DON'T SHOOT AN UGLY GUN

          A very beautiful glossy flyer was in my mail box today, advertising a specially engraved, Nickel plated, Colt Model 1911.  Only 100 are being made available in Missouri.

          The year 2011 marks the 100^th anniversary of this .45 caliber pistol, and it is being offered  through the auspices of the NRA and American Legacy Firearms.

          According to the flyer, “Life’s Too Short To Shoot An Ugly Gun!”

          No cost is mentioned but there is a “layaway plan.”  $200 down and $100 a month.  There was no indication of how many months.

          I have several problems with this sales promotion.  First of all, nobody in his right mind would use this gun for protection.  A big dog or a shotgun would be better.  If your ownership of such a weapon is to demonstrate your patriotism, then all you can do is display it in your gun cabinet where only visitors would see it.   Or, you could carry it openly around town although this would not be a good idea.  And, if you used your concealed carry permit, you would be defeating the purpose.

         I carried one (Army issue) when I was serving on a  PT boat in the South Pacific during World War II.  We put tracer bullets in the clip so we could signal in the event we fell overboard.  I shot it many times and not once could I hit what I was aiming at. (I have to admit that what I did hit was totally destroyed.) Worst of all, it was a real tiger to clean.  I could strip it down, but I had to get my buddy, a gunner’s mate, to put it back together again.

          At least these “patriotic, commemorative guns” are made and engraved in the USA.