Saw this

In Tam's comments.  Kristopher's comment.

Wow.  That's a snazzy nice looking pocket holster.  I'm like Tam and prefer a cheapo Uncle Mike's for pocket carry on DA revolvers, just to sorta hold the pistol and keep some shmutz out.  And they only cost sawbuck.  But this... is nice.  Did I say that already?

.22 myth

"The .22lr kills more people than any other caliber."

No one can point to the source.  It may well be a myth.

SayUncle seems to remember it being the .32 as the biggest killer, in the comments over there on Gun Nuts.

I dunno about that, but I did a blogpost year ago about one county in Indiana that published their coroner's reports for the years 1896 through 1935.   I combed through that and found, yes, back then, the reported caliber of the biggest killer was the .32 at 17.  .38 had 16 deaths, the 12 gauge had 10(specified), and the .22 had 5.

I had to count those up manually.

Just interesting, at this point, for historical consideration.  Not to relevent for the past 30 years.  For instance, the Glock Fohty did very little damage in the first quarter of the 20th Century.  Even to the thighs of Professional "Only Ones."  I bet the .32 doesn't claim nearly as big a proportion these days, too.

I find it hard to get the pdf to open now, but I store it locally around here somewhere.  Googling Monroe Country Coroner Report still brings up links to it.

Interview?

The Contrarian, a work buddy, dabbles in 3D printing.  He has printed up some test AR receivers and some magazines.  The magazines work in the living room, but he has never tested them at the range. 

A Washington Post reporter contacted him through a web forum for an interview about printing gun components at home.

I advised against it in the strongest terms.  I thinl there is nothing that can be printed in the Post that can help our cause.  They are not our friends.  Apparently, more experienced 3D Printing people have turned this writer down as he works his or her way down to the occasional hobbiests.  The writer has had stuff published in Garden & Gun.

But he is a Contrarian and won't listen to me.  I even offered to put him in touch with SayUncle... maybe HE could talk him down off this ledge.  Anyone have any further advice for him?

March on Washington

My rep, Chris Van Hollen, is proud of march for gun bans last weekend.  Not, no crowd picture shows more than a hundred people in it. 

Must have been sparsely attended, or there would be a big crowd shot.  This is the first I've heard of it.

Anarchy?

It seems that liberal commentators are confused again.  David French, at the Conservative Fortnightly, calls them on it, partly.  They are attributing people that carry a gun to defend themselves, rather than rely on police protection, as anarchists that are short circuiting the governments 'monopoly on force.'  It's a blind spot and they are totally confuzzled, obviously.  Sorta like people that are against 'violence' like all violence is equal.

They are wrong.

The government doesn't have a monopoly on force.  They have a monopoly on the intiation of force.  Responding to force with force is not the same, and still within confines of the civil contract.  It is a human right, older than History.  GET that in your head, Andrew Sullivan.

Related:  And there is a world of difference between predatory violence and protective violence.  If Lefties learn ANYTHING they should learn this concept.  But they won't.  It's like describing the color orange to a person blind since birth. 

Until they can get their heads around this they should stop arguing to strip people of their civil rights.

Relax, Gun Grabbers

They are already banned.

Assault rifles have been heavily controlled since 1934 (not quite banned as the article says), but actually banned since 1986.  They did grandfather in pre 86 assault rifles.

So, hush now.

I don't know why they were banned like that.  The cops can still get them, after all, and they are civilians, just like me.

Poll

Obama says: "'more than 70 percent of National Rifle Association members' support universal background checks"

He is referring to a MAIG (Illegal Mayors Against Guns) survey last year.  Except they lie.  They are a gun control group, and that is what they do.  The Post refers to this lie in this article

This is the NRA poll.
15. A new federal law banning the sale of firearms between private citizens, which would include expanding background checks at gun shows, and 92% of the people polled opposed it. 

92 and 30 are pretty far apart for the same poll.

Maryland Pictures

Of T-Bolt, the proto gunnie.

 That's me shooting my Dad's old BB gun in the back yard at my grandparents place down in St. Mary's County, Maryland  Poor shooting form, but I was 10ish.  I am pretty sure that is a KISS t-shirt.  We shot at aluminum TV dinner trays. My first 'gun' experience. 

