Seems the Senate Majority Leader, with 59 other accomplices, marched Lady Liberty out of the Senate chamber in the middle of the night, put a gun behind her ear, and pulled the trigger.
As it stands now, the ruination of our great land is at hand. This Congress and President have presided over the unprecedented take over of close to 70% of our economy. Between the takeover of two automobile manufacturers, countless banks and financial institutions, student loans, not to mention the looming cap and tax bill, our children will inherit a country so steeped in debt their great-grandchildren will still be paying the bills.
Karl Marx, Joseph Stalin, Adolf Hitler, and Saddam Hussein all are dancing a jig right now. What took them almost a century to fail to accomplish, this administration has accomplished in less than a year.
You know, my grandfather, rest his soul, once told me that this country was headed for another civil war. I fear his prediction may come true. For its entire history, armed revolution has always been a possibility in this country, but I fear it may now be certainty. There have always been three boxes we as Americans have been able to rely on. The soapbox, the ballot box, and the cartridge box. It's getting to the point where the first two are non-responsive, and the only option left is the latter.
I fear that day will come sooner rather than later, and I weep for what our once great country has become. So many people whose voices are as loud as any heavy metal concert are ignored by those who need to hear them most. Whose opposition to the direction this country has taken are not only ignored, but are routinely discounted as 'nut jobs, wackos, and extremists'. The pot is boiling, and if things don't change and soon, that pot will boil over.
Monday, December 21, 2009
Important Update on The Crappy Day
Bail has been set at $25k for our getaway driver who had a crappy day.
I couldn't imagine, that's gotta be one hell of an expensive pair of drawers.
I couldn't imagine, that's gotta be one hell of an expensive pair of drawers.
Friday, December 18, 2009
Talk About a Crappy Day...
Saw this on my hometown rag's website this morning and couldn't pass it up.
There are soooo many things wrong with this, I don't even know where to begin. I guess, when you're caught in the middle of ripping someone off, first you say it, then you do it. But then again, it was a crappy day for all involved.
I wonder, when she was first pulled over, if he didn't ask "I smell something," to which she replied, "You ought to, you've done scared the crap outta me."
Getting off the phone with my folks, I guess her picture was all over the front page of the paper tonight. No escaping this now....
There are soooo many things wrong with this, I don't even know where to begin. I guess, when you're caught in the middle of ripping someone off, first you say it, then you do it. But then again, it was a crappy day for all involved.
I wonder, when she was first pulled over, if he didn't ask "I smell something," to which she replied, "You ought to, you've done scared the crap outta me."
Getting off the phone with my folks, I guess her picture was all over the front page of the paper tonight. No escaping this now....
Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Fun With Idiots
Over at the Observer-Reporter of Washington, PA, their crack editorial staff is all worked up over the "availability" of 'assault weapons'. Putting aside the horrendous murder of the cops int he piece, tragedies all in their own right, I want to focus on the crux of the argument.
The piece bemoans the lapse of the Violent Crime Act of 1994 in 2004. What this piece doesn't tell you is that this law did nothing to stem the flow of alleged 'assault weapons'. They were, and are, still available for sale in most areas of the country. What changed in 2004 was that what was banned in '94 was now allowed; namely bayonet lugs, threaded muzzles, and folding/telescoping stocks.
When the Department of Justice and National Institutes of Justice studied the effects of the ban, they found that while these weapons uses in crime were a virtual statistical anomaly before the ban, the resultant decrease in crimes committed with them during the ban wasn't even calculable.
Another part of the ban that went away was the ban on standard capacity magazines, capping them at 10 rds for pistols and rifles, and 5 rounds for shotguns. Now, depending on where you're at, magazine capacities are limited to 5 rds in rifles, like here in South Dakota for instance. While across the state line in Wyoming, there is no such restriction. One can hunt with a 30 rd mag or a 75 rd drum if they're so inclined. (I must add that I have hunted in WY with a 30 rd mag, unfortunately, I wasn't able to bag anything, much to the delight of the anti-gun/hunting forces out there.) In those states that have magazine restrictions, they do make 5 rd hunting mags specifically for that purpose, so you can go out and hunt with your SKS, Saiga, AK, FAL, or heavy caliber AR without getting into trouble.
Sometimes, you can't make this stuff up.
The piece bemoans the lapse of the Violent Crime Act of 1994 in 2004. What this piece doesn't tell you is that this law did nothing to stem the flow of alleged 'assault weapons'. They were, and are, still available for sale in most areas of the country. What changed in 2004 was that what was banned in '94 was now allowed; namely bayonet lugs, threaded muzzles, and folding/telescoping stocks.
When the Department of Justice and National Institutes of Justice studied the effects of the ban, they found that while these weapons uses in crime were a virtual statistical anomaly before the ban, the resultant decrease in crimes committed with them during the ban wasn't even calculable.
Another part of the ban that went away was the ban on standard capacity magazines, capping them at 10 rds for pistols and rifles, and 5 rounds for shotguns. Now, depending on where you're at, magazine capacities are limited to 5 rds in rifles, like here in South Dakota for instance. While across the state line in Wyoming, there is no such restriction. One can hunt with a 30 rd mag or a 75 rd drum if they're so inclined. (I must add that I have hunted in WY with a 30 rd mag, unfortunately, I wasn't able to bag anything, much to the delight of the anti-gun/hunting forces out there.) In those states that have magazine restrictions, they do make 5 rd hunting mags specifically for that purpose, so you can go out and hunt with your SKS, Saiga, AK, FAL, or heavy caliber AR without getting into trouble.
Sometimes, you can't make this stuff up.
Update: Authorized Journalist Who Gets It
A few days ago, I linked to an editorial from Bill McKewen, a reporter for the Fresno Bee who had an awakening.
We have an update to the story. Seems our intrepid reporter plans to follow through with his plans to not only buy a gun, but get his concealed carry permit from the good sheriff to boot.
His neighbors are all in a tizzy about it, telling him to move back to his old neighborhood so he can be safer. Of course, as part of his awakening, he's discovered that ancient American trademark individualism and is stying put. Good on him for not being cowed by the hand wringing of his 'neighbors'.
It will be interesting for follow ups, as he has also been invited to shoot "assault rifles". Maybe by the time his awakening is complete, he'll know about the lies surrounding semi-automatic rifles that look scary.
We have an update to the story. Seems our intrepid reporter plans to follow through with his plans to not only buy a gun, but get his concealed carry permit from the good sheriff to boot.
His neighbors are all in a tizzy about it, telling him to move back to his old neighborhood so he can be safer. Of course, as part of his awakening, he's discovered that ancient American trademark individualism and is stying put. Good on him for not being cowed by the hand wringing of his 'neighbors'.
It will be interesting for follow ups, as he has also been invited to shoot "assault rifles". Maybe by the time his awakening is complete, he'll know about the lies surrounding semi-automatic rifles that look scary.
Weird News Day Yesterday
First up is an article from the Rapid City Urinal about an accused kiddie pornographer convicted and sentenced for, get this, buying pot from some under aged kids and getting the book thrown at him for providing mary ju auna to minors. Can't make this stuff up.
Next is an article from the national desk about some gang bangers who made a critical mistake in their victim selection process. Not catastrophic, as nobody was ventilated, but you've got to wonder about a criminal who targets someone to car jack and then finds out it's an off duty Pittsburgh cop.
Next is an article from the national desk about some gang bangers who made a critical mistake in their victim selection process. Not catastrophic, as nobody was ventilated, but you've got to wonder about a criminal who targets someone to car jack and then finds out it's an off duty Pittsburgh cop.
Sunday, December 13, 2009
OMG! Gun Laws Loosened! OMG
That's the gist of this reprint from Fox News. The piece does a fairly good job of highlighting some of the gains around the country at the state level, as well as some at the national level.
But when we get to Kristen Rand of the VPC, we see someone coming down with a case of the vapors.
The AP goes even further, explaining that their recent 'studies' on CCP holders committing crimes is growing concern.
I love that part about using only 100 incidents because there were "too many to keep track of". I'd like to see all of these 'incidents' she's referring to. Bear in mind that many of the incidents they probably discarded were law-biding permit holders defending themselves against attack. Much like Mrs. Donna Jackson of Oklahoma. (Special tip o the hat to Kevin Baker for the link!) Or that permit holders commit crimes ate a much lower rate than the general public. But that never stopped the VPC from getting themselves worked up into a lather before.
My favorites of the piece are about Tennessee's new laws on guns in parks and in restaurants that serve alcohol. (See Uncle's round up of the circus, here.) I mean, really? They've got all these people in TN to interview on these topics and they come up with two seniors, aged 69 and 71 respectively, to comment on these two laws? Not knocking the senior citizen crowd here, but couldn't the AP have gotten someone a little younger to puff and crow about these two laws? I'm sure there's no shortage of lefties in Memphis or Knoxville, or Murfreesboro, or somewhere who have something to say about it.
But when we get to Kristen Rand of the VPC, we see someone coming down with a case of the vapors.
"They shoot each other over parking spaces, at football games, and at family events", Rand said.
The AP goes even further, explaining that their recent 'studies' on CCP holders committing crimes is growing concern.
A Violence Policy Center project has mined news reports to find that more than 100 people have been killed by holders of handgun carry permits since 2007, including nine law enforcement officers. The project originally intended to list all crimes committed by permit holders, but there were too many to keep track of, Rand said.
I love that part about using only 100 incidents because there were "too many to keep track of". I'd like to see all of these 'incidents' she's referring to. Bear in mind that many of the incidents they probably discarded were law-biding permit holders defending themselves against attack. Much like Mrs. Donna Jackson of Oklahoma. (Special tip o the hat to Kevin Baker for the link!) Or that permit holders commit crimes ate a much lower rate than the general public. But that never stopped the VPC from getting themselves worked up into a lather before.
My favorites of the piece are about Tennessee's new laws on guns in parks and in restaurants that serve alcohol. (See Uncle's round up of the circus, here.) I mean, really? They've got all these people in TN to interview on these topics and they come up with two seniors, aged 69 and 71 respectively, to comment on these two laws? Not knocking the senior citizen crowd here, but couldn't the AP have gotten someone a little younger to puff and crow about these two laws? I'm sure there's no shortage of lefties in Memphis or Knoxville, or Murfreesboro, or somewhere who have something to say about it.
Thursday, December 10, 2009
The Times Just Can't Get Over Itself
In keeping with the predominant theme for today, we continue on with our 'deny due process' theme by bringing you an op-ed from the New York Times.
They too can't believe that because your name may appear on a super secret list that you have no way of knowing you're on and have no way of getting it off, you should be denied a basic civil right.
While they are correct that you can be barred from boarding a plane if your name appears on this 'list', you have no constitutional right to fly on a privately owned aircraft. Your right to move freely hasn't been abridged, although it may have been cramped a little. No, they use this argument to push the idea that because the government thinks you can't be trusted to walk down a jetway you can't be trusted to own a firearm.
43,533,000 NICS checks were run during the time frame mentioned (2004-2008) in the linked piece. Of those 43.5 million checks, 676,000 (or 1.5%) were denied for a myriad of reasons. The Times claims 963 people who appeared on the watch list attempted to purchase a firearm (98 of whom were declined, or 10%) and were not blocked. Now, if I crunch the numbers here, those 963 people represent a statistically insignificant amount of overall background checks conducted between 2004 and 2008.
So according to the NYT, a statistical anomaly is reason enough to screw the law-biding out of a civil right without due process. But suggest that they should have to register their keyboard, and LOOK OUT!
They too can't believe that because your name may appear on a super secret list that you have no way of knowing you're on and have no way of getting it off, you should be denied a basic civil right.
While they are correct that you can be barred from boarding a plane if your name appears on this 'list', you have no constitutional right to fly on a privately owned aircraft. Your right to move freely hasn't been abridged, although it may have been cramped a little. No, they use this argument to push the idea that because the government thinks you can't be trusted to walk down a jetway you can't be trusted to own a firearm.
43,533,000 NICS checks were run during the time frame mentioned (2004-2008) in the linked piece. Of those 43.5 million checks, 676,000 (or 1.5%) were denied for a myriad of reasons. The Times claims 963 people who appeared on the watch list attempted to purchase a firearm (98 of whom were declined, or 10%) and were not blocked. Now, if I crunch the numbers here, those 963 people represent a statistically insignificant amount of overall background checks conducted between 2004 and 2008.
So according to the NYT, a statistical anomaly is reason enough to screw the law-biding out of a civil right without due process. But suggest that they should have to register their keyboard, and LOOK OUT!
An 'Authorized Journalist' To Be Commended
You know, there are quite a few 'authorized journalists' out there who don't get it, and quite frankly never will. They will editorialize all day long about the evils of guns and the people who own them.
But Bill McKewen seems to have seen the light. In Kalifornia of all places. It sounds like he lives in an area of the state that still respects the rights of the law biding to do what's right. The County Sheriff seems to understand what's at stake, when they say "a society is safer when responsible people bear arms." She not only understands, but actively supports it. Carrying permit applications in her car? Wow! Is this really Kalifornia?
