pays for. However, affordable doesn’t always mean cheap, and all the negative connotations the term brings, when it comes to firearms.

Smith and Wesson, Para-Ordnance, Kimber, Wilson Combat, HK are among the more expensive brands and the prices of individual models depend on such factors as size – standard, compact, sub-compact – and caliber.

The more competitively priced brands, on the other hand, include the very durable Norinco in its many models and caliber.

(knrama@gmail.com)

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(December 3, 2008 issue)
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