-

Here is another pic from the 'front'.  Their house was on the beach.  Me and my little brother.  A year or two before the shooting picture.  1977 or 78 there was a lot of ice on the Chesapeake (the late 70s were COLD). There were ice flow piled up much higher in places.  Higher than me.  The slush behind us extended more than 50 yards out and you can see pack further out.  At low tide, with calm water and no sea knettles, you could walk a couple hundred yards out and the water was only up to my teenage neck, later, in warmer times.  You might notice a little spot on the horizon to the right of me.  That is the Point No Point Lighthouse.  Sometime we'd putter out to it in my grandfathers little outboard.

That was the same area we shot 20 gauge shotgun slugs that bounced off the water.  I wouldn't do that now.

-

Z

I love this blurb on Car Regs by Michael Z Williamson.  I have no idea why he wasn't already on my blog roll, and I need to correct that.

He's been on fire, lately.

Oh. My. GAWD.

Global Warming and Ehrlich levels of population growth gave us this hot over-crowded world.  Just like the hippies predicted back in 1970.  A zombacalypse would be a pleasant alternative.

Wow

Look at the SIZE of this thing!




Guess what it pumped. Go on. Nope. It pumped sewage.

-

DHS

A federal department, the Department for Homeland Security endorses and recommends ARs with 30 round magazines for 'personal defense use in close quarters.'  That they are 'perfectly appropriate' in that role.

Good enough for them, good enough for me.  Thanks DHS!  Someone better tell the rest of the gov't.

They even recommend it be select fire.  Though if I was using a select fire weapon for self-defense I'd almost surely choose to use it semi-automatically, not automatically.

Dems v. GOP

One thing about all this talk about gun control.

It's gone beyond gun-banners and 2nd Amendment Civil Rights activists.

When the issue goes to the current level it rises to the level of major league politics.  So you get people that never said a thing about the issue one way or another to come participate in the fight.  Because it is about hurting Obama or hurting Boehner and becomes about capital 'P' Politics, winning and losing.  New voices want to work it for reasons often separate from the core argument.

Have you noticed that there are LOT more 'anti' comments on various threads on neutral websites?  This is good.  Our side never STOPPED honing our argument and participating on virtual soapboxes, all over.  We had good arguments ready and now can deploy them against new opponents.  Smart opponents are also responding, causing our side to tighten up our logic and we thus get better.  If you debate 3rd grade intelligences for years and then the high school debate team finally comes out to play you can't help but get sharper.

Also, metrocons get drawn into the discussion and you learn where they stand.  Hannity actually DOES stuff for our side, now, where before he'd just give an occaisional not (I am told.  There is only so much of him I can take in one sitting so I never heard him expound, but I am assured he has, sometimes, by more loyal listeners).  I really don't think the 2nd is that important to him beyond his own carrying CCW, but his desire to beat Obama, wherever and whenever, gets him in the ring.

The bad?  When the lines are drawn in Politics you end up with the gun debate being more and more about GOP vs Dem Party partisan stuff than what it truly is...  A Civil Rights issue.  One that applies to all Americans.  Like Freedom of Expression, it should be neither left nor right.

I liked how Tom Brokow compared 2nd Amendment types to Segregationists.  That is some Weapons Grade ignorance there from a former giant talking head.  Disgusting.  I hope he is still alive when people come around to the fact that gun banning is the true violation and light bulb goes off over his head on where he once stood.  On the side with the Klan and the Dixiecrats and George Wallace.  Brokow: "Gun banning now, gun banning tomorrow, gun banning forever!"

If it saves

If it saves JUST one LIFE, it is worth it.

Shut the NYC subway down.  It kills more people than 'assault rifles'.

They don't NEED to have it.  People can drive to the city, or take a bus.  You don't NEED to have a subway to go to work.  I go to work with just one car, what do you need mile of underground trains before.  No one needs a 10 car subway to get to work.

The tragic events of just the last few weeks in NYC have indelibly taught us trains can cut in half small children, firefighters and policemen in a moment.  No one goes to anywhere on a subway. No one needs 10 cars to commute. End the madness now!