It's nice to know that there's some sane people in Kalifornia, and maybe there's hope yet for that state. We can talk about the 'assault weapons' thing later, but knowing that someone who used to carry the water for the Brady Bunch et al has come around is too good to pass up.
But Bill McKewen seems to have seen the light. In Kalifornia of all places. It sounds like he lives in an area of the state that still respects the rights of the law biding to do what's right. The County Sheriff seems to understand what's at stake, when they say "a society is safer when responsible people bear arms." She not only understands, but actively supports it. Carrying permit applications in her car? Wow! Is this really Kalifornia?
It's nice to know that there's some sane people in Kalifornia, and maybe there's hope yet for that state. We can talk about the 'assault weapons' thing later, but knowing that someone who used to carry the water for the Brady Bunch et al has come around is too good to pass up.
I Loves Me Some Gun Control...NOT!
So the Washington Post is all atwitter about Mayor Bloomberg's latest 'poll' that says that it's the NRA's leadership that is holding up sensible gun laws. You know, the kind of laws that always seem to put out the law-biding but never seem to have any kind of effect on those that break the law. As Say Uncle would say, gun control is something you do instead of something.
Funny, I never got a call.
To answer the question, no. I do not support giving guns to terrorists. However, I also don't believe that because a name appears on a mythical watch list that everybody knows about but nobody's seen should disqualify anyone either. We have a tradition in this country of a thing called 'Due Process'. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure there has to be something done in a court of law before your rights can be revoked. What this evokes is the lists from 1930's Germany where you were placed on a list and you didn't know it until you got a knock on the door from the neighborhood Gestapo agent with his good buddies in black uniforms with neat little skull and crossbones on the cap and twin lightning bolts on the collar.
Never mind the 'gunshow loophole'. That's been covered ad infinitum across the gun blogosphere. But the ability to deny a civil right simply because your name appears on a secret list, that's downright scary. I don't care how many 'gun owners' they find to trick into answered the question their way.
Funny, I never got a call.
To answer the question, no. I do not support giving guns to terrorists. However, I also don't believe that because a name appears on a mythical watch list that everybody knows about but nobody's seen should disqualify anyone either. We have a tradition in this country of a thing called 'Due Process'. I'm no lawyer, but I'm pretty sure there has to be something done in a court of law before your rights can be revoked. What this evokes is the lists from 1930's Germany where you were placed on a list and you didn't know it until you got a knock on the door from the neighborhood Gestapo agent with his good buddies in black uniforms with neat little skull and crossbones on the cap and twin lightning bolts on the collar.
Never mind the 'gunshow loophole'. That's been covered ad infinitum across the gun blogosphere. But the ability to deny a civil right simply because your name appears on a secret list, that's downright scary. I don't care how many 'gun owners' they find to trick into answered the question their way.
Friday, December 4, 2009
Somebody Fogot to Tell Him His Side Lost
Seems the Bangor Daily News employs an intellectual power house by the name of Ken Horn. Mr. Horn's big complaint with the second amendment is that it doesn't apply to the little people, but only those who fall into that golden category of "Only One" (h/t to David Codrea for his ever expanding 'database').
His piece is a vertibable cornucopia of anti-gun memes. National Guard is the militia? Check. Less guns equals less crime? Check. Restricted access to certain scary looking rifles? Check. Law-biding gun owners responsible for arming criminals? Check.
I won't go through the piece, the fine Mainers who frequent the BDN already beat me to it. Pay particular attention to commenter 'PECRockland'. He does a pretty decent job of hamstringing the "intellectual" Ken Horn all by himself.
His piece is a vertibable cornucopia of anti-gun memes. National Guard is the militia? Check. Less guns equals less crime? Check. Restricted access to certain scary looking rifles? Check. Law-biding gun owners responsible for arming criminals? Check.
I won't go through the piece, the fine Mainers who frequent the BDN already beat me to it. Pay particular attention to commenter 'PECRockland'. He does a pretty decent job of hamstringing the "intellectual" Ken Horn all by himself.
Sometimes Their Pet Laws Bite Them In The A...
The Atlanta Journal Constitution has its knickers all in a knot over access to Brady/NICS information. They postulate that had there been something in place, the terrorist at Ft Hood wouldn't have been able to do what it was he did.
So what do they do? They reprint an op-ed from the Washington Post that was published almost a week ago (28 Nov, WP, vs 3 Dec, AJC). Oh, they were cute about it and changed the title and all, but hey, why write your own when you can dust off somebody else stuff and pass it off as brand-spanking new.
Sebastian over at SIH did a pretty thorough job of destroying that argument here when it first appeared on the Wa-Po.
The one thing I would add is that none of what they want (or currently have) would have stopped this, short of locking the nut case up when he first hit radar screens. (Any guesses as to how that would have gone over with the ACLU crowd?) Having a purchase flagged and denied because of somebodies suspicion smacks of jealously. I think the AJC wants a quasi-intelligentsia apparatus reminiscent of the Stasi or the KGB and are pissed because they can't have it...yet.
So what do they do? They reprint an op-ed from the Washington Post that was published almost a week ago (28 Nov, WP, vs 3 Dec, AJC). Oh, they were cute about it and changed the title and all, but hey, why write your own when you can dust off somebody else stuff and pass it off as brand-spanking new.
Sebastian over at SIH did a pretty thorough job of destroying that argument here when it first appeared on the Wa-Po.
The one thing I would add is that none of what they want (or currently have) would have stopped this, short of locking the nut case up when he first hit radar screens. (Any guesses as to how that would have gone over with the ACLU crowd?) Having a purchase flagged and denied because of somebodies suspicion smacks of jealously. I think the AJC wants a quasi-intelligentsia apparatus reminiscent of the Stasi or the KGB and are pissed because they can't have it...yet.
Monday, November 30, 2009
Trip Report
Well, ye olde Savage is now certified. Went out hunting white tail with my father in law Thanksgiving Day. Bagged a flat-top buck at about 40 yds using 150 gr Remington Core-Lockt ammunition.
We first got eyes on him on a hill side about 75 yds away. Couldn't quite make him out as my tag was for any anterless deer (relax, it wasn't until we started cleaning him out that we discovered our 'doe' was a slick top buck; and besides, the regs said any male or female deer without antlers) and I wanted to verify what I had. I started moving towards him and he turned and walked down into a creek bed.
Thinking he might get away, I started moving towards the creek. Next thing I know, he's 40 yds away looking right at me. At this point I could clearly make out there weren't any signs of horns on his head. I slowly knelt down and assumed my shooting position: kneeling, supported off of one knee and waited for him to turn either left or right so I could get a clean kill shot. He turned to my left and it was all over with but the crying.
Shot went in through the front part of his left shoulder and exited behind his right shoulder and down he went and didn't take another step.
When it was all said and done, I got about 30 lbs of meat out of it, not including heart and liver, which are all bagged up, intact, in my freezer as we speak.
We first got eyes on him on a hill side about 75 yds away. Couldn't quite make him out as my tag was for any anterless deer (relax, it wasn't until we started cleaning him out that we discovered our 'doe' was a slick top buck; and besides, the regs said any male or female deer without antlers) and I wanted to verify what I had. I started moving towards him and he turned and walked down into a creek bed.
Thinking he might get away, I started moving towards the creek. Next thing I know, he's 40 yds away looking right at me. At this point I could clearly make out there weren't any signs of horns on his head. I slowly knelt down and assumed my shooting position: kneeling, supported off of one knee and waited for him to turn either left or right so I could get a clean kill shot. He turned to my left and it was all over with but the crying.
Shot went in through the front part of his left shoulder and exited behind his right shoulder and down he went and didn't take another step.
When it was all said and done, I got about 30 lbs of meat out of it, not including heart and liver, which are all bagged up, intact, in my freezer as we speak.
Monday, November 16, 2009
A New Yorkers View On Us Little People
There are soooooo many things wrong with this article I don't even know where to begin. I guess I'll start out at the beginning and go from there.
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Our New Yawker starts off with what seems like a tribute to veterans and then devolves into the War on Terror (clue to Mrs Rubin, there's no more War on Terror, it's an overseas contingency operation, didn't you get the memo?) and telling everyone the NRA is in the midst of it's own 'War of Terror'. I'm sorry, did you just assert that a specifically enumerated Constitutional right is the source of 'terror' in the United States? Did I read that right?
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Our New Yawker starts off with what seems like a tribute to veterans and then devolves into the War on Terror (clue to Mrs Rubin, there's no more War on Terror, it's an overseas contingency operation, didn't you get the memo?) and telling everyone the NRA is in the midst of it's own 'War of Terror'. I'm sorry, did you just assert that a specifically enumerated Constitutional right is the source of 'terror' in the United States? Did I read that right?
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"This Veterans Day, above all, has demonstrated that the US War on Terror and the NRA's War of Terror have consequences."
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Yup, I guess I did. She then goes on to equate being a veteran with being a mass murderer. So I guess, myself and the MILLIONS of men and women who have served this country for periods from 2 yrs to 40 yrs are now murderers in the making. I mean Timothy McVeigh was a vet right? So was the DC Sniper. I guess that seals it, doesn't it.
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Then we find out that on any given night, 130,000 veterans are homeless. After going from the Iraq/Afghanistan war to all veterans is a bit of a stretch. I'm pretty sure that most of the personnel who have deployed in support of OIF/OEF are not homeless by any stretch of the imagination. But hey, if it helps get your point across, who am I to get in the way, right?
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"At least 121 Iraq and Afghanistan veterans have been charged with a killing after returning from the war.
On any given night says New Jersey Senator Menendez, 131,000 veterans are homeless, of which 10,000 are in New York City and northern New Jersey. Indeed, one-fourth of all homeless in America are veterans "home" from the war."
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But now we get to the meat of this hit piece. See, we can't blame the Muslim terrorist who shot the hell out of Ft Hood, no we have to blame everything and everyone else except the turd who did the shooting. See, it can't be his fault because he had 'secondary post traumatic stress disorder' From Charles Krauthammer:
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"After all, secondary PTSD, for those who believe in it (you won't find it in the DSMR-IV-TR, psychiatry's Diagnostic and Statistics manual), is known as 'compassion fatigue'."
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It seems Mrs Rubin thinks this shooting was the result of a failure of policies, namely 'gun control'.
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So the shooter walked into a gun store, after the investigation of him by the federal powers-that-be decided not to investigate him further, and bought a Fabrique-Nationale Herstal 5.7x28mm pistol. Which is still a perfectly legal action in every state in the union (although it's becoming a major PITA in some, namely New Joisey). A pistol, our intrepid editorialist assures us is a 'cop killer'. Never mind that not one single cop has been killed with it, that the ammuntion that made it a 'cop killer' is not legal for any civilian to own, and the 5.7x28 is ballistically comparable to a .22 mag, but the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership says so, so it must be true. Don't believe me? Just ask them, they'll tell you.
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She also goes on to draw the line that this bloodbath would have been averted if that stupid George Bush and that dastardly Republican congress hadn't allowed the 1994 assault weapons ban to expire. Because as we all know, the pistol used by the shooter would have been illegal, right? Well, maybe the 20 round magazine would have, but not the pistol itself. According to her, all these mass shootings since 2005 can be laid directly at the feet of the expiration of said ban.
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The rest is typical screed from tired old talking points. At this point, I've given more attention than I probably should have to begin with. If you want, go on over and check out the rest. But I'm warning you, don't have anything light and easily throwable or had anything to eat. You're liable to throw something or lose your lunch after you read it.
Another Educated Idiot
From the stately confines of the University of Indiana comes Josh Kraus, critical thinker extraordinaire and future something-or-other.
Young Josh's editorial in the student paper seems to indicate he's in total lockstep agreement with all the other anti-gun zealots in that he doesn't think his fellow students are trustworthy enough to protect themselves with the effective tools available because, as he states so eloquently "college campi are special places where hormones rage, academic demands loom, and substances beckon."
What our intrepid editorialist has conveniently forgotten is that these same hormone infested, stressed out, and drunk classmates of his can do what he advocates against after they cross some magical boundary that divides the real world from his 'special place'.
Fact is, with forced disarmament on college campuses around the country, it's not hard to find examples of crimes committed against students on campus either by fellow students or total strangers not affiliated with the college. Virginia Tech is but one example.
Now, nobody is advocating that ALL students be armed, but get real. There are hundreds of students at any given campus who are CCW permit holders who, given the chance, would carry to and from class on a daily basis and no one would be the wiser. I don't know how many times I've had to get in someones behind because they were just sure that when a gun law was loosened, there would be blood in the streets or people getting shot for asinine things like parking spots.
Reality is, those things that have always been predicted when gun laws are loosened have turned out to be wildly overstated fantasies of those who did the predicting.
Perhaps young Josh should concern himself with getting a good education and stop worrying about lawful people carrying lawful concealed weapons. He'll sleep much better at night.
Young Josh's editorial in the student paper seems to indicate he's in total lockstep agreement with all the other anti-gun zealots in that he doesn't think his fellow students are trustworthy enough to protect themselves with the effective tools available because, as he states so eloquently "college campi are special places where hormones rage, academic demands loom, and substances beckon."
