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[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Dimasalang

I haven't been here too long. I still feel like a newb myself everytime I come here. And most the time when I do a search I can't believe the great stuff that was discussed here 3-5 years ago! I wish I had been a member then. And now I would feel foolish bringing up old threads. It would be nice to resurrect and possibly re-evaluate old threads for discussion.

Just have to add, the first time I registered on this forum I did not post anything for several months(I joined in Aug 2008 and didn't post until 2009). After reading some of the threads here, many discussions were just way over my head. I notice a lot of "tribal knowledge"(lingo) going on in this forum too. And even now I still can't believe the amount of knowledge many of you people have. It took me some time to learn a few things. So new folks just might be intimidated after reading a few threads and might feel they are just out of place. There should be a sticky thread for newbs.

I have been writing here for over 12 or 13 years, and the topics we have all shared in our discussions have indeed been fascinating. What I would point out is that here, there are no experts, and yes there is an incredible amount of knowledge, but what it is is that ...we learn together. It has been exciting when weapons which had been for years considered 'mysteries' but ongoing research, study and discussion often resolved these right here on these pages! It was just guys with a passion to learn who all set aside worries about being intimidated or feeling silly with ideas and just set it all down here....suddenly lights went on and we had the answers!!! We have all worked together to make these threads into virtual archives so that all weapons students can access and find what they need to know.

All of this however is very much quid pro quo.....and I think most of us try to put back as much as we can by sharing what we can. When I was a young collector, there were no computers or means of transferring information but through tedious mail correspondence, often unanswered, few references and learning was through often painfully expensive trial and error. Now, we have all this at our fingertips! Best of all, here are literal panels of enthusiasts all sharing knowledge, examples and observations....but we are all members of the panels!

It gets slow sometimes, and I love it when readers find old threads and have found some new bit of information or details! This is what its all about. Please DO read the old stuff....please DO ask questions....please tell us what you think. We learn from questions, often more than from stated observations because these often reflect things that have not been noticed!! Ask away!!!

I personally do not think we need to classify anybody a 'newbie'. We here are all students trying to learn together. I have been studying arms most of my life, and not a single day goes by that I dont learn. When questions are asked here, I hardly ever know the answers, but I do spend a lot of time looking, and thats how I learn. When I write (my long, long, usually posts, its just sharing what I have found, and I always hope others will do the same. I treasure every single response, and especially the posts which add more I can add to my notes.

I just really thank everybody who writes here, and value the readers as well, and invite them to join us. Your ideas, observations, examples, questions are not only invited...but needed! Get in here with us!!!!! The great discussions arent in the past...they're still going, with more to come

All the very best,
Jim