Smokeless Powder

Thursday Round Up

2009-12-17T17:17:00.000-08:00

What had been a somewhat quiet week on the gun scene changed this morning with the latest attempt to instate a so-called “assault weapon ban” in Washington. My take is posted below.

There’s still a huge discussion going on over at Northwest Firearms about the NRA. Right now I’m in a bit of a death match over how a 501(c) should work and what the NRA does with its money.

Another interesting thread details an order for being filled by Winchester for 40 million rounds of .40 S&W ammo for the Department of Homeland Security. Wish they’d send me some. My poor Glock is hungry!

Speaking of Glock – the Glock Talk fundraiser results have been announced. Congratulations to all of the bast... errr... lucky winners. I was skunked again!

Just received the stuff I won from Greg Martin Auctions. I’m pleased overall. The Arisaka turns out to be matching. It was a “take a chance” gun, as GMA still has problems properly describing Japanese firearms. I’ll post pictures just as soon as I get my camera back.

Until next time!!!

Lies, Damn Lies, and Washington Ceasefire

2009-12-17T16:24:00.000-08:00

If you have a strong stomach, go ahead and check out the press release by Washington Ceasefire on their efforts to pass the Washington Assault Weapon Ban detailed earlier today. Some of the “highlights”:

“Semi-automatic assault weapons are designed and intended for military purposes to kill as many people as quickly as possible in a designated area. These guns can fire over 200 bullets a minute. Even avid hunters acknowledge that semi-automatic weapons have no sporting purpose other than target practice which this bill would accommodate within designated shooting ranges. Significantly kits are readily available that can convert semi-automatic weapons to automatic “machine gun” status in just a few minutes. The risk of assault weapons is made worse by the so-called gun show loophole which allows gun purchasers, as young as eighteen, to purchase unlimited quantities of these dangerous weapons without a background check, record keeping or waiting period at various gun shows held almost weekly in this state.

“Both national and state polls show overwhelming support for the ban by similar 5 to 1 majorities. But passage for this common sense gun control measure is by no means guaranteed. Former Police Chief Norm Stamper said recently the people are far ahead of the politicians on this issue. Last year the U.S. Supreme Court validated the right of individuals to own handguns and sporting rifles but specifically gave the green light to state regulation for things such as mandatory background checks or a ban on military assault weapons.”

I actually hit the “add a comment” to the announcement, but doubt it will get published. So here’s my take:

How many lies can you tell in one article?

1) Conversion of a semi-auto into a full-auto is neither "simple" nor are there readily available conversion kits. The BATFE must approve all receivers for semi-automatic weapons, and they do so with this in mind.

2) I’m an avid hunter, and the AR-15 is a spectacular hunting platform with a wide array of cartridges available

3) I seriously question 5 to 1 support for an assault weapon ban. Please cite source.

4) The Department of Justice found that the 1994 Federal ban had no effect on crime because so-called “assault weapons” were used in a small portion of crimes

Go ahead and admit that this is the tip of a larger wedge to invalidate not only Section 24 of the Washington State Constitution, but the Second Amendment as well.

I stopped there with my comments, but I could have gone on for quite some time. It also wasn’t my most “politic” response, but there’s a time for civility and there’s a time for directness. This seems to be a case for the latter rather than the former.

It seems to be commonplace for these anti-civil rights groups to simply heap lies and distortions as high as possible in the smug belief that either no one will check their “facts”, or won’t be able to refute all of their “facts” in a seven second sound bite. The hubris of these groups knows no bounds, nor does their hostility toward the right to keep and bear arms. Given these groups are attacking our civil rights, I personally consider them to be hate groups, and I long for the day when we can prosecute them as such.

Until next time!!!

Washington Semi-Auto Ban Proposed

2009-12-17T08:54:00.000-08:00

The forces of tyranny are hard at work in the state of Washington. A new statewide semi-auto ban is being proposed by three Democratic representatives (Rep. Ross Hunter, D-Medina; Sen. Adam Kline, D-Seattle; and Sen. Jeanne Kohl-Welles, D-Seattle). The proposed legislations, called the “Aaron Sullivan Public Safety and Police Protection Bill, would prohibit the sale of such weapons to private citizens and require current owners to pass background checks.” The excuse this time is one murder allegedly involving an “assault weapon” and the slaying of one police officer with a .223 caliber “semi-automatic rifle”. The gun banners hit all of the normal talking points, so let’s look at their “arguments” one by one:

“The ban would cover semiautomatics designed for military use that are capable of rapid-fire and can hold more than 10 rounds. Semiautomatics designed for sporting or hunting purposes wouldn't be banned.

“"If they're used in the army, used in the war — that's what this ban is about," said Ralph Fascitelli, the board president of Washington Ceasefire.”

How many glaring issues can you see at this point? First off, what is “rapid fire”? There is no such term outside the twisted ignorance of the gun banner mentality. All semi automatic weapons, whether they are magazine fed or internally fed fire at exactly the same rate – i.e. just as fast as you can pull the trigger. Furthermore, virtually NONE of the semi-automatics available for sale today are “used in the army” as they aren’t capable of fully-automatic or burst fire. It’s interesting that under this definition, the World War II vintage M1 carbine would also be illegal in Washington since it WAS actually “used in the army”, “used in war”, and is a semi-automatic designed for military use. Ironically the Federal Government has supplied M1 Carbines to the general public through DCM and now CMP for decades. Of course, this also ignores the fact that the Second Amendment ISN’T about hunting, which is the most common mistake made by the anti-gun crowd.

Representative Hunter states:

"We don't allow people to own tanks or bazookas or machine guns, and very few people think that that's an unreasonable restriction."

Well, that’s not entirely correct. First off, you CAN own a machine gun in many states as long as it is registered with the BATFE. You can also own many “destructive devices” again, if they’re registered with the BATFE. However, the capability of a fully automatic machine gun or large caliber gun outstrips the capability of a semi-automatic firearm by orders of magnitude. Another fact that’s interesting to note is, for example, the M1 Garand would be allowed under this ban, and in terms of stopping power, the M1 Garand completely outstrips the semi-automatic AR-15 and AK-47. So this clearly isn’t about the level of effectiveness of the weapon.

“Kohl-Welles said the lawmakers are trying to be practical and aren't suggesting guns be taken from current owners.

"What we're trying to get at is there's no place to have sales of military assault rifles or weapons in this state," she said.

“She also said she doesn't believe such a ban would violate the Second Amendment, the right to bear arms.

"Did the framers of our Constitution ever envision something like a semi-automatic weapon?" she asked.”

Perhaps not, but the framers of our Constitution did envision corrupt politicians seeking to disarm the populace to ensure absolute control over their lives. THAT’S what the Second Amendment was all about. The Framers feared government run amok, and saw an armed populace as the surest bulwark against that eventuality. Kohl-Welles’ comments demonstrate the hubris of those opposed to our right to self defense. She clearly sets herself up above the populace by deeming what does and does not have a “place” in the state of Washington. Her half-hearted “we’re not trying to take away anyone’s guns” comment also reeks of deception and hypocrisy. That is, quite frankly, exactly what they’re trying to do.

If you live in Washington, I strongly urge you to stand up to these petty tyrants first by encouraging your state representatives and senators to vote this legislation down. Second, I urge all eligible voters to begin a recall campaign on all three of these individuals as they are in criminal violation of Section 24 of the Washington State Constitution. It’s clear to me that the only way to end the abuses of these "officials" is to ensure that there are consequences for their illegal power grabs. To those of you in Washington, I wish you all the best as you ward off yet another attack on your inalienable rights.

Until next time!!!

Hunters Feed Hungry – PETA Cries Foul

2009-12-16T10:51:00.000-08:00

The Washington Post recently ran an article on how hunting groups are donating deer meat to feed the hungry at homeless shelters. Unfortunately they felt compelled to include the opinions of so-called “animal rights” extremists as a counterpoint into an otherwise excellent example of hunters giving back to the community. With the Department of Agriculture reporting that upwards of 50 million people are struggling with hunger in America, I think it’s a credit to hunters everywhere that these organizations are donating meat.

According to the article:

“One doe can feed up to 200 people," said Richard Satterfield, a hunter and supporter of the food ministry. "They are high-protein, low-fat, very nutritious. And there are plenty of them, so there's no reason for anyone to go hungry in this country."

In fact, much of the donated meat comes from hunts approved to reduce out-of-control deer populations in urban and suburban areas. PETA argues that sterilization would be more ‘humane” and “effective” – though numerous reports have shown that such measures are not only ineffective, but prohibitively expensive as well.

It just goes to show the sort of unbalanced extremist mentality espoused by the “animal rights” groups. In their mind it’s okay for millions of human beings to go hungry, but it’s not okay to kill a prey animal. I honestly wonder if they realize how many rabbits and other 4-legged pests have to be killed for their “organic” and “vegetarian” diets to actually reach the table. Something tells me they have no clue. . . period.

Honestly, there is no group that has done more to preserve wildlife and preserve wildlife habitat than the American hunter. When the wild turkey was nearly extinct, it wasn’t legislation that brought it back – it was hunters - not the WWF, not PETA, not the Sierra Club. At some point these groups are going to lose their ability to fool people, but until then the American hunter will continue to act as steward of the land.

Until next time!!!

My Letter on McDonald

2009-12-15T09:07:00.000-08:00

Just in case you’re wondering – here’s the letter I’ve sent to my Representatives and Senators on McDonald:

McDonald v. City of Chicago, a pivotal civil rights case, is coming before the Supreme Court in March 2010. The Framers recognized that the right to self-defense is as fundamental a human right as freedom of religion and freedom of speech. Unfortunately, years of misguided legislation has led to that right being infringed upon in many parts of our nation. McDonald provides a unique opportunity to restore this inalienable right to all Americans.

Several briefs have been filed in support of incorporation of the Second Amendment under the Fourteenth Amendment. One of these has been submitted by the NRA, and it is currently backed by an overwhelming bi-partisan majority of both the House of Representatives and the Senate. Unfortunately, I do not see your name as a supporter of this critical brief. I strongly encourage you to join your peers and make a strong stand in support of the Second Amendment by signing the amici curiae brief.

This issue is incredibly important not only to me, but to America as a whole. Your stance on this issue will factor heavily in my electoral choices in 2010 and beyond.

Until next time!!!

Merkley “Responds” on McDonald

2009-12-15T09:00:00.000-08:00

Further cementing my opinion that Merkley is merely a party mouthpiece with absolutely no business being in the Senate, I’ve received a response to my email regarding the upcoming McDonald case. Unlike Representative Wu who actually responded to the issue, this is what Merkley’s automated system mailed back:

“Recently, I received the email you sent to my office through a third-party organization. I appreciate you taking the time to get in touch and please be assured that I closely review the thoughts expressed in such emails. I know that these third-party emails can be a useful tool to communicate your opinions.

“If you would like to expand on the email I received through the third party, please feel free to contact me directly by using the webform at http://merkley.senate.gov/contact to send me an email. I value your personal stories and insights into the issues facing our state and the nation.

“You can also visit my website at www.merkley.senate.gov for more information about my positions and to learn how my office can further assist you.

“It is an honor to serve as your Senator, and I look forward to hearing from you again in the future.”

Translation – I didn’t read your mail. I don’t care about what you said. I don’t care what you think. I’m not beholden to you or your views.

I have a half mind to resubmit the letter using his form and see if I get a different response. It’s clear that Merkley filters his mail and only accepts emails from sources that are deemed ideologically pure by his party masters. Quite frankly, I’m disgusted.

Until next time!!!

Police Shootings Up in 2009

2009-12-14T19:42:00.001-08:00

According to a recent article on MSNBC, the number of police officers killed in the line of duty by individuals wielding firearms has risen roughly 24% from 2008. The actual raw numbers are, thankfully, still fairly low. To date 47 officers have been killed in 2009 as compared to 38 at this time last year. Given the article was from MSNBC, I expected the rest of it to be a hit piece calling for sweeping gun-control legislation, but I honestly was pleasantly surprised. According to the article:

“The availability of guns compounds the problem, criminologists say. But Pennsylvania, the state with the most gun-related officer deaths so far this year, has among the strictest gun laws in the country, according to a ranking by the pro-gun-control Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. Other states, like Louisiana, Oklahoma and Kentucky, have very little oversight and had few, if any, officer gun deaths this year.”

I honestly don’t believe that those numbers are an aberration. Time and again we see the worst murder and violent crime rates in areas with the strictest gun control. Strict gun control only emboldens violent offenders. The article goes on to state:

“Kevin Morison, a spokesman for the Officers Memorial Fund, which keeps the statistics, said he sees people on both sides of the gun debate using the numbers to prove points.

"But folks who are willing to intentionally target police officers seem to be able to find a way to accrue guns regardless of what the laws in those state would be," Morison said.”

That’s a refreshing dose of honesty, and it underscores the point that criminals do not, have never, and will never care about the law. They see themselves as above the law, at best, or simply use the law to further their aims.

The article credits bulletproof vests and other life-saving techniques for the general decline in police officer fatalities over the past several years. The police have a very dangerous job, and hopefully this year’s increase in fatalities is an aberration. The current state of the economy with rising unemployment can’t be helping the situation either!

Until next time!!!

Wu Responds on McDonald

2009-12-11T23:15:00.000-08:00

As I indicated in a previous blog, a bipartisan majority of the House and Senate has signed on to the NRA’s amicus brief in the McDonald vs. Chicago case. Unfortunately neither my Representative (David Wu) nor either Oregon Senator (Merkley and Wyden) had signed on to the brief. I wrote letters to each of them urging them to stand up for the rights of Americans and sign the brief. Thus far I’ve only heard back from Representative Wu, but the response was surprisingly positive:

“Thank you for contacting me to urge me to sign onto an amicus curiae brief in the McDonald v. City of Chicago case scheduled for Supreme Court consideration in 2010. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

“The amicus brief you reference asks the Supreme Court of the United States to hold the Second Amendment applicable to the states through the Fourteenth Amendment's Due Process Clause. The Fourteenth Amendment provides that portions of the Bill of Rights are applied to the states. Over many years, the Supreme Court has incrementally applied the rights enumerated in the Bill of Rights to the states through a process called incorporation. For example, the First Amendment currently applies to states, as has the Fourth Amendment, concerning unreasonable search and seizure. As of yet, the Second Amendment does not apply to the states.

“I have long held that the Second Amendment does indeed give individuals the right to bear arms. Therefore, I will keep your comments in mind and will give serious consideration to signing the amicus brief.”

He’s still missing the point that the Second Amendment affirms / recognizes the individual right to bear arms rather than granting it, but this at least appears to be a step in the right direction. Given that he has repeatedly stated on the record that he supports the individual right interpretation of the Second Amendment – it’s going to be hard for him to not sign on to this brief. I’ll continue to check the NRA’s page to see if he has signed on.

Until next time!!!

Suomi Update

2009-12-10T15:47:00.000-08:00

I got same day turnaround on the Suomi from the guys in Vernonia. They ended up replacing the bolt on it. In terms of just cycling the action, it seems to work a lot better at this point. Hopefully that will translate into fault free functionality at the range. It’s been too dang cold in the evening to take it out, so I’ll try and drag it out this weekend.

The manufacturer indicated that this is a light oil weapon. I’d ended up slathering it to get it to work, but it didn’t work dry either, so that really wasn’t the issue. Now I just have to figure out how to properly field strip this thing. Most of my rifles aren’t blowback, but this one is. Always a learning experience!!!

Until next time!!!

December 6th Roundup

2009-12-06T12:19:00.000-08:00

I’ve just got a few various notes for today. First, the 2009 annual addition of Surplus Firearms from Guns and Ammo magazine detailed earlier this year has been re-issued and is on shelves now. If you missed it the first time, don’t miss it the second time.

I won a couple of auctions recently. I even broke my own rule and bid on something from Greg Martin Auctions. They seem to have cleaned up their fee structure a bit and are no longer including a “packing fee” on top of normal shipping and the 15% buyers premium. Shipping is still fairly spendy, but given one of the firearms is a handgun, those are usually expensive. Will post more when I get them in.

The Suomi is going to have to go back to Vernonia for some work. I just can’t get the action to cycle cleanly whereas others are not having any issues. Hopefully I’ll get it back by the end of the week so I can take it out plinking.

Empire Arms recently acquired some mint condition Webley Mark IV revolvers. These are the post-war variant with the cross bolt safety, but I just couldn’t say no to one. I need to get mine cleaned up, it’s a cosmoline baby at this point, and once I do I’ll post a feature on it.

I’ve also been working on a couple of AK builds. I nearly have a plum stock AK-74 together – just in time for AIM to come out with them at a bargain price. No good deed goes unpunished I guess! Look for a feature in the next couple of weeks on that one as well.

Until next time!!!

Date Set for McDonald!

2009-12-02T09:59:00.000-08:00

According to a recent article on CBS News online, McDonald v. City of Chicago will be heard on March 2, 2010 with a decision expected in late June or early July. Mark your calendars!!!

The article also touches on some of the briefs. They’re all posed at the Second Amendment Foundation’s chicagoguncase.com site. The site also makes a few predictions:

“If I had to handicap the outcome of this case, there seems to be a reasonable chance that Alan Gura and the McDonald plaintiffs will win. But a technical win may not have much of a practical effect -- as long as lower courts can figure out a way to justify as constitutional local restrictions that differ only slightly from Chicago's. This may not matter in gun-friendly places like Idaho; it certainly matters to citizens of California, Iowa, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey and New York, all of whom lack a right to keep and bear arms in their state constitutions.”

A lot of this comes down to not only winning the battle, but winning the war. Even if we get a strong victory in the McDonald case, there remains a mountain of anti-gun legislation on the books. Depending on what standard the Supreme Court sets in its case, there may be many more trips through the courts for further clarification. Don’t for an instant expect that the forces who want to limit or eliminate the right to keep and bear arms are just going to sit back and admit defeat. They’ll use every legal trick in the book to limit our rights, and we’ll have to keep fighting them every step of the way!

Until next time!!!

Bipartisan Majority in Congress Signs NRA Brief

2009-12-02T09:40:00.000-08:00

As reported earlier, the NRA has filed a brief in support of incorporation of the Second Amendment under the Fourteenth Amendment, thereby making it apply to state and local laws just like the rest of the Bill of Rights. The NRA has now stated that an “overwhelming, bipartisan majority of members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate” have endorsed their brief.

The exact numbers are 251 Congressional Representatives and 58 Senators – and the full list can be found at the end of the PDF version of the brief. Of the 251 Representatives signing the brief, at least 81 of them are Democrats (32%), so we are indeed seeing some bi-partisan support in the House. The story is almost identical in the Senate with 19 Democrats signing the brief (also 32%).

I encourage everyone to go read the list of names to determine if your Senators and Representative are on the list. If they’re on the list, please take the time to write them and thank them for standing up for your rights. If they’re not on the list, then please write them and ask that they uphold the Constitution and sign onto the amicus brief.

It’s encouraging to see a strong majority supporting our Second Amendment rights in the House and Senate, though it’s still amazing to see how far we’ve come from Framers’ intent, and how many of our representatives are hostile to our basic rights as Americans. The decision next year will have wide-reaching implications for laws across this nation, and could be the death knell for the “collective right” interpretation of the Second Amendment. If the Court rules for incorporation, expect bans from Massachusetts to California to be challenged – and for the first time in many decades the overwhelming body of precedent would be on our side.

Thanksgiving Weekend Range Report

2009-12-01T19:16:00.000-08:00

I went out plinking with a friend of mine on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. I took three of my “recent” acquisitions with me (6.8 Rem spc upper AR-15, my AMD-65, and my Suomi) along with my Glock 27 carry pistol. My only disappointment was the Suomi as it’s having feeding issues. This means I either don’t have enough lubricant in it yet, or I need to take it over to the manufacturer in Vernonia and get the recoil spring replaced.

As I’d just had the new sights put on the Glock, I wanted to try it out again. I could regularly hit milk jugs with it at 20-30 yards. Not half bad for a sub-compact. It gave me yet another reason to REALLY like the Glock.

I’d had the AMD-65 finished by Salbo Arms, but hadn’t fired it since the refinishing. It’s not as accurate as some of my other AK’s, but it’s a complete BLAST to shoot. With the shorter barrel (with the welded muzzle brake to bring it to legal length), it’s also LOUD! You could literally hear the concussion echoing through the woods after every shot – even with solid ear protection.

My 6.8 AR-15 was just amazing. I need to get the scope sighted in properly, but from the first shot I was on paper roughly where I thought I should be at 50 yards. I’m going to add a bipod to the rifle to help stabilize prone and sitting shots to make it a better long-range platform.

Overall another great day at the range. Of course, getting ready to go out highlighted that I’m woefully short .30 carbine ammo (5 rounds). I’m going to have to fix that – my poor Underwood is getting lonely.

Until next time!!!

November Rose City Gun Show Report

2009-12-01T19:15:00.000-08:00

I am WAY behind on blog entries at this point, but with the Thanksgiving holiday (I hope everyone had a great one), things tend to get reprioritized. I went to the November Rose City Gun Show – overall it was a decent show. I was hoping it would be a touch bigger, but there were some decent deals to be had if you looked around enough.

One thing that made this particular show special was I took a buddy who’d never been to a gun show. He’s interested in getting his concealed carry license and wanted to look at the various sidearms to see what worked for him. I really enjoyed taking him around the show and pointing out some of his options.

I ended up getting some night sights for my carry pistol, a Glock 27. I really enjoy the small frame Glock as a concealed carry pistol. It’s got decent stopping power with the .40 Smith cartridge, but isn’t as large as the 10mm or .45 ACP sub-compacts. It makes my XD-9 sub-compact look bulky by comparison.

Overall, yet another good show.

Until next time!!!