What our intrepid editorialist has conveniently forgotten is that these same hormone infested, stressed out, and drunk classmates of his can do what he advocates against after they cross some magical boundary that divides the real world from his 'special place'.
Fact is, with forced disarmament on college campuses around the country, it's not hard to find examples of crimes committed against students on campus either by fellow students or total strangers not affiliated with the college. Virginia Tech is but one example.
Now, nobody is advocating that ALL students be armed, but get real. There are hundreds of students at any given campus who are CCW permit holders who, given the chance, would carry to and from class on a daily basis and no one would be the wiser. I don't know how many times I've had to get in someones behind because they were just sure that when a gun law was loosened, there would be blood in the streets or people getting shot for asinine things like parking spots.
Reality is, those things that have always been predicted when gun laws are loosened have turned out to be wildly overstated fantasies of those who did the predicting.
Perhaps young Josh should concern himself with getting a good education and stop worrying about lawful people carrying lawful concealed weapons. He'll sleep much better at night.
Oh Boy, Here We Go...
From across the pond comes an interesting item. Seems the folks at FN Herstal over in Belgium have developed a tattle tale for your gun. The version they talk about appears to fit in the grip of a standard AR platform, but can be adapted to any gun.
Now, your local constabulary can stop you and plug your gun into their little "reader" and be able to tell exactly where you've been, what you shot, where you shot at, and what you had for breakfast for the last 3 days (ok, I made that last one up).
This ought to give you pause. As is hinted at in the article, the limits to this technology are scary. This is what they've been waiting for. Smart gun technology. The only thing missing is the remote off switch so if you don't have 'permission' to use your weapon, you won't. You can bet it won't be far away.
Now, your local constabulary can stop you and plug your gun into their little "reader" and be able to tell exactly where you've been, what you shot, where you shot at, and what you had for breakfast for the last 3 days (ok, I made that last one up).
This ought to give you pause. As is hinted at in the article, the limits to this technology are scary. This is what they've been waiting for. Smart gun technology. The only thing missing is the remote off switch so if you don't have 'permission' to use your weapon, you won't. You can bet it won't be far away.
Custom Delta Elite Part II
Took the Delta out yesterday (Sunday) to make sure everything functioned. Had some issues with the manual safety and the trigger was giving me fits at the range.
Got her home, completely shucked her down to the frame and made sure everything fit correctly. In doing this, I fixed the issue with the manual safety and the trigger.
The last thing to do was to ensure the tang blended correctly with the grip safety and make sure the right side of the manual safety wouldn't dig into the web of my shooting hand. Man, it didn't break the skin, but it sure hurt like hell.
The last thing mechanically I've got to do is knock the tops off the hammer and sear pins to ensure the right side of the safety sits flush to the frame and do a little more custom fitting so that manual safety doesn't get me any more.
Then for the aesthetics, I've got a set of Night Hawk grips coming for her to finish her off.
Got her home, completely shucked her down to the frame and made sure everything fit correctly. In doing this, I fixed the issue with the manual safety and the trigger.
The last thing to do was to ensure the tang blended correctly with the grip safety and make sure the right side of the manual safety wouldn't dig into the web of my shooting hand. Man, it didn't break the skin, but it sure hurt like hell.
The last thing mechanically I've got to do is knock the tops off the hammer and sear pins to ensure the right side of the safety sits flush to the frame and do a little more custom fitting so that manual safety doesn't get me any more.
Then for the aesthetics, I've got a set of Night Hawk grips coming for her to finish her off.
Saturday, November 14, 2009
A Little Custom Work
Last spring, I restored a 1944 Remington Rand 1911A1 to its former glory as a warrior's pistol.
This got me to thinking about maybe tackling something a little more complex. Well, last month I got a Colt Delta Elite in 10mm. One thing I don't like about standard Colt 1911s is the grip safety. The way it's configured doesn't lend itself to my shooting style, which is to get as high as a grip as I can and then some. I tried this grip style on my RR 1911 only once, and I've got the scar on the web of my left hand for the effort.
What I got from Ed Brown was:
Beavertail grip safety w/memory pad
Commander-style hammer
Sear and disconnector
Flat checkered main spring housing w/mag well
Ambidextrous safety
Main spring
The trigger is from STI and is polymer. It required a little bit of custom fitting to make sure it cleared everything. This was the very first thing I did when I started. I figured I'd start easy and work my way up from there.
The one part I was most worried about was the beavertail grip safety, as this required firing up the old Craftsman bench grinder. I took me a couple of minutes to make up my mind if this was what I really wanted to do. It was, and I did.
Following the instructions included with the jig I bought, I got the grip safety roughed in, then spent the next hour working with various jewelers flat files to get everything to fit right. The one thing that guided me in this part was the fact I didn't want to take too much material off and ruin my project before it ever got off the ground. In fact, I was downright paranoid about it.
Then I spent the next couple of hours (ok, more like 4 or 5) getting everything to fit right. The only thing I really had any problems with was getting the new ambidextrous manual safety to fit. I think I disassembled and reassembled the guts of the Delta Elite about 35 or 40 times checking fit and cussing when things wouldn't go back together the way they were supposed to.
This got me to thinking about maybe tackling something a little more complex. Well, last month I got a Colt Delta Elite in 10mm. One thing I don't like about standard Colt 1911s is the grip safety. The way it's configured doesn't lend itself to my shooting style, which is to get as high as a grip as I can and then some. I tried this grip style on my RR 1911 only once, and I've got the scar on the web of my left hand for the effort.
Obligatory before pic
This is what led me to make my first attempt at customizing a 1911. I got the parts from Ed Brown (no paid advertising or anything here FCC) last week and set out today to make my project come to life.
What I got from Ed Brown was:
Beavertail grip safety w/memory pad
Commander-style hammer
Sear and disconnector
Flat checkered main spring housing w/mag well
Ambidextrous safety
Main spring
The trigger is from STI and is polymer. It required a little bit of custom fitting to make sure it cleared everything. This was the very first thing I did when I started. I figured I'd start easy and work my way up from there.
The one part I was most worried about was the beavertail grip safety, as this required firing up the old Craftsman bench grinder. I took me a couple of minutes to make up my mind if this was what I really wanted to do. It was, and I did.
Roughing in the grip safety
Following the instructions included with the jig I bought, I got the grip safety roughed in, then spent the next hour working with various jewelers flat files to get everything to fit right. The one thing that guided me in this part was the fact I didn't want to take too much material off and ruin my project before it ever got off the ground. In fact, I was downright paranoid about it.
Then I spent the next couple of hours (ok, more like 4 or 5) getting everything to fit right. The only thing I really had any problems with was getting the new ambidextrous manual safety to fit. I think I disassembled and reassembled the guts of the Delta Elite about 35 or 40 times checking fit and cussing when things wouldn't go back together the way they were supposed to.
The finished product
After all that, I finally got everything finished, put back together and function checked. Man, I'm good. This turned out way better than I had any right to expect. I look at her and I almost don't want to shoot her. But shoot her I will, probably tomorrow. I can't wait to check out that STI trigger. Just dry firing a couple of times for function, it's wayyyyy better than the stock job. I can't wait.
Saturday, November 7, 2009
A New Addition
Gots me a new member of the family today, a Colt Mark IV, Series 80 Delta Elite 10mm. Picked it up for a song via Gunbroker last week, if you call $800 for an early model 4 digit serial number Delta Elite a song, and she arrived at the funstore this morning.
Took her, and my wife, out this afternoon to test fire the new pistol and expose my wife to shooting large bore semi auto handguns.
First, the Delta Elite. Shot to point of aim at about 60 ft, no issues with feeding or ejecting. Matter of fact, ejection was pretty, shall we say energetic. Unlike my Ultra Raptor which seems to hit me 3 times out of seven somewhere on my head with dead brass, this one was up and over my head and out about 10-15 ft behind me to the right. I didn't put out any paper, as this was a shakedown cruise, just to feel her out. In the coming days, I'll be upgrading some things on her like grip safety, mainspring housing w/mag well, trigger, hammer and sear, ambidextrous safety, main spring, and disconnector. I'll post how things go as I go.
Now Mrs Hazmat. This being her first time shooting large bore semi autos, I was worried, but not too terribly, as she's done excellent with her Mosquito, my CZ 50, and the two .25 ACPs she's shot. I don't know why I was even worried in the first place, as everything she's shot that had a little kick to it rifle-wise she ate right up. But she ponied up to the bar so to speak, and shot my XD .40 sub compact, the Ultra Raptor, and the new Delta. Of the three she shot tonite, she didn't much care for the XD as it had too much muzzle flip for her tastes. I think maybe a 9mm or a standard sized .40 might be a better fit for her in that department. She didn't much care for the Delta, as it had a little too much snort for her. She did, however, take a substantial liking to the Ultra Raptor. I'm thinking that there may be a compact .45 in her future, that way she won't be running off with the Raptor when I'm not looking.
The next thing we're going to work on is getting her CCP. Fortunately, here in South Dakota, it's not too much of a hassle. $10 and a trip to the county sheriffs department and she'll be all set.
Took her, and my wife, out this afternoon to test fire the new pistol and expose my wife to shooting large bore semi auto handguns.
First, the Delta Elite. Shot to point of aim at about 60 ft, no issues with feeding or ejecting. Matter of fact, ejection was pretty, shall we say energetic. Unlike my Ultra Raptor which seems to hit me 3 times out of seven somewhere on my head with dead brass, this one was up and over my head and out about 10-15 ft behind me to the right. I didn't put out any paper, as this was a shakedown cruise, just to feel her out. In the coming days, I'll be upgrading some things on her like grip safety, mainspring housing w/mag well, trigger, hammer and sear, ambidextrous safety, main spring, and disconnector. I'll post how things go as I go.
Now Mrs Hazmat. This being her first time shooting large bore semi autos, I was worried, but not too terribly, as she's done excellent with her Mosquito, my CZ 50, and the two .25 ACPs she's shot. I don't know why I was even worried in the first place, as everything she's shot that had a little kick to it rifle-wise she ate right up. But she ponied up to the bar so to speak, and shot my XD .40 sub compact, the Ultra Raptor, and the new Delta. Of the three she shot tonite, she didn't much care for the XD as it had too much muzzle flip for her tastes. I think maybe a 9mm or a standard sized .40 might be a better fit for her in that department. She didn't much care for the Delta, as it had a little too much snort for her. She did, however, take a substantial liking to the Ultra Raptor. I'm thinking that there may be a compact .45 in her future, that way she won't be running off with the Raptor when I'm not looking.
The next thing we're going to work on is getting her CCP. Fortunately, here in South Dakota, it's not too much of a hassle. $10 and a trip to the county sheriffs department and she'll be all set.
Friday, November 6, 2009
A Little Soul Searching
With all the hoopla over what happened yesterday at Ft Hood, I've held off commenting on the incident out of respect for the families of those who were casualties of the shooting.
But the more I read about it, the more I can't help but wonder why this doesn't happen more often. I mean every US military installation in the world is a "gun free zone". The only people who are allowed to 'carry' weapons on base (besides the base cops [civilian and contractor] and resident OSI/CID/NCIS special agents) are those who live in base housing, and only then they are allowed to 'carry' it from their house on base to the range or wherever they're taking the weapon and back. There is no concealed carry on base. Did I mention that everyone who lives on base must resgister their weapons with the base?
I found this out the hard way as one time I was going on base and had forgotten to remove my regular concealed carry piece from under the drivers seat of my truck. As luck would have it, I got stopped at the gate for a random vehicle search, and they found it for me. When I handed them my CCP, I was politely, but tersely told that my permit was not valid on base.
Now, I can bring a firearm on base, but it must be unloaded, cased, and the ammunition cannot be stored close to the weapon in question. Which kind of negates the whole defensive firearm aspect of concealed carry, don't you think?.
My initial reaction to what I was told was not for my defense while on base, but for the time I spend commuting to and from the base. I make a couple of stops coming and going from base and it's at these locations that I get nervous about not having my carry piece on me. I never dreamed (although I should have) that I may need it on base. This whole mess has me rethinking my threat-based decision-making paradigm.
That's not to say I haven't done it in the past. I teach foreign weapons familiarization and when transporting $25k worth of firearms, I'm not going to do it unarmed. It's the same mindset that goes with transporting military arms. When you have so many, the courier must be armed. I'm the same way. There's no way I'm going to give up $25k worth of firearms without a fight, I don't care who you are.
So this has me thinking, just how far do I want to push the issue?
But the more I read about it, the more I can't help but wonder why this doesn't happen more often. I mean every US military installation in the world is a "gun free zone". The only people who are allowed to 'carry' weapons on base (besides the base cops [civilian and contractor] and resident OSI/CID/NCIS special agents) are those who live in base housing, and only then they are allowed to 'carry' it from their house on base to the range or wherever they're taking the weapon and back. There is no concealed carry on base. Did I mention that everyone who lives on base must resgister their weapons with the base?
I found this out the hard way as one time I was going on base and had forgotten to remove my regular concealed carry piece from under the drivers seat of my truck. As luck would have it, I got stopped at the gate for a random vehicle search, and they found it for me. When I handed them my CCP, I was politely, but tersely told that my permit was not valid on base.
