Keeping a gun in your car is a double edged sword. It's great to have it, but when you aren't in the car there is always the possibility that it will be stolen.

I will be the first to admit that I used to leave my carry gun in the car when I would visit my parents. My Mom isn't big on me bringing guns in their house. So I usually leave it in the door panel of my car while I visit. Make a long story short, I forgot my gun, left my car unlocked, and someone had gone through it looking for goods. Luckily I had nothing of value in the car except a radar detection which they must not have seen. Several months later, local news reported 2 high school students who lived near the neighborhood were murdered (execution style) after a bad drug deal.

Investigations revealed they were checking unlocked cars in the area for guns. They were then selling the guns in exchange for cash and drugs.

Had I left my Glock 19 in the car that night, it would have been stolen. Even worse, it could have been the gun used to execute the two students. Coincidentally, after they were killed, there were no more incidents involving vehicle burglary. Since the event, I have changed my strategy a little. I keep a well hidden bag that contains a gun and few other safety items in case I end up stranded somewhere. It's not a quick solution that I can use in a split second, but at least it's something. My bag is well hidden enough that anyone looking for a smash and grab wouldn't be able to find it.

If you want to have a long gun with a barrel shorter than 16" you will need to complete a form 1 application. However, depending on the gun, you may be required to have some markings engraved.

Here is the deal, if you buy an SBR that was classified as an SBR by the original manufacturer, you do not need to have it engraved. An example would be a Spike's Tactical Compressor. It is designated by ST to the ATF as being an SBR. No engraving necessary.

If you are simply adding a short barrel to an existing long gun, you are required to engrave your name, trust or corporation name along with your location. Why? Well, according to the ATF, you are "manufacturing a short barrel rifle." As the manufacturer, you will have to leave identifying markings. There are some exceptions to this.

If you are applying as an individual, which I advise against, you will need your full name and location. If applying as a trust or corporation, then the trust/corporation name along with the location must be engraved as well.

The engraving must be done on the receiver (which contains the serial number) and it must be easily viewable. DO NOT engrave the barrel, or other parts of the gun that easily removable. The engraving must meet certain specifications. Engraved characters must be to a minimum depth of .003 inch and in a print size no smaller than 1/16 inch. If you have the engraving done by a professional, most people will not even notice it as something that was added after the fact.

You should also consider when to do the engraving process. You may also wish to see info on background checks when submitting a form 1.

The 17 HMR is a fairly exotic cartridge as you don't see many guns chambered in it and the supply of ammo isn't readily available like other cartridges. There are several advantages to using 17 HMR, but there are some drawbacks as well. Let's start with the good stuff. The list below provides some of the reasons to use 17 HMR over the 22 LR cartridge:

• Greater velocity
• Lighter bullet
• Flat trajectory
• Accuracy

17 HMR will fly around 1,000 feet per second faster than the 22 LR (~2350fps vs. ~1300fps). This leads to greater accuracy, longer range, and more damage to the target. In addition, the 17 HMR has a fairly flat trajectory which takes some of the guess work out of shooting at long range. The bullet is much lighter (usually between 17 and 20 grains) which combined with the increased velocity will be more accurate than the 22 LR. If you are shooting at short distances, the lighter bullet also has a smaller chance of ricochet.

As always, there are some disadvantages as well. Below you find reasons NOT to use the 17 HMR over the 22 LR cartridge:

• Price/supply
• Supersonic
• Limited firearm selection

The price difference between the two is vast. I checked the price per round from a reputable dealer and found the 17 HMR is $.20/round while the 22 LR is $.07/round. So at nearly 3 times the price, the 17 HMR is definitely more expensive combined with the fact it is much harder to find. If you want to shoot suppressed forget it. The pressure and velocity make the 17 HMR a terrible choice for use with a suppressor. Let's not forget that finding a gun chambered in 17 HMR won't be easier either. Most local gun shops don't stock them and while they may come at attractive prices online, it will hit your wallet once you start feeding it.

Do I think the 17 HMR has a place? Of course, I lump it into the novelty cartridge along with the 5.7x28, .357 sig, and .50 AE.