NRA Files Brief on McDonald v. Chicago

2009-11-17T19:57:00.000-08:00

The NRA has recently filed a brief in the case of McDonald v. Chicago. This particular brief should be required reading for any individual who values and cherishes their right to self-defense and the right to keep and bear arms. Reading through the variety of case law cited in this brief makes me shake my head in disbelief as to how we as a nation could have strayed so far from original intent regarding the Second Amendment. I would find it hard to believe that such a case needs be brought at all if I didn’t know the mental gymnastics many in this nation go to in order to deprive Americans of their inalienable rights.

Of the numerous precedents cited, perhaps the most powerful stem from post Civil War cases and legislation where freedmen in the South were being denied the right to keep and bear arms based purely on race. It was widely understood then that the Second Amendment affirmed a universal right; a right which was being denied to African Americans by racist state governments. Somehow between then and now individuals concerned about Civil Rights seem to have forgotten the Second Amendment.

I have high hopes for the upcoming case, but still believe at least four of the justices on the Supreme Court will vote against your individual rights just as they did on Heller. We have to remain vigilant and ensure that the judiciary continues to respect the rights of the individual Americans. Demand that your Senators continue to examine any future judicial nominees at all levels with that goal in mind.

Until next time!!!

The Suomi KP/-31

2009-11-13T13:23:00.000-08:00

The story of Finland in World War II is an amazing tale of survival against seemingly insurmountable odds. Initially decreed to be within the Soviet sphere of influence in the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact, Finland survived a Soviet invasion during the Winter War, though lost territory. Other nations like Poland, Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania were simply gobbled up wholesale by the Soviet Union. When Germany invaded the USSR, Finland joined them attempting to regain territory lost during the Winter War kicking off the Continuation War. With these war aims achieved, the Finnish front was largely static until 1944, when the Soviets attempted to bring Finland back to heel. Finland survived the massive Soviet attack and was able to negotiate a peace with the Soviet Union. One of the conditions of that peace was Finland was required to expel Germany from Finnish territory. This ultimatum resulted in the Lapland War in which Germany used a scorched earth policy during their retreat from Finland.

Part of the reason Finland was able to remain independent during this time was the fact they had a strong indigenous armaments industry. Finnish Mosin Nagant rifles are generally far superior to their Russian counterparts. Finland was also able to repair, recondition, and remanufacture Soviet tanks captured in action and these were in turn used against their former owners. One of the more interesting firearms used by Finland during World War II was their indigenous sub-machinegun, the KP/-31. First fielded in 1931, the weapon was designed by Aimo Lahti and chambered for the 9mm cartridge. The KP/-31 was in many ways similar to the various early sub-machine guns of the era like the PPSh, Lanchester, and Beretta. Several modifications were made to the firearm during its service life including the addition of a muzzle brake. I'm certain this sort of weapon also scares the heck out of Carolyn McCarthy as it has a shoulder thing that goes up, errr, a barrel shroud.

Kits for the KP/-31 have been available for some time, but there have been no BATFE approved semi-automatics on the market until this year. I recently picked up a semi-auto KP/-31 from Ryan Judy Sporting Goods (pictured above). Astute observers will notice that the barrel is slightly lengthened through the permanent attachment of the muzzle brake. Esthetically I think they’ve done as good a job as possible capturing the original as the additional length isn’t as obtrusive as NFA compliant PPSh semi-autos. I have a couple of the 36-round magazines and two of the 71-round drums for it. All of these are marked with the appropriate Finnish “SA” markings. I haven’t gotten to test fire the weapon yet, but the fit and finish are pretty good. One thing I can say about the weapon – it’s HEAVY! There is also no provision for a forward grip, so you’ll need to have one hand on the magazine / drum or use the sling to steady the weapon. I’m looking forward to getting this little beauty out – it should be a fun plinker, and as it runs on 9mm ammunition, it shouldn’t be too expensive to feed either.

Until next time!!!

This is Where Bloomberg, Pelosi, Boxer Want Us to Go

2009-11-13T09:15:00.000-08:00

At one point in time, these United States were a part of the British Empire. A series of civil rights abuses led to the American Revolution, which led to the founding of the most successful modern Republic. Over time, Britain and Europe seemed to get the idea that monarchies had several inherent flaws and that people actually did have inalienable rights. However, the rise of Socialism where the state becomes a substitute for employer and parent all in one led to “redefinition” of those rights. Government became a “service industry” and as a service industry seeks to minimize outlay by exercising a level of control over the lives of its subjects, errr, customers. One of the first things to go is firearm rights. As the framers of our Constitution astutely noted, the ultimate check and balance to government run amok is an armed populace. Disarm the populace, and they are effectively cowed. This is the modern reality in Britain.

A recent story out of the UK should serve as a wake-up call for all Americans, as anti-Second Amendment politicians like Bloomberg, Pelosi, Boxer, Feinstein, Obama, and others use the UK as a model for where they want to take the United States. Paul Clarke, a 27 year-old ex-soldier, faces a MINIMUM of 5 years in jail for handing in a sawed-off shotgun he found in a trash bag to police. The charge? He was, when he turned in the weapon, “in possession” of the firearm. In the UK there is a “zero tolerance” policy for individuals being in possession of firearms. There is no legal defense against the charge. In short, the UK has moved to summary justice and sham trials in their firearm laws. The Judge in the case, Christopher Critchlow stated:

"This is an unusual case, but in law there is no dispute that Mr Clarke has no defence to this charge. The intention of anybody possessing a firearm is irrelevant."

Firearm rights in the UK have degenerated to the point where a even an individual turning in a stray firearm to police results in at least 5 years of jail time. If you touch a gun you are guilty – period – you have no defense, no due process, no rights, and no recourse. THIS is the “dream” groups like the Brady Campaign have for America. Bottom line is we simply can’t let it happen here.

Until next time!!!

Anti-Gunners Let No Crisis Go to Waste

2009-11-11T19:54:00.000-08:00

Chicago Mayor Daley has come to a very interesting conclusion, that the recent incident at Ft. Hood in which Major Nidal Malik Hasan opened fire killing and wounding scores of Americans is a result of America’s “love” of guns. That’s right, the massacre of several military and civilian individuals at Ft. Hood had nothing to do with the fact that a religious zealot went on a binge, but rather America’s “gun culture.” The Brady Campaign followed suit indicating “legislative measures to increase the availability of guns should be rejected in light of the attack.”

Ignore for a moment that the individual in question is a naturalized citizen and didn’t grow up in America’s culture – gun or otherwise. Ignore for a moment that he was a follower of radical Islamic clerics. Ignore for a moment the fact that he had spoken out frequently against the U.S. taking military action in Islamic countries. Ignore for a moment that, ironically, military bases are “gun free zones” and that “gun free zones” and areas with strict gun bans have the worst incidences of violence committed with firearms. On the other hand, that’s exactly what Daley and his ilk are doing. Don’t ignore all of the facts above. Realize that this was the act of a misguided individual who’s twisted religious zeal permitted him to take up arms against his country and countrymen. According to the Constitution, that’s TREASON, and it should be treated as such.

Until next time!!!

Mail Tribune Prints AK Rebuttals

2009-11-03T19:35:00.000-08:00

In a recent letters to the editor feature Medford’s Mail Tribune has published a rebuttal of an earlier editorial which proclaimed that variants of the AK-47 should be illegal. The author makes a solid point – that people, not machines, are responsible when an individual is killed. The letter, by D. Casey of Medford states:

“The AK-47 is no more a killing machine than an automobile. . . The real and factual killing machines are the people using or operating them for illegal and nefarious purposes.

“Some people seemingly insist on using anything in a harmful manner if it meets their own ends. Until the mindset of certain individuals and groups of people determine that it is not in their best interest to use any device to harm or kill another person or animal, I feel that I am entitled, privileged and possess the right to own and use whatever "machine" or implement at my command to defend my family and myself from those types of people. Therefore, it is my choice to own and use an AK-47 without condemnation from any individual or group.”

I honestly can’t argue with anything that the author says in the piece. As a nation we have gotten away from the notion that with rights come responsibility. The current “nanny state” mentality pervading the industrialized world seems to be undercutting that foundation. In a free society, people must take responsibility for their own actions – both good and bad.

Unfortunately either through omission or through editing, the letter does little to address many of the blatantly wrong points made by the author of the original piece. However, my hat is off to D. Casey of Medford for putting the focus back on the fundamental issue – that we as Americans have a right and a duty to defend ourselves and our liberties. At the end of the day, that is truly what the right to keep and bear arms is all about, and why it is and must always be considered an inalienable human right.

In the same feature a second letter appeared making a similar point. This piece, by Bob McKean makes a few more pointed statements which really drive the issue home:

“Our Founding Fathers and the framers of the Constitution wanted citizens to keep and bear arms. It has nothing to do with target shooting, hunting or self-defense. It has everything to do with making sure free citizens have the means to overturn a tyrannical government if necessary.”

This point is one that is so often missed in the debate on firearms, though less so in recent years than in the past. For decades the “hunting” and “sporting” interpretations of the Second Amendment were as common as lobbyists in Washington. The past 20 years have almost seen a Renaissance in study on the original intent of the Second Amendment. Mr. McKean continues:

“As a retired 30-year police veteran I can say our law enforcement officers are very well-armed and trained and are not outgunned by the criminals. The only incidents that come to mind when the police were outgunned was during the SLA shootout in the early 1970s and the North Hollywood shootout in the mid-1990s.”

This point is an incredibly important point to make, and I’m heartened to see it coming from a police veteran, but he saves perhaps his best point for last:

“Firearms cause crime like pencils cause misspelled words. It all has to do with the behavior of the person and not the product they use. You have the right not to own an AK-47 rifle but, please, do not infringe upon my right to own a firearm of my choice. This is still a free country. Let's keep it that way.”

Again, it is very heartening to see a police officer who is a strong proponent of the individual right to keep and bear arms. Far too often all police are perceived as being cast from the same mold as many big-city police departments – who have never seen a gun ban they don’t like. Mr. McKean is a credit to law enforcement and sets a great example to follow.

Personally I’d like to know how many letters the Mail Tribune received on this particular issue. Something tells me – a LOT! We have to continue to win hearts and minds in the battle to preserve our Second Amendment rights – and literally every letter helps!

Until next time!!!

End of the Road for the AK-47?

2009-11-03T10:46:00.000-08:00

The English version of Pravda is reporting that Izhmash will be unveiling a new weapon next year designed to replace the venerable (and ubiquitous) AK-47. Citing the need for a more efficient weapon platform, and the fact that the AK was “is a weapon of the wars of the past, a weapon for large and poorly trained armies.”

It will be interesting to see what Izhmash has come up with next year, but whatever they’ve developed, it has huge shoes to fill. Call me skeptical, but the Russians have attempted to replace the AK-47 before, and yet it still remains the basic platform for an exceptionally large class of weapons used the world over.

Until next time!!!

Another Idiot Sticks His Foot in His Mouth on the AK-47

2009-10-26T19:26:00.000-07:00

The Medford Mail Tribune is fairly notorious for its anti-gun, anti-self defense, anti-Second Amendment positions. It therefore comes as no surprise that they printed an “editorial” declaring that “AK-47s should be illegal”. The piece (of tripe) by one R. "Andy" Anderson of Phoenix Oregon is a rant that hits all of the standard anti-gun talking points with a healthy dose of ignorance and distortion on top.

Going through the piece point by point:

“As we all know, an AK-47 is a "killing machine" and nothing else! Gun dealers should be prohibited from selling them and should have to divulge where they get them from!”

Technically all firearms are “killing machines” by that definition – from the Brown Bess Musket all the way through Glock pistols and bolt action hunting rifles. The author furthermore clearly has no understanding of the nature of the so-called AK-47’s advertised for sale today. He’s clearly laboring under the delusion that they are fully automatic weapons smuggled into the country. In fact, all AK-47 derivatives sold in the United States are semi-automatic firearms with BATFE approved receivers to prohibit easy conversion to a fully automatic firearm. Furthermore AK-47 derivative rifles in the United States must have a minimum number of U.S. made parts to comply with Section 922(r) of the Federal Code. They are available from several reputable importers and manufacturers in the United States.

“As a veteran of the Korean War, I'm very much aware the damage this weapon can do.”

The AK-47 was not used in the Korean War, though the PPSh was. This seems like a normal “appeal to authority” logical fallacy, but Mr. Anderson only further demonstrates that he doesn’t know what he’s talking about.

“It's not used for hunting deer, elk or any other game animal that can be legally hunted.”

Actually with a five round magazine the AK makes a very nice deer hunting rifle. However as any student of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and Section 27 of the Oregon Constitution is aware, hunting is not the purpose of the right to keep and bear arms. Defense of the self, the state, and liberty are. The AK-47, even in its semi-automatic incarnation, is a solid defensive weapon.

“Most of the people that get their hands on this weapon of mass destruction are crooks, bank robbers, etc., and the police department is totally outgunned by these criminals.”

This whole statement is just factually incorrect from the outset. A 2004 study by the Department of Justice indicates that the impact of the Assault Weapon Ban on crime was minimal, largely because so-called “assault weapons” were “rarely” used in crimes. Furthermore, most police departments are armed with high caliber, high capacity semi-automatic pistols as a standard sidearm. Departments also have access to REAL fully automatic assault rifles which outgun anything a civilian can own outside of a Class III weapon.

He closes with:

“I can't understand why anyone would want to own one, even a collector of guns!”

Obviously “Andy” doesn’t understand a lot of things. He doesn’t understand the law, he doesn’t understand the right to keep and bear arms, he doesn’t understand the difference between a BATFE approved semi-automatic clone and a fully automatic firearm, he doesn’t understand modern hunting, and he doesn’t understand what weapons were actually used in the Korean War (which he allegedly attended). It’s therefore not surprising given the dearth of knowledge he’s displayed in his “editorial” that he wouldn’t understand why someone would like to own one. Speaking as someone who owns several AK-47 clones, I own them for self-defense. I own them for hunting. I own them for target shooting. I own them because they’re rugged, easy to clean, and easy to carry. I own them because the ammunition is generally inexpensive. I own them because they are an important part of world firearm history. Maybe next time “Andy” will educate himself on an issue before writing an editorial... Yeah, right!

Until next time!!!

Newspaper Editorial Board Admits Error - Supports Concealed Carry!

2009-10-26T10:58:00.000-07:00

The editorial board of the Missouri News Tribune has come to an amazing conclusion – concealed carry works! In a recent op-ed piece, the editorial board discussed two recent incidents where individuals use firearms to defend themselves from attack. The first case involved a home invasion, but the second case involved an individual with a concealed carry permit using their weapon to resist an assault. The editorial board stated the oft repeated mantra against concealed carry:

“We confess to harboring some reservations about the concealed carry law. Our fear was an increase in guns in public would result in more guns being displayed prematurely and/or more accidents.”

However, Missouri data shows that these fears are unjustified, and the editorial board “concede(s) the point” indicating:

“The evidence, however, does show people defending themselves from harm.

“The message being sent to felons is don't bring a weapon to a crime unless you're prepared to accept the risk.”

Honestly I’m not surprised by the results of the Missouri concealed carry law. People who qualify to have a concealed carry permit are generally unlikely to commit crimes themselves. The fear that there would be “more guns in public” that would be used irresponsibly is a paper tiger. Time and again, real data has show that it is not the case. The real increased danger is to those who seek to violate the law and civil rights of others.

I glad at least one small newspaper in the nation has realized this. Now if the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Washington Post, and LA Times would only follow suit we may be able to make some real progress!

Until next time!!!

Smith and Wesson Victory Model

2009-10-23T15:41:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned a few days ago I picked up a Smith and Wesson Victory model revolver at the gun show. Turns out it’s technically a “pre-victory” or a host of other collector terms as it’s a lend lease gun with the “United States Property” stamp, but it’s just before they moved over to the “V” serial number block typical of the Victory model. So what the heck is a “Victory Model?” Basically it’s the Smith and Wesson Model 10 revolver chambered to be compatible with the British .38/200 load (which is essentially just a .38 Smith and Wesson with a 200 grain bullet). The Model 10 is the direct descendant of the standard Smith & Wesson Military & Police revolver.

After the disaster at Dunkirk, the British army needed replacement armaments – and quickly. The United States provided over a half million of these revolvers to Britain and Commonwealth forces throughout the war. They were extremely popular – even more so than the indigenous Enfield and Webley revolvers firing the same cartridge. The U.S. also used the Victory model, though in American service the revolver was chambered for .38 special rather than .38/200.

My example (above) still has most of its original parkerized finish. It also has several proofs indicating it was in Australian service during the war, and has been through a Full Thorough Repair (FTR) in 1954. I also picked up a British canvas holster to go with the pistol.

There are several great references on the web about the Victory Model. This site has a great tutorial on the markings commonly found on the Victory model. The site includes links to pictures of each of the proofs and markings as well.

I’m quite pleased overall with my find. I’d wanted a Victory Model for some time, but I’d never been able to find one at a price I was willing to pay (as both historical collectors and Smith and Wesson collectors target these little gems). I feel I got a good deal on this pistol, and can’t wait to get it out to the range and put a few rounds through it!

Until next time!!!

Media Continues to Orbit Bloomberg’s Ego

2009-10-22T15:24:00.000-07:00

The NRA-ILA website has an article detailing Bloomberg’s latest escapades in his egomaniacal crusade to erode and eliminate your right to keep and bear arms. Surrounded by cameras and media at a “news conference” Bloomberg proclaimed that his undercover agents had discovered "a willful disregard of the law" by "74% of gun show sellers." Seems fairly damning until you realize the following:

“...his "investigators" attended gun shows only "in states . . . that supply crime guns trafficked across state lines at the highest rates," only in neighborhoods with the highest incidence of "federal prosecutions for straw buying and trafficking, and proximity to urban areas experiencing gang violence," and ultimately focused their attention on only 47 individuals who, based upon their comments and actions, seemed the most likely to violate a gun sale law.”

Granted, it’s troubling that there are that many individuals willing to break the law, but the statistics do not carry to the general population, nor do they carry to the general gun show population. Unfortunately many of the usual anti-gun suspects seem to have similarly flunked basic statistics:

"Thanks to Mayor Bloomberg and the New York City Police Department, the public can see firsthand what goes on at these weapons markets," said the Brady Campaign.

"This investigation reveals how easy it is for criminals and even terrorists to purchase firearms at gun shows," said Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.).

Media outlets and newspapers nationwide have latched onto Bloomberg’s “revelation” with their usual level of journalistic integrity – that is to say none. The NRA site correctly points out:

“Reporters worthy of the name would have pointed out that buying a gun for a family member or friend as a gift is not a straw purchase. It's a violation of the law only to buy a gun for a prohibited person. And competent reporters would have also noticed that Bloomberg's "investigation" actually undercuts his call for requiring background checks on non-dealer sales at gun shows. The most common gun sale violation, Bloomberg says, is that straw purchasers defeat the background check. Requiring more sales to be run through checks would not alleviate the straw purchase problem one whit.”

Individuals who break firearm law should be prosecuted, but that is the duty of the BATFE, not the Mayor of the City of New York or its police department. Thirty or so individuals at specifically targeted gun shows do not represent a nationwide epidemic. All this latest stunt proves is that Bloomberg will go to any lengths to deny American’s their inalienable right to keep and bear arms – and hog the media spotlight.

Until next time!!!

Obama Seeks Foreign Arms Control Entanglements

2009-10-20T12:47:00.000-07:00

The Obama Administration has reversed a Bush Administration policy stating it would back talks to develop a treaty regulating arms sales under the condition that the talks “operated by consensus, a stance critics said gave every nation a veto.” While it’s certainly no surprise that the current administration is willing to entertain a treaty which limits armaments, the precondition is a little surprising. By requiring a consensus to move forward, an actual treaty agreement resulting from these talks may be unlikely. Looking at the decision in that light, perhaps this is an attempt by the administration to appear to be taking actions without having to take a strong stand on a controversial issue.

The goal of the treaty is to “tighten regulation of, and set international standards for, the import, export and transfer of conventional weapons.” According to the article:

“Supporters say it would give worldwide coverage to close gaps in existing regional and national arms export control systems that allow weapons to pass onto the illicit market.

“Nations would remain in charge of their arms export control arrangements but would be legally obliged to assess each export against criteria agreed under the treaty. Governments would have to authorize transfers in writing and in advance.”

Critics of the treaty believe that rogue states would still be able to arm themselves at will while other smaller nations with a tenuous military balance (like Israel) would suffer a reduced ability to defend themselves. The treaty is also opposed by gun-rights groups like the National Rifle Association.

Honestly from where I sit, this treaty could lead to a fair amount of mischief and limitations on things like parts kits and imports of firearms into the United States. The administration stance on the issue seems to be little more than throwing a bone to the international community while expending as little political capital as possible.

Until next time!!!

October Rose City Gun Show Report

2009-10-19T12:09:00.001-07:00

Had an enjoyable afternoon at the Portland Gun Show on Saturday as it was too rainy outside to do – well, pretty much anything without the use of SCUBA gear! A few of the regular vendors were moved around a bit because some regulars couldn’t make this show. Pricing on firearms is about steady from last time around, so the recent discounts I’ve seen online haven’t started to work their way through the system. For example, AIM has a WASR10 for about $380 at this point, whereas they were all closer to $500 at the show.

Ryan Judy had a first article of a Finnish Suomi M31 9mm semi-automatic on display. I’ve got one on order and picked up two stick and two drum magazines at the show. He also had a decent selection of Finnish Mosin Nagant rifles. There were a few semi-decent C&R rifles elsewhere at the show, but it was lighter than previous shows.

A few of the people walking through had some interesting firearms they were offloading. I ended up picking up a Smith and Wesson Victory Model for a reasonable price. Hit one of the vendors specializing in C&R and picked up British Canvas holster to go with it too.

Overall I had a great time. I’m still considering setting up a table in November or December as I need to rotate some of the collection.

Until next time!!!