Now, I can bring a firearm on base, but it must be unloaded, cased, and the ammunition cannot be stored close to the weapon in question. Which kind of negates the whole defensive firearm aspect of concealed carry, don't you think?.
My initial reaction to what I was told was not for my defense while on base, but for the time I spend commuting to and from the base. I make a couple of stops coming and going from base and it's at these locations that I get nervous about not having my carry piece on me. I never dreamed (although I should have) that I may need it on base. This whole mess has me rethinking my threat-based decision-making paradigm.
That's not to say I haven't done it in the past. I teach foreign weapons familiarization and when transporting $25k worth of firearms, I'm not going to do it unarmed. It's the same mindset that goes with transporting military arms. When you have so many, the courier must be armed. I'm the same way. There's no way I'm going to give up $25k worth of firearms without a fight, I don't care who you are.
So this has me thinking, just how far do I want to push the issue?
Thursday, October 29, 2009
Lock N Load
Saw a couple of the episodes of the new Showtime series Lock N Load. Eye opening, at least to the antis, but not really any surprise to folks who go into gun stores on any kind of basis.
What strikes me about the series is these are just regular people walking into a gun store. Some have never been around firearms before, some have mediocre experience and some are life long gun owners. This includes men and women, boys and girls. I would venture a guess that you could probably duplicate this series in just about any gun store in the country.
And it's not just life in the store. On last nights episode, the owner/proprietor goes out shooting with a couple of kids, shooting both .22 rifles and pistols. Good on him. In the other episode I saw, he got his butt kicked shooting clays with what he thought was some broad who walked into the store, but who turned out to be the Grand Poo-Bah of ladies shotgunning.
After watching these two episodes, I think if Showtime puts this out on DVD, I might have to pick it up, since I personally don't have Showtime at home. And I would encourage those who think gun stores are the den of evil incarnate on Earth to watch a couple of episodes, you might learn something.
What strikes me about the series is these are just regular people walking into a gun store. Some have never been around firearms before, some have mediocre experience and some are life long gun owners. This includes men and women, boys and girls. I would venture a guess that you could probably duplicate this series in just about any gun store in the country.
And it's not just life in the store. On last nights episode, the owner/proprietor goes out shooting with a couple of kids, shooting both .22 rifles and pistols. Good on him. In the other episode I saw, he got his butt kicked shooting clays with what he thought was some broad who walked into the store, but who turned out to be the Grand Poo-Bah of ladies shotgunning.
After watching these two episodes, I think if Showtime puts this out on DVD, I might have to pick it up, since I personally don't have Showtime at home. And I would encourage those who think gun stores are the den of evil incarnate on Earth to watch a couple of episodes, you might learn something.
Monday, October 26, 2009
A New Term
Whilst out trying, in vain I might add, to do my part to decrease the elk population of Wyoming, I stumbled onto an epiphany of sorts.
One night while sitting around the tent imbibing some of Adolph Coors' master works and discussing the problems of the world in general, and the state of American politics in particular, with my father and brother, I came to a sudden realization.
I am not a Conservative.
I am not a Libertarian.
I am not a Republican.
What I am is a Fundamentalist American.
What does it mean to be a Fundamentalist American? Well, first off, I have a deep appreciation and love for America, what it means to be an American, and a belief that we are in fact a decent and moral nation.
I believe what the Founders put down on paper, both in the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution, is how it's supposed to be. That the "Living Document" argument is a stupid one. The writers and framers of the Constitution put in place a mechanism to change it and using the courts to do the dirty work to change portions that they either don't like or have to clout to change on their own is as they say, chickensh*t.
That rugged individualism isn't just some nifty little catch phrase, it's what made America what it is today. People like my grandfather who survived the Great Depression doing jobs that most modern Americans squish and squirm at doing as "beneath them", and who went on to do great things. Not great things in the sense he invented something and became rich and famous, but great things like helping to build a small northeast Wyoming cow/jerk water town into something besides a cow/jerk water town.
Or the man who was larger than life when I was growing up. A Mountain Man. Real life, no kidding mountain man named Timber Jack Joe. I met the man growing up, he was an icon in Wyoming lore, harking back to the days of Jim Bridger and Kit Carson and Jedediah Smith. He was not a"re-enactor", but a man who believed in all his heart in rugged individualism.
I believe in what I was taught from a young age: that you are responsible for you, and not anyone else. Seeing as now we get a constant barrage of being our brother's keeper and that somehow, propping up failure is a noble thing. Failure is just that, failure. That is how life is lived. If you don't fail, you don't learn. Doing the same tired things over and over and expecting different results each time is, to put it mildly, stupid.
So there it is, my epiphany. Fundamentalist Americanism. I'll add more on the subject in the days and weeks to come, but for now, I thought I'd share this with everyone, just to get it off my chest.
One night while sitting around the tent imbibing some of Adolph Coors' master works and discussing the problems of the world in general, and the state of American politics in particular, with my father and brother, I came to a sudden realization.
I am not a Conservative.
I am not a Libertarian.
I am not a Republican.
What I am is a Fundamentalist American.
What does it mean to be a Fundamentalist American? Well, first off, I have a deep appreciation and love for America, what it means to be an American, and a belief that we are in fact a decent and moral nation.
I believe what the Founders put down on paper, both in the Declaration of Independence and in the Constitution, is how it's supposed to be. That the "Living Document" argument is a stupid one. The writers and framers of the Constitution put in place a mechanism to change it and using the courts to do the dirty work to change portions that they either don't like or have to clout to change on their own is as they say, chickensh*t.
That rugged individualism isn't just some nifty little catch phrase, it's what made America what it is today. People like my grandfather who survived the Great Depression doing jobs that most modern Americans squish and squirm at doing as "beneath them", and who went on to do great things. Not great things in the sense he invented something and became rich and famous, but great things like helping to build a small northeast Wyoming cow/jerk water town into something besides a cow/jerk water town.
Or the man who was larger than life when I was growing up. A Mountain Man. Real life, no kidding mountain man named Timber Jack Joe. I met the man growing up, he was an icon in Wyoming lore, harking back to the days of Jim Bridger and Kit Carson and Jedediah Smith. He was not a"re-enactor", but a man who believed in all his heart in rugged individualism.
I believe in what I was taught from a young age: that you are responsible for you, and not anyone else. Seeing as now we get a constant barrage of being our brother's keeper and that somehow, propping up failure is a noble thing. Failure is just that, failure. That is how life is lived. If you don't fail, you don't learn. Doing the same tired things over and over and expecting different results each time is, to put it mildly, stupid.
So there it is, my epiphany. Fundamentalist Americanism. I'll add more on the subject in the days and weeks to come, but for now, I thought I'd share this with everyone, just to get it off my chest.
I'm Baaack!
Well, another hunting trip has come and gone and the elk population of south-central Wyoming is still intact. Skunked again. But at least this time I got to SEE elk (two cows and a calf, although their siting was a complete accident), as opposed to most every other time when it's just a vicious rumor they're there.
On the plus side though, I got to spend some quality time with my father and my younger brother. And, even though we didn't get any elk, we did manage to kill a rather sizable quantity of beer.
I'll try to post some pics of our home away from home for the past two weeks so everybody can see what we were up against.
On the plus side though, I got to spend some quality time with my father and my younger brother. And, even though we didn't get any elk, we did manage to kill a rather sizable quantity of beer.
I'll try to post some pics of our home away from home for the past two weeks so everybody can see what we were up against.
Monday, October 12, 2009
I'm Off...
No, really. I'm off to attempt to thin the elk population of south-central Wyoming for the next two weeks.
I'm taking my Savage 10GLXP3, my M1A, and my brand spanking new 4" S&W Model 57. And just to make sure the anti's have enough to slobber over, I'm also taking my new Draco pistol with me. What I love most about Wyoming laws is they have no magazine restrictions. So I'll also have two 30 rd Polish polymer mags filled with 154-gr soft points. Why? Because I can.
Anyway, I'll post the outcome when I get back.
TTFN!!!
I'm taking my Savage 10GLXP3, my M1A, and my brand spanking new 4" S&W Model 57. And just to make sure the anti's have enough to slobber over, I'm also taking my new Draco pistol with me. What I love most about Wyoming laws is they have no magazine restrictions. So I'll also have two 30 rd Polish polymer mags filled with 154-gr soft points. Why? Because I can.
Anyway, I'll post the outcome when I get back.
TTFN!!!
Thursday, October 8, 2009
What A Day
It's been a good last 24 hours. I've received my Utah carry permit in the mail and the Galco holster for my 4" Model 57 Smith arrived yesterday.
On a related note, what the hell is up with the availability of .41 mag ammunition and components? I mean, if you listen to all the gun writers, nobody likes the .41. It doesn't have the snort of the .44 and it's not as sexy as the .357. If you listened to the writers, nobody should have them.
Evidently, someone forgot to tell everyone ELSE. 'Cause loaded ammunition is almost as easy to find as hens teeth, and components, well jacketed bullets anyway, are almost as easy to locate as the loaded ammunition.
Sheesh.
On a related note, what the hell is up with the availability of .41 mag ammunition and components? I mean, if you listen to all the gun writers, nobody likes the .41. It doesn't have the snort of the .44 and it's not as sexy as the .357. If you listened to the writers, nobody should have them.
Evidently, someone forgot to tell everyone ELSE. 'Cause loaded ammunition is almost as easy to find as hens teeth, and components, well jacketed bullets anyway, are almost as easy to locate as the loaded ammunition.
Sheesh.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Gura on Beck
Noted attorney and 2A hero Alan Gura is presently on Glenn Beck's TV show talking about the Chicago gun ban case that was just granted cert. by the USSC.
They just finished talking about the particulars of the case, and are getting ready to start talking states rights on the issue when they return from break.
My take on this is that while the 2A was originally binding only on the fedgov, with passage of the 14th amendment, right or wrong, it should be binding on the states.
Anyway, they're back on now....
Gura's take: Same as mine. 14th amendment provides for application to the states.
This should be an interesting case. If the SC finds for Gura et al, then that opens up a whole can of worms all around the country. From NYFC and the Sullivan Law to Denver and their idiotic AWB, to Massachussets stupid gun laws and all points in between. The coming months should fun.
They just finished talking about the particulars of the case, and are getting ready to start talking states rights on the issue when they return from break.
My take on this is that while the 2A was originally binding only on the fedgov, with passage of the 14th amendment, right or wrong, it should be binding on the states.
Anyway, they're back on now....
Gura's take: Same as mine. 14th amendment provides for application to the states.
This should be an interesting case. If the SC finds for Gura et al, then that opens up a whole can of worms all around the country. From NYFC and the Sullivan Law to Denver and their idiotic AWB, to Massachussets stupid gun laws and all points in between. The coming months should fun.
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Lack of Posting
Sorry for the lack of posting around here, I've been a little under the weather the last few days.
After the September gun show here in lovely Rapid City, I was stricken with a blood clot in my left leg. Hats off to all the people involved who helped get me back on my feet (literally). The imaging people in radiology, the interventional radiologist, the ICU staff and all the folks who put up with my grumpy behind the 6 days I was bedridden.
And a special thank you to Mrs Hazmat who was there through the whole thing, from my initial appointment until I was released, sleeping in a sorry excuse for a recliner in my room while I recuperated. All the while trying to keep me from throwing things around the room and being a general PITA.
With the current debate over health care in this country, I can't help but wonder how long I would have had to suffer before I was "allowed" to receive treatment for this malady if the Chosen Ones health care plan was in place...
After the September gun show here in lovely Rapid City, I was stricken with a blood clot in my left leg. Hats off to all the people involved who helped get me back on my feet (literally). The imaging people in radiology, the interventional radiologist, the ICU staff and all the folks who put up with my grumpy behind the 6 days I was bedridden.
And a special thank you to Mrs Hazmat who was there through the whole thing, from my initial appointment until I was released, sleeping in a sorry excuse for a recliner in my room while I recuperated. All the while trying to keep me from throwing things around the room and being a general PITA.
With the current debate over health care in this country, I can't help but wonder how long I would have had to suffer before I was "allowed" to receive treatment for this malady if the Chosen Ones health care plan was in place...
He's Baaaaack!!!!
Thursday, September 17, 2009
More Yale In The News
Seems a student at the Yale School of Medicine is in hot water because he had a couple of drinks and got lippy.
Seems that in CT, a person can have their home searched without probable cause because of something that was said.
Now, knowing how the media loves to accurately portray gun owners, their mention of "assault rifles" and "sniper rifles" seems a little over the top.
And the commentors on the story are typical of the Northeastern liberal mindset; freedom for me, but not for thee.
Seems that in CT, a person can have their home searched without probable cause because of something that was said.
Now, knowing how the media loves to accurately portray gun owners, their mention of "assault rifles" and "sniper rifles" seems a little over the top.
And the commentors on the story are typical of the Northeastern liberal mindset; freedom for me, but not for thee.
Illegal Guns, What????