By the way, Gov. Cuomo...  How many bullets do you need to stop a group of home invaders/rapists if you are a 110 pound single mother?  I hope 30 rounds of medium strength .223 rounds can do the job...

Breaking Bad

Is that Jesse?  He knows the Rules.  Finger discipline.

Bill Detail Update

I didn't notice this on the first read through. 

A PERSON WHO LAWFULLY POSSESSED AN ASSAULT LONG GUN OR A COPYCAT WEAPON BEFORE OCTOBER 1, 2013, AND WHO REGISTERS THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE POLICE BEFORE NOVEMBER 1, 2013, MAY:  

(I) CONTINUE TO POSSESS THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON OR


(II) WHILE CARRYING A COURT ORDER REQUIRING THE SURRENDER OF THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON, TRANSPORT THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON DIRECTLY TO THE LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT, BARRACKS, OR STATION IF THE PERSON HAS NOTIFIED THE LAW ENFORCEMENT UNIT, BARRACKS, OR STATION THAT THE PERSON IS TRANSPORTING THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON IN ACCORDANCE WITH A COURT ORDER AND THE ASSAULT LONG GUN OR COPYCAT WEAPON IS UNLOADED.

 
So, register this year, or expect a court order next year to surrender it. 

Until later, maybe, when they call for them all to be turned in.  FACK!  Almost as bad.

But, considering, if you bought your AR in Maryland it is already registered.  The State cops know you have it.  The purpose of this is to catch all those people that bought an AR in Texas or Minnesota or what have you and moved to Maryland. 

What if you move here next year and bring your guns with you?  Probably like Hawaii is now.  Register when you get here.  It doesn't specify.  Or they might say, "you can't bring that here!"

But, but...

But I live in a liberal area.  What are my emails, letters, and calls going to do to sway a liberal democrat that got 90% of the vote?

Well, tell me about it.  I live in that, too.  It could be worse, my state senator could be Frosh.  ~shiver~

But that rep or senator has been around the block.  Certainly that district has, if they are a freshman.  Votes on guns happen every year.  They know how many calls they got last time.  If they got a handful last time, and they know other district of political allies got plus or minus that handful, depending on where it is.

But this time, the momentum is on the gun controller side.  We could make Maryland like New York. 

They weigh that momentum and compare it to the calls and letters.  What if they got a hundred time that handful?  And their political allies that keep them in the majority got a similar proportionate increase.  And they opposition got a similar response supporting their efforts at maintaining 2nd Amendment civil rights.  That changes the equation and how the momentum is swinging.  They want to help themselves, and help their allies.  And they don't want to hurt themselves, or their allies.  Now they won't get hurt much in their 90% district.  Might not move their needle at all, or move it little.  But their buddy is in a 55% district, and if he loses the next election, he loses all the favors he or she owes, loses a supporter that scratched his back last time he needed it.  And that ally might be squawking and pleading. 

They want to ride governor O'Malley's coattails maybe into their own better jobs.  Hard to ride it when he is backing a contentious issue that loses and hurts him. 

So an outsized response in a 90% district helps the whole cause.  It changes their calculation.  Maybe they say supportive things but let a bill peter out.  You have greater impact when you write from to you rep than you do writing to representatives in districts you don't vote in (but do both, just concentrate on 'your' critter.  Remember, you are the boss.)

I think we are more up in arms this time than any time before. An outsized attack is eliciting an outsize response from our side. And we happen to be in the right.

So send the letter and the email.  Even if their is no hope it will change their mind.  It helps make it "politically profitable for the wrong people to do the right things." Even if you are influencing some other unknown wobbly pol by overwhelming your own known stubborn pigheaded pol.

Confiscation

Make no mistake.  This is a Confiscation bill.  No grandfathering for most stuff, and nothing I can tell after 1994 purchases.  After the law you will get a court order to turn in what they already know you have.  At their convenience.

They know about you pistols.  They know about any M1A you bought in the last few years.  They know about all the ARs you bought or any stripped lower.  That information was written down by the gunstore and send to Lanham, as is required already by law.

Let them know they are over-reaching.