I Took the Plunge – 6.8mm Remington SPC

2009-10-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

Unless you’ve been under a rock, you’ve probably heard about the (relatively) new 6.8 mm Remington SPC (Special Purpose Cartridge). The cartridge was developed to address ballistic deficiencies in the standard 5.56 NATO cartridge in widespread use in both military and civilian applications. I’ll be the first to admit that while I was excited by the prospect of a new cartridge for the AR platform, I was wary as not only was the cartridge in its infancy, but the barrels, chambers, bolts and magazines to support the new cartridge were as well. As you can see below the size of the 5.56 and 6.8mm cartridges are similar (6.8mm is on the bottom).

Over the past few years, the ballistic performance of the round has been improved, but that has also necessitated improvements in the AR platform as well. Many early 6.8mm uppers do not perform well, or do not perform well with the most current version of the 6.8mm cartridge. At this point, however, the specs seem to be stabilizing, and there is a growing community adopting the cartridge.

The 6.8mm forum (link above) has generated a really good spreadsheet that has many tips for individuals just getting into the cartridge. I’d seen several ads and had initially ordered an upper from a company I’d seen frequently in Shotgun News. They were out of stock, and I ultimately canceled that order because the company’s upper got a failing rating on the 6.8 forums rating system based on twist rate, grooves, barrel rating, feed ramps, thread size, and gas port location. I ended up getting an upper from AR15 Performance as all of their uppers received highest marks. Bison Armory, Titan Arms, and the new uppers from Noveske are also all “A” rated.

The photo above is of my rig. I haven’t had a chance to sight it in yet as it just arrived right before I headed out on a hunting trip (and proceeded to get sick – but that’s another story!). Can’t wait to get it out and see how it performs. I’m going to take my time breaking in the barrel and sighting it in.

Until next time!!!

Briefs Start Coming in for McDonald

2009-10-13T13:05:00.000-07:00

Just as they did with the Heller case, Senators Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-Texas) and Jon Tester (D-Mont.) are joining Rep. Mark Souder (R-Ind.) in filing a joint amicus brief before the Supreme Court asking the court to rule that Chicago’s gun ban is unconstitutional. Interestingly, The Hill is couching the case as one that “could further expand the Second Amendment and restrict governments’ ability to police the flow of firearms.” Talking about a slanted statement! Even a cursory reading of American history shows that the Second Amendment was always supposed to affirm an individual, inalienable right. All the upcoming McDonald case does is to reaffirm today what was patently obvious then. In no way, shape, form, or fashion does it “expand” the Second Amendment, nor does it have anything to do with the government’s ability to “police” firearms.

Senator Hutchinson states:

“With its landmark decision in D.C. v. Heller, the Supreme Court affirmed an individual’s right to bear arms is a fundamental, Constitutionally-guaranteed liberty. The Second Amendment should protect all lawful gun owners, but some courts have not viewed this right as one protected from state infringement. I look forward to the Supreme Court’s consideration of McDonald v. the City of Chicago so this extremely important Constitutional question regarding a fundamental, individual right can be settled, once and for all.”

I personally couldn’t agree more. This is a Constitutional question that should have never had to have been asked. I’m also glad to see that this brief will be filed by both Democrats and Republicans. The Second Amendment for too long was a purely partisan issue, but recent years have seen a surge in bipartisan support for the right to keep and bear arms. Hopefully other Senators and Representatives will sign on to this brief as well.

Until next time!!!

Schwarzenegger Caves on Ammo Regulation!

2009-10-13T12:20:00.000-07:00

After vetoing three similar bills in recent years, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger has now signed a sweeping ammunition regulation bill saying he believes it will “promote public safety.” Regulating guns hasn’t worked, but suddenly regulating ammunition will? Yet again we see the politicians acting like they’re “doing something” rather than addressing the real problems leading to violence – largely in urban areas.

Given that this is California legislation, the provisions of the bill are fairly onerous:

All ammunition sales will have to be face-to-face.
The Law makes it a crime to knowingly sell or give ammunition to someone who cannot possess it legally, including felons, gang members and the mentally ill.
As of February 2011, all ammunition buyers will have to provide a driver's license or other state identification and a thumbprint.

The only “bright” spot in the legislation is that a provision that “would have required sellers of more than 50 rounds of ammunition a month to be licensed by the state” was stripped from the final bill.

Welcome to the new front in gun rights legislation. For years, those opposed to the right to self-defense have focused on outlawing firearms. Now that court case after court case has upheld the individual right to keep and bear arms, they’re going after other targets. Bloomberg has attacked FFL’s and now this is the first step in attacking ammunition. I expect that this law will eventually be challenged, but until then it will serve as a “model” to gun grabbers across the nation.

Until next time!!!

NRA - Good or Bad for Our Rights?

2009-10-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Over at the Northwest Firearms board, there’s a thread that asks the question – is the NRA good or bad. It’s a seemingly simple question, but there are a myriad of views on the topic. Here’s my take.

First off, let me preface this by saying that I'm both an an NRA life member and a GOA life member. I honestly think both serve their purposes.

Some gun rights activists accuse the NRA of secretly working with the anti-gun activists behind the scenes and a host of other nefarious activities. Do I think the NRA is in bed with Feinstein and co? Absolutely not. That's a ridiculous charge GOA uses to boost membership numbers. GOA is "no compromise", but they're also "no money" and effectively "no clout" in Washington – beyond a few individual representatives that were already onboard anyway.

Sadly enough I’ve seen gun owners fall into two camps – those who think they don’t go far enough and those who think they’re “too radical” – it all depends on who they’ve been listening to.

One important thing to consider, though, is the fact that the NRA has the money to push legal cases forward. That's why they're demonized in the media so much - because the anti crowd sees them as a legitimate threat. The landmark Heller case was funded largely with NRA money. The upcoming McDonald case I believe is mostly Second Amendment Foundation if memory serves, but you can bet that the NRA and GOA will most likely both file briefs.

GOA is good for whipping up the base, but that’s really about it. They just don’t have the resources to move outside that role at this point. The NRA on the other hand is aware of GOA, and seems to be taking a much harder line these days on Second Amendment cases. The Heller case finally got the government of the United States to admit that the Second Amendment affirms an individual right – just like the Framers intended. In short, competition is good.

I personally support the NRA, GOA, Second Amendment Foundation and the Oregon Firearms Federation when I can. We need to make sure that all of these organizations are well-funded to ensure the future of our Second Amendment rights.

Pundits Weigh in on McDonald

2009-10-02T10:20:00.000-07:00

As discussed a couple of days ago the Supreme Court has decided to take up the case McDonald v. Chicago. At issue is Chicago’s draconian handgun ban, which has done absolutely nothing to decrease the crime rate in Chicago. Violence in the city has continued to increase with the recent murder of Derrion Albert serving as a stark example of the all-to-common brutality in Chicago’s streets. At this point, several pundits are starting to weigh in on the issue, and right now most seem to be predicting that the Constitution will actually be upheld.

Steve Chapman at the Chicago Tribune wrote a short piece discussing the ban. It hits most of the relevant points, including the fact that the ban hasn’t decreased crime. He also cites Chapman University law professor Ronald Rotunda as giving the ban only a 20% chance of surviving this challenge. The Tribune allows comments on their web site which seem to be running more heavily in favor of getting rid of the ban, but there are still several people clinging to the “collective right” interpretation of the law who clearly haven’t read their history. I added a brief shot to the discussion:

“People love to cite the militia clause of the Second Amendment, but then trip over that "right of the people" part... They also fail to read the Federalist and the writings of the people who actually debated, authored, and ultimately ratified the Second Amendment. The Second Amendment is there as much to protect America from outside invasion as it is to protect America from a strong central government run amok. Their intent was that the populace should be armed - and armed as well as any army. Not practical today, but the individual rights interpretation is the only interpretation with historical backing. Don't believe me - go read your American history”

Don’t know if it will do any good, but I’ve found the best way to defeat someone who thinks they “know it all” in an argument is to prove that they really don’t know it all.

Eric Zorn, also of the Tribune, also predicts that the Chicago ban is going down because of some of the broad language in Heller. Again, there are several gun-banners posting in the comments, but they’re starting to sound more and more like petulant children who aren’t getting their way as the facts don’t support their interpretations, and they’re being called out on it.

Declan McCullagh over at CBS as also written an opinion on the issue, but his takes a different view focusing on an individual rights interpretation of the Second Amendment applied to the states in many post Civil War court decisions (where the rights of African Americans were being trampled). The comments on this one seem to have more of an anti-gun slant to them overall with many people playing the “it’s not the 1800’s anymore” card and maintaining that cities are “different.” I’ve got news for them, they either have inalienable rights, or they don’t. It’s time America got back to recognizing our inalienable rights as such!

It proves to be an interesting next few months as the briefs begin to pour in for the January hearing of the case. Next year will be a pivotal year for our rights as affirmed under the Second Amendment – regardless of how this case is decided. Remember to keep up your support for pro-Second groups (see links on the sidebar) as they will be the ones presenting large portions of this case.

Until next time!!!

Supreme Court to Hear Landmark Second Amendment Case!!!

2009-09-30T10:45:00.000-07:00

The question whether the Second Amendment applies to the states (like the First) will be taken up by the United States Supreme Court next year. The case in question, McDonald v. Chicago, is one of the key cases I discussed in a blog entry from last month. In the case, the Chicago handgun ban is the law in question. An earlier decision upheld the ban, indicating the Second Amendment only applies to Federal, not State or Local law, but indicated the matter was one for the Supreme Court to decide.

The key question is whether or not the Second Amendment is incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment like the remainder of the Bill of Rights. If the Supreme Court rules that it is, and strikes down the Chicago gun ban, the same way the Heller case struck down the D.C. gun ban, then outright bans across the nation will be immediately unconstitutional. This would be the greatest possible victory for our rights as affirmed under the Constitution in years. I sincerely hope the Court further reaffirms the individual right to keep and bear arms as enumerated in our Constitution.

Until next time!!!

S.C. Candidate’s Machine Gun Rally Makes National News

2009-09-29T10:22:00.000-07:00

The CNN headline reads “Candidate Uses AK-47 to Raise Cash” – and that’s part of the draw, but the machine gun shoot has to be at least as big a draw as well! According to a local news affiliate Dean Allen, a candidate for South Carolina’s Adjutant General, wanted to show his support for the Second Amendment while holding a fund raiser for his campaign as well. Attendees got a chance to fire a machine gun (a real fully-automatic one) and were entered into the raffle for the semi-automatic AK clone valued at nearly $700.

Honestly, it’s good to see candidates embracing the Second Amendment. Unfortunately most of the candidates that are unabashed Second Amendment supporters are confined to rural areas or for obscure state offices. South Carolina is alone among the states in appointing an Adjutant General. According to the article, “the office has authority over the state’s defense forces, including the South Carolina National Guard.”

Here’s hoping Second Amendment supporters make a strong showing in the 2010 mid-term elections and the 2012 primary season.

Until next time!!!

September Rose City Gun Show Report

2009-09-25T10:31:00.000-07:00

Actually made it to the gun show this past weekend (after a trip to the retro-gaming fair). Show was much smaller than it was a couple months ago when the military vehicle guys were there (although it could have been the same number of gun tables but looked smaller because there wasn’t a Stuart tank up front). Talking to some of the vendors, it sounds like the show was a bit slower than some of the previous ones.

Selection was pretty good. Ammunition prices are definitely coming back down to their pre-election levels. I was even able to secure myself three boxes of large rifle primers. I also picked up some accessories for my 6.8mm Remington SPC AR (blog post forthcoming). I’d ordered the upper months ago at the beginning of the year, and it finally arrived a couple of weeks ago.

I did see one very drool worthy rifle at the show – a Japanese Type 44 rifle – mint, near 100% blue, with the mum – oh, and it has a 1st pattern bayonet. I’ve got a late Type 44 with the 3rd pattern bayonet that’s cherry with a mum, but I’d never seen a 1st pattern in that condition.

Until next time!!!

October 2009 American Rifleman Review

2009-09-25T10:24:00.000-07:00

I know – I’m way behind – bad Mikey! Pretty decent issue this time around – more of a political bend to a lot of the articles, but given the current environment, that’s not surprising. It starts out with a letter from the editor that hits very close to home – gun collecting. I have a decent little collection, and it’s really where a lot of my interest lies. It gives a URL to the NRA Gun Collector Programs courtesy of the National Firearms Museum page. Going to have to check that out. I’m a member of Oregon Arms Collectors, but their meetings are usually at a bad time for me – going to have to try to be more of a regular next year.

Wayne LaPierre has a brief article on the sudden Democratic interest in “States’ Rights.” In fact, many of them are only interested in the 10th Amendment when it serves their cause to limit the 2nd Amendment. Individuals like Schumer, Feinstein, Durbin, etc. who have no problem enacting sweeping Federal programs when it suits their interests suddenly become advocates of “States’ Rights” when nation-wide recognition of concealed carry permits is proposed (similar to the fact that all states recognize drivers’ licenses).

There’s also a neat little article on a firearm fan who scuba dives, drives rally cars, and has served as an officer in the military – King Abdullah II of Jordan. He recently was vacationing in the U.S. (cross-country motorcycling and white water rafting) and visited the Gunsite Academy in Arizona for some shooting. He was given a lifetime NRA membership and was presented with a .45 Colt SAA and a Gunsite M1911. I REALLY like the 1911 he got...

There’s also an article on Bloomberg’s continued efforts to disarm America. It has some fairly staggering statistics in it. Bloomberg and his cronies accuse Congress of backing down to the NRA and other “special interests.” Yet the NRA is actually a grassroots organization. Bloomberg has put $2.9 million of his own money into his campaign to shred the Constitution. Billionaires like Eli Broad have put in at least $750,000. The Joyce Foundation has put in $1.1 million. Talking about a few individuals trying to buy policy! Who’s the unrepresentative “special interest” here again? Their goal is to “take back the Second Amendment” – meaning they want the individual right affirmed by the Second Amendment to go away.

Ruger has (finally) released a version of the AR-15. There is a piston operated type which accepts normal AR magazines. The lower receiver, upper receiver bolt, firing pin, and charging handle are standard AR-15 as well. The price, however, is way up there at $1995 suggested retail. Speaking of the AR-15, there’s a great write up on its big brother, the M4 as well detailing its history, construction, and performance in the field.

There’s also a very timely article about Gun Shows. Because of media hype, hysteria, distortions, and outright fabrications, there are a lot of people who don’t know jack about gun shows – but KNOW they “need more regulation.” It’s great to have an article that gets the basic facts out there for people to see. Unfortunately being in American Rifleman, the article is pretty much preaching to the choir.

One article that reminds us just how much things have changed (and not for the better) discusses Abraham Lincoln’s fascination with rifles. He even tested many of the carbines and early repeaters which ended up seeing service in the Civil War. If only our current President had that level of interest in firearms and respect for our Liberties.

There’s a lot more good stuff in this issue as well – it’s a definite keeper!

Until next time!!!

Rifle of the Month – the SG-43 Goryunov

2009-09-10T08:27:00.000-07:00

For a change of pace I thought I’d do something a little something different this time around. The SG-43 Goryunov was designed as a replacement for the Maxim machine gun common in Soviet service during World War II. It’s belt fed and chambered for the ubiquitous 7.62x54R cartridge. The machine gun was used extensively in World War II, and then post war in the armed forced of Soviet ally and satellite states. In the 60’s it was replaced by the newer PK and PKM machine guns. One of the distinguishing features is the wheeled cart so the weapon is ready to set up a defensive position with gun shield at all times.

As with most fully-automatic firearms, this one is exceedingly rare. However AIM surplus has recently released a semi-automatic version of the weapon based on Polish kits and new U.S. receivers. I would LOVE to have one, but with a purchase price just short of $4,400 – I think I’m unfortunately going to have to admire this one from afar (unless that lottery comes through for me!).

Until next time!!!

Another Day, Another Administration Kook

2009-09-08T10:44:00.000-07:00

Another busy day here, unfortunately. Our dear leader has nominated yet another individual from way outside the “normal” distribution to yet another made-up post. This time it’s the “regulatory czar.” And this one is a real winner. His name is Cass Sunstein, and he believes hunting should be abolished, animals should be able to sue humans in count, and believes that all gun control legislation is “Constitutionally fine.”

You’d think Obama would have learned his lesson by now, but he continues to follow the same path of nominating leftist extremists to positions of power with minimal Congressional oversight. This latest nomination comes mere days after Van Jones resigned as “green czar” because of previous statements around the government’s role in the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Many in Washington questioning whether the “czar” role is even appropriate in American government, especially given that the administration has over 30 of them at this point.

Tennessee Senator Lamarr Alexander states:

"I don't think (Jones is) the issue. I think the czars are the issue. We have about two dozen so-called czars -- the pay czar, the car czar, all these czars in the White House."

Sunstein would be yet another monarch carving out a fiefdom in American policy. This individual’s views are not only well outside the American mainstream, they run contrary to the Constitution. Gun Owners of America is urging everyone to write their Senators and urge that Sunstein is not confirmed as “Regulatory Czar” as he would have too much influence over policy.

I’ve already written mine! Until next time!!!

Exodus from MAIG Continues

2009-09-08T09:49:00.000-07:00

The mayor of the Village of Walton Hills, Ohio, Mayor Marlene Anielski (R), has recently left Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” (MAIG) organization. This is yet another unfortunate case of a Mayor not reading the fine print before joining an organization. The marketing around this organization frequently doesn’t accurately portray it as the radical anti-firearm organization it truly is. Both the Mayor and her husband are NRA members and once the true charter of the organization became evident, she made a hasty exit.

The NRA has provided a full list of all of the members of Bloomberg’s organization on their website. It’s definitely worth checking that list to see if your mayor is on this list, and it’s also worth writing your mayor to indicate your opposition to the organization and its disarmament agenda. Bloomberg continues his well-funded assault on our civil rights and liberties, and we must oppose his effort at every opportunity.

Until next time!!!

Pittsburgh Continues to Defy State Law

2009-09-08T09:40:00.000-07:00

Most large cities in the United States seem to think they “know better” than the rest of the country, especially when it comes to firearm laws. Many large cities in the U.S. have passed restrictive gun laws, yet wonder why their crime rates continue to skyrocket. The City of Pittsburgh is considering a so-called “assault weapon ban,” even though state law forbids the city from passing firearm laws that are stricter than state law. The excuse used this time is the upcoming G-20 summit. I guess they don’t want to offend the visiting dignitaries by flaunting our liberties.

This is yet another example of the tactics typical of those seeking to destroy the right to keep and bear arms. Any excuse is jumped on to pass bans – even if those bans are not permitted under State or Federal law. Rule of law has absolutely no meaning for these individuals as they clearly believe “the ends justify the means.” Those of you in the greater Pittsburgh area, please contact the Mayor’s office or city council. Contact information is available here. We can’t let these self-righteous bureaucrats trample on our rights and liberties!

Until next time!!!

Selective Enforcement of the Firearm Owners Protection Act

2009-09-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

If you talk to people who have a passing knowledge about firearm law, they’ll know about the “1986 machine gun ban.” Technically, this law is the Hughes Amendment to the Firearm Owners Protection Act banned civilian ownership and possession of fully-automatic firearms manufactured after May 19, 1986. For most people that’s where their knowledge of the law ends. However, the ironic fact is that the act was originally intended to rein in the abuses of the BATFE (then the ATF). If you read further in the law, one very important section arises:

Federal Law 18 U.S.C. 926 (2) (a): No such rule or regulation prescribed after the date of the enactment of the Firearms Owners Protection Act may require that records required to be maintained under this chapter or any portion of the contents of such records, be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or any political subdivision thereof, nor that any system of registration of firearms, firearms owners, or firearms transactions or disposition be established. Nothing in this section expands or restricts the Secretary's authority to inquire into the disposition of any firearm in the course of a criminal investigation.

This effectively prohibits “registration” of firearms in the United States, which says that California’s registration scheme and the national database are both technically illegal. The question I have is why are the BATFE and some of the states allowed to continue in this fashion – effectively ignoring a major provision of the Firearm Owners Protection Act??? Maybe it’s time we started shining a light onto this dark corner of the law?

Until next time!

Another Day, Another “Gun Show” Hit Piece

2009-09-05T13:08:00.000-07:00

The NRA-ILA website is reporting that University of California (Davis) professor Garen Wintemute has released another “study” showing that the nation “needs” more gun control laws in spite of the fact that California has some of the strictest gun control in the nation, yet their murder and robbery rates are much higher than the national average. The title of this clearly “unbiased study” (about as “unbiased” as a Michael Moore “documentary”) is "Inside Gun Shows: What Goes On When Everybody Thinks Nobody's Watching."

Gun shows, however, just appear to be the tip of the wedge. Wintemute acknowledges that straw purchases circumventing background checks are a major source of illegally acquired firearms, and further acknowledges that firearm purchases at gun shows represent a tiny minority of sales. He even goes so far to admit that most gun show sales go through retailers which require background checks anyway. So what’s the issue? The issue is what most have always suspected it to be – private party sales:

"Regulating private party sales just at gun shows will not end the problems associated with these anonymous and undocumented transactions. Most of them occur elsewhere already. ... It would be preferable to regulate private party gun sales generally."

In short, Wintemute wants to turn the nation into California where “…private sales are prohibited, transfers of firearms are delayed by a 10-day waiting period, and sales are permanently recorded by the government.” These are effectively the same goals as the Brady Campaign’s when it started in 1976 (then known as the National Council to Control Handguns).

The “logic” here completely escapes me. California, and all other cities with strict gun control, have higher murder and robbery rates than areas without strict gun control. The UK has seen firearm related crime skyrocket since they instituted bans. Either these groups are completed deluded, or there is a greater agenda hidden underneath the surface. I tend to think the latter, which is why these groups’ claims and “studies” must be countered with real logic and facts at every opportunity!

Until next time!!!

Return of the Tabuk Log!

2009-08-31T20:47:00.000-07:00

It’s ALIVE!!!!!!!!!!!