Seems Mrs. Joanne Hafter has a problem with illegal guns. I've been around guns my whole life, been an active gun owner and self proclaimed gun nut for the last 6 yrs, and I have yet to see an illegal gun at a gun show. Now I've seen a few real illegal guns, some rifles that were illegally modified contrary to the National Firearms Act. Read: illegal post-May 1986 sample machine guns. And those were seen in stores where I pointed out to the staff what they had and what they needed to do with them. I know they were taken off the shelf, but what happened to them after that I have no idea. Then there's the illegal short barreled rifle, and the gun with a filed off serial number. These I've never seen, but the SN issue has come up in recent news.
Another thing I have an issue with are the so-called "kits that enable legal weapons to become illegal". See, I've bought several "kits" over the last couple of years to build up my collection of politically incorrect semi-automatic rifles; rifles that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to acquire (or afford) through any other means. I've built Yugoslavian, Russian, Hungarian, Polish, and Bulgarian rifles in configurations that would have cost me over 100% more than what I paid for these "kits" had I attempted to purchase them from a dealer. I've now got 2 NFA tax stamps (and getting ready for a third here shortly) for two SBRs built from these "illegal kits that enable legal weapons to become illegal". Did I mention the receivers for these rifles were transferred through a legitimate dealer, with a FFL, complete with mandatory background check? Illegal again, how, exactly?
Does Mrs Hatcher know that a person may build their own rifle, without any licensing from the BATFE? Yup, you sure can, as long as you don't sell it on the open market, you're good to go. I know several folks who have done so, on 80% receivers they bought on line and bent and welded up themselves.
Now, knowing what exactly an illegal gun is, I challenge Mrs Hatcher (or anyone else, for that matter) to explain to me just what an illegal gun is in her definition.
Another thing I have an issue with are the so-called "kits that enable legal weapons to become illegal". See, I've bought several "kits" over the last couple of years to build up my collection of politically incorrect semi-automatic rifles; rifles that I otherwise wouldn't have been able to acquire (or afford) through any other means. I've built Yugoslavian, Russian, Hungarian, Polish, and Bulgarian rifles in configurations that would have cost me over 100% more than what I paid for these "kits" had I attempted to purchase them from a dealer. I've now got 2 NFA tax stamps (and getting ready for a third here shortly) for two SBRs built from these "illegal kits that enable legal weapons to become illegal". Did I mention the receivers for these rifles were transferred through a legitimate dealer, with a FFL, complete with mandatory background check? Illegal again, how, exactly?
Does Mrs Hatcher know that a person may build their own rifle, without any licensing from the BATFE? Yup, you sure can, as long as you don't sell it on the open market, you're good to go. I know several folks who have done so, on 80% receivers they bought on line and bent and welded up themselves.
Now, knowing what exactly an illegal gun is, I challenge Mrs Hatcher (or anyone else, for that matter) to explain to me just what an illegal gun is in her definition.
Friday, September 11, 2009
A Day To Never Forget
There are some occasions that are so seared into the national consciousness that everyone remembers exactly where they were when the event took place. Talking to my folks, they can remember exactly where they were when Kennedy was killed. Myself, there are two days that I will never forget.
The first was when Challenger exploded. I was home sick from school that day and watched in horror the events of that terrible day, right before my 14th birthday.
The other, was September 11, 2001.
I was stationed in Korea at the time, a little burg down the west coast from Seoul called Kunsan.
I'd managed to talk my way into a day off that day, mainly so I could watch the live broadcast on AFTV of the first regular season game in the new Mile High Stadium. (Yeah, I'm a Broncos fan, get over it.) And what a game that was. At least right up until Eddie McAffrey broke his leg, but I digress.
Anyway, I went to the hooch that night to watch the re-broadcast in prime time. As the game was getting over, and several libations, I decided it was time to go home.
My room was quite literally across the street from the hooch and it didn't take me 5 minutes to get there. And in those 5 minutes, the world came apart at the seams.
When I left to go to the hooch, I happened to leave my TV on, so when I got home, I was met with video of the first plane hitting the South Tower. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I remember thinking that maybe it was all an accident.
Then the second one hit the North Tower. Talk about instant sobriety.
And reports started coming in about other hijacked jets. By this time I was on the phone to my flight commander asking if we needed to get our stuff up and running.
Then the Pentagon was hit, and that sealed it. Work was only a block away and I was dressed and out the door.
We stood up our operation, got everything ready in the event things got sideways on the Pen. Fortunately, nothing happened. I ended up working the rest of the night, getting off work at 0900 the next morning. When I got home that morning, I was so amped up, it took another 3 hours to finally get to sleep, and even that was fitful. Those 12 hour shifts lasted another couple of days, and we weren't allowed to go downtown for another 3 months. The remaining 9 months of my tour over there went without incident and I returned Stateside in June of '02 and right into Iraqi Freedom 7 months later.
I remember the month before the attack, we'd been briefed that there was a threat of terrorist attack, nothing specific, just a general warning to all installations to be on guard. After Khobar Towers, we didn't know what to expect. After watching wall-to-wall coverage of the events of that fateful day, I don't think anyone could have even dreamed that the targets were the epicenters of power in the US.
Commissions have been chartered, investigation made, rumors and conspiracies have come and gone since that fateful sunny morning those not-so-long 8 years ago. But one thing has remained crystal clear through all the BS:
I WILL NEVER FORGET!
WE WILL NEVER FORGET!
The first was when Challenger exploded. I was home sick from school that day and watched in horror the events of that terrible day, right before my 14th birthday.
The other, was September 11, 2001.
I was stationed in Korea at the time, a little burg down the west coast from Seoul called Kunsan.
I'd managed to talk my way into a day off that day, mainly so I could watch the live broadcast on AFTV of the first regular season game in the new Mile High Stadium. (Yeah, I'm a Broncos fan, get over it.) And what a game that was. At least right up until Eddie McAffrey broke his leg, but I digress.
Anyway, I went to the hooch that night to watch the re-broadcast in prime time. As the game was getting over, and several libations, I decided it was time to go home.
My room was quite literally across the street from the hooch and it didn't take me 5 minutes to get there. And in those 5 minutes, the world came apart at the seams.
When I left to go to the hooch, I happened to leave my TV on, so when I got home, I was met with video of the first plane hitting the South Tower. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. I remember thinking that maybe it was all an accident.
Then the second one hit the North Tower. Talk about instant sobriety.
And reports started coming in about other hijacked jets. By this time I was on the phone to my flight commander asking if we needed to get our stuff up and running.
Then the Pentagon was hit, and that sealed it. Work was only a block away and I was dressed and out the door.
We stood up our operation, got everything ready in the event things got sideways on the Pen. Fortunately, nothing happened. I ended up working the rest of the night, getting off work at 0900 the next morning. When I got home that morning, I was so amped up, it took another 3 hours to finally get to sleep, and even that was fitful. Those 12 hour shifts lasted another couple of days, and we weren't allowed to go downtown for another 3 months. The remaining 9 months of my tour over there went without incident and I returned Stateside in June of '02 and right into Iraqi Freedom 7 months later.
I remember the month before the attack, we'd been briefed that there was a threat of terrorist attack, nothing specific, just a general warning to all installations to be on guard. After Khobar Towers, we didn't know what to expect. After watching wall-to-wall coverage of the events of that fateful day, I don't think anyone could have even dreamed that the targets were the epicenters of power in the US.
Commissions have been chartered, investigation made, rumors and conspiracies have come and gone since that fateful sunny morning those not-so-long 8 years ago. But one thing has remained crystal clear through all the BS:
I WILL NEVER FORGET!
WE WILL NEVER FORGET!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Something's Not Right About This
When I read this artice, something didn't quite sit right. So I read it again. Any guesses on what it might be?
LA Times Gets It's (Anti) Gun Thing On...Again
As has been reported around the interwebz the last couple of days, a rabid anti-gun zealot, Professor Garen Wintemute tells everyone how evil gun shows are in a 300+ page "report". Of course, the LA Times, being that bastion of fair and balanced reporting, can't help but pimp the Brady Line.
Dave Workman, the Seattle Gun Rights Examiner, gets into Wintemute's twisting logic and flights of fancy, here.
Seems the good professor witnessed what we here in the free world call free exchanges of goods and services between consenting, like-minded adults. In other words, he saw face-to-face transfers of legal firearms. Now, in just about every free state in the western US, outside California, these transfers are perfectly legal. And that, evidently, is enough to get his knickers all kinds of in a twist.
And in typical progressive form, he (and the LA Times for that matter) can't help but paint gun shows and the gun owners who attend them as racist swine by letting you, the objective reader know that at a good portion of the shows he attended (and video taped), racist materials like the Turner Diaries and Mein Kompf were being peddled almost as fast as it could be put out on tables.
I do gun shows where I'm at, and you know, I've never seen a copy of either at any gun show I've gone to in over 5 yrs. Funny how that works, ain't it?
Dave Workman, the Seattle Gun Rights Examiner, gets into Wintemute's twisting logic and flights of fancy, here.
Seems the good professor witnessed what we here in the free world call free exchanges of goods and services between consenting, like-minded adults. In other words, he saw face-to-face transfers of legal firearms. Now, in just about every free state in the western US, outside California, these transfers are perfectly legal. And that, evidently, is enough to get his knickers all kinds of in a twist.
And in typical progressive form, he (and the LA Times for that matter) can't help but paint gun shows and the gun owners who attend them as racist swine by letting you, the objective reader know that at a good portion of the shows he attended (and video taped), racist materials like the Turner Diaries and Mein Kompf were being peddled almost as fast as it could be put out on tables.
I do gun shows where I'm at, and you know, I've never seen a copy of either at any gun show I've gone to in over 5 yrs. Funny how that works, ain't it?
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Some Things Just Won't Go Away
Seems Miss Stephanie Kraft can't get over the fact that people can lawfully purchase firearms even if their names appear on a super-secret-squirrel list kept by the DHS.
What gets her knickers in a twist is the fact that someone who hasn't been accused of a crime, let alone been convicted of the same, can walk into a gun store and lawfully purchase a firearm.
Never mind that DHS admits there are flaws with their super-secret-squirrel list. What with over a million names on it, there's bound to be innocent people on it somewhere.
Now, this has been old news for about 4 months. Apparently Miss Kraft needs to keep up with the times. Not only has Frank the Fixer's bill been reintroduced, but so has Carolyn "Barrel Shroud" McCarthy, and Rep King from NY.
By the way Stephanie, all of these bills are DOA in Congress. You're a little late.
What gets her knickers in a twist is the fact that someone who hasn't been accused of a crime, let alone been convicted of the same, can walk into a gun store and lawfully purchase a firearm.
Never mind that DHS admits there are flaws with their super-secret-squirrel list. What with over a million names on it, there's bound to be innocent people on it somewhere.
Now, this has been old news for about 4 months. Apparently Miss Kraft needs to keep up with the times. Not only has Frank the Fixer's bill been reintroduced, but so has Carolyn "Barrel Shroud" McCarthy, and Rep King from NY.
By the way Stephanie, all of these bills are DOA in Congress. You're a little late.
Wow!
One has to wonder what they hell is going on around here. First, we have the WH telling everyone that carrying firearms at presidential events is hunky-dory. Now, we've got the NYT itself actually carrying a decent piece on semi-automatic weapons on their "At War" section.
Pretty good piece that actually is devoid of the usual pants-sh**ting hysteria that is so common in their op-ed pages. Of course, the comments don't disappoint in that regard. Some of them still need to come in from barking at the moon.
As a proud owner of one of their products (SA-M7 carbine), I think what they're doing is noble. They just need to keep on top of some of their recent quality control issues.
Pretty good piece that actually is devoid of the usual pants-sh**ting hysteria that is so common in their op-ed pages. Of course, the comments don't disappoint in that regard. Some of them still need to come in from barking at the moon.
As a proud owner of one of their products (SA-M7 carbine), I think what they're doing is noble. They just need to keep on top of some of their recent quality control issues.
Thursday, August 6, 2009
Buffalo Chip Machine Gun Shoot
Well, my week of employment at the Guns of Freedom shoot has come to a close. Got to replace a disconnector in a malfunctioning rifle, troubleshoot a rifle that wouldn't feed right, pound a squib discharge out of a barrel, and reattach the roller mechanism in the top cover of a MG 42.
By far, the most popular item was the .50 BMG rifle. Not sure how much we went through, but it was alot. The next most popular thing to shoot was the shorty 1919 in 8mm. Not sure how long the barrel is on it, but it's definitely wayyy shorter than the standard. Makes for one hell of a flame thrower, let me tell you.
So far, I've seen a Frog, a half a dozen Aussies, and about the same number of Canucks, a Dutchman, and a Brit at the shoot. But one Aussie in particular takes the cake for the "Funniest Moment of The Shoot". It all happened Wednesday night about an hour before we closed down. Dude came in wanting to shoot 4 through the .500 S&W. Guy did his 4 rounds and wanted some pictures of him holding an M16. Now, I should also note that whilst our intrepid Aussie was having his picture snapped, there was another customer loading up the .50 rifle for 4 rounds. He watched as they loaded the rifle, he watched as they turned the bolt down. Hell, he was standing about 3 ft behind and to the left of the shooter so it shouldn't have been a big surprise what was coming. Well, the customer on the .50 cranked off a round and our brave Aussie damn near messed himself. Jumped about 2 feet in the air. I was surprised he didn't toss the rifle, but he held onto it and promptly turned and handed me the rifle and took off like someone had lit his butt on fire. I couldn't stop laughing for a good 5 minutes.
