How much is your life worth? That was the opening assertion from Ray at the new Centralia Buchheit. It was great to talk to such a knowledgeable expert who was passionate about sharing his wisdom with his Buchheit customer base. Ray is a 39-year-old family man who loves hunting with his 16 year old son. His 12-year-old daughter will join them when she has completed her training. Ray grew up hunting and fishing and loves the outdoors.
When John, a store manager for the Centralia Buchheit took me to meet Ray, it was obvious that Ray loved what he did for a living.
How much is your life worth? What a question! Can you really put a cost on your life? Then why are you putting a price on the gun that you chose to protect that life? Ray was convincing. I didn’t realize that if you fire your weapon during a home invasion, for example, that firearm would naturally be placed by the police into evidence and you may never recover it. It is a factor with some when selecting a firearm to use in conceal- carry. It is an excellent point that I had not considered before talking to Ray.
Ray shared great tips about what to do when you feel you are in danger of bodily harm. He said to exhaust every option before you shoot, but be ready to shoot. To get over the fear of firing a gun, which is something I must overcome, Ray recommends repetitive target shooting. Practice laying a pattern down, starting close (8 to 10 feet from the target) or whatever distance needed for you to hit the mark. Ray showed me some of the new high-tech target systems available at Buchheit.
The Taylor Target system features an alloy for the target base stand that reduces ricochet causing the spent bullet to instead drop off the base to the ground. The orange targets sheets are inexpensive which offsets the initial outlay of a target system. This will be penciled onto my Christmas list for my sons! It’s a tradition in the May household to go for some target practice after our holiday meal.
Ray and Ted were truly interested in my satisfaction as a customer new to hunting and conceal carry firearms.
Ray also educated me on the importance of liability. For your protection, if your gun is stolen, make sure to keep copies of the serial numbers and a copy of the gun’s receipt. Report the theft immediately to the police. Since Illinois has no Castle Doctrine protection just limited laws protecting homeowner’s right during a break-in, it is important in both Illinois and Missouri to think about carrying liability insurance. The amount is usually between $250,000 and $300,000 worth of protection against civil action in the event that you are forced to protect yourself or your family.
Ray’s top three picks for handguns were those used by law enforcement: a Sauer, a Glock or a Kimber. His personal choice was a Glock as that company designed a handgun just for conceal carry.
His pick for an easy to handle firearm for a beginner was the Kimber 45 caliber due to its incredible attention to detail. For hunting he recommends a 17 HMR Rifle as the rounds are fairly cheap but it has more than enough velocity to take out the coyotes that are ruining all my new trees and plantings at the new homestead.
I highly recommend that if you are in the Centralia area and you are looking for that perfect Christmas present for the target shooter or hunter in your family that you see the great staff at the new Buchheit store. I had a great shopping experience. Sincerely, Anne May