It’s been a while since I’ve given you an update on the Tabuk project. The reason for the delay has been a combination of waiting for replacement parts (the new barrel), waiting for that barrel to be corrected, replacing some dead, deceased, and defunct cobalt drill bits, and then waiting for some spare time to actually work on the project seriously.

Actually disassembling the old barrel was a little trickier than I’d anticipated, and I had to pull out one of my precision vises to actually get enough purchase on the rear sight block to get it off of the barrel. Once I had all of the pieces free, I cleaned up any nicks or marks from handling. Once I’d gotten the barrel back from Tornado Technologies I slowly began the process of getting it back together. I’ve taken it very slow to ensure I didn’t have a repeat of last time (and we all know how painful that was!).

Overall the barrel went together pretty well. I had a little trouble cutting the gas port, but once I switched to a new sharp bit I was able to get it cut without too much difficulty. Putting the barrel back in was a slow affair with numerous stops and starts to check the position of the barrel relative to the bolt assembly.

Once the barrel was in, the rest of the process went has gone pretty much like a normal AK build. I had to do a little work on the magazine catch, but now it accepts an array of magazines without issue (I put a 40 in it because I had it lying around. The 5-round Chinese work very well, though. Tabuk hunting anyone???). Honestly, one of the trickiest parts was riveting the pistol grip mount to the receiver. The normal AK builder jigs just aren’t quite set up to do this as easily as I’d like, so it took a little bit of careful work to get all of those rivets into place and secure. As you can see from the pictures below, the final product is coming out beautifully:

An astute observer will note a few things that need to be done yet. The rear sight is a standard M70 sight I included purely for the purpose of aligning the barrel assembly. I haven’t installed the Tabuk sight yet. You’ll also note the full trigger assembly isn’t yet installed – I’m still debating whether or not I want to install the adjustable match trigger or not. I also haven’t set the barrel pin just yet as I want to finalize checking the headspace. If anything, I’ll move the barrel out 1mm or so – don’t know if I need to, though. I also still need to cut the groove in the barrel for the lower hand guard retainer and screw in the buttpad on the stock. Once all that’s done I’ll tackle modifications to the cheek rest, as the hardware is completely different than the Dragunov.

Overall this has been an alternately frustrating and rewarding project. As the final pieces fall into place, I’m quite proud of the outcome, and I’ve learned a lot about trying to build a project from near scratch versus rebuilding a kit. Once I’ve completed assembly and done a field test, then I’ll get the entire rifle refinished. I still haven’t decided who I’m going to go with on that because I have a fair amount of research still to do.

Until next time!!!

More Anti-Gun Politics in the Funny Pages

2009-08-31T12:41:00.000-07:00

One of the few remaining bastions of readable material in most newspapers these days has been the comic pages. I regularly read through the “educational section” as it’s one of the few places that isn’t heaped with biased reporting demonizing lawful firearm owners. Unfortunately the same politics that dominate the rest of the paper now seem to be creeping into the comics page, with the recent lifting of the ban on concealed weapons in parks causing a lot of “stir.” At this point we can add the comic Mother Goose and Grimm to the list of anti-gun / anti-Second outlets. The August 31, 2009 comic strongly implies that concealed carry holders will shoot randomly in parks and endanger visitors.

Maybe it’s time for a letter writing campaign to strip creator Mike Peters? The combination of comedy and politics goes way back, but it’s only “funny” to one side of the political fence. Hopefully this particular strip will backfire in the minds of most Americans.

Until next time!!!

The UK – Big Brother Everywhere

2009-08-31T09:21:00.000-07:00

In yet another intrusion into the lives of ordinary citizens, BBC News is reporting that the British Medical Association (BMA) wants to “tag” or “highlight” the medical records of individuals with firearm licenses. The article goes on to debate the various merits of the issue, from a decidedly anti-gun owner perspective for the most part. What should be instructive, and terrifying, to an American citizen is how this ties into our own debate over health care. The UK’s socialized health care is being used as a model by many proposing “reform” in Washington.

The actions of British Doctors and the BMA are instructive as to the direction that we could expect the US to move toward if we implement a universal health care scheme. In addition to being openly hostile to gun owners, British Doctors have called for bans on kitchen knives and virtually anything that can be used as a weapon. Given the fact that health care and government are not distinct in the UK, the privacy implications are obvious.

At this point the UK has TV cameras monitoring all aspects of life. Ostensibly the cameras are there to “prevent crime”, but as I reported last week, crime in the UK continues to spiral out of control. Clearly the bans and schemes aren’t working, yet groups in the UK continue to call for additional bans, additional restrictions, and additional monitoring.

British citizens have given up their privacy, their right to self-defense, and so much more in hopes of comforts and convenience. The return for those sacrifices seems to be a declining standard of life and an increasing crime rate. We can not and must not go down the same path. We as a nation need to learn from the mistakes made by the UK and Europe and blaze our own trail – one that continues to hold the rights and liberties of the individual above all else.

Until next time!!!

Everyone Else is Jumping off the Bridge

2009-08-28T11:05:00.000-07:00

Remember the stereotypical motherly question "If everyone else jumped off a bridge, would you do it too?" Hopefully in the area of gun control, America’s answer will be a resounding “no,” but it seems like everywhere you turn, the world is jumping off of that bridge at an alarming rate.

Ireland has passed several new onerous gun laws which have infuriated many people there. The Philippines are in the middle of an amnesty period before stricter controls take effect there. Leftists in the United States often point out that America is a “laughing stock” because of its “lax” gun laws trying to persuade the nation to take the plunge.

However, the facts continue to demonstrate that gun control just doesn’t work. In actuality, it makes crime worse. Drug and gang crime in the UK is spiraling out of control resembling a bleak US crime drama. Crimes involving firearms (which supposedly don’t exist in Britain since they’re banned) are up by more than 50% and fatal stabbings are at their highest levels ever. In the U.S., Chicago has a near total ban on handguns, yet it is our murder capital.

Policy makers try to respond with their typical nanny state remedies – more free social welfare and gun "bans" enforce a vicious cycle of poverty for those trapped in the cities and threaten the liberties of the law abiding. One definition of insanity is to “keep doing the same thing and expect a different result.” The political leadership in our urban areas is clearly insane by this definition, and needs to be opposed at every junction. We need new solutions – ones that will actually break the culture of drugs and violence but respect the inalienable rights of American citizens.

Until next time!!!

Sales of Seized Firearms?

2009-08-24T15:09:00.000-07:00

The L.A. Times is reporting that Colorado Springs, CO is considering selling seized firearms rather than destroying them as is the national norm. Citing that the same is done with other forms of seized property (autos and cars), it seems like a refreshing change from the normal “disarm the people” attitude of many large city police departments.

For the L.A. Times, the article is fairly middle of the road. Furthermore, given that some priceless collectable firearms have either been seized in drug raids or “bought back” by Police departments, this provides an outlet for these weapons.

Now if the Army would just send us some Iraqi and Khyber Pass AK kits, I’d be a really happy camper!

Until next time!!!

Will Supreme Court Consider Incorporation?

2009-08-24T15:08:00.000-07:00

According to the Supreme Court blog two key Second Amendment cases will be considered early in the next Term. The key cases are National Rifle Association v. Chicago and McDonald v. Chicago. The key question here is whether or not the Second Amendment is incorporated under the 14th Amendment, and therefore applicable to not only Federal Law, but State and local ordinances as well. If the case is heard and the Second Amendment is incorporated, the decision would in many respects be even bigger than the Heller case that finally (and correctly) ruled that the Second Amendment affirms an individual right. The Supreme Court will consider the cases on September 29th, and we may know as early as September 30th whether or not the cases will actually be heard by the Court.

Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Armed Protests at Obama Stops

2009-08-22T22:21:00.001-07:00

At this point anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock knows of several instances where armed individuals have shown up to protests over the health insurance plan (just what we need, another $2+ trillion disaster on top of the hundreds of billions already blown by this administration). In all cases these have been in legal open carry states by individuals simply exercising their rights under the Federal and applicable state constitutions. In no cases has the President or any other individual been directly threatened, and in no cases has there been a violent confrontation.

With that preamble out of the way, I have mixed feelings about the armed protests. On the one hand it is deliberately confrontational. It’s the equivalent of walking into a bar with a chip on your shoulder and daring someone to knock it off. It’s something that those opposed to our Second Amendment rights are going to use against us, and it may even succeed to some extent because it scares a lot of people.

On the other hand it’s a very uniquely American thing to do and to be able to do. Our nation started with armed protests and revolt against totalitarian regime. The Framers wanted an armed populace to be able to stand against any tyranny – especially the tyranny of a strong central government. I feel, as many, the administration is forcing policy down the nation’s throat, and many are rapidly losing patience.

I think the key question is “where is all this leading?” Is this just a loud way to express one’s opinion that will fade away in a few weeks, or is this the start of a shift in the electorate? Quite frankly our current business model for the nation is unsustainable – we’re almost $12 trillion in the hole, adding another $1.2 trillion to that this year with the administration spending money like it’s going out of style. To paraphrase Margaret Thatcher, we’re running out of other people’s money to spend. When the gravy train finally derails, it’s going to be ugly – a lot uglier than one or two fed-up law-abiding citizens showing up armed at a political protest.

Until next time!!!

Time to Boycott Frommer

2009-08-22T20:16:00.000-07:00

Apparently Arthur Frommer, of Frommer’s Guide fame, is now boycotting the state of Arizona. Why? Because someone had the temerity to exercise their Second Amendment rights. According to Fox News, Mr. Frommer’s blog states he was:

“…’shocked beyond measure’ by reports that protesters openly carried guns and rifles outside a Phoenix building where President Barack Obama spoke on Monday.”

The article goes on to state:

“…he won't be spending his tourism dollars at the Grand Canyon, or anywhere else in Arizona, because the state's laws allow people he described as "thugs" and "extremists" to openly carry firearms.”

I don’t know if I still have any Frommer’s Guides hanging around, but I’ve got half a mind to hunt for any, box them up, and include a copy of the Constitution and some analysis of the Second Amendment thereto. Say what you will about the means of protest, certainly it’s “in your fact”, but people in America still have the right to keep and bear arms. If anything, the recent incidents have shown us who really believes that and who just plays lip service to the concept.

Until next time!!!

Top 10 Handguns in American Rifleman

2009-08-19T09:13:00.000-07:00

I just got my September 2009 issue of American Rifleman, and they’ve done another Top 10 list. If you remember last year around this time AR published their Top 10 infantry rifles and Top 10 hunting rifles. I only reviewed the Top 10 infantry rifle list, as that’s where my expertise lies. However the list wasn’t without controversy with many accusing it of being to American-focused. This time around, they’re picking their “Top 10 Handguns of All Time.” So how’d they do??? Let’s look at the list and find out.

1. The M1911, M1911A1, and variants. Okay – no argument so far. The 1911 is absolutely my favorite sidearm to carry and shoot. Ergonomically it’s spectacular. It’s accurate. It’s rugged. It fires the .45 ACP cartridge. While the basic design is nearly 100 years old, it has really increased in popularity since 1970.

2. Smith & Wesson Hand Ejector Revolvers. At least they’re using broad classes for some of the classic revolvers. This is one of the basic Smith designs that has soldiered on for over a century. Praised for both accuracy, durability, and crisp trigger pull, this is certainly a great firearm. However, two spots, two American guns. Where do we go from here?

3. Glock 17 Pistol. Oh no! The dreaded plastic gun!!! Actually seeing the Glock this high does lend some credibility to the list. The line has long since moved past the 9mm Glock 17 to include firearms in multiple configurations (compact, standard, tactical) and calibers (.40 Smith, .45 ACP, 10mm, and others). Glock changed the game, and while I own more XD’s than Glocks, I don’t think there would be an XD without the Glock having come first.

4. Smith and Wesson Model One Revolver. This one seems to be here for historical reasons – it was really the first modern handgun. I am a little concerned that we’re seeing another Smith on the list already though.

5. Volcanic Volitional Repeater. Say that three times fast! Early semi-automatic. Again, this one seems to be here for historical reasons as a "first."

6. Colt’s Single Action Army Revolver. Okay – yes. This one needs to be on any Top 10 list. Absolutely zero debate. Historically important. Standard issue for the U.S. military from 1873-91. The most famous gun in the American West.

7. Walther PP, PPK, PPK/S Pistols. Bond… James Bond. Walther’s small but elegant sidearm. This one doesn’t make my Top 10 Guns I’d like to own but don’t, but it comes in around #11 or #12.

8. C96 Mauser “Broomhandle” Pistol. This is another one of those oddballs. There seem to be a lot of “firsts” on this list rather than “bests” in my opinion. In AR’s words “it was the first semi-automatic pistol reliable and powerful enough for military service.” That makes it a first, not a best. It’s a neat design, looks cool, and I’d love to own one, but it certainly doesn’t make my Top 10 list.

9. Browning Hi Power Pistol. Similar in some ways to the M1911, this is another classic semi-automatic that has been used extensively the world over. Used by both the Allies as well as the Wehrmacht during World War II, it soldiered on after the war as the primary sidearm of most NATO countries. Again, I think this is another worthy choice for the list.

10. Smith and Wesson Registered Magnum Revolver. This revolver introduced the legendary magnum cartridge to the world. Honestly, I'd put it a bit higher. As immortalized by Dirty Harry:

“I know what you're thinking — "Did he fire six shots or only five?" Well, to tell you the truth, in all this excitement, I've kinda lost track myself. But, being this is a .44 Magnum, the most powerful handgun in the world and would blow your head clean off, you've got to ask yourself one question: "Do I feel lucky?" Well, do ya, punk?”

While this is the third Smith on the list, I think this one really actually deserves to make a “10 best” list.

So my overall thoughts on the list? Some of them I absolutely agree with, but overall the list is too American (three Smiths???) with too many “firsts” at the expense of some other very good firearms. I would expect the Webley revolver to make a Top 10 list as well as the Luger. Feel free to post your comments!

Until next time!!!

Bloomberg’s “Gun-Free” Utopia

2009-08-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

The New York Daily News published a recent article about a Harlem business owner who was forced to use a firearm in defense of his store and employees. MSNBC has also covered the story, and it is interesting to compare the two accounts and read not only the bias that comes through in the story, but the mentality of many people in Bloomberg’s “gun-free” utopia of New York.

A group of four hoods, led by an armed drug dealer, invaded Gus Augusto’s restaurant supply business, pistol whipped a clerk, pointed a gun at secretary Dorothy Hunt and demanded cash. Augusto responded that there was no cash and implored the robbers to leave. Rather than leaving, the assailants resumed beating the clerk. Augusto responded by retrieving his shotgun and opening fire. Two of the assailants were killed and two were wounded and treated.

The response has been predictable. NYPD focus on the fact that Augusto didn’t have a “permit” for the shotgun, though have “magnanimously” declined to press charges. The families of the assailants have protested loudly that they were “good sons” or “good men” and claim that Augusto murdered the assailants. I’m sorry, what word do some of these people live in? Denial must be running very deep because no “good son” or “good man” invades a person’s place of business with the intent of robbing it – much less does so armed and beats the employees in the process. I guess in New York no one has to take responsibility for their actions.

One thing that’s interesting – the New York Daily added one of those unscientific polls to the article asking:

“A Harlem shop owner who shot two would-be robbers do death said he no choice but to open fire. Did he do the right thing?”

The results are surprising – especially for a New York paper:

“Yes, he had no choice. He had to defend himself. 83%

“No, he could have avoided firing his gun. 2%

“I don't know. It seems like a decision you can only make in that moment. 15%”

Bloomberg and his draconian anti-gun and anti-defense policies have created an environment where criminals have all the advantages. It’s also apparently created an environment where delusional families don’t recognize (or are unwilling to accept) the fact that there is true evil in their midst. Until the people of New York have their inalienable right to self defense restored and the culture of “blame someone else” is erased, the city will continue to be a cesspit of criminals, drugs, and gangs. Sadly enough, Bloomberg seems to think his city is a “model” for the nation, and has gotten many other mayors onboard. The reality is New York is a model of what NOT to do.

Until next time!!!

Return of the Big Lies – Time Magazine

2009-08-10T10:22:00.000-07:00

As I reported last Thursday, Mexico continues to want to make a U.S. so-called “assault weapon ban” a priority. Recently Time published an article “Obama's Mexico Mission: Keep Guns in El Norte” by Ioan Grillo clearly trying to drum up popular support for such a measure. The piece was an absolute travesty with more lies and distortions than I’ve seen in a long time. It starts out bad and then goes downhill from there:

“The camcorder shakes as it films the thud of thick .50 caliber bullets ripping through a steel plate target in the heat of the Arizona desert. Panning across the jagged rocks and cacti, the camera then focuses on the shooter: a smiling Mexican sitting down on the dust as he uses both hands to fire the huge state-of-the-art weapon that can tear through tank armor. He was the happy customer, having bought the killing machine from an Arizona gun shop for about $21,000.”

Now the dreaded .50 cal has gone from merely being able to “down a plane” (which it can’t) to being capable of “tear[ing] through tank armor.” Anti-tank rifles were generally of a much higher caliber than .50 and have been obsolete since the early days of World War II. A .50 caliber rifle wouldn’t even go through a vintage Sherman, much less any modern tank. Of course, in addition to lying about the capabilities of the weapon, the author’s clear bias is showing by referring to the weapon as a “killing machine.”

The article doesn’t get any better:

“Obama concedes that one major problem in stopping the traffic is the strength of U.S. gun laws - and the gun lobby supporting them. Mexican officials have pushed for the United States to reinstate a Clinton-era ban on assault rifles. Such weapons - especially Kalashnikovs and AR15s - are behind the vast majority of Mexican gang killings. Both types of guns have been sold widely in Arizona and Texas since the U.S. ban on sale of assault weapons was repealed in 2004.”

Wow – where to start? First let’s start with the obvious factual errors. The 1994 ban did not ban the sale of the AR-15 or semi-automatic AK-47 clones. It merely limited the feature combinations on such rifles. So any correlation between the 2004 expiration (not repeal) of the 1994 ban is coincidental. To put it more simply, you could buy virtually the same weapon both before and after the ban, so I have serious doubts about the veracity of the Mexican numbers on this issue.

Second, again the author’s bias is showing by tying American gun laws to a “lobby.” The NRA, GOA and other organizations are very grassroots and are comprised of millions of individual, everyday citizens. Compare this to those opposed to the Second Amendment – like the Soros Foundation and their recommendations for draconian gun control.

Yet again our rights and freedoms are under attack – this time from the Mexican government with the tacit approval of the administration and media outlets like Time magazine. I urge everyone to write Time magazine and highlight the plethora of errors and misconceptions in this most recent piece. Those opposed to our liberty are well connected and well funded, and only continued grassroots activism will keep their agenda at bay.

Until next time!!!

Final Report Card Grades In!

2009-08-07T09:34:00.000-07:00

CNN has posted the final grades from its second 100 day report card. The results represent a stark contrast to the administration’s first 100 days. In this version, individuals had the option of adding a + or – to grades, I’m just going to report the results as a straight letter grade to make the trends clearer.

Q1: Grade the administration on the economy.

Overall Grade: C-
A: 22%
B: 17%
C: 9%
D: 16%
F: 36%
Four point math: 1.73 / C-

I’ll assume that a “D” or an “F” equates to an unacceptable grade for the purpose of my analysis. Based on the CNN poll, it looks like a clear majority (52%) disapproves of how the administration is handling the economy. Not a great start for the administration.

Q2: Grade the administration on health care reform

Overall Grade: D
A: 19%
B: 15%
C: 8%
D: 9%
F: 49%
Four point math: 1.46 / D

… but the administration and Democratic leaders in Congress tell us that the people disrupting town meetings angry about the health care proposal represent a small minority of special interests and lobbyists. Based on these results, I’d say the administration and Congressional leaders are full of it. It’s clear that the overwhelming majority of respondents don’t like the current proposals.

Q3: Grade the administration on foreign affairs

Overall Grade: C
A: 29%
B: 13%
C: 14%
D: 16%
F: 26%
Four point math: 1.99 / C (barely)

One of the rare bright spots – clearly the distribution is heavy on both ends.

Q4: Grade Secretary of State Clinton

Overall Grade: C+
A: 29%
B: 21%
C: 21%
D: 13%
F: 15%
Four point math: 2.34 / C+

Clearly the Secretary of State is more popular at this point than the policies of the administration.

Q5: Grade Vice President Biden

Overall Grade: C-
A: 12%
B: 19%
C: 17%
D: 16%
F: 35%
Four point math: 1.55 / C- (close to a D+)

The math here seems fuzzy, but it looks like Biden benefited from some quirks in the math. With a 51% disapproval rating, it seems like an overall C- grade is generous.

Q6: Grade your Senators

Overall Grade: C-
A: 11%
B: 18%
C: 22%
D: 18%
F: 31%
Four point math: 1.60 / C-

This is sort of an oddball because it is a truly state focused question. North Dakota seems to really like its senators. Everyone else goes downhill from there.

Q7: Grade the performance of Congress

Overall Grade: D
A: 5%
B: 10%
C: 16%
D: 19%
F: 52%
Four point math: 1.01 / D

Congress has a credibility and performance issue. Quite frankly its time to fire many of them.

Q8: Grade the Republican Leadership in Congress

Overall Grade: D
A: 8%
B: 14%
C: 22%
D: 16%
F: 40%
Four point math: 1.34 / D+

Though the Republicans still average out to a “D” according to CNN’s somewhat skewed four point scale, it’s clear that they’re doing better than Congress as a whole.

Q9: Grade the media

Overall Grade: D
A: 4%
B: 10%
C: 19%
D: 19%
F: 49%
Four point math: 1.03 / D

Talking about pathetic. The country is clearly not happy with the media at this point. Hopefully they’ll start waking up and realize that their continued bias is antagonizing their readers and viewers.