The high point of the shoot so far was getting to meet Joe Perry of Aerosmith. He came over and wanted to shoot a little of everything, but once he got behind the controls of Ma Deuce, he pretty much didn't want to shoot anything else:
The other high point was Miss Montana USA showed up. She got some trigger time on an M16.
I guess the low point would be the thunderstorm we had Friday night. Saw the weather coming in for about an hour. Didn't think much of it as we'd dealt with some form of rain all week long. But Friday afternoon we got pounded. Winds had to be in excess of 60 mph; at one point we actually thought we may have been caught in a tornado. Which was a pretty fair assumption based on the size of some the hail we found afterwards. With the amount of rain we were getting, and how fast the wind was blowing, we couldn't see the monster hay bails about 100 ft from where we took shelter.
Fortunately, there was no visible damage from the storm, given the size of some the stones. Thankfully, these were the exception rather than the rule. Most of the hail was between dime and quarter size.
Given the eventful nature of last week's shoot, I can't wait for the next one, this time a weekend gig at Wall, SD in September.
Monday, August 3, 2009
Machine Gun Shoot-Day .3333333333
Went up to the Guns of Freedom machine gun shoot this afternoon at the Buffalo Chip Shooting Complex, I am the local guy helping out and all, to see when they'd need me.
Talked to the proprietor about some things and he had an AK that had gone TU that morning with a broken front trunion, and he wanted me to see if there was anything that could be done to salvage it. Not much, short of a new trunion, was the diagnosis. The problem was, well, fatal, and can't be fixed until he gets back to his home shop.
I got to meet some of the stage hands for Toby Keith who were wondering around seeing the sights before his show tonite. All of them were a little in awe of all the firepower on hand for the event. Several asked questions of the proprietor about specific arms and such, but almost to a person, they were all googly eyed at Mrs. Ma Deuce. I mean, who wouldn't be? She's a sexy beast that Ma Deuce, even at the ripe old age of 88.
But the highlight of my trip today was watching a bowling ball get launched about 300 yds. Talk about frikkin' AWESOME! I've never seen a 16lb bowling ball get punched that hard, evar! Granted, I've wanted to do something like that when I was on a bowling league years ago, but my size 10's wouldn't stand up to it, so I'll settle for watching from a semi-safe distance.
Tomorrow? Well, I'm lined up for a non-resident Utah CCW class at 1000 put on by Minnesota Concealed Carry. After that, I'm helping with the shoot. Hopefully, I'll have more interesting things (and people) to post about tomorrow night.
Talked to the proprietor about some things and he had an AK that had gone TU that morning with a broken front trunion, and he wanted me to see if there was anything that could be done to salvage it. Not much, short of a new trunion, was the diagnosis. The problem was, well, fatal, and can't be fixed until he gets back to his home shop.
I got to meet some of the stage hands for Toby Keith who were wondering around seeing the sights before his show tonite. All of them were a little in awe of all the firepower on hand for the event. Several asked questions of the proprietor about specific arms and such, but almost to a person, they were all googly eyed at Mrs. Ma Deuce. I mean, who wouldn't be? She's a sexy beast that Ma Deuce, even at the ripe old age of 88.
But the highlight of my trip today was watching a bowling ball get launched about 300 yds. Talk about frikkin' AWESOME! I've never seen a 16lb bowling ball get punched that hard, evar! Granted, I've wanted to do something like that when I was on a bowling league years ago, but my size 10's wouldn't stand up to it, so I'll settle for watching from a semi-safe distance.
Tomorrow? Well, I'm lined up for a non-resident Utah CCW class at 1000 put on by Minnesota Concealed Carry. After that, I'm helping with the shoot. Hopefully, I'll have more interesting things (and people) to post about tomorrow night.
Thursday, July 30, 2009
Random Ruminations
It sounds like I get to help in the shaping of young minds this weekend. My brother is coming over to sight in his Remington M-700 ADL in .243 and he's bringing his 3 kids along.
He's taking the right path with them, teaching the 4 Rules and starting them off with air rifles before taking the next step up the chain with .22s. What he wants to do this weekend is show the destructive power firearms are capable of. We'll probably fill some gallon jugs with water and get some watermelons to use to show the kids what happens when things get shot.
On a side note, the kids were up last weekend with G'Ma to go school shopping. My mother will not allow her grand kids to wear clothes that are from the bargain bin at the Salvation Army. Their Dad told them that if they asked nice, I would show them my collection. Well they did, and I did. Talk about awe struck. They really liked the Tiger and NDM-86, as well as the Saiga 12. The Saiga .308 was a little too heavy for them, and they thought the AKS-74U SBR was really neat.
They can't wait to come up this weekend. If they're up to it, and my brother allows it, they may get to shoot something out of my collection.
He's taking the right path with them, teaching the 4 Rules and starting them off with air rifles before taking the next step up the chain with .22s. What he wants to do this weekend is show the destructive power firearms are capable of. We'll probably fill some gallon jugs with water and get some watermelons to use to show the kids what happens when things get shot.
On a side note, the kids were up last weekend with G'Ma to go school shopping. My mother will not allow her grand kids to wear clothes that are from the bargain bin at the Salvation Army. Their Dad told them that if they asked nice, I would show them my collection. Well they did, and I did. Talk about awe struck. They really liked the Tiger and NDM-86, as well as the Saiga 12. The Saiga .308 was a little too heavy for them, and they thought the AKS-74U SBR was really neat.
They can't wait to come up this weekend. If they're up to it, and my brother allows it, they may get to shoot something out of my collection.
Gotta Love That PayPal
Seems the ijits over at PayPal shut down the donations of a non-profit veterans website the other day over an on-line raffle to support Project Valor-IT which gives voice actuated laptops to injured and disabled troops.
Gotta love PayPal.
Gotta love PayPal.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Quote of the Day (My First!)
Seems a goober with a holier-than-thou attitude tried to stand 200 yrs of legal theory, at least 3 Supreme Court decisions, and millions of man-hours/days of research on its head by claiming the 2A doesn't protect and individual right at all, and he has "irrefutable" evidence to back up his claim.
In steps Robb Allen, followed by Kevin Baker at TSM who handed this dude his proverbial behind as only he can.
Reading the email Kevin received from the dude in question in the piece linked above, I think I agree with Miss Tam:
"Seriously, he should sue whatever school system handed him a diploma for criminal negligence and deparved indifference."
In steps Robb Allen, followed by Kevin Baker at TSM who handed this dude his proverbial behind as only he can.
Reading the email Kevin received from the dude in question in the piece linked above, I think I agree with Miss Tam:
"Seriously, he should sue whatever school system handed him a diploma for criminal negligence and deparved indifference."
Even The Russians Are Catching On
I happened across this today and it kind of took me a minute to fully digest just what it was that I was reading.
Seems the residents of Mother Russia are themselves becoming fed up with the criminal element and are arming themselves at a greater and greater rate.
They're even buying "self defense weapons", and the city's Militia Licensing Administration is considering relaxing requirements and prohibitions on what citizens may purchase. (As an aside, it is interesting to note the Russians have a militia licensing bureau. Wonder what else the Ruskies have over there in the Motherland that we here in the supposed 'land of the free' aren't allowed to have/own?)
Seems the residents of Mother Russia are themselves becoming fed up with the criminal element and are arming themselves at a greater and greater rate.
They're even buying "self defense weapons", and the city's Militia Licensing Administration is considering relaxing requirements and prohibitions on what citizens may purchase. (As an aside, it is interesting to note the Russians have a militia licensing bureau. Wonder what else the Ruskies have over there in the Motherland that we here in the supposed 'land of the free' aren't allowed to have/own?)
Ahhh Boy
What starts out as a seemingly balanced article about guns and their usage in public quickly devolved into a hatchet piece by the Richmond Times Dispatch. I'm sure the guys over the Virginia Citizens Defense League are quite familiar with this brand of fish wrap, but this is the first time I've had experience with them.
Our intepid columnist quotes everyone involved on the anti-freedom side, but nothing from anyone from VCDL or anyone else on the pro side.
I really like the part at the end where Brady Puppet says "A society in which citizens see themselves as the last line of defense has already lost the battle."
I almost made this my inaugural post in a Quote of the Day category I've been kicking around for awhile. As good as this one was, the best is yet to come.
I have to take exception to that little statement there, bucko. See, if worms like you didn't work to undermine the prosecution of criminals by throwing everything that can be wrong with a person at the wall and watching to see what sticks, maybe we wouldn't have this kind of problem. I mean lets get real here. We are told time after time that we should give the criminal what they want, in this case it was everyone in the store dead. Which I guess comports with what the anti-gun/freedom crowd secretly wants. Mass shootings in which no one could defend themselves so they can dance in the blood of the victims to shout for even more controls on people who by their very nature will not be controlled expcept through return violence.
Our intepid columnist quotes everyone involved on the anti-freedom side, but nothing from anyone from VCDL or anyone else on the pro side.
I really like the part at the end where Brady Puppet says "A society in which citizens see themselves as the last line of defense has already lost the battle."
I almost made this my inaugural post in a Quote of the Day category I've been kicking around for awhile. As good as this one was, the best is yet to come.
I have to take exception to that little statement there, bucko. See, if worms like you didn't work to undermine the prosecution of criminals by throwing everything that can be wrong with a person at the wall and watching to see what sticks, maybe we wouldn't have this kind of problem. I mean lets get real here. We are told time after time that we should give the criminal what they want, in this case it was everyone in the store dead. Which I guess comports with what the anti-gun/freedom crowd secretly wants. Mass shootings in which no one could defend themselves so they can dance in the blood of the victims to shout for even more controls on people who by their very nature will not be controlled expcept through return violence.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
A Small Hiatus
Sorry about the lack of posting for the last couple of weeks, my muse went on vacation for awhile and I followed suit.
A little update is in order though. Since my last post on my wife, the New Shooter, we have gone out two more times to the range. The first time after that post, she fired not only her little Sig Mosquito, but also a .25 ACP pocket pistol and is getting quite good given the limited amount of shooting she's done.
The last time we went out, this last week, I took my Mother's Lorcin .25, my CZ-50, our .22 pistols and a pair of AKs (SA-M7 Carbine and my '71 Izzy AKM). Wife shot the snot out of the .32 and the .25 and even wanted to try the Arsenal.
She complained about the recoil the whole time she was shooting it, but wanted to shoot it (and the Izzy) again before we left. I'm thinking the recoil thing doesn't really put her off as much as she'd like me to believe. Hmmmmm.
On a related note, while we were out there, I tested a couple of the new TAPCO Fusion AK mags for function. The black ones worked flawlessly, but the Dark Earth ones kept sticking the follower in the mag body. Happened on both of them. When I got them home and disassembled them, I found something rather curious. The springs in the DE mags were smaller width-wise than the ones in the black mags. While that might be part of the problem with them hanging up in the body, it ain't the whole problem. I think the follower is just a bit too wide for the body and is rubbing too much on the sides. I think a little rub down with some 320-grit sand paper might fix the problem.
A little update is in order though. Since my last post on my wife, the New Shooter, we have gone out two more times to the range. The first time after that post, she fired not only her little Sig Mosquito, but also a .25 ACP pocket pistol and is getting quite good given the limited amount of shooting she's done.
The last time we went out, this last week, I took my Mother's Lorcin .25, my CZ-50, our .22 pistols and a pair of AKs (SA-M7 Carbine and my '71 Izzy AKM). Wife shot the snot out of the .32 and the .25 and even wanted to try the Arsenal.
She complained about the recoil the whole time she was shooting it, but wanted to shoot it (and the Izzy) again before we left. I'm thinking the recoil thing doesn't really put her off as much as she'd like me to believe. Hmmmmm.
On a related note, while we were out there, I tested a couple of the new TAPCO Fusion AK mags for function. The black ones worked flawlessly, but the Dark Earth ones kept sticking the follower in the mag body. Happened on both of them. When I got them home and disassembled them, I found something rather curious. The springs in the DE mags were smaller width-wise than the ones in the black mags. While that might be part of the problem with them hanging up in the body, it ain't the whole problem. I think the follower is just a bit too wide for the body and is rubbing too much on the sides. I think a little rub down with some 320-grit sand paper might fix the problem.
What's Going On in Omaha?
I don't know if it's the proximity to liberal Iowa or what, but the city of Omaha is now mandating that fingerprints be taken from anyone who sells a gun in the city.
It seems that some ninnies in the City Council are esscared that someone might try to sell a stolen gun. Surprise, folks, bad guys typically don't sell the firearms they steal to pawn shops for a little pocket money. No, they typically sell them to other criminals.
What this little law is designed to do, I have no idea. Will it get some idiot with the IQ of scrambled eggs who kifes a gun from a break in and thinks he can hock it at a pawn shop?* Maybe, but will it cut down on 'illegal' arms trafficking? Not a chance.