I need my reader's help.  Call or email OUR senators.  These people are a start.  If we can stop this in Maryland it will take some of the momentum out of the national push.  Use any angle.  Tell them you do business here, or travel through here, or have considered being a tourist here when visiting DC.  Even if you live in Arizona and never intend to cross the Mississippi you can contact them and say you will donate to their re-election if they vote no.   Be brief, firm but polite, I recommend.

Annapolis Watch... Horrendous

This is one of the bills coming up in the State Senate.

And my Senator is one of the co-sponsors.  What do I do?  I've already written him urging him to not support any further gun-control.

It's a big bill.  Here is the summary in case you don't want to click through:

Altering the authorization for a person to wear, carry, or transport a handgun to be within specified limitations; designating specified firearms as assault weapons; prohibiting, with specified exceptions, a person from transporting an assault weapon into the State or possessing, selling, offering to sell, transferring, purchasing, or receiving an assault weapon; authorizing specified licensed firearms dealers to continue to possess, sell, offer for sale, or transfer specified weapons under specified circumstances; etc.

I've highlighted the important bits. Well, bit.  Definition of a assault weapon is a list of guns I don't own, but also "copycat" firearms.  Which is a not-automatic rifle with a detachable magazing and ANY of of these features:

1. A PISTOL GRIP THAT PROTRUDES 6 CONSPICUOUSLY BENEATH THE ACTION OF THE WEAPON
2. A THUMBHOLE STOCK
3.  A FOLDING OR TELESCOPING STOCK
4. A GRENADE LAUNCHER OR FLARE LAUNCHER
5. A FLASH SUPPRESSOR or
6. A FORWARD PISTOL GRIP

So, my AR and my M1A as long as I keep my new stock on the M1A (the AR has feature 1, 3, 5, and 6, the M1A has 1, 3, 5, and 6, now, but in 2 minutes I could get it down to having just #6.  I'd need some other alternative screwed on up there to get it in compliance.  You can see a pic on this blog header of the most innocent configuration of the M1A)  But the state only has records of me possessing an M1A with feature 6 (thus confiscatable as contraband) and a lower receiver... (not confiscatable).  If I took off the flash suppressor now, they'd still call me in to take my M1A, but nothing else.  Maybe the Sig.  Maybe more.  It's a crappy law with holes the tyrants can drive a truck through.  I doubt anyone has made an after market mag for the 1903 Colt Pocket Hammerless, but someone COULD...  If someone invents an 11 round Hammerless mag, is that an assault weapon under the pistol section of this bill "A SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH A FIXED MAGAZINE THAT CAN ACCEPT MORE THAN 10 ROUNDS;"?  Dunno. 

The get the M1A again under another clause, making any rifle with "A THREADED BARREL, CAPABLE OF ACCEPTING A FLASH SUPPRESSOR, FORWARD HANDGRIP, OR SILENCER."  So, would welding a tip onto the barrel that covered the threads permanently and had no flash suppressor be sufficient?  Dunno.  It doesn't say. 

The bill doesn't go after Enfield or Garands.  10 rounds in a fixed magazine is ok.

 Detachable magazine rules haven't changed much.  I can't buy a mag bigger than 10 in this state, instead of 20 like now, but nothing about possession.

Of my pistols, can't have anything that holds a magazine that accepts more than 10 rounds.  But wait... you can get 25 or 50 round mags for the 1911...  Unclear.  Is my Sig that was designed for 12 rounds ok?  Is my 1911?  Or is possession of either verboten after this law?  It DOES say you can't manufacture a magazine bigger than 10, so... so much for 3D printing.  Legally. 

Exceptions are made for agent in the federal gov't and local law enforcement and FFLs that deal with same.

If it passes it goes into effect on October 1st.  You are allowed to possess and transport your weapon to the state police when you receive your court order to surrender it.

10/22 might not be impacted because they are not centerfire weapons.  Even though mine looks real scary now.