Q10: Grade President Obama

Overall Grade: C-
A: 29%
B: 12%
C: 7%
D: 13%
F: 39%
Four point math: 1.79 / C-

Mirroring national polls, the disapproval rating for the president is rising. Opposition to the health care plan is rising, which represents a centerpiece of his domestic policy. Attempts to re-instate the so-called “assault weapon ban” (which never had anything to do with assault weapons) can’t have helped either.

It’s clear that the nation is not happy. They’re not happy with Congress, they’re not happy with the health care proposals, they’re not happy with the President. Hopefully the administration and Congressional leaders will take these results to heart and stop putting their ideology and interests ahead of those of the nation.

Well, I can hope can’t I???

Until next time!!!

Send Your Comments on Mexico’s Push for AWB

2009-08-06T10:31:00.000-07:00

The Security and Prosperity Partnership Of North America has a website where you can send comments on a variety of topics for the upcoming summit. Based on Mexico’s continuous attempts to violate our Constitutional rights, I sent in the following comments:

“A recent article on the ABC News website indicated that Mexico is going to try yet again to push for a so-called “assault weapon ban” at the upcoming North American Leaders summit. I am writing today as a concerned American citizen who sees this effort as nothing more than an attempt to abridge my rights because a foreign entity has singularly failed to maintain order in its own nation. The case they make is based on misconception and falsehoods, and no time should be wasted at the summit entertaining this attack on the rights of American citizens.

“The ABC article quotes a Mexican official as stating that the number of so-called “assault weapons” rose with the expiration of the 1994 U.S. ban. I question this assertion as the 1994 ban was based solely on cosmetic features. Any law-abiding individual could readily purchase semi-automatic AR-15’s and AK-47’s during the “ban.” Furthermore, news reports detailing the weapons in the hands of the cartels clearly show fully automatic weapons, which are rare in the U.S. and strictly regulated. These same reports show rockets and grenades as well which also can’t be coming from any gun show or gun store.

“Based on these facts, it seems clear that the true source of the majority of the weapons in the hands of the cartel’s is Mexico’s own military and police as well as black market weapons from China, Russia, and Central America. Even assuming American weapons were making it to Mexico, that isn’t a compelling argument to abridge the U.S. Constitution. Instead it would simply reinforce what we already know – the U.S. Mexico border is not as secure as it should be.”

I urge everyone to send polite, well-written comments in if you feel strongly about this issue. Remember, anything sent will be available under the Freedom of Information Act.

Until next time!!!

Mexico Continues to Try and Dictate American Law

2009-08-06T09:33:00.000-07:00

ABC is a reporting that Mexico will continue to push for a new so-called “assault weapon ban” in the US at the upcoming North American Leaders summit. According to the article, an unnamed official stated:

“I would like to see the assault weapons ban reinstated – it’s not philosophical, it’s because of what we have seen on the ground…There is a direct correlation between the assault ban and expiring in 2004 and the numbers – simply the sheer numbers – of assault weapons that we seize in Mexico…We are both cognizant of what can and cannot be done right now – we will softly, diplomatically…continue to say that this is an important issue for us but I think the real perspectives of this moving on Capitol Hill these days are slim to say the least.”

The ‘official’ goes on to state:

“The Mexican government is not about challenging the Second Amendment. That’s a sovereign decision of the United States. It’s a sovereign decision of the U.S. Congress. That’s up to you guys. But the Second Amendment wasn’t adopted by the Founding Fathers to allow transnational organized crime to illicitly buy weapons in the Unites States and be illicitly cross them over international borders into countries where those calibers and types of weapons are prohibited.”

Thank you, but I’ll keep interpretation of the Second Amendment to the experts – the people who actually wrote the thing. Just because Mexico believes that a disarmed populace is easier to control, that’s not our problem. If Mexico is so concerned about weapons trafficking, then they need to beef up the border – not only to keep alleged American weapons from entering their country, but to keep their citizens from illegally entering OURS! I’m all for a tighter border, and it seems to me that it would make everyone’s life easier. Let's work on that instead, eh?

Until next time!!!

CNN Administration Report Card

2009-08-04T13:56:00.001-07:00

In case you haven’t seen it, CNN has set up a report card where you can grade the administration, Congress, and even the media on several current issues. From the results so far, it’s clear that the nation isn’t happy and that the honeymoon is over for the Obama administration. Based on the methodology used its hard to get a really low grade, but the results so far are very interesting. Here’s the current status:

Q1: Grade the administration on the economy.

So far: DC gives the administration a C+, that’s the high point, eleven states give it a C, thirty four states give it a C-, and five states give it a D. If you look inside the numbers, between 25% and 40+% of individuals voting give the administration an F.

Q2: Grade the administration on health care:

So far: A disaster for the administration with only DC and Alaska giving the administration a C, roughly nine states giving the administration a C-, and the rest of the nation giving it a D. In many states well over 50% of those responding give the administration an F.

Q3: Grade the administration on foreign affairs:

So far: This is one of the few “bright spots” for the administration with most states giving the administration a solid C with a smattering of C+’s, a few C-‘s, and even one B- from DC. Inside the numbers roughly 25% of the individuals responding are still giving the administration an F.

Q4: Grade Secretary of State Clinton

So far: She does better than the administration with no state rating her lower than a C with many C+ grades.

Q5: Grade Vice President Biden

So far: YEEEOWCH!!!! DC gives him a C, twenty one give him a C-, the rest give him a D. The fraction of F votes is also very large on this question.

Q6: Grade you state Senators:

So far: Most people aren’t happy with their senators – this one is a slightly different pattern as it isn’t asking a rate on the Senate itself.

Q7: Grade the performance of Congress:

So far: Double YEEEOWCH: No state gives Congress above a D. “F” grades are a majority in many states.

Q8: Grade the performance of the Republican Leadership in Congress.

So far: Not great, but a little better than Congress as a whole – mostly D’s with roughly 10 C- grades. It is interesting to note that the proportion of “F” votes is lower (~10% from a cursory glance) than Congress as a whole.

Q9: Grade the performance of the media:

So far: D’s across the board with a huge percentage of F grades.

Q10: Grade President Obama:

So far: A couple of C+ grades, ten C grades, a boatload of C- grades, and seven D’s. Proportion of F grades is also high.

Clearly the honeymoon is over for this administration. They can no longer blame the previous administration for all of the issues facing the nation today. Some of the centerpieces of the administration’s domestic policy are meeting with substantial resistance. Gaffes in the realm of health care, the deficit, the economy and gun control are clearly taking their toll. Hopefully this positive momentum will arrest this nation’s slide into socialism.

Until next time!!!

Senators Need to Read Recent Zogby Poll

2009-08-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

News media outlets this weekend were effectively wetting themselves to trumpet that the NRA’s attempts to derail the Sotomayor nomination had been a failure. However, the results of a recent Zogby Poll strongly indicate that the rank and file in the U.S. Senate may need to reconsider their support. The article gives the following background for the poll:

“Judge Sotomayor does not believe the Second Amendment right to "keep and bear arms" and the right to self-defense are fundamental rights of all Americans. Specifically, Judge Sotomayor believes the Second Amendment only applies to the federal government and does not apply to the States, as indicated by her recent testimony and past rulings.”

It is unclear whether that background was provided those surveyed. However, the poll did ask the following question:

"Would you support or oppose a U.S. Senator who voted to confirm a Justice to the U.S. Supreme Court who does not believe in the right to keep and bear arms and the right to self-defense?"

The response was encouraging. Based on the article acceptable responses were “support, oppose, or unsure.” Overall 52% of those polled would oppose the Senator’s re-election bid whereas only 26% would support the Senator. Among Independents the split was 57% to 17%. Somewhat troubling, but not surprising, is that young voters (18-29) show slightly lower numbers with 49% opposing and 31% supporting. With all of the anti-firearm propaganda in schools today, it’s not surprising that younger voters are slightly skewed. Traditionally Democratic leaning Unions also overwhelmingly opposed such a Senator by a 54% to 29% margin. Even a plurality of Hispanics opposed (42% to 28%), with the caveat that the number of undecided voters was 30%.

Zogby also covered another hot button topic in the Senate – concealed carry laws. The poll asked:

"Currently, 39 states have laws that allow residents to carry firearms to protect themselves, only if they pass a background check and pay a fee to cover administrative costs. Most of those states also require applicants to have firearms safety training. Do you support or oppose this law?"

This time the results were an absolute grand slam:

“An overwhelming majority of Americans (83 percent) support concealed-carry laws, while only 11 percent oppose them. A majority of Independent voters (86 percent), Democrats (80 percent), young voters age 18-29 (83 percent), Hispanic voters (80 percent), and those who voted for President Obama (80 percent) support the right to carry a firearm.”

What amazes me is how far apart the views of the People are from the views of our so-called “representatives.” The Thune Amendment failed by a 58-39 vote, yet Americans support concealed carry by more than 8-1!!! It is a sad testament to our political process that individuals with an agenda clearly hostile to our rights hold such sway in the halls of Congress.

What is encouraging is that more and more Americans are becoming cognizant of their rights, and they’re standing up for them. Hopefully that will translate to something more than just letting Zogby know of their opinion. Real change comes in the voting booth.

Until next time!!!

More Seeking Concealed Carry Permits

2009-08-04T09:22:00.000-07:00

USA Today ran an article indicating that record numbers of individuals are applying for concealed carry permits in record numbers. As mainstream articles go, it’s fairly balanced though it does seem to go out of its way to indicate that gun owners are “fearful” – be that of increases in violent crime because of the current economic downturn or gun control legislation proposed by a largely Democratic Congress and administration.

Honestly, I’m glad to see American’s waking up and actually exercising their Second Amendment rights. For too long we’ve taken a very casual approach to many of our rights as long as the economy is okay and taxes aren’t too high. That kind of complacency is a luxury we can’t afford anymore. The erosions to our rights in the last quarter century have been staggering. We have to draw the line and begin to reverse this trend; otherwise the America we leave for our children will be the merest shadow of its former self.

Until next time!!!

Interesting Take on Thune Amendment Defeat

2009-08-04T09:05:00.000-07:00

The Jurist, a publication of the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, recently published an opinion by Alan Gura discussing the defeat of the Thune Amendment. His take is that the defeat of the Thune Amendment effectively violates the Constitution’s “full faith and credit clause.” He argues that one of the key purposes of the Constitution was to ensure “Americans do not trip on internal borders.” As it stands today, concealed carry regulations and reciprocity is a maze of conflicting regulations.

As I stated last week, I’m encouraged that the Thune Amendment had such broad bi-partisan support in the Senate, and I sincerely hope it the issue will come up again soon. I’d much prefer a vote where a simple majority vote would allow it to pass though (as I don’t think its die hard opponents have the votes to filibuster).

Until next time!!!

July Rose City Gun Show Report

2009-07-27T14:07:00.000-07:00

Wow what a show! One of the local Military Vehicle clubs was at attendance, so the in addition to the normal firearm vendors, there was a healthy collection of military vehicles as well – including a Stuart light tank right as you walked in the door. Toward the back were other vehicles as well, including Jeeps from three wars and one of my favorites, the mechanical mule.

The big news – ammunition prices are once again entering the realm of reason. A half case of Wolf 7.62x39 FMJ was down to $120-ish which is rapidly approaching pre-panic levels. All of the overpriced so-called “assault rifle” vendors were conspicuously absent, and prices from the stalwarts were also beginning to approach some sense of normalcy.

Lots of great C&R rifles to look at while I was there. Didn’t pick up any this time because most would have been duplicates of others in my collection. I did see a couple of very nice vet pick-up K98k’s, but didn’t have the cash for them. The military surplus guys had some M60 racks for as little as $60, should have picked one up as I actually had the truck with me.

Overall it was a great show – I’m actually hoping to have a table at the October show in conjunction with a friend and move some of my leftovers from various projects and rotate the collection.

Until next time!!!

National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Narrowly Fails

2009-07-23T10:49:00.000-07:00

When I saw the vote on the Thune Amendment was 58 to 39, I was initially very encouraged, well, for the three seconds until I realized it was a procedural vote requiring 60 affirmative votes to pass and thus the measure had narrowly failed. The Brady Campaign is already crowing about a great victory, and the tone in the press is clearly more sympathetic to the anti-Second Amendment crowd as well, but I read the numbers differently. Once again, a firearms bill in the Senate has broad bipartisan support with 20 Democrats voting in favor and 35 voting against. Sadly, the measure would have passed if there hadn’t been two Republican defections (Richard Lugar of Indiana and George Voinovich of Ohio).

I don’t think this is the last time we’ll see this issue brought up, and given the broad bi-partisan support I believe it might hold up to a straight vote next time around.

Here’s the overall vote count:

Vote Counts:
YEAs 58
NAYs 39
Not Voting 3

Alphabetical by Senator Name

Akaka (D-HI), Nay
Alexander (R-TN), Yea
Barrasso (R-WY), Yea
Baucus (D-MT), Yea
Bayh (D-IN), Yea
Begich (D-AK), Yea
Bennet (D-CO), Yea
Bennett (R-UT), Yea
Bingaman (D-NM), Nay
Bond (R-MO), Yea
Boxer (D-CA), Nay
Brown (D-OH), Nay
Brownback (R-KS), Yea
Bunning (R-KY), Yea
Burr (R-NC), Yea
Burris (D-IL), Nay
Byrd (D-WV), Not Voting
Cantwell (D-WA), Nay
Cardin (D-MD), Nay
Carper (D-DE), Nay
Casey (D-PA), Yea
Chambliss (R-GA), Yea
Coburn (R-OK), Yea
Cochran (R-MS), Yea
Collins (R-ME), Yea
Conrad (D-ND), Yea
Corker (R-TN), Yea
Cornyn (R-TX), Yea
Crapo (R-ID), Yea
DeMint (R-SC), Yea
Dodd (D-CT), Nay
Dorgan (D-ND), Yea
Durbin (D-IL), Nay
Ensign (R-NV), Yea
Enzi (R-WY), Yea
Feingold (D-WI), Yea
Feinstein (D-CA), Nay
Franken (D-MN), Nay
Gillibrand (D-NY), Nay
Graham (R-SC), Yea
Grassley (R-IA), Yea
Gregg (R-NH), Yea
Hagan (D-NC), Yea
Harkin (D-IA), Nay
Hatch (R-UT), Yea
Hutchison (R-TX), Yea
Inhofe (R-OK), Yea
Inouye (D-HI), Nay
Isakson (R-GA), Yea
Johanns (R-NE), Yea
Johnson (D-SD), Yea
Kaufman (D-DE), Nay
Kennedy (D-MA), Not Voting
Kerry (D-MA), Nay
Klobuchar (D-MN), Nay
Kohl (D-WI), Nay
Kyl (R-AZ), Yea
Landrieu (D-LA), Yea
Lautenberg (D-NJ), Nay
Leahy (D-VT), Nay
Levin (D-MI), Nay
Lieberman (ID-CT), Nay
Lincoln (D-AR), Yea
Lugar (R-IN), Nay
Martinez (R-FL), Yea
McCain (R-AZ), Yea
McCaskill (D-MO), Nay
McConnell (R-KY), Yea
Menendez (D-NJ), Nay
Merkley (D-OR), Nay
Mikulski (D-MD), Not Voting
Murkowski (R-AK), Yea
Murray (D-WA), Nay
Nelson (D-FL), Nay
Nelson (D-NE), Yea
Pryor (D-AR), Yea
Reed (D-RI), Nay
Reid (D-NV), Yea
Risch (R-ID), Yea
Roberts (R-KS), Yea
Rockefeller (D-WV), Nay
Sanders (I-VT), Nay
Schumer (D-NY), Nay
Sessions (R-AL), Yea
Shaheen (D-NH), Nay
Shelby (R-AL), Yea
Snowe (R-ME), Yea
Specter (D-PA), Nay
Stabenow (D-MI), Nay
Tester (D-MT), Yea
Thune (R-SD), Yea
Udall (D-CO), Yea
Udall (D-NM), Yea
Vitter (R-LA), Yea
Voinovich (R-OH), Nay
Warner (D-VA), Yea
Webb (D-VA), Yea
Whitehouse (D-RI), Nay
Wicker (R-MS), Yea
Wyden (D-OR), Nay

If your Senators voted in favor of the Amendment, please thank them and ask them to re-introduce the Amendment or legislation at the soonest possible opportunity. If your Senators voted against the measure, let them know that it will factor greatly in your votes next cycle!

Until next time!!!

Jeff Merkley = No Clue on Firearms

2009-07-23T10:04:00.000-07:00

Because of several recent Second Amendment and Firearms related issues that have been appearing before the United States Senate (Sotomayor hearing, concealed carry reciprocity, etc.) I’ve pretty much had my Senators on speed dial, or in this case speed email. I recently got a form letter back from Freshman Senator Jeff Merkley, who was narrowly elected over incumbent Gordon Smith. Ironically, Constitution Party candidate David Brownlow seems to have played spoiler in this case as his tally was far more than the difference between Merkley and Smith. Chalk yet another election fiasco up to our broken election law. I however, digress. Suffice it to say that if Obama wasn’t at the top of the ticket, Merkley wouldn’t be in the Senate today, nor should he be if his most recent missive is representative of his policies and his grasp on law and policy in his home state.

Here’s the text of his form letter:

“Thank you for contacting me to express your views on gun control legislation. It is an honor to serve as your Senator, and I appreciate hearing your views on this important issue.

“I understand that many Oregonians cherish their second amendment rights, and I support the ability of law abiding gun owners to own and use firearms. At the same time, however, I believe that we must protect our children and ensure that deadly weapons do not fall into the hands of criminals. For this reason, I support common sense measures that help keep our communities safe including mandatory background checks and closing the gun show loophole that permits unlicensed private vendors to sell privately-owned guns at gun shows without background checks.

“I will continue to stand for sportsmen and law abiding citizens, and protect their constitutional right to bear arms.

“Thank you, again, for sharing your thoughts with me, and please continue to keep me informed about issues that concern you.”

Note his focus on the so-called “gun show loophole.” There’s one big problem here. Merkley allegedly represents the state of Oregon. Oregon has no “gun show loophole.” If you want to buy a firearm at any show in the state, you must either have an FFL (or C&R) or pass the background check.

Given his lack of grasp of Oregon Law (bear in mind he was a State Representative for several terms as well as Speaker of the Oregon House), how the heck can this individual consider himself qualified to be a U.S. Senator??? I have a better grasp on firearm law than he does, and I know he’s getting paid a lot more than I am!

Instead of actually demonstrating an understanding of the issue, Merkley has just spouted partisan rhetoric from his favorite anti-Second Amendment groups and passed it off as a policy stance. Quite frankly Oregon deserves more professionalism and competency from its Senator, and I sincerely hope that Merkley is a “one and out.”

Until next time!!!

2009 Surplus Firearms on Shelves Now

2009-07-22T09:24:00.000-07:00

Another great special issue from Guns & Ammo just hit the shelves (though I’m still ticked I don’t get the special issues with my subscription!). This one is for all of you military surplus nuts out there. Anyone who reads my blog regularly will know I’m a huge C&R rifle nut, so when I saw this issue sitting on the shelf I had to pick it up.

On the cover is the Gibbs copy of the 1903A4 sniper rifle. A lot of people have mixed feelings about reproductions, but honestly this looks like a fairly good one. Gibbs is using original Remington World War II actions and bolts with a host of reproduction parts. They have, however, changed some small details and proofs so people can’t simply pass one of these off as the real thing. At a retail price of just under $1000 (including sling, dust sleeve, and a reprint of the manual) far more people should be able to afford one of these than the real thing – currently running at $4000 and above.

There are some real oddities this time around, including the Belgilan Albini-Bradendlin and the Bira gun. I’m more focused on World War II, so I knew very little about these two firearms. The Bira gun was a huge 1000 pound mechanical machine gun. Looks fun.

Next is an article on one of my favorites, the Japanese Type 38. Unlike many articles on Japanese firearms, this one gives the rifle a fair shake. Complaints were made about the stiffness of the bolt and the length of the rifle. They did, however, praise its accuracy.

One of the more interesting weapons in the article is the Spanish Destroyer Carbine. The underlying idea behind the destroyer was to give police a weapon with better range and accuracy than a sidearm. The destroyer is a bolt action rifle that uses 9mm largo pistol cartridges in a six round magazine.

There’s a great extended article called “Life in the Trenches.” It goes through the various trench systems used in World War I as well as the weaponry used during the long stalemate. World War I was horrific on many levels, and this article doesn’t pull any punches.

There’s lots more in the issue as well including the Italian Vetterli rilfes and a unique Italian submachine gun. France’s first semi-automatic rifle is detailed along with a host of other firearms. I highly recommend anyone with even a remote interest in historical military firearms pick this one up!

Until next time!!

Guns & Ammo: Book of the AR-15

2009-07-20T22:53:00.000-07:00

File under, “how’d I miss this one???” Guns & Ammo magazine has recently released their “Book of the AR-15.” Much like their earlier AK special issue, this volume serves as a one stop shop for a lot of great information on the AR-15 platform. Unlike the previous issue on the AK, however, this one doesn’t focus as much on the history of the platform as much as it focuses on the present. There are several practical articles for individuals purchasing their first AR-15, as well as many detailing training, ammunition, optics, and hand loading. There are several articles focused on specific AR models from Daniel Defense, Stag, and others. Some of the specific focus articles read a little more like glorified ads and less like reviews, but I suppose you have to pay the bills somehow. Overall it’s got some fairly decent information in there and is a keeper. According to the UPC code the issue will be displayed until August 25, 2009. Get yours soon!

August 2009 American Rifleman Review

2009-07-20T22:47:00.001-07:00

The August Edition of American Rifleman just arrived in my mailbox. Not quite as much milsurp action this time around, but there are a lot of really decent articles in there. There’s a really good call to action on page 16 talking about the importance of standing up for our Second Amendment rights, and that the pace of firearms related legislation is accelerating. Several key court cases are also highlighted in the article.

