That was an appropriate time to ask, nosliw.
As you posted that, I was writing out a bit about THR's Search function.
I'm
notnotnot using you as an example of what
not to do; to have used the search function for threads which mention 'trauma plates and duct tape' would probably have returned a whole bunch of less-than-useful results. Yours is the sort of question that's best answered by a person, one who remembers having read wisecracks and responses to the topic before. It's part of the folklore.
Here's my bit:
The Search function is your friend.
Searching on a topic might give you a previous thread which answers your question perfectly. If it doesn't, the information you've gained from searching will help you to frame better questions. Doing so informs experienced people who are willing to share their knowledge that you're not interested in wasting their time. It lets them fine tune their responses to give you the information that will be most relevant and useful to you. Everybody wins.
The button for the "Search" function can be found at the top of each page, in the solid colored band which contains the words,
User CP - FAQ - Members List - Calendar - New Posts -
Search - Quick Links - Log Out .
Click on the button and enter the term you're interested in. You can also click on "Advanced Search." This lets you refine your search by key word and user name (who posted on the topic), date, and a specific area of THR.
This way, if you want to know, say, about moon
clips for .45ACP revolvers (Smith or Colt Model 1917s, Smith 625s and 22-4s, and so forth), you can search in the Revolvers forum only. You can find what you're looking for without having to wade through a lot of threads which mention only
magazines for .45 autoloaders.
The Search function can also lead to hours of fun, spelunking for nuggets and gems in the archives.