It looks like if you BUY a state approved pistol after October you'll need a license with a training requirement and associated feed.  Nothing about licensing for possession if you already possess a handgun before October:

A DEALER OR ANY OTHER PERSON MAY NOT SELL, RENT, OR TRANSFER A REGULATED FIREARM TO A PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE UNLESS THE PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE PRESENTS TO THE DEALER OR OTHER PERSON A VALID REGULATED FIREARM QUALIFICATION LICENSE ISSUED TO THE PURCHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE BY THE SECRETARY UNDER THIS SECTION.

 At least the licensing stuff is private and shouldn't be printed up in the Washington Post:  "INFORMATION OBTAINED FROM THE CENTRAL REPOSITORY 21 UNDER THIS SECTION IS CONFIDENTIAL AND MAY NOT BE DISSEMINATED"

The license expires every five years.  You cannot buy rent sell or transfer without it.

AHA!  If you are "a member, retired member, or honorably discharged member of 26 the armed forces of the United States or the National Guard" you do not need the license.  Lucky me.  Unlucky, a lot of you.

Though, it looks like they are angling for a training requirement for CCW holders in the even things go 'our' way in the SAF cases wending their way through the courts.

So we could get CCW, but not be allowed to tote anything besides revolvers.

Bleh

I got nothing.  I'm all gunstored out.  So just stream of conscious blog today.

All this push for regulations, and the good chance Maryland will pass some, has me accelerating my purchase rate.  I want to get them in before "all gun purchasers must get training and a 5 year license" is tacked onto every new purchase.  I have no idea what they will do to pre-law-passage pistols, and whether they will need licensing.  So, to gunbroker I go, to get my 'spares'.  Commander and Snubbie.  We'll see how that pans out, but waiting for a gun to appear in a shop case and then fighting my way through the line to get to it is difficult to say the least.  Gunbroker is my only option.  Not that either model is appearing even on stricter ban lists, but... like I said...  State wants to stick their nose in my business.  I wish I inherited off-books stuff.  Not so lucky there.  I know for a fact that if you stick a State cop in front of a cop terminal he can look up my name and see "AR lower, M1A, pistol A, pistol B, pistol C... and so on."  They haven't tracked Garands, 10/22s, shotguns, etc. 

I'm looking at 80% lowers.  Those are thin on the ground.  Another problem?  The webform for the one site has no encryption with the credit card info.  Does anyone know another source?  I went ahead and filled it out, and asked them to email me to share payment info, but I imagine they are quite too busy right now to get around to it.

Looks like a lot of ban lists include manufacturer names.  I know they won't include "Thunderbolt Home Armory" on that.  I wonder if that will be legal?  Heh.

And if the State tell my they are buy-back-confiscating ARs and what not, well they are only getting a lower from me.  People in New York that turn in an upper or an EOTech are foolish.  Word is, if they DO demand a buy back, that they won't even cut you a check for the value (that they decide).  You get a break on your state income taxes instead.  Bushwa.  Though some folks would never have to pay state taxes again if they turned all their stuff in and got in 90%tile of the value... (hey, someone else saw this, too.)

In Maryland, machine guns are legal.  Will they ban ARs, but not M-16s?  It'll be interesting how that works out.

Gun Stored last week.

There is 50 linear feet of glass counter at my range, filled with guns for sale.  3 levels.  The bottom 2 levels were nothing but sold guns.  And they were crowded.  The top level was a bit thin.

At another gun store, I had to wait in line for 45 minutes to get someone to wait on me.  They said it was a 1 month wait to get a gun because the state was taking that long to get around to the background check they do.  They are a bit back logged.

My other gun store moved.  Went to check it out.  Still has that fresh paint smell.  Decent digs.  Picking were slim, there too.

For Gun Appreciation Day, I checked out Atlantic Guns in Rockville.  Crowded, with lines to see sales folks.  They did have a selection of coach guns with exposed hammers.

No one had anything I wanted, so...  No purchases at this time.  Maybe, ever again in Maryland if the new laws go through. 

Brilliant

We SHOULD do gun bans, with the NRA coming out in full force behind them.