For you reloaders, there’s an article on .300 Winchester Magnum. I don’t currently own a rifle that shoots this cartridge, but I have shot it in the past. It’s a real beast, but for long range accuracy, it’s an amazing round.

There’s an article on taking down gangsters like John Dillinger, and the firearms used by both sides. Wish I could afford a real live Thompson. One of these days I may have to pick up one of the semi-auto clones as I don’t think I’m going to have the cash to get a transferrable one any time soon.

One fairly practical article is a general piece on the impact of temperature on ammunition. The only thing annoying about the article is that they change the orientation to include a cutsie thermometer graphic on the side.

Probably the most timely article is one about the three Navy SEALs who took down the pirates who had captured Captain Richard Phillips. I’m glad we finally had the courage to take on these high-seas thugs and send a strong message. The SEALs were true heroes in this case meeting a serious threat with direct and surgical application of force.

Lots more in this issue, but it is really more focused to the hunting side of the aisle. I’m into hunting, but I generally hunt with military surplus rifles or an AR (-10 or -15). One of these days I’m going to have to learn more about the vintage game rifles, as the history has to be fascinating.

Until next time!!!

Sotomayor Unfit for Supreme Court!

2009-07-15T13:19:00.001-07:00

Gun Owners of America has released an alert urging everyone to contact their Senator to block the confirmation of Sotomayor for the Supreme Court. During questioning today, her extreme anti-Second Amendment views became quite obvious. Furthermore her tenuous grasp of relevant court cases and cherry picking of irrelevant citations shows that she either does not have a strong grasp of Constitutional law, or simply ignores precedent to mold law to her liking. Either one of these traits make her unacceptable to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court of the United States.

Some “highlights” of her testimony from the GOA alert:

“In defending her decision that the states could enact any form of gun control they wished -- with absolutely no regard to the Second Amendment -- Judge Sonya Sotomayor has developed a new love for Nineteenth Century court opinions.

“Demonstrating that she was programmed in her responses, Sotomayor defended one of her earlier legal opinions by citing "footnote 23" of Justice Antonin Scalia's opinion in the DC v. Heller case last year.

“But, when pressed by questioner Orrin Hatch yesterday, Sotomayor could not recite the contents of that footnote or the holdings of the cases which it cited. As it turns out, the footnote on which Sotomayor claims to rely, cited -- without approval -- two Nineteenth Century cases which rejected the notion that the Second Amendment was 'incorporated' to apply to the states.

“But those were also the days when the Supreme Court held that the rights protected in the First Amendment did not apply to the states. Apparently, Sotomayor wants to base her anti-gun philosophy on antiquated decisions from an era when the U.S. Supreme Court was spitting out racist decisions.”

Sotomayer is completely out of step with America on this issue. Recent polls show that 75% of Americans understand that the Second Amendment protects an individual right. Sotomayer clearly doesn’t believe that. Nor does she agree with 33 of the 50 state Attorney Generals that believe that the 2nd Amendment should be incorporated under the 14th Amendment.

Using these antiquated precedents to deny the rights of American citizens represent a return to the absolute darkest days of American history – when racial equality did not exist and courts upheld racist laws across the board. As time marched forward, more enlightened minds prevailed and many of these racist decisions were struck down. Unfortunately it seems there is a whole new generation of politicos in our country who would use equally discriminatory and reactionary thinking to deny Americans their rights. This sort of backward thinking must not be represented in our Supreme Court.

Please contact your Senators and urge them to vote NO on the confirmation of Sotomayer for the Supreme Court. She represents an exceptionally dangerous discriminatory wing of leftist politics. America is better off with individuals like that not ruling on our individual rights!

Until next time!!!

State Attorney Generals Support Incorporation of Second Amendment

2009-07-14T10:02:00.000-07:00

The NRA-ILA website has a copy of an amicus brief signed by 32 state attorney generals, with California submitting a similar brief, urging the Supreme Court to rule that the Second Amendment is incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment in the matter of NRA v. Chicago. The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that it was bound by legal precedent to uphold Chicago’s draconian firearm bans – bans that coincidentally have done nothing but increase the already astronomical crime rate there. While the Seventh Circuit indicated it could not rule, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in Nordyke v. King that the Second Amendment did indeed apply to the states. As the Nordyke v. King decision predates the NRA v. Chicago decision, the Seventh Court’s ruling is questionable.

The fact that so many state attorney generals (33 of the 50) support incorporation of the Second Amendment is extremely encouraging, but the issue is now in the hands of the Supreme Court. The fact that we currently have contradictory precedents set by the Appellate Courts indicates to me that we need a ruling from a higher court to ensure consistency of law. If the Supreme Court rules in favor of incorporation (I’d expect a 5-4 decision in favor of incorporation with both the current and proposed make-up of the Supreme Court), then all outright bans of non-Class III firearms would come into question. It would represent perhaps an even greater victory for supporters of the Second Amendment than the original Heller decision.

Here is the list of the Attorney Generals that have signed either the combined brief or their own brief in support of incorporation:

EDMUND G. BROWN JR.
Attorney General of California

THURBERT E. BAKER
Attorney General of Georgia

TROY KING
Attorney General of Alabama

DANIEL S. SULLIVAN
Attorney General of Alaska

DUSTIN MCDANIEL
Attorney General of Arkansas

JOHN W. SUTHERS
Attorney General of Colorado

BILL MCCOLLUM
Attorney General of Florida

LAWRENCE G. WASDEN
Attorney General of Idaho

GREGORY F. ZOELLER
Attorney General of Indiana

STEVE SIX
Attorney General of Kansas

JACK CONWAY
Attorney General of the Commonwealth of Kentucky

JAMES D. “BUDDY” CALDWELL
Attorney General of Louisiana

JANET T. MILLS
Attorney General of Maine

MICHAEL A. COX
Attorney General of Michigan

LORI SWANSON
Attorney General of Minnesota

JIM HOOD
Attorney General of Mississippi

CHRIS KOSTER
Attorney General of Missouri

STEVE BULLOCK
Attorney General of Montana

JON BRUNING
Attorney General of Nebraska

KELLY A. AYOTTE
Attorney General of New Hampshire

GARY K. KING
Attorney General of New Mexico

ROY COOPER
Attorney General of North Carolina

WAYNE STENEHJEM
Attorney General of North Dakota

RICHARD CORDRAY
Attorney General of Ohio

W.A. DREW EDMONDSON
Attorney General of Oklahoma

THOMAS W. CORBETT, JR.
Attorney General of Pennsylvania

HENRY MCMASTER
Attorney General of South Carolina

LAWRENCE E. LONG
Attorney General of South Dakota

MARK L. SHURTLEFF
Attorney General of Utah

WILLIAM C. MIMS
Attorney General of Virginia

ROBERT M. MCKENNA
Attorney General of Washington

DARRELL V. MCGRAW, JR.
Attorney General of West Virginia

BRUCE A. SALZBURG
Attorney General of Wyoming

If your Attorney General is on that list, please write them a note of thanks! If your attorney general isn’t, find a way to find out why not. As an Oregonian, I’m extremely disappointed that my state’s Attorney General isn’t on the list, given that Oregon is far more Second Amendment friendly than either the states of Washington or California, yet both of those states’ Attorney General do indeed appear on the list.

This is a vitally important court case for all of our rights. If you haven’t already, please make sure you continue to support the NRA who is taking this vitally important suit forward.

Until next time!!!

RPK Build Part 1

2009-07-08T20:02:00.000-07:00

While I’m waiting for parts for my Tabuk project, I decided to start some of the prep work on an RPK kit. I’ve been searching far and wide for a decent kit – decent in this case meaning something that has a barrel, with real rifling, that I don’t have to worry about the cartridge sliding through when I perform a bullet test. I finally found the perfect kit, but there was one catch. The kit itself had a bad barrel, and by bad barrel I mean that it once might have had rifling, and was probably closer to firing an 8mm round than 7.62x39. Fortunately the kit came with a spare barrel – so I set about the process of removing the parts from the bad barrel and putting them on the good one. Simple, right? Yeah. . . not so much. . .

I start with the kit front half as shown above. It was a simple matter to remove and disassemble the gas tube and lower stock assembly. The picture below shows why all of this was necessary. I wasn’t kidding about the fact that this barrel was probably closer to 8mm at this point!!!

As I’d done some disassembly on other barrels, I didn’t think this one would be much of a problem. The front sight tore down in minutes, but the gas port gave me a devil of a time. I ended up drilling out one of the pins because it simply would not move. Then actually getting enough purchase on the gas port itself was a challenge in of itself. I ended up having to use one of my precision vises just to get purchase on it so I could remove it from the barrel. The rear sight block was a snap by comparison. Once that was off I had a lovely collection of RPK parts (shown below).

At this point, I started putting the pieces onto the new barrel. The new barrel wasn’t a virgin barrel, so it already had alignment marks. I’m unsure why this particular barrel was ever stripped. Two views below show that it passes the bullet test with flying colors. The bore is mirror bright with very strong lands and grooves. I expect this rifle to shoot well once it’s together.

First I reinstalled the rear sight block, then the handguard retainer, and next the gas block as shown in the sequence below. I since installed the front sight, but don’t have pictures yet.

The one snag I’ve run into is that the pins for the gas block and front sight are much finer than on a standard AK. As such, I’ve only gotten one reinstalled at this point. I had to drill out one to simply get the gas block removed, and one other simply wouldn’t feed. I don’t have the appropriate size of drill bit to help clear out the holes, so this project is on hold pending getting the bit and a few new pins.

I also still need to order a receiver for this build a couple of compliance parts. I haven’t decided whether or not I’m sticking with the existing furniture or replacing it with an Ironwood set. The furniture is very nice, but an Ironwood set would also help with my U.S. parts count. I have a spare RPK style rear trunnion as well, which should make the build a bit easier. I still have to demill the kit itself, and there are a LOT of rivets on a Yugo!

Until next time!!!

New Firearms Poll Released

2009-07-08T14:55:00.000-07:00

Newsmax is reporting the results of a recent Rasmussen survey on firearms. Interestingly enough, America doesn’t believe the Obama administration’s pledge not to enact additional gun control measures. The Rasmussen survey mirrors the trends we’ve seen for the last couple of years on firearms – with support for gun control waning and more people realizing that the Second Amendment enumerates and affirms an individual right. Some of the results are quite interesting:

“Fifty-seven percent of Americans say gun sales are up in the United States not because of the fear of crime but because of wariness over increased government restriction on gun ownership, according to a new Rasmussen survey.

“The latest poll revealed that 43 percent of Americans said it was very likely that the Obama Administration will try to implement stricter gun control laws – even though 47 percent saw no need for such laws. Another 28 percent responded that the administration was “somewhat likely” to seek tougher gun control.

“In a similar Rasmussen poll conducted in May, 43 percent of Americans said the United States needed more gun control laws, while 47 percent disagreed.”

It’s heartening to see that America is waking up to the real danger presented by the Obama administration’s stealth attack on our firearm rights. Another finding was also quite encouraging:
“Only 20 percent of U.S. voters think restricting U.S. gun sales will reduce drug-related violence in Mexico, and 70 percent disagree and oppose such restrictions.”

Virtually every media outlet and newspaper in the country was touting the “big lie” numbers associated with the drug wars in Mexico and calling for increased gun control. Very few outlets had the courage to expose those numbers for the sham that they were. These numbers show that the American public wasn’t fooled – even with the focused propaganda campaign. Hopefully we will begin to question other claims of the administration in an equally vigorous manner.

Another encouraging finding was that 75% of Americans recognize that the Second Amendment “guarantees the right of an average citizen to own a gun.” The “collective right” interpretation of the Second Amendment may finally be well and truly dead. The interpretation was a result of extremist mental gymnastics and had absolutely no basis in the manifest tenor of the Constitution. Long term the fact that people are recognizing they have a right, and it is under attack, will help keep draconian gun control measures at bay.

There are other interesting tidbits in the survey, such as tying increases in crime to the economic downturn. In summary, the majority of Americans are making very accurate interpretations of firearm related laws and crime trends. I haven’t seen this many positive indicators in a poll in quite some time. Hopefully the trend will continue!

Until next time!!!

Heller +1 Year

2009-06-26T09:54:00.000-07:00

One year ago today the United States Supreme court handed down the landmark Heller decision that affirmed what most scholars and students of history already knew – the Second Amendment affirms and enumerates an individual right to keep and bear arms. The decision was far closer than it should have been. On the fundamental question of a “collective” versus an individual right, the decision should have been 9-0, but it was a squeaker 5-4 decision.

Since then, the march of the legal apparatus has continued onward with both victories and defeats for champions of the Second Amendment. We’ve seen one appellate Court rule that the Second Amendment is incorporated under the 14th Amendment, but two others state that it isn’t. An unambiguous ruling from the Supreme Court that the Second represents a universal right not subject to state or local contradiction would be welcome as it would put all anti-gun laws in jeopardy at once.

Recent polls also show that America’s desire for additional gun control laws is waning. Recognition that the Second Amendment affirms an individual right is at an all time high while desire for handgun bans is at an all time low according to several recent polls. Opposition to gun control is truly becoming bi-partisan with members of both major political parties in the U.S. coming out against additional strictures.

Opponents of the Second Amendment haven’t been idle, however. The Obama administration has tried to internationalize the issue. They used false statistics about American guns seized in Mexico and claimed they were fueling Mexican drug cartel wars. They used this basis as a platform to call for a new “assault weapon” ban. The use of patently false statistics was quickly exposed, but much of the media continued to report the faulty numbers. America, however, seems to have seen through the deception – though now Jamaica is claiming American guns are fueling their own drug wars. The administration has furthermore nominated a Second-Amendment unfriendly judge to the Supreme Court, and has nominated several other rabidly anti-Second Amendment individuals to other key positions.

Unfortunately the Heller decision wasn’t the final word in settling the legal questions surrounding our right to keep and bear arms, but it was an important first step in securing our rights. It also served as a wake-up call for those opposed to the Second Amendment. Expect their tactics to become more desperate going forward as legal precedents in our favor mount. Some are already calling those who support our right to bear arms “insurrectionists” – undoubtedly as a precursor to bringing military or civil authority to bear. Internationally the situation hasn’t improved much either with the most of the EU, Canada, and Australia still languishing under various levels of gun control from registration to outright bans.

The Heller case represented an important step forward for securing our rights, but it was really only the first step in a much larger effort. It will take years for the various challenges to the various failed gun control laws to make it through the courts, and there will undoubtedly be setbacks along the way. We have the force of history and Framers’ Intent on our side, however, and I am confident that in the long run we will win this battle.

Until next time!!!

Join the "Insurrection"!

2009-06-25T10:26:00.000-07:00

According to a new book by authors Joshua Horwitz, the executive director of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, and Casey Anderson, a Washington, D.C. attorney, individuals who support the Second Amendment are now to be labeled “insurrectionists.” The book, Guns, Democracy and the Insurrectionist Idea, recycles a lot of the “right-wing extremist” rhetoric, “militia” rhetoric, and adds the concept that supporters of the Second Amendment are a danger to democracy. Noted anti-Second Amendment professor Saul Cornell states the book “is an important first step in demonstrating how reasonable gun control is essential to the survival of democracy and ordered liberty.”

A piece by Dave Workman makes a very astute observation about the Amazon description of the book:

“And when gun enthusiasts talk about Constitutional liberties guaranteed by the Second Amendment, they are referring to freedom in a general sense, but they also have something more specific in mind---freedom from government oppression. They argue that the only way to keep federal authority in check is to arm individual citizens who can, if necessary, defend themselves from an aggressive government.”

Dave compares this statement to one of the most subversive documents in American history. Namely the Declaration of Independence:

“But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such government, and to provide new guards for their future security.”

The parallels are obvious, and like Dave, being compared to the signers of the Declaration of Independence is a badge of honor in my book – though I’m sure that’s not the picture Horwitz, Anderson, and Cornell are trying to paint.

These sorts of tactics from the anti-Second crowd are unsurprising. Public appetite for gun control laws is at its lowest level in decades. People have woken up to the fact that strict gun control does not lead to a safer or more civil society. Many court cases continue to go against opponents of the Second Amendment, and now at least one court case has ruled that the Second Amendment is incorporated under the Fourteenth Amendment. Having failed in both courts of law and the court of public opinion, the anti-Second crowd is getting desperate. The next “logical” step is character assassination.

In America you can’t discriminate based on race, sex, or a host of other issues. However if you can be branded as a reactionary of some sort, the hypothesis is that it is okay to discriminate and persecute. A society truly based on respect for the rights and liberties of the individual will always be an ordered society. The overwhelming majority of what is termed “crime” stems from actions that come at the expense of the rights and liberties of an individual (be those property rights, or fundamental human rights). I don’t know what sort of society Saul Cornell envisions with his “ordered liberty” comment, but I know it isn’t the society based on real liberty as affirmed by our Constitution.

Until next time!!!

There is No SB-2099 on the Slate

2009-06-22T15:29:00.000-07:00

There is an email running around that states, among other things:

“Senate Bill SB-2099 will require us to put on our 2009 1040 federal tax form all guns that you have or own. It may require fingerprints and a tax of $50 per gun. The bill was introduced on Feb. 24th and will become public knowledge 30 days after it is voted into law.. This is an amendment to the Internal Revenue Act of 1986.”

Lots of warning signs on this one – first bills in front of the U.S. Senate are preceded by an “S” not an “SB.” As the Conservative Libertarian Outpost indicates, no bill can be passed before it is “public knowledge”. Finally, there was an S-2099 proposing these actions, but was proposed in 2000 as a part of the 106th Congress. It went absolutely no where and hasn’t been resurrected.

While it is important to remain vigilant, don’t let a random email post turn you into Chicken Little. There are numerous real threats to our Second Amendment rights, but “SB-2099” isn’t one of them.

Until next time!!!

Hornady to Produce 7.62x39 / 5.45x39

2009-06-22T15:06:00.000-07:00

I came across an article over at Tactical Gun Fan reporting that Hornady will soon begin to produce both 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 ammunition. Hornady’s new ammunition will use inexpensive berdan primed steel cases from Russia, but will fill them with modern powder and use a modern personal defense bullet, a 123-grain V-MAX. The use of modern powders will reduce muzzle flash and the improved bullets offer superior stopping power and accuracy.

I personally can’t wait to get my grubby hands on a box or few of these beauties to see how they perform in my stable of 7.62x39 and 5.45x39 rifles.

Until next time!!!

Second Amendment Rights, Do You Have Any?

2009-06-22T15:05:00.000-07:00

Not according to two appellate courts, but a third asserts that you do. Why the controversy? Technically the U.S. Constitution as originally written only applies to laws enacted by the Federal Government, not state or local governments. However in the post-Civil War era, the Fourteenth Amendment was ratified. Among other clauses the 14th Amendment states:

“All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. No State shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any State deprive any person of life, liberty, or property, without due process of law; nor deny to any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws.”

This clause may be of great benefit to gun owners in the near future as the “citizenship clause” may be used to strike down many state and local firearms restrictions. A recent article in the Bar Associations jounal details the importance of the incorporation and citizenship clauses of the 14th Amendment and how the Second Amendment is a sort of odd amendment out at this point. The difference in legal precedent almost requires a Supreme Court hearing, but some are skeptical that the justices will hear the case.

I honestly hope that some of these cases will be heard by the Supreme Court and the Second Amendment is henceforth applied to the states the way the First Amendment is. The NRA is appealing the recent Chicago ruling to the Supreme Court, so that may be the lightning rod case. I’ll continue to follow developments as they come in.

Until next time!!!

Tantal Build Follow-up

2009-06-21T17:05:00.000-07:00

Well, I just got back from range testing my Tantal build. I added a little lubricant to the moving parts, but I didn’t fiddle with the sights at all, they are the way they were when I received the decommissioned rifle as a parts kit. All I can say is WOW!!! I was using a mix of Wolf hollow point and Barnaul soft point 5.45mm ammunition. In comparative milk jug shooting at ranges of roughly 100 yards I was extremely accurate – on par with a friend’s AR-15. The rifle was comfortable to shoot and cycled cleanly with both a Polish polymer magazine and an East German Bakelite magazine.

I’ve found a source of a U.S. muzzle brake for the weapon, and I now have it on order. Once that comes in I’m planning on going back to the original Bakelite pistol grip that matches the rest of the furniture (well, as much as any furniture matches on a Tantal these days).

Until next time!!!

Shifty Powers Dies at 86

2009-06-21T10:18:00.000-07:00

Anyone who has watched Band of Brothers or has read the various books about Easy Company of the 506 PIR will recognize the name Darrell “Shifty” Powers. Various news outlets are reporting that Powers has passed away at the age of 86 after a final battle with cancer. Powers was a true hero and gentleman with a quiet strength all too absent in our modern world. The world will miss him. My thoughts and prayers go out to the Powers family.

Tabuk Build Log – The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2009-06-20T20:55:00.000-07:00

Cue the music! So I thought I’d post a little of the good, bad, and ugly on the status of the Tabuk build. Once I got the barrel together, I was waiting to install the scope rail, which required spot welding. I ended up picking up one of the ak-builder spot welder sets. The beast works very well! I made a few practice runs on some scrap I had lying around. Then I bit the bullet and actually welded the rail onto the receiver. I checked alignment and spacing with my calipers and had pre-fit the rail based on the fit of the top cover.

After getting the rail on, I went ahead and installed both the front and rear trunnions. This was one of the most challenging riveting jobs I’ve had to do as it involves a mix of countersunk and flat rivets on a bulged front trunnion. The bulged trunnion is sometimes hard to get the tools around properly, but with a little work I was able to get everything aligned.

As you can see from the pictures above, the rivets look great from both sides. I was particularly concerned about this build as it involves not two, but three of the long swell neck rivets. These had given me trouble in the past, but I’ve changed how I use my tools a little so I can see the progress of the rivet head formation better. The results speak from themselves.