* A couple of years ago, I was headed into a pawn shop here in RC and there was an overwhelming police presence just leaving the parking lot. When I went inside to check to see if they had anything I might be interested in, I asked the guy behind the counter what all the po-po was doing in the parking lot.
It seems there were some goobers from Nebraska who had robbed a gun store and tried to sell the ill-gottenly gained loot at that particular pawn shop, not a half hour before I got there. Evidently, they didn't know about the database that tracks stolen firearms by S/N. The staff kept them (I can't think of any more suitable adjectives to describe just how stupid these guys really were, sorry) busy whilst they called the cops. I happened to come at the tail end of the incident as they were finishing up. Dang the bad luck, anyhow.
It seems that some ninnies in the City Council are esscared that someone might try to sell a stolen gun. Surprise, folks, bad guys typically don't sell the firearms they steal to pawn shops for a little pocket money. No, they typically sell them to other criminals.
What this little law is designed to do, I have no idea. Will it get some idiot with the IQ of scrambled eggs who kifes a gun from a break in and thinks he can hock it at a pawn shop?* Maybe, but will it cut down on 'illegal' arms trafficking? Not a chance.
* A couple of years ago, I was headed into a pawn shop here in RC and there was an overwhelming police presence just leaving the parking lot. When I went inside to check to see if they had anything I might be interested in, I asked the guy behind the counter what all the po-po was doing in the parking lot.
It seems there were some goobers from Nebraska who had robbed a gun store and tried to sell the ill-gottenly gained loot at that particular pawn shop, not a half hour before I got there. Evidently, they didn't know about the database that tracks stolen firearms by S/N. The staff kept them (I can't think of any more suitable adjectives to describe just how stupid these guys really were, sorry) busy whilst they called the cops. I happened to come at the tail end of the incident as they were finishing up. Dang the bad luck, anyhow.
What's the Matter, Paul?
Seems that Paul Helmke of the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership is a little PO'd that there aren't very many gun laws on the "federal level".
He enlightens us on the three big ones, NFA '34, GCA '68, and the Brady Law of '93. Just off the top of my head, I can think of a couple more he missed: the Hughes Amendment of 1986 which banned civilian ownership of newly manufactured machine guns after the effective date of the law-ensuring that owners of transferrable machine guns had a nice little nest egg as it put layman ownership of these weapons effectively out of reach for those without the disposable income to afford them.
Another law Paul forgot to mention at the federal level was the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. This little gem made even misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence a no-go on ye olde form 4473. It also was (and continues to be) an ex post facto law, making people who were convicted of MDV before the law was enacted a criminal overnight.
And lets not forget the most famous one of the last 15 years, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, otherwise known as the "Assault Weapons Ban". This piece of work banned an arbitrarily defined classed of weapons based completely on their cosmetics. It also limited the capacity of rifle and pistol magazines to only 10 rounds and shotgun magazines to 5 rounds. Thankfully, this abomination on the books of law was allowed to expire after its renewal in 2004 failed.
Evidently, Paul thinks the 20,000-odd state laws aren't enough. Laws concerning how many guns you can buy a month, a ridiculously short time period to report lost or stolen firearms, microstamping, dictates mandating 'smart gun' technology, limits on where/when firearms may be carried and used, and outright bans on possession of firearms are 'inadequate'.
Of course, Paul and his lackeys, along with the Violence Policy Center and the Joyce Foundation who funds them will tell you all day long they are only interested in 'sensible' gun laws. Their definition of 'sensible' is that you shouldn't have them, period. Naturally, their definition differs greatly from mine, as my idea of a 'sensible' gun law is a lack thereof.
He enlightens us on the three big ones, NFA '34, GCA '68, and the Brady Law of '93. Just off the top of my head, I can think of a couple more he missed: the Hughes Amendment of 1986 which banned civilian ownership of newly manufactured machine guns after the effective date of the law-ensuring that owners of transferrable machine guns had a nice little nest egg as it put layman ownership of these weapons effectively out of reach for those without the disposable income to afford them.
Another law Paul forgot to mention at the federal level was the Lautenberg Amendment of 1996. This little gem made even misdemeanor convictions for domestic violence a no-go on ye olde form 4473. It also was (and continues to be) an ex post facto law, making people who were convicted of MDV before the law was enacted a criminal overnight.
And lets not forget the most famous one of the last 15 years, the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, otherwise known as the "Assault Weapons Ban". This piece of work banned an arbitrarily defined classed of weapons based completely on their cosmetics. It also limited the capacity of rifle and pistol magazines to only 10 rounds and shotgun magazines to 5 rounds. Thankfully, this abomination on the books of law was allowed to expire after its renewal in 2004 failed.
Evidently, Paul thinks the 20,000-odd state laws aren't enough. Laws concerning how many guns you can buy a month, a ridiculously short time period to report lost or stolen firearms, microstamping, dictates mandating 'smart gun' technology, limits on where/when firearms may be carried and used, and outright bans on possession of firearms are 'inadequate'.
Of course, Paul and his lackeys, along with the Violence Policy Center and the Joyce Foundation who funds them will tell you all day long they are only interested in 'sensible' gun laws. Their definition of 'sensible' is that you shouldn't have them, period. Naturally, their definition differs greatly from mine, as my idea of a 'sensible' gun law is a lack thereof.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
New Shooter Report
Yesterday I took my wife to the range. While it's not the first time she's gone with me, this is the very first time she's done any shooting.
First, a little background is in order. When I first moved in with her, she didn't want anything to do with guns. Didn't want any around, didn't want them in the house, didn't even want to look at them. After a hunting trip to western Wyoming, I purchased a Ruger Black Hawk in .41 Mag so as to have a sidearm in a similar caliber to the others in our group. Not too long after that, I bought a Ruger P-94 in .40 S&W for personal protection. It was another year until I got my next gun, a Century Arms imported Maadi MISR/SA, a post '94 ban AK clone that was decidedly more work than pleasure to shoot (but that's a story for another time).
So, being sensitive to her feelings, I had to store my budding collection at our next door neighbors house. After getting a couple more AKs, the neighbor ran out of room for my stuff. Finally, she (my then girlfriend and now wife) relented and let me get a Stack-On 8-gun locker (the first of what has become 3) to keep them in. So now I had my burgeoning collection in the house, but she still wanted nothing to do with them.
Eventually, she came around to the point of reloading magazines after trips to the range, 8 or 10 of them per trip. (Yeah, that was back when 7.62x39 was still $60/500 and one could afford to fire 3-400 rds per trip to the range.) To this day, if I come back with empty magazines from any of my rifles, be they AKs, the M-1A, the Saigas, or my commie sniper guns, I get in trouble if I reload the mags myself.
A couple of years ago, I got into rolling my own ammunition. What, with the price of commercial ammunition getting higher by the day, plus the fact I couldn't find any commercial hunting loads in 7.62x54r (145-155 gr soft points) that didn't cost $40 or more per box, I made the plunge. This turned out to be a great idea, as it allowed us to have quality time together while reloading. She's taken so much to this process I got an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for Christmas last year to replace the little Lee Handloader I'd had, and we'd used, for the last 3 years.
So, yesterday, I was heading out to the range to shoot my new hunting rifle, a Savage 10GLXP3, left hand. I'd asked if she wanted to go, as I needed someone to spot where my shots were going, as I haven't completely got her sighted in yet. She agreed and off to the range we went. Now, to be honest, I've asked her several times if she wanted to go shooting, and the response was always either an outright No or The Look. The only time she'd willingly went to the range with me was last fall when I had to bribe her with breakfast to go. The only thing she did that day was spot shots for me and bird-dog brass from one of my commie snipers, an NDM-86 in .308. Well, after some vivid nightmares (she's a firm believer in the power of dreams) she decided all on her own that yesterday was the day she wanted to learn to shoot. No input from me at all. This was entirely HER decision.
So, I loaded up the 6" Ruger Mark II I'd bought for just such an occasion, along with the LH .308 and all the accoutrements of a day at the open air, public access range. I know, the Mark II is not exactly a ladies gun; the grips are too big, the trigger reach is just a little too far, and it was a whole lotta front end heavy, but it was there for $225 and I wanted a .22 pistol, so there!
Once we got to the range it took a bit of coaxing to get her to come over to where I was set up, and it took a lot more convincing to get her to actually hold the pistol. Initially, I had her hold the pistol and I stood behind her and put my hands over hers. The first 2 shots were me pulling the trigger with her hands under mine just holding the pistol. I don't think she opened her eyes for those two shots, and there were tears on her cheeks afterward. At this point I was ready to call the whole thing off as I didn't want her to do anything she wasn't ready to do. But she persisted. Putting her fears aside, she fired the rest of the magazine with my hands over hers, but she was the one actually pulling the trigger. During this, I talked to her about proper sight alignment and the 4 Rules, particularly keeping her booger hook off the bang switch until she was ready to fire.
Mother Nature, however, had other plans for the day. While sighting in the .308, it took to raining, so we packed up everything so we could head home. Driving up to the backstop to retrieve the target and stand, the rain stopped and she asked if she could shoot some more. Taken a little aback, I said sure and loaded up three mags for the Mark II. After showing her how to do mag changes and charge the pistol, I turned her loose. Next to where my target stand was set up was an old discarded coffee can that some ignoramus left on the range (this is an ongoing problem at this particular range, and I'm surprised the Forest Service hasn't shut this range down over it) that she decided to take aim at. It didn't take long and she was making the can jump around the backstop area. If Ma Nature hadn't intervened again, we wouldn't have left until darkness came or we ran out of ammo, a 500 rd brick of Winchester Dynapoint, whichever would have come first.
One of her biggest complaints with the Mark II was that it was too front end heavy for her to shoot. So when we got back to town, we stopped by the local fun store to see if they had anything to her liking. After looking at several offerings, and bragging about how well she'd dispatched the hapless coffee can, she settled on the Sig Mosquito. The Sig fit her hand right, she could easily manipulate the controls, and the weight was just right. After a little horse trading, I traded the Mark II in for the Mosquito. So not only is she a new shooter, she's one of the thousands of new gun owners.
When we finally got home, she didn't waste any time calling her mother, my mother, and our next door neighbor to tell them what she'd done. I can't begin to describe how proud I am of my wife for tackling her fears head on. Yesterday was indeed a special day.
On our next range trip, I'll set up the target. Now, we'll have both of our targets hung on the fridge. Although I fear that with practice, she could, and probably will, outshoot me. I don't mind, such is life, I can't always be the best at everything we do.
Not a bad day at all. My wife conquered a long held fear and I get to play the doting hubby. Nope, not a bad day at all, if I do say so meself.
First, a little background is in order. When I first moved in with her, she didn't want anything to do with guns. Didn't want any around, didn't want them in the house, didn't even want to look at them. After a hunting trip to western Wyoming, I purchased a Ruger Black Hawk in .41 Mag so as to have a sidearm in a similar caliber to the others in our group. Not too long after that, I bought a Ruger P-94 in .40 S&W for personal protection. It was another year until I got my next gun, a Century Arms imported Maadi MISR/SA, a post '94 ban AK clone that was decidedly more work than pleasure to shoot (but that's a story for another time).
So, being sensitive to her feelings, I had to store my budding collection at our next door neighbors house. After getting a couple more AKs, the neighbor ran out of room for my stuff. Finally, she (my then girlfriend and now wife) relented and let me get a Stack-On 8-gun locker (the first of what has become 3) to keep them in. So now I had my burgeoning collection in the house, but she still wanted nothing to do with them.
Eventually, she came around to the point of reloading magazines after trips to the range, 8 or 10 of them per trip. (Yeah, that was back when 7.62x39 was still $60/500 and one could afford to fire 3-400 rds per trip to the range.) To this day, if I come back with empty magazines from any of my rifles, be they AKs, the M-1A, the Saigas, or my commie sniper guns, I get in trouble if I reload the mags myself.
A couple of years ago, I got into rolling my own ammunition. What, with the price of commercial ammunition getting higher by the day, plus the fact I couldn't find any commercial hunting loads in 7.62x54r (145-155 gr soft points) that didn't cost $40 or more per box, I made the plunge. This turned out to be a great idea, as it allowed us to have quality time together while reloading. She's taken so much to this process I got an RCBS Rock Chucker Supreme Master Reloading Kit for Christmas last year to replace the little Lee Handloader I'd had, and we'd used, for the last 3 years.
So, yesterday, I was heading out to the range to shoot my new hunting rifle, a Savage 10GLXP3, left hand. I'd asked if she wanted to go, as I needed someone to spot where my shots were going, as I haven't completely got her sighted in yet. She agreed and off to the range we went. Now, to be honest, I've asked her several times if she wanted to go shooting, and the response was always either an outright No or The Look. The only time she'd willingly went to the range with me was last fall when I had to bribe her with breakfast to go. The only thing she did that day was spot shots for me and bird-dog brass from one of my commie snipers, an NDM-86 in .308. Well, after some vivid nightmares (she's a firm believer in the power of dreams) she decided all on her own that yesterday was the day she wanted to learn to shoot. No input from me at all. This was entirely HER decision.