Ban:

• All Glock 22s that fire 40mm rounds.  
• Also the .9mm pistols  (Gawd, that pistol must be CUTE!)
• All plastic guns that can pass through metal detectors undetected.  (no more Glock 7's)
• "armor-piercing hollow points"
• Assault Rifles not covered by the 1934 NFA or 1986 Hughes Amendment
• 30 round clips (I can only get the 8 rounders into my Garand, anyway.)
• Plasma rifles in the 40 watt range. (75 is more sporting, so require they at least be 60 watts)
• BFGs, unless you have the tax stamp
• The Noisy Cricket
• All variants of the ZF-1 that include a little red button

The president can sign the bill that gets passed with bipartisan support.  Don't jinx it by snickering at the signing ceremony.   After, the gun controllers can move on to something else.  Plastic grocery bags or something like Trans-Fats.  Cis-Fats, I guess.

Emails from Annapolis

My State Senator, Richard Madaleno Jr. said:

'The 434^th Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly is officially underway.  Throughout the 90-day session, I look forward to continue working for and with you on advancing a range of legislative priorities, including balancing the state budget, comprehensive gun control, job creation, education funding, improving transportation infrastructure, environmental protection, and advancing civil rights.  During the session, I plan to send regular updates about developments in Annapolis, the progress being made, and ways that you can participate in the decision making process to help keep moving Maryland forward.'

The Governor said we need:

"We need a comprehensive approach. That's why in the next few days, I'll unveil a three-pronged strategy focused on gun safety, school safety and mental health.

  1.) Gun safety: We should ban military-style assault weapons, limit large ammunition capacity, and require licenses for handgun purchases. We respect the rights of hunters and sportsmen (?!) and that's why our licensing requirements will NOT apply to shotguns or rifles.
2.) School safety: We will invest in security upgrades for schools, including cameras at entrances, automatically locking doors, shatterproof glass and buzzer entrance systems. We will also establish a "Maryland Center for School Safety," which will amplify our efforts by gathering meaningful data and serving as a central hub for collaboration between our federal, state and local law enforcement partners. 
3.) Mental heath: We will improve data sharing practices between federal and state officials. In addition, we will invest more to improve mental health services so we can intervene early and reduce the potential for violent behavior. We'll expand crisis intervention teams, expand response services and establish a center for excellence on early intervention for serious mental illness. 

This is a complex problem and we need a comprehensive approach. I look forward to hearing from you in the days ahead as we work to build a stronger, safer Maryland."

I can get on board with two and three.

Range Trip

Went to the range last weekend with Saucy Trollop.  Then we went right back out again.  More than an hour wait.  The place was packed with customers, gun shopping, too.

Phew.

My First Response

From Senator Ben Cardin:

Dear Mr. TBolt:

 

Thank you for contacting me and expressing your concerns about gun control.

 

In June 2008 the Supreme Court decided the case of District of Columbia v. Heller. The Court held that the Second Amendment protects an individual rather than a collective right to possess a firearm. The Court also held that this Second Amendment right is not unlimited, and it is not a right to keep and carry any weapon whatsoever in any manner for any purpose. 

 

I support the right of law-abiding citizens to own and use firearms. During my time in both the House and Senate, I have supported legislation that balances these strong Constitutional rights with responsibilities, through reasonable, common sense regulations. Sensible gun safety laws and vigorous enforcement of those laws are necessary to keep firearms out of the hands of criminals, terrorists and the mentally ill. 

 

Several bills relating to firearms have been introduced and referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee. Should this legislation be reported out of Committee and reach the floor, I will take your views into consideration.

 

I appreciate your sharing your concerns with me. Please do not hesitate to contact me in the future on this or any other matter of importance to you. 

For what it's worth.

It occurs to me...

Perhaps I have a reader in upstate New York...

Does anyone up there have machine guns?  Say, a pre-1986 Colt M-16?  With all the ATF paperwork of course.

If so, nice.  That's a pricey little keeper, with classic looks. 

But what happens to it now?  Do you have to get it out of state?  And what of your magazines for same?

Hope

From our nation's yutes.

And I had about given up on the younger generation.

Oopsie

Two seller dudes at a Maryland gunshow (we HAVE those?) marked their hundred odd 30 round mags as 20 round mags.  You cannot buy or sell 30 round mags in my state.  20 or less.

One was from New Cumberland Virginia, the other from Upper Marlboro Maryland.  So they should have known better.