Once the trunnions were in, the next step was to install the barrel, and we all know what happened then. The picture below shows the first pass of installing the barrel. After I removed it from the jig, I thought I hadn’t pushed in the barrel enough based on the fact that the bolt face stopped ¼” from the chamber. Turns out it was just hung up on the receiver where it had been tig welded, but not knowing that I put it back in the press. Big mistake.

At this point I have a new barrel on the way – I’ll have to get that barrel shortened and re-threaded. I also have a friend locally who may be able to help me straighten the existing barrel. In the interim I also discovered I’m missing a ferrule for the lower handguard. Tried to order one from Apex, but their lower handguards come sans ferrule. I’ve ordered one from an alternate source, and if it arrives with the ferrule I’m going to try and have some made up as I think there should be a market for some!

Watch this space!

Father’s Day Rose City Gun Show Report

2009-06-20T20:47:00.000-07:00

This month the Portland Gun Show falls on Father’s Day weekend. Quite honestly this is the best show I’ve been to in quite some time. The selection of rifles of interest was excellent and pricing is once again returning to pre-election normal. All of the AR and AK vendors had stock, and Keith’s actually had several AR and AK variants on sale.

Ammunition was also reasonably plentiful in popular calibers. 7.62x39 was back down to $160 for 500 rounds. While that still doesn’t match the heyday, it’s better than the $210 and $220 a half case prices I was seeing just a couple of months ago.

This time around there was also a large display truck with Springfield, Leupold, and a few other representatives present. It was a nice set up and did a great job of showing the product across the board. There were also a couple of raffles I entered, but as always won’t win!

I came home with some new 5.45x39 magazines for AK-74 variants (see my Tantal discussion below), some 5.45x39 ammo, and a couple of 7.62x39 40-round magazines. I almost came home with a slightly sporterized M1941 Johnson rifle (see my “Top 10 Guns I’d Like to Own but Don’t” list below). Unfortunately I just didn’t have the cash available.

Saw a lot of people I knew at the show on both sides of the table, and had a generally amazing time overall.

Until next time!!!

Tantal Build Log

2009-06-20T20:26:00.000-07:00

I needed a clearing of the palette if you will after the disaster that was the Tabuk barrel (more on that later), so I decided to try and put together a kit I had lying around – a Polish Tantal. The Tantal, or karabinek wz. 1988, is a select fire version of the AK-74. Unlike the AK-74, the fire mode is determined by a selector on the left side of the weapon. This selector has three settings: fully automatic fire (the “C”-marked position), semi-automatic fire (“P”) and 3-round burst fire mode (“S”). Like other AK variants, it has the standard bar safety on the right hand side of the receiver. Because of the unique fire control group, the trigger assembly and receiver are a bit different than normal AK-74 variants. I used the NoDak Spud Model NDS-2T receiver for my Tantal build because it is actually set up for the left hand selector. Unlike the Tabuk build, this is as close to a “shake and bake” job as I’ve ever done on an AK build. Everything just seemed to fall into place.

I started with a full Tantal kit. This particular one had the “Oval 11” code and a 1990 manufacturing date. All of the parts are stamped matching, though the finish was quite worn in spots. The chrome lined barrel, however, seems to be in excellent shape. The receiver parts had been removed, but the remains of the rivets were still in all of the trunnions. I started with the front trunnion by removing the barrel, then drilling and tapping out the rivets. The rear trunnion is of the two long rivet type, but both drilled out fairly easily. Removing the trigger guard rivets was a little bit of a pain, but they came out cleanly leaving me with a very serviceable trigger guard, magazine catch, and safety stop.

The NoDak Tantal receiver is pre drilled for all of the rivets on the trunnions and trigger guard. Pre-drilled receivers save me a lot of time, and I prefer them whenever possible. The only drawback is that sometimes the magazine fit is tight and requires grinding afterward. When I test fit the front trunnion into the receiver, I was pleased to see that it lined up perfectly. As all six of the front trunnion rivets were countersunk for swell neck rivets, I indented the receiver with my AK-builder tools before placing those rivets. After riveting the front trunnion I went ahead and reinstalled the barrel and broke for the evening.

The next day I picked up where I left off and installed the rear trunnion and folding stock. I’d drilled these out as a group and simply left the stock attached to the trunnion. Both long rivets were countersunk on this trunnion as well, so I indented the receiver. I initially had some fit problems with the receiver edge and the trunnion, but a little grinding on the receiver allowed everything to seat perfectly. It is important to install the rear trunnion and stock assembly before attaching the trigger guard as the small rear rivet attaches to the stock assembly as well. To get my requisite number of U.S. parts, I had to replace the gas piston as well. The Tantal gas piston is custom. You can’t use a normal AK-74 or AK-47 piston!

Next came honestly the most technically challenging part of the assembly – installing the trigger group. The NoDak receiver comes with instructions on how to install the trigger group. This involves disassembling the burst mechanism so you can use it as a retaining plate and removing some of the guts from the selector (as it’s going to end up being cosmetic anyway because you can shoot the rifle any way you want as long as it’s semi-automatic). You also have to notch the trigger as the hammer spring does not also operate the trigger on the Tantal. Instead it has a separate trigger spring (which, confidentially is a real pain in the butt to install if you haven’t done it several times!). Once you get the trigger group installed, all that remains is adding the bolt and carrier assembly, spring, and top cover.

Apart from fiddling with the trigger group for a while, this build went together like a charm. All of the rivets came out perfectly. Magazines fit easily but snugly into the magazine well with no binding or extra force required. The whole build from “as received kit” to “final product” took me about 5.5 hours. The whole rifle will need to be refinished, but that can come later. All in all I’m extremely happy with the result!

Until next time!!!

Tabuk Build Log – Disaster!

2009-06-13T17:12:00.001-07:00

Will post pix of the “good stuff” later, but I encountered a major disaster on the Tabuk build. I accidentally bent the barrel. Was being careful about the placement of the barrel – ran into what I thought was a headspace issue (wouldn’t close on the “go gauge), so I pushed in the barrel a bit more. Unfortunately I’d mis-diagnosed the problem and ended up pushing the barrel all the way in, and then a little more. The entire thing popped right out of the press after the barrel had bent to release the pressure.

So now I have a multi-week delay in the project while I wait for a new barrel (hopefully I can find one). Once that arrives I still have to take it back over to Tornado technologies to have the length corrected and the barrel rethreaded. In the meantime I get to disassemble the barrel assembly and pray I don’t screw up any MORE parts.

Here’s where I’d normally say “until next time,” but in this case I’ll just say – “UGH!”

Top 10 Guns I’d Love to Own, but Don’t

2009-06-10T10:32:00.000-07:00

I’m sure that every true collector out there (be it stamps, coins, plates, or firearms) has a “bucket list” of pieces they’d like to have in their collection but don’t, for one reason or another. I’m no exception. Most of the firearms I consider to be “missing” from my collection aren’t there for one of two main reasons. The first is I just haven’t found a nice example. The second (and all too common) reason is cost. Historical firearms aren’t generally getting any cheaper, and finding nice examples at a price that won’t put your bank account in a world of hurt is getting very difficult.

So here’s my “Top 10” list (in no particular order) – I’ve left out a lot of the “holy grails” out (you won’t find an S. Mfg. Co. M1911A1 on the list, though I wouldn’t turn one down if someone sent me one!), but I’ve kept a few higher end ones in just for fun. The list has a fair volume of C&R on it, but there are a few modern ones in there as well!

1. A Good Vet Bringback K98k – I’ve got a couple of Soviet Capture rifles, but I’d still love to get something original one of these days. I saw a nice one for $500 at a gun show a couple of years ago – passed on it – have kicked myself ever since!

2. Japanese Type 97 Sniper rifle – I have a huge collection of Arisakas, but no snipers in the mix anywhere.

3. Luger – original – excellent condition. The luger is my second favorite sidearm out there. As with the K98k, I’ve got a Soviet capture re-blue, and it’s a great little shooter, but I’d still love something closer to original.

4. M1911A1 – World War II U.S. GI. The M1911A1 is my favorite sidearm – period. Ergonomically ideal for me, fires .45 ACP, and has a ton of history to boot. I’ve got a modern Springfield G.I. model that I absolutely love, but I really want to get “the real thing” so to speak.

5. 50 Cal Target Rifle – Probably a Barrett or Armalite. Nothing says fun like long range target shooting. Nothing says even more fun than extreme range target shooting. When you absolutely, positively have to keep the world safe from paper targets more than 2000 yards away!

6. Japanese Type 99 Light Machine Gun – Not only is it Class III, but it’s Class III you have to reload for! I know a gun dealer down in Salem with one. As I mentioned before, I have a huge Arisaka collection, and this would really round it out nicely.

7. M1 Garand – World War II correct grade. The M1 Garand is probably my all-time favorite rifle. I currently own two – one modern production Springfield and one Korean War vintage Springfield from CMP. I would really like the World War II version for the collection (anyone sense a recurring theme?).

8. M1941 Johnson Rifle – Unsuccessful competitor to the M1 Garand. Used by U.S. Marines early in the Pacific war. Spendy, but cool!

9. 1874 Sharps Buffalo Rifle – If you’ve seen Quigley Down Under, you’ve seen this rifle. Absolutely gorgeous! I’d be more than happy with a modern reproduction in .45-70 (though .45-110 would be more entertaining).

10. Revolutionary War Rifle / Musket – Still undecided on which at this point. A replica would be fine as well. Seems like any real American historical firearms enthusiast should have one in his collection, and would be interesting to shoot as well!

So that’s my list. Feel free to comment or submit your lists in the comments section.

Until next time!!!

Parade Poll Backfires

2009-06-08T13:59:00.000-07:00

Parade Magazine recently published a short article entitled “Despite Recent Violence, Gun Laws Are Softening.” It’s a typical push-piece with one quote from the NRA to provide the illusion of balance. The other 90% of the article is bemoaning the fact that gun laws are becoming less restrictive. Included with the article is one of those “unscientific polls.” I’m certain that Parade thought the people reading this story would hit the “correct” response more often than not, but something tells me this poll backfired on them. The question:

“Should states loosen restrictions on guns?”

When I voted, it was 94% “Yes”. Wow. Something tells me that wasn’t the answer the article of the piece wanted to hear after spending four out of five paragraphs telling us how bad things are in the U.S. because of our “lax” firearm laws.

Thanks to everyone who upended this one!

Until next time!!!

Thought Control Continues on University Campuses

2009-06-08T13:49:00.000-07:00

The fact that the majority of Universities in the United States are hostile to our Second Amendment rights is becoming ever clearer as time goes by. The Las Vegas Review Journal is reporting in one of the most recent incidents a student wanting to for a gun-rights group at Pittsburgh’s Community College of Allegheny County has been threatened with disciplinary action. According to the article:

“Student Christine Brashier says administrators banned her informational pamphlets, ordered her to destroy all copies of them and told her that further "academic misconduct" would not be tolerated.”

Ms. Brashier was subjected to an interrogation session with the deans asking about her possession of a firearm (on and off campus). They also claimed the pamphlet was “solicitation” and therefore a violation of campus policy. What ever happened to Universities being a source of the free flow of ideas? Apparently it only holds if you hold the RIGHT ideas.

This is yet another case of political correctness and a totalitarian agenda run amok. Students at America’s Universities need to be learning about their rights as individuals as affirmed by our Constitution. Instead their rights under the First Amendment and Second Amendment are brutally curtailed by administrators forcing an extremist interpretation of political correctness on their students.

Quite frankly I’d like to see any and all public funding for universities denying their students their basic rights under the Constitution cut off. It is only then that they might wake up and start listening.

Until next time!!!

Ammunition Shortage or “Gun Owners are Neandrathals”

2009-06-03T10:05:00.000-07:00

The Oregonian has published an article about the ammunition shortages people are seeing in the marketplace. For most of us the article is coming a few months late and isn’t really “news.” Any gun owner is aware of the acute shortages in ammunition at this point. The real meat here is in the comments. It seems as if any gun story in The Oregonian draws out the leftist moonbats from all directions.

Many of the comments simply accused gun owners of being racist Neanderthals. Others quoted chapter and verse out of the Brady Campaign’s library of deceptive statistics, so I posted the following comment:

“I am amazed that in a supposedly educated city there is so much misinformation and propaganda out there. Many of the comments I’ve seen in relation to this article underscore why so many individuals who value their Second Amendment rights are in panic mode at this point. They are being labeled “racists,” “bigots,” “rednecks,” and worse in a blatant attempt to dehumanize them. The far left likes to talk about tolerance and multi-culturalism, but when it comes to gun owners obviously they make an exception.

“Some background: I’m a social libertarian. I have a large gun collection – most of which are World War II vintage collectables, but I also build my own semi-auto AK’s following U.S. law and guidelines as set forth by the BATFE. Guns don’t spontaneously kill anyone. A gun is a tool – nothing more. For it to become capable of killing anything there must be human intervention.

“Obama has so far shown himself to be unfriendly to the Second Amendment, and people are nervous. His Vice President was instrumental in passing the 1994 so-called “assault weapon ban” (which, by the way, has absolutely nothing to do with real assault weapons – it only covered semi-automatics – not fully automatics which were already heavily regulated!). He pushed for a new “assault weapon ban” using false statistics regarding Mexican firearm crime. He has nominated an individual to the Supreme Court with an exceptionally poor record on Second Amendment cases. Bottom line is the apprehension is based on his record and subsequent actions. It has nothing to do with the color of his skin – no matter what Janeane Garofalo or any other comedian trying to pass themselves off as a political activist or journalist tells you.”

There are, however a lot of other interesting misconceptions out there:

One individual pointed out that there are significant barriers to manufacturing and selling ammunition. One user doubted that. The original poster was, however, correct. Ammunition consists of primer, powder, case, and bullet. While the case materials and bullet materials (including lead) are still reasonably available – at least for the time being. The powder and primers are both explosives and their manufacture is STRICTLY regulated. Shipping primers also requires hazmat permits.

Other posters are crying “Republican conspiracy” and the litany of partisan B.S. The article itself points out that the Second Amendment has become a less partisan issue as of late, and there is anecdotal evidence to back that up. However reading the comments on this blog, there is clearly a long way to go. I urge everyone to go sign up and post comments correcting the misconceptions of many of The Oregonians readers. It’s clear that the press isn’t going to pass along the facts, so it’s up to us!

Until next time!!!

D-Day Feature in American Rifleman

2009-06-03T08:51:00.000-07:00

D-Day – June 6, 1944 – the largest amphibious invasion in history. Movies, books, and magazines have all tried to convey the individual stories of courage and heroism, and yet many stories remain untold. Many will never be told. With the 65th anniversary of D-Day only a few days away, American Rifleman has devoted an article in its June 2009 issue to “The Men & Guns of D-Day.” The article is primarily focused on the American paratroopers and the amphibious forces that landed at Omaha and Utah beaches, though there are a few other stories as well.

Included is the story of Privates John Steele, Ken Russell and Sergeant John Ray who had the misfortune to land in the square in Ste. Mere-Eglise. Both privates famously landed on the cathedral whereas Sgt. Ray landed in the square. A German shot Ray upon landed and turned his attention to Steele and Russell presuming Ray was dead. Ray’s last act was to draw his M1911A1 pistol and kill the German to prevent him from killing the helpless Steele and Russell.

There’s also the story of Sgt. Leonard “Bud” Lomell who fought with the Rangers at Pointe du Hoc. Their mission was to knock out the colossal 15.5cm K418(f) guns that could wreak havoc on the invasion forces. As it turned out, the guns had been removed weeks before because of aerial bombardment, and these deadly pieces of artillery never fired a shot on D-day.

The amphibious forces faced several bunkers and casemates called Wiederstandsnesten by the Germans. These could be armed with anything from machine guns to heavy artillery and infantry. Franz Gockel, one of the Germans manning Wiederstandsnest 62, was interestingly not armed with a German manufactured MG34 or MG42. Instead he was using a captured Polish CKM Wz.30, which was based on the Browning M1917.

Overall it’s a great article, though the title is a bit misleading. The article is really about the men of D-day, and mentions what guns they used. I have absolutely no issue with taking that approach to the article because of the legendary heroics and sacrifices made by so many on that fateful day. We as a nation must never forget what made us so great in those fateful years, and we should also never forget the price we paid when tyranny ran unchecked.

Until next time!!!

Tabuk Build Log – The Barrel

2009-06-01T22:03:00.000-07:00

As promised, the next installment of the Tabuk build log involves actually building the rifle. It’s been a long road to collect all of the parts for this build, and I still have a few on the way (front plunge pin / detent and spring, rear sight block pin, butt pad and screws), but I’m far enough along that I can actually start working on the sub-assemblies for the rifle. The most challenging part of this build will most likely be setting up the semi-virgin barrel, so that’s where I decided to start.

Having never worked with a virgin or semi-virgin barrel (all of my previous kits had the barrel set up – just pop the pin out, remove the barrel assembly as a unit, and drop it back in when the trunnion was installed), I did a lot of reading on how others have set up their barrels. There’s a good post by Rahatlakhoom over on Gunco on installing a new barrel on an M70 kit. As the Tabuk is based on the M70, that’s the route I decided to go to help guide the work on this project. Not all of the steps were needed or could be followed exactly as I didn’t have an existing barrel to work from. However, as it turns out, the Green Mountain barrel already had some of my work done for me.

The first step is setting up and aligning the rear sight block. The extractor notch is already cut on the Green Mountain barrels as is the chamber, so there’s no fiddling around with that. Using the extractor notch as I guide, I aligned the front sight block per the instructions using a blue sharpie to create alignment marks. The question was how far back to put the block, with the instructions indicating that most sit roughly 1.880" from the chamber end of the barrel. Green Mountain has already cut a step in the barrel exactly at 1.880" so getting that part on was a breeze. It also turns out that they have steps pre-cut for the lower hand guard retainer and gas block as well (you’re on your own with the front sight!).

Once I got the rear sight block on, then the next major install was the gas block – which I got aligned perfectly and installed (see picture below).

Only problem is I was a complete dork and forgot something . . . the lower handguard retainer (I almost had to do this twice more as I remembered the sling loop at the last minute as well!). I just ended up using my AK-builder jigs to help me with this. The brass nut set up for the chamber works great to serve as a buffer between the ram of the press and the chamber end of the barrel – especially since you aren’t using anywhere near the full 12 ton capability of the press.

Once I got the gas block close, I tested it with the gas tube, everything lined up and fit perfectly! It was then on to the front sight (okay – being honest – for the second time!). The M70 front sight is a fairly loose fit on the barrel – it will stay, but only barely. The pins will help.

Once I got everything set up and aligned, I drilled out the pin holes for the retaining pins per the instructions above. Even though I had to go through some extra material from the virgin rear sight block and gas block, the cutting proceeded fairly easily with a little cutting oil. As mentioned in most virgin barrel builds, DON’T FORCE IT! You’ll just bind up your bit and then have to pray it comes out without snapping off. Of course, at this point I realized I didn’t have a rear sight block pin. I did, however, have ample pins for the front sight and the gas block. They did take a little sanding to fit easily because I didn’t have decimal drills to use, but the end result is very snug. I also haven’t put in the front pin on the front sight because I’m still working on the front sight plunge pin (detent) and spring. I pulled one off of an AMD-65, but the spring is too short. I have a longer spring, but it’s almost too long. I’ve therefore ordered a new one (along with the rear sight block pin) from AA-OK. Hopefully they’ll have them in stock and can get them out to me soon.

The only other part I had been missing was the butt pad, but I’ve found one of those online as well and hope to get it in the mail soon. Now I just need to find someone with a spot welder so I can get the scope rail attached to the receiver. Looking ahead, I’ve test fit several of the other parts to the receiver, and so far the fit looks good. The next major challenge will be headspacing the rifle so I can set the barrel properly. I’ve got a nice match grade trigger group to drop in the rifle once I get to that point.

So far the project seems to be going fairly well. I still need to cut the gas port hole, but I’ll do that after I get the rear sight block pinned. The finish on the stock is just about ready to go as well – and I just can’t say enough good things about the Ironwood Designs stock. The quality is absolutely first rate.

Until next time!!!

Tabuk Status Update

2009-05-27T09:29:00.000-07:00

It’s been a while since I wrote on the status of the Tabuk project. Honestly the project was on hold pending the arrival of parts and engraving. The economy being what it is I also had to make some decisions about how to proceed on the project. As it stands I have enough parts for one rifle, and nearly enough parts for a second. I’ve therefore decided to build just one rifle, and sell the remaining parts as a kit on Gunbroker. The auction is up now – just search for “tabuk” and you can’t miss it. Okay, end shameless plug, let’s get on to the GOOD stuff. I now have the stock and the engraved parts in my grubby little hands!

First the stock. Ironwood Designs makes a Tabuk stock, and the ones online looked amazing. They look even better up close! The stock arrived a couple of weeks ago. Here’s a picture of it “in the raw”:

Given that this is a hardwood stock, I’m able to use a BLO / Tung Oil finish on it. I start with a few layers of BLO and Japan Drier. Eventually I get to a point where it won’t dry well, and then I go with a couple of layers of Tung Oil. I steel wool the stock between layers of Tung Oil. The end result is absolutely amazing. Right now I’ve just started the Tung Oil, so I’ll post pictures of the completed stock in the next installment.

I’d also sent off all of the parts to be engraved. As with the stock, the work done by Engraving By Angela looks great online, and it looks even better when it’s in your hands. The depth of the engraving and attention to detail is just amazing. Starting with the receiver, the existing markings on the NDS-9 had to be tig welded and the new markings engraved. The end result is amazing though.

I decided on a serial number for mine, 42341970, and based on examples of the real thing online the block would most likely have been produced in 2002. Note, of course, that this is not the actual serial number of the firearm as the NDS-9 receiver has a serial number. Therefore these serial numbers are purely cosmetic. The front trunnion looks great, Angela has matched the font for the numbers almost perfectly!