So, I loaded up the 6" Ruger Mark II I'd bought for just such an occasion, along with the LH .308 and all the accoutrements of a day at the open air, public access range. I know, the Mark II is not exactly a ladies gun; the grips are too big, the trigger reach is just a little too far, and it was a whole lotta front end heavy, but it was there for $225 and I wanted a .22 pistol, so there!
Once we got to the range it took a bit of coaxing to get her to come over to where I was set up, and it took a lot more convincing to get her to actually hold the pistol. Initially, I had her hold the pistol and I stood behind her and put my hands over hers. The first 2 shots were me pulling the trigger with her hands under mine just holding the pistol. I don't think she opened her eyes for those two shots, and there were tears on her cheeks afterward. At this point I was ready to call the whole thing off as I didn't want her to do anything she wasn't ready to do. But she persisted. Putting her fears aside, she fired the rest of the magazine with my hands over hers, but she was the one actually pulling the trigger. During this, I talked to her about proper sight alignment and the 4 Rules, particularly keeping her booger hook off the bang switch until she was ready to fire.
Mother Nature, however, had other plans for the day. While sighting in the .308, it took to raining, so we packed up everything so we could head home. Driving up to the backstop to retrieve the target and stand, the rain stopped and she asked if she could shoot some more. Taken a little aback, I said sure and loaded up three mags for the Mark II. After showing her how to do mag changes and charge the pistol, I turned her loose. Next to where my target stand was set up was an old discarded coffee can that some ignoramus left on the range (this is an ongoing problem at this particular range, and I'm surprised the Forest Service hasn't shut this range down over it) that she decided to take aim at. It didn't take long and she was making the can jump around the backstop area. If Ma Nature hadn't intervened again, we wouldn't have left until darkness came or we ran out of ammo, a 500 rd brick of Winchester Dynapoint, whichever would have come first.
One of her biggest complaints with the Mark II was that it was too front end heavy for her to shoot. So when we got back to town, we stopped by the local fun store to see if they had anything to her liking. After looking at several offerings, and bragging about how well she'd dispatched the hapless coffee can, she settled on the Sig Mosquito. The Sig fit her hand right, she could easily manipulate the controls, and the weight was just right. After a little horse trading, I traded the Mark II in for the Mosquito. So not only is she a new shooter, she's one of the thousands of new gun owners.
When we finally got home, she didn't waste any time calling her mother, my mother, and our next door neighbor to tell them what she'd done. I can't begin to describe how proud I am of my wife for tackling her fears head on. Yesterday was indeed a special day.
On our next range trip, I'll set up the target. Now, we'll have both of our targets hung on the fridge. Although I fear that with practice, she could, and probably will, outshoot me. I don't mind, such is life, I can't always be the best at everything we do.
Not a bad day at all. My wife conquered a long held fear and I get to play the doting hubby. Nope, not a bad day at all, if I do say so meself.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Hold The Phone
This piece looked like just another puff piece on the border patrol going about their daily business, doing a thankless job that many consider to be racist and authoritarian. My argument is not about that, I think the Border Patrol guys get little in the way of thanks for a thankless job.
But I noticed this quote in the linked piece.
"As Brownsville's CBP officers perform their critical mission of protecting the homeland from terrorists and weapons of terrorism, they continually apprehend wanted fugitives and seize dangerous narcotics," said Michael Freeman, CBP Port Director, Brownsville.
Any guesses what set me off about this quote? I'll give you a hint. There were two other large authoritarian countries that referred to their home country as "________Land.
Russia referred to her self as the "Motherland".
Nazi Germany was referred to as the "Fatherland" by its inhabitants.
See what makes me nervous about this quote?
But I noticed this quote in the linked piece.
"As Brownsville's CBP officers perform their critical mission of protecting the homeland from terrorists and weapons of terrorism, they continually apprehend wanted fugitives and seize dangerous narcotics," said Michael Freeman, CBP Port Director, Brownsville.
Any guesses what set me off about this quote? I'll give you a hint. There were two other large authoritarian countries that referred to their home country as "________Land.
Russia referred to her self as the "Motherland".
Nazi Germany was referred to as the "Fatherland" by its inhabitants.
See what makes me nervous about this quote?
Another of the Clueless Class
I guess for some folks, freedom is too messy. Take the writer of this piece. He bemoans the fact that a convicted felon used a gun to kill someone. Never mind the scum who shot up the Holocaust Museum was a prohibited person and had been since the 80's. No, what we need is just one more law making felon in possession and murder more illegal.
He also rails on about the flawed thinking involved in the text of the second amendment. "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." His first faltering step down this road comes from his flawed premise that the 2A is, was, and shall always be, a law enforcement tool. While he didn't stumble headlong into the National Guard argument, he still maintains that citizen militias were the forerunners of of modern local police departments. Different avenue, same destination. The "people" he says should have the right to keep and bear arms at those the 2A was designed are those who the 2A was explicitly designed to protect AGAINST. And since he has so obviously forgotten, let me remind him of Hurricane Katrina. regular citizens banded together to protect each other's homes and property from vandals and looters in the absence of any police presence. What was that definition of a citizens militia he threw out again?
His second false premise is his assertion that pro-2A supporters believe the amendment in question protects an individual right, where, as he states "the intent of the 2nd Amendment is to protect society". Who does he think is going to protect "society"? Law enforcement? Not knocking law enforcement here, but in more than a few cases, they have been part of the problem. No, the "people" who are going to "protect" society are the very people the 2A was written for, you and me.
What has also gotten his panties in a twist is the notion that conservative lawmakers (i.e. Republicans) are on the dole to the NRA and are thus advancing the mythological " gun lobby's" agenda. Does he not realize that while the NRA has over 4 million members (and growing I might add), there are conservatively over 100 million gun owners in this country? That 99.99999% of them are not criminals, a good percentage of them will not kill anything and/or anybody, and the VOTE? SO how does this moron explain the phenomena of the "Blue Dog Democrat", who was elected to office in conservative states like VA and MT precisely because they are pro-gun? I would like to know.
Funny there, Mr Riestenberg, I have an NRA sticker on MY vehicle. Life Member, actually. Yet I have no confederate flag stickers, decals, flags or other paraphernalia in my possession. So what does that make me? I do find it telling you have a link to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership on your page. Is that where you get YOUR marching orders, and your talking points?
He also rails on about the flawed thinking involved in the text of the second amendment. "A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed." His first faltering step down this road comes from his flawed premise that the 2A is, was, and shall always be, a law enforcement tool. While he didn't stumble headlong into the National Guard argument, he still maintains that citizen militias were the forerunners of of modern local police departments. Different avenue, same destination. The "people" he says should have the right to keep and bear arms at those the 2A was designed are those who the 2A was explicitly designed to protect AGAINST. And since he has so obviously forgotten, let me remind him of Hurricane Katrina. regular citizens banded together to protect each other's homes and property from vandals and looters in the absence of any police presence. What was that definition of a citizens militia he threw out again?
His second false premise is his assertion that pro-2A supporters believe the amendment in question protects an individual right, where, as he states "the intent of the 2nd Amendment is to protect society". Who does he think is going to protect "society"? Law enforcement? Not knocking law enforcement here, but in more than a few cases, they have been part of the problem. No, the "people" who are going to "protect" society are the very people the 2A was written for, you and me.
What has also gotten his panties in a twist is the notion that conservative lawmakers (i.e. Republicans) are on the dole to the NRA and are thus advancing the mythological " gun lobby's" agenda. Does he not realize that while the NRA has over 4 million members (and growing I might add), there are conservatively over 100 million gun owners in this country? That 99.99999% of them are not criminals, a good percentage of them will not kill anything and/or anybody, and the VOTE? SO how does this moron explain the phenomena of the "Blue Dog Democrat", who was elected to office in conservative states like VA and MT precisely because they are pro-gun? I would like to know.
Funny there, Mr Riestenberg, I have an NRA sticker on MY vehicle. Life Member, actually. Yet I have no confederate flag stickers, decals, flags or other paraphernalia in my possession. So what does that make me? I do find it telling you have a link to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership on your page. Is that where you get YOUR marching orders, and your talking points?
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Chicken Little Is Back
Squealing. Just like little girls who’ve come across a bug. Only now, it’s normal everyday people exercising their rights. Wow. I mean, really? Guess what folks, as you say, open carry is legal in 43 states (almost 44, Texas is working on it). The only problems encountered are by the open carry person being targeted and harassed by police while doing absolutely nothing wrong. Happened to my cousin at the rehearsal for my wedding last year. Somebody got their knickers in a knot because he had a Taurus 24/7 on his hip. While the cop was nice about and all, it was still irksome when he was asked:
1) Why he was openly carrying a firearm. (Hint: Because I can, was the response.)
2) If he had a concealed carry permit. (Wasn’t aware you had to have a CCP to open carry in SD, but my cousin did have a valid CCP.)
3) Since he had a valid CCP, could he cover up the pistol. (This was June, and about 85 deg out, what clothing does one routinely carry around with them to be able to conceal a medium frame pistol?)
4) Since he couldn’t conceal it, he was asked to remove the pistol and put away. He put it in my truck, alongside my concealed carry piece. (I, coincidentally, forgot my belt otherwise I would have been carrying that day too.)
Fortunately, nothing came of it. In other places, like some places in Virginia, this episode would have landed my cousin in the pokey with some kind of bogus charge hanging over his head and minus his Taurus.
So to rehash what the ninnies are whining about, *GASP* there may be somebody carrying either openly or concealed wherever you go, to include, and I quote:
Sipping hot chocolate with your toddler at Starbucks while a fellow patron openly displays a gun at the table next to you;
Attending a church service with your entire family knowing that the fellow parishioner sitting next to you has a handgun tucked in his belt; or
Boarding a crowded bus with your newborn child with upwards of 5 other passengers openly carrying weapons.
I also take exception to being told I’m not good enough to defend myself in a public place, I have to have law enforcement do it for me. And we all know how well that can work out, right? Law enforcement are the only ones qualified to do that job, right? (h/t to David Codrea for the "Only Ones" files.)
But, reading other related articles from this group, I doesn’t surprise me any. What, with all the pant-sh*tting hysteria displayed in all the other articles on guns from this site, it’s a wonder they have any clean clothes at all. Remember, too that this is a Joyce Foundation-funded Astroturf program. So take what they say with a grain of salt.
1) Why he was openly carrying a firearm. (Hint: Because I can, was the response.)
2) If he had a concealed carry permit. (Wasn’t aware you had to have a CCP to open carry in SD, but my cousin did have a valid CCP.)
3) Since he had a valid CCP, could he cover up the pistol. (This was June, and about 85 deg out, what clothing does one routinely carry around with them to be able to conceal a medium frame pistol?)
4) Since he couldn’t conceal it, he was asked to remove the pistol and put away. He put it in my truck, alongside my concealed carry piece. (I, coincidentally, forgot my belt otherwise I would have been carrying that day too.)
Fortunately, nothing came of it. In other places, like some places in Virginia, this episode would have landed my cousin in the pokey with some kind of bogus charge hanging over his head and minus his Taurus.
So to rehash what the ninnies are whining about, *GASP* there may be somebody carrying either openly or concealed wherever you go, to include, and I quote:
Sipping hot chocolate with your toddler at Starbucks while a fellow patron openly displays a gun at the table next to you;
Attending a church service with your entire family knowing that the fellow parishioner sitting next to you has a handgun tucked in his belt; or
Boarding a crowded bus with your newborn child with upwards of 5 other passengers openly carrying weapons.
I also take exception to being told I’m not good enough to defend myself in a public place, I have to have law enforcement do it for me. And we all know how well that can work out, right? Law enforcement are the only ones qualified to do that job, right? (h/t to David Codrea for the "Only Ones" files.)
But, reading other related articles from this group, I doesn’t surprise me any. What, with all the pant-sh*tting hysteria displayed in all the other articles on guns from this site, it’s a wonder they have any clean clothes at all. Remember, too that this is a Joyce Foundation-funded Astroturf program. So take what they say with a grain of salt.
Monday, June 8, 2009
A Quote of My Own
I left a comment on an editorial, and I thought parts of it deserved it's own post.
Here it is:
Fear the government that wants to see you disarmed, not the armed neighbor. For it is your neighbor who may, in the end, be the one who defends your freedom when you have neither the stomach or the guts to do it yourself.
For those who think that if you do away with firearms, there will paradise on earth, I've got news for you. "Gun" crime may go down, but other types of violent crime will increase. Look at what's happening in England or even in NYFC. Crack down on guns and the skells will just shift their tooling. No guns, use a knife. No knife, use a chain. Where there's a will, there's a way. Never underestimate the ability of man to do bad things to his fellow man by any means he can find.
Here it is:
Fear the government that wants to see you disarmed, not the armed neighbor. For it is your neighbor who may, in the end, be the one who defends your freedom when you have neither the stomach or the guts to do it yourself.
For those who think that if you do away with firearms, there will paradise on earth, I've got news for you. "Gun" crime may go down, but other types of violent crime will increase. Look at what's happening in England or even in NYFC. Crack down on guns and the skells will just shift their tooling. No guns, use a knife. No knife, use a chain. Where there's a will, there's a way. Never underestimate the ability of man to do bad things to his fellow man by any means he can find.
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