The serial number also carries over to the top cover:

As well as the bolt carrier and bolt (based on my research, last five digits only):

Perhaps the masterpiece of the whole project is the rear sight block with the “Tabuk” marking on one side and the Lion of Babylon marking on the other:

So at this point I’m only missing a few parts, the buttpad and screws being the primary ones. I also don’t have a front sight detent and spring, but I do have a spare AMD-65 front sight I’m going to try to cannibalize. If that doesn’t work, I’ll still be in the market. I’ve found good instructions online on how to get the near virgin barrel assembled and head spaced properly. It’s going to be a challenge! My only open question at this point deals with the scope rail which has to be spot welded to the receiver – when is the right time to do that? Before attaching everything else? Anyway, I’m going to be hitting up a few people who have built one of these before to get a few final tips before I dive in. The next update will actually include in progress pictures of the build!

Until next time!!!

Indoctrinate the Young Through Dance

2009-05-26T14:35:00.000-07:00

Season Three of the ITV program Britain’s Got Talent has received worldwide media attention, largely because of the popularity of singer Susan Boyle. However there are many more acts on the show covering the gamut from amazing to pathetic. One act that made it through to the semi-final rounds was called “MD Showgroup” sponsored by MD Productions. The group is a large dance troupe consisting of kids aged 9-17 from the Liverpool area. Unlike many acts on the show, this group has a “mission” – namely to “show that all the gun/knife crime, abuse, bullying and racism needs to stop and promote peace and equality.” The dancers in this group have graffiti laden signs and t-shirts with a variety of slogans including “get guns off the streets” and “stop knife crime.”

The combination of arts and politics has strengthened over the years, and frequently seems more indulgent than anything else. In this case, the MD Production group has married violent crime committed with weapons to racism, bullying, poverty, and a general “save the world” message. The answer to them, of course, is to get those weapons “off the street”, and they’re recruiting an army of talented youngsters to be their banner bearers. Never mind the fact that since more stringent bans on firearms and knives have passed in Britain, the violent crime rate has skyrocketed – with Liverpool seeing increases on the order of 25% or more.

While I agree that violent crime is a serious problem, and one that must be addressed strongly, why do groups like this feel obligated to continue the lie that gun and weapon “control” laws actually work? The increase in crime they’re currently suffering is due in no small part to the fact that criminals in Britain know that their victims will be unarmed. Why lie to these kids and use them to push a failed agenda? Honestly, it makes me sad for the kids and angry at the production company more than anything else. The kids are talented, but they’re being used in this case. Most likely so they’ll continue to accept the party line as adults.

Until next time!!!

Sotomayor Update – Anti-Second Too

2009-05-26T09:31:00.000-07:00

I guess it comes as no real surprise, but Fox is reporting that Sotomayer has an anti-Second Amendment streak. Since the landmark Heller decision, there have been few Second Amendment cases. However it appears as if Sotomayor has ruled on one of them, Maloney v. Cuomo, and her ruling was that the Second Amendment does not apply to the states. The Fox blog interprets her decision to mean:

“That means if Chicago, or even the state of Illinois or New York, wants to ban you from owning any guns at all, even in your own house, that’s okay with her. According to Judge Sotomayor, if your state or city bans all guns the way Washington, D.C. did, that’s okay under the Constitution.”

However, Sotomayor’s decision came before the Nordyke v. King decision which declared that the 14th Amendment covered the 2nd Amendment as well. Could she rule the same way today?

The Sotomayor nomination is now shaping up to be an interesting battle. Conservative Democrats are going to be hard pressed to support a nominee that is opposed to the Second Amendment and retain their seats. Get the popcorn and write your Senator asking them to oppose the Sotomayor nomination!

Until next time!!!

Obama’s Justice Pick: Sonia Sotomayor

2009-05-26T08:46:00.000-07:00

Nominating an individual to serve on the Supreme Court represents a huge decision. Obama’s first pick, Sonia Sotomayor, is a bit of an enigma at this point. I haven’t been able to find any real Second Amendment case law that she has ruled upon (I have now, and it isn't good news, see above!). However, the consensus is that she is a moderate to liberal judge.

The Political Debris blog indicates there is a video of Sotomayor where she states:

“. . .[a] court of appeals is where policy is made.”

Immediately adding:

“And I know — I know this is on tape, and I should never say that because we don’t make law. I know. O.K. I know. I’m not promoting it. I’m not advocating it. I’m — you know.”

Sounds like she’s not sure whether she’s an activist judge or not – or maybe she is sure, but doesn’t want people to know. Or maybe she’s sure and she only wants certain people in the know to know. Oh, and she seems articulate too!

Jeffrey Rosen over at The New Republic questions her judicial competency whereas Glenn Greenwald blasts Rosen’s assessment. It’s interesting to see that there is already political infighting on the left regarding this particular nomination.

Any justice sitting on the Supreme Court of the United States should be an ace – they need a breadth of experience on important cases and a strong commitment to rule of law and willingness to support the Constitution. My assessment is that Obama has nominated a candidate who is a great personal success story, but of questionable judicial strength. In other words, he’s nominated a story over substance. It will be interesting to see how the confirmation process proceeds.

Until next time!!!

National Park Law Takes Effect in February 2010

2009-05-26T08:44:00.000-07:00

President Obama has signed the credit card legislation bill with the Coburn Amendment to allow loaded firearms in national parks and wildlife refuges. Unfortunately there has been additional legal trickery from the Interior Department. As the credit card law doesn’t take effect until late February 2010, the Interior Department has indicated that the Coburn Amendment won’t take effect until then either. In the meantime Senator Coburn intends to introduce the Amendment in other bills that will take effect before the current 2010 date as the intent was for the measure to take effect immediately.

The article from the Denver Post (linked above) is clearly written by a typical anti-Second Amendment journalist, starting out with the statement “Not so fast, gun owners” and ending with this “gem” from Bryan Faehner, associate director of the National Parks Conservation Association:

"We are pleased because that provides more time that our parks will remain safe and free from shotguns, rifles and semiautomatic weapons."

It is clear that the self-righteous and self-serving individuals hostile to our Second Amendment rights continue to have no respect for the Constitution and rule of law. It is also clear that they expect the public to continue to buy their “big lie” that the prohibition of firearms will keep people “safe” when reams of data proves otherwise.

At this point, everyone should take this opportunity to thank Senator Coburn and the other legislators who pushed this amendment through. We should also encourage them to find a way to push this measure through so it takes effect immediately. Though I think the effort would fall on deaf ears, we should also contact the Obama administration and request he clamp down on the Interior Department.

Until next time!!!

National Park Ban Abolished!

2009-05-20T13:55:00.000-07:00

For once the political system seems to be working in our favor. Gun Owners of America is reporting that both the U.S. House and U.S. Senate have now both passed versions of the credit card industry reform bill containing an Amendment that abolishes the gun ban on National Park Service land as well as wildlife refuges. The Interior Department had abolished this ban near the end of Bush’s term in December. Unfortunately the Brady Campaign sued and a shopped the case to an activist judge who struck down the Interior Department’s regulation. The Interior Department, now under the Obama administration, declined to appeal the decision.

The Amendment, originally offered by Senator Coburn of Oklahoma is quite simple. According the GOA press release:

“GOA worked with Coburn on an amendment that simply allows for state and local laws -- instead of unelected bureaucrats and anti gun activist judges -- to govern firearm possession on these lands.”

This is not a radical concept – it is, in fact a true “common sense” firearm regulation. It prevents individuals from accidentally breaking the law as the boundaries between state and local land (and regulations) and Federal land (and its own set of regulations) are frequently indistinct. The Bill now goes to President Obama for signature, and he’ll undoubtedly sign as the credit card bill is a centerpiece of his domestic economic agenda.

This bill represents a victory for supporters of the Bill of Rights, but it also represents yet another blow to those opposed to the Second Amendment. Representative McCarthy was upset that this bill had been “hijacked.” To his credit, Representative Rob Bishop responded out that “gun control is the policy of tyrants, as evidenced by the British attempt to confiscate firearms at Lexington and Concord in 1775.”

The bottom line is that even in this hostile political climate, we as gun owners, Second Amendment supporters, and patriots are making a positive impact on national policy. We continue to win in the courts, and we’re starting to gain a steady stream of victories in the various legislatures as well. Support for the Second Amendment continues to become more bi-partisan. The key is keeping up the good work. Those opposed to our Rights are well-funded, entrenched, and will not remain idle.

Until next time!!!

San Francisco’s Unconstitutional Laws Targeted

2009-05-19T08:57:00.000-07:00

The NRA has sued the city of San Francisco targeting three provisions of city law based on the Heller decision. The Heller decision hinged on whether or not a provision interfered with individual’s ability to defend himself or herself with a firearm. San Francisco’s code has several analogous provisions including:

“A requirement that handguns in San Francisco homes be kept in a locked cabinet or disabled with a trigger lock.”

“A ban on the sale of fragmenting bullets.”

“A city ordinance that prohibits the discharge of firearms within city limits.”

The city, of course, is up in arms (figuratively of course, as they believe guns are “bad”). According to the San Francisco Chronicle, Matt Dorsey believes the “NRA's real goal is not to strike down the specific city laws but to win court rulings that expand the reach of the Second Amendment.” I guess fighting to preserve liberty is frowned upon in San Francisco.

The trigger lock / disassembly ordinance is the same as was struck down by the Heller decision. The suit contends that this provision when coupled with ammunition restrictions "makes it impossible for city residents to use their handguns for the core lawful purpose of self-defense, particularly in urgent, life-threatening situations."

Quite frankly I hope the city of San Francisco gets its head handed to it on a plate in this case. Their provisions are clearly unconstitutional, and given the strong parallels with the DC case, no reasonable Court could see otherwise. Unfortunately there are a lot of unreasonable courts out there.

It’s unfortunate that for years those seeking to preserve their Civil Rights have had to resort to the courts. However, it is heartening to have the NRA, the Second Amendment Foundation, and a host of others helping in that legal struggle. Support for our Second Amendment rights seems to be growing across the nation, and I expect there will be many more legal battles moving forward. Hopefully the momentum will continue in our favor!

Until next time!!!

McCarthy to Push for New Assault Weapon Ban

2009-05-17T11:39:00.000-07:00

Defying logic, common sense, and political realities, Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-NY) has pledged to reinstate the so-called “assault weapon ban.” Ignoring the facts that semi-automatic rifles labeled “assault weapons” are done so for purely cosmetic reasons, ignoring the fact that semi-automatic rifles are used in a tiny minority of crimes, ignoring the fact that literally all of the propaganda leveled against these firearms is patently false, the Democratic self-appointed “elite” seems to believe they know better than the rest of us. McCarthy’s own comments are predictably holier than thou:

"Our gangs are getting assault weapons, our police officers are being killed, and my voice will not be shut until we have a law here that will protect the average citizen. . ."

If gangs are getting “assault weapons,” then chances are they’re already breaking one or more existing laws. Why haven’t these existing laws protected the “average citizen”? How many of these so-called “assault weapons” are in the hands of “average citizens” and are used by “average citizens” for hunting, practical shooting, and self-defense? I guarantee you more than are in the hands of criminals by a nearly 100% margin. All McCarthy’s proposed “feel good” legislation would accomplish is to persecute the “average citizens” that her bill allegedly is there to “protect.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein does not believe that there are enough votes in the Senate to pass the measure. I’d also contend that there are not enough votes in the House either, and McCarthy knows this. I, and many others strongly believe that this measure is to provide a political “test” for Senator Gillibrand. While arriving with an “A” rating from the NRA, Gillibrand has been a disappointment, and I strongly expect that rating will drop precipitously during the next election cycle. McCarthy, quite frankly, wants Gillibrand’s job and is using the House of Representatives as her personal bully pulpit to highlight issues that she believes will gain her political capital going into the 2010 election.

I’m quite frankly disgusted, and I hope not only that Gillibrand will return to her principles and oppose McCarthy’s agenda of disarmament and gutting of our Bill of Rights, but that McCarthy fails in her bid for the Senate and gives the House a much needed respite from her deluded agenda.

Until next time!!!

Senate Democrats Divided on Firearms Laws

2009-05-17T11:36:00.000-07:00

Though the Democrats hold a nearly filibuster proof majority in the Senate, NPR is reporting that Senate Democrats remain sharply divided on Second Amendment issues. As reported in an earlier blog entry, the Senate voted to sharply limit the DC council’s ability to pass gun laws, largely as most of their laws are Unconstitutional. In that vote, 22 Democrats joined the majority of Republicans in supporting the Amendment.

Another amendment which allows individuals with a concealed firearms license to carry national parks also had strong Democratic support, with 27 Democratic members of the Senate supporting it. Predictably, the article spends a lot of time quoting McCarthy, Feinstein, Durbin and others, with a couple of obligatory rebuttals from the NRA and Senator Cornyn of Texas.

According to the article, Feinstein and others bemoan the fact that there is no support in their own party for a so-called “assault weapons” ban. Clearly they want to make firearms an issue in the 2010 mid-terms, but don’t even have unity within their own party. Hopefully respect for the Second Amendment will continue to grow on both sides of the aisle, as the article closes with one statement I actually agree with:

“Judging by the votes taken so far, easing restrictions on guns may be one of the few issues in Congress this year with truly bipartisan backing.”

Unfortunately the Democratic leadership does not share that view and continues to push their own twisted agenda down America’s throat. We can’t let them succeed – keep up the pressure on your representatives!

Until next time!!!

The Most Pointless AR Accessory Ever!

2009-05-11T18:50:00.000-07:00

I’m a huge fan of the AR-15 platform. Good ergonomics, modularity, and accuracy are only a few of the traits that make the weapon a winner in my book. Throw into the mix some match-grade components, and you have a true masterpiece. I’m also a big fan of bows, crossbows and other medieval weapons. In the right hands, these can still be weapons of deadly precision. What do the two have to do with each other? I had thought nothing until I read the May 10, 2009 issue of Shotgun News and saw a full-page advertisement for, you guessed it, a crossbow upper for your AR-15. WTF???

While I’m sure the upper is well made (it’s a composite crossbow with a weaver mount for a scope), I can’t help thinking that the effort was entirely misplaced. It would have been just as easy to integrate a weaver mount into a integrated crossbow structure (that could be compatible with AR trigger groups and stocks if so desired) and not require a “firearm” to use your crossbow. It’s certainly imaginative, but seems equally pointless.

You can find the fact sheet on PSE archery's homepage. Right now it's available for pre-order at the low-low price of $1299. Once again I'm forced to question someone's sanity.

Until next time!!!

House Version of BATFE Reform Bill Introduced!

2009-05-11T08:54:00.000-07:00

As reported last week, the BATFE Reform bill is currently under debate in the Senate. Now a bi-partisan bill has been introduced in the House by Rep. Steve King (R-IA) and Rep. Space (D-OH). The bill, H.R. 2296, is entitled “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act of 2009.” According to Representative King’s website, the bill is essentially identical to H.R. 4900 which had 224 bi-partisan co-sponsors, but Speaker Pelosi refused to allow a vote on.

On the bill, Representative King states:

“These reforms will allow the BATFE to perform focused and reasonable approaches to many of the civil enforcement issues it deals with, while encouraging responsible gun ownership. Congress should protect the rights of law-abiding gun owners. I am a stalwart defender of our Second Amendment freedoms. They are guaranteed to us by the Constitution, and I oppose any attempt to water down the principles embodied in the Second Amendment.”

This bill represents a huge leap forward for our Second Amendment rights. It reins in many of the abuses of the BATFE and requires a standard for investigation be set. Now that there are bills in both the House and Senate, several things need to happen. First and foremost, write your senator and representative and urge them to co-sponsor this badly needed legislation. Second, write to Nancy Pelosi, Robert Byrd, and Harry Reid and demand that this legislation comes up for a straight vote.

If you want to write your representative, please follow this link.

To write your senator, click this link and enter your state.

We can’t let back-room politics and legal trickery derail this legislation this time around. If we stay active, our voices will be heard!

Until next time!!!

Showdown over "Made in Montana" Law Expected

2009-05-07T13:26:00.000-07:00

Montana has passed legislation detailed in a January blog entry exempting firearms made and sold in Montana to Montana residents from most Federal Firearms regulations. The key legal reasoning behind the state law is the fact that Federal Firearms law is based on the “interstate commerce” powers of the Federal government.

“...the state is asserting that guns manufactured in Montana and sold in Montana to people who intend to keep their weapons in Montana are exempt from federal gun registration, background check and dealer-licensing rules because no state lines are crossed.”

In many ways, this legislation is as much about states rights under the 10th Amendment as it is about the 2nd Amendment rights of citizens of Montana. Montana has a long history of being very independent. According to the article above the goal is to either set a strong legal precedent or force the BATFE to take the issue to Court:

“Under the new law, guns intended only for Montana would be stamped "Made in Montana." The drafters of the law hope to set off a legal battle with a simple Montana-made youth-model single-shot, bolt-action .22 rifle. They plan to find a "squeaky clean" Montanan who wants to send a note to the ATF threatening to build and sell about 20 such rifles without federal dealership licensing.

“If the ATF tells them it's illegal, they will sue and take the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, if they can.”

The article also indicates that similar measures have also been introduced in Texas and Alaska.

In an era where the Federal government has become a monolith that seems to be intruding into every aspect of the lives of the average citizen, it is refreshing to see some states attempting to reassert their rights under the Constitution. The pendulum may finally be shifting back the other direction, and I hope in the not so distant future we’ll see a less intrusive Federal Government that sees its primary mission as protecting the rights and liberties of its citizens.

Until next time!!!

California Law Challenged

2009-05-05T14:40:00.000-07:00

California, DC, and others are attempting to circumvent the Heller decision by ever more “creative” ways. At this point, California is attempting to limit handgun sales to those “certified” firearms approved by the State. The Second Amendment Foundation has filed a lawsuit challenging the regulatory scheme that mirrors the Hanson v. District of Columbia case.

According to the Second Amendment Foundation:

“California uses this list despite a ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court last summer that protects handguns that ordinary people traditionally use for self-defense, and a recent ruling by the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals that the Second Amendment applies to state and local governments. The California scheme will eventually ban the purchase of almost all new handguns.”

This is a blatant attempt to abuse “public safety” provisions to limit firearm ownership. If allowed to continue unchecked, these sorts of abuses would ultimately ban firearm ownership based on arbitrary standards or who pays protection money (aka a “government fee”) to the State government.

Some of the more flagrant examples of abuse:

“The Para Ordnance P-13 was once approved for sale in California,” Peña noted, “but now that a manufacturer didn’t pay a yearly fee, California claims the gun I want to own has somehow become ‘unsafe’.”

Another outrageous example from plaintiff Roy Vargas:

“The Glock-21 is the handgun I would choose for home defense, but California has decided the version I need is unacceptable. I was born without a right arm below my elbow and therefore the new ambidextrous version of the Glock-21 is the safest one for me. The identical model designed for right hand use is available in California, but I can’t use it.”

It is clear that the State of California only has the blind restriction of firearms and denial of Second Amendment Rights on its mind. It is impossible that either of these examples could be justified through “public safety” considerations. Unfortunately these sorts of abuses of power seem to be increasingly common as anti-civil rights administrations desperately seek ways to circumvent our right to keep and bear arms. We continue to win key victories in these sorts of court cases, hopefully this one will also be settled within the manifest tenor of law.

Until next time!!!

BATFE Reform Bill Introduced!

2009-05-05T10:31:00.000-07:00

There have been several attempts in the House of Representatives to reform the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (BATFE). The Bureau has a long track-record of abuses and questionable interpretations of law that effectively represent legislating by Bureau. The Bureau’s operations are also in need of modernization to make it easier for law-abiding gun owners and FFL holders to comply with actual Federal regulations. The most recent attempt in the House, H.R, 4900 in the 110th Congress, had 244 cosponsors. A similar bill in the 109th Congress (H.R. 5092) passed by a 2-1 majority. Unfortunately the issue has never been taken up by the Senate, until now!

S. 941 has been introduced by Senators Mike Crapo (R-ID) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT). The bill, entitled “Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives Reform and Firearms Modernization Act” will:

“...roll back unnecessary restrictions, correct errors, and codify longstanding congressional policies in the firearms arena. This bipartisan bill is a vital step to modernize and improve BATFE operations.”

Some of the other provisions include:

“Clarify the standard for “willful” violations—allowing penalties for intentional, purposeful violations of the law, but not for simple paperwork mistakes.”

This provision is extremely important as virtually all violations at this point are treated as willful, when in the majority of cases, they aren’t.

“Allow a grace period for people taking over an existing firearms business to correct problems in the business’s records—so if a person inherited a family gun store (for example), the new owner couldn’t be punished for the previous owner’s recordkeeping violations.”

Again, this is a very important provision which is closely tied to the above. Currently FFL holders can be punished for someone else’s mistake, and those mistakes are treated as “willful.”

“Require BATFE to establish clear investigative guidelines.”

This is a very key provision as the Bureau is notorious for “making it up as they go along.” That includes investigative methods and the “standards” used for determining if a firearm is a regulated “machine gun” or not.

“Permanently ban creation of a centralized electronic index of out of business dealers’ records—a threat to gun owners’ privacy that Congress has barred through appropriations riders for more than a decade.”

Again, this is a very important provision. Allowing the BATFE to create an electronic database is a big step toward creating a “virtual registration system.”

“Restore a policy that allowed importation of barrels, frames and receivers for non-importable firearms, when they can be used as repair or replacement parts.”

As a hobbyist, the “barrel ban” has made it difficult to maintain several of my legal semi-autos. I’ll be glad to see this one go the way of the do-do as it was effectively the BATFE passing a new “law” by “interpretation”.

The first step for this bill is the Senate Judiciary committee, chaired by co-sponsor Leahy. Given that the co-chair is a sponsor, one has to think that this bill has a good chance of getting to the Senate floor for a vote. Please write your Senators and urge them to support this vital piece of legislation. Also, give your Congressional Representative the heads up and ensure they’re ready to co-sponsor the House version of the bill!

Until next time!!!