Undercover state cops noticed.  Now they are in deep doo-doo.

More importantly, now there are over 100 regular capacity magazines for ARs out of circulation!

Executive Order

Except for one or two minor points... meh.  I'm glad Obama came around to the NRA's positions. 

And, Jay Carney: "Don't use the President's daughter's kids to score your political points, NRA!"

No, the 'little people' aren't allowed to do that.  That's for the Media to do.  Or the President to do.  Important people.  To use YOUR children to score THEIR political points.

The double standard, in the law, and in decency.

Mr. President?

Those poor children you surround yourself with are defenseless and unprotected, NOW.  And you want to make them MORE vulnerable by restricting the good guys and opening the door to the felons?

YOUR kids are protected by guards, why can't the children of mere mortals have guards?  Or at least allow regular people to guard them?

Such a disservice you do them.

Look at this.

I showed this before but I can't stop staring at it...

What's going on here?

Ok, there are ten stations.  And I'm mostly guessing...

#5 is the powder filler
#7 is the bullet placer
#8 is seating the bullet
#9 is the case crimper....

What are all the others for?

#1 looks like a de-primer?  Why would you need that in a factory from fresh cases, unless this is a reload factory?  #2 and #3 looks like they might be sizing cases.  Who knows which one is actually adding a new primer under the covers and off camera...  Wouldn't make sense to add the primer after the powder, so not #6

VerBruggen

AGAIN?!

Now, the ostensible friendliest poster at National Review is on Tweet record endorsing all of these proposals.

Oh VerBruggen...I need Kevin Williamson back on this beat, I think...

Maybe one or two of those proposals are acceptable, but the whole shebang?

I'll wait for you to read them, see if any of the 14 proposals stick in your craw like they did mine

One of my favorite...

Metrocons, the author of Liberal Fascism and Tyranny of Cliches, finally went on record (where I could see it...) on the 2nd Amendment.  I've read a large part of everything he has written for the past dozen years, so this may actually BE the first time.

I knew his wife was from Alaska, and now know that that side of the family are enthusiastic hunters.  But Jonah knows the 2nd isn't about that, apparently.  "I'm much *more* pro 2nd Amendment than 'typical coast conservative' suggests."  So good.  He lives in DC, so I doubt there is a gun in his home, tho.

Guv...

THIS is my Governor.  Martin O Malley.  He is running for president in 2016.  He is proposing gun control now.

• Ban so called 'assault weapons'.
• Strict licensing requirement, including fingerprinting.
• NO expansion of mental health reporting, but maybe an expansion to add mentally imbalanced people that have already committed violence.

It may involve me turning in all my so-called 'assault weapons'.  I guess MBtGE better open up space in his gun safe...  We'll see.

And even the proponts of the new regs abmit it would not stop another Connecticut style school shooting.

His large, well armed, security detail was not available for comment.

Low on Ammo

Of one caliber.  But I heard ammo was scarce.  I checked online.  There was plenty available.  So I ordered some 500 rounds.  I don't see what the big deal was....

What?  Oh, .45ACP.  There was no .308 or .223 to be had for love or money.  But I have plenty stacked in of my preferred rifle ammo.

But you all knew the rifle ammo had dried up...

Didn't Heller v DC Say...

Gun Control may be hunky dory for Scotus if it:

(i) is justified by a compelling government interest, and (ii) is narrowly tailored to achieve the compelling government  interest; and (iii) is the least restrictive means of achieving the compelling government interest.


You cross SCOTUS on a ruling and even the justices opposed to the ruling initially have a habit of backing up past rule, gettin their stare decis on...


So, when the bills come up in Congress, the People, and the Opposition should ask "how does this meet i ii or iii?" and see if the proponents can justify it.  Otherwise they are wasting the legislature's time.

Naw... SCOTUS didn't rule that.  That would be STRICT scrutiny.   We don't have that, quite yet.  But we should.

And speaking

Here is a friendly story in the Washington Post to go with that blog post from National Review.  Up is down, hot is cold, dogs and cats living together.  By Eli Saslow.

Uh Oh

Ostensibly 'friendly' metrocon, Robert VerBruggen at the National Review has downed the Kool Aid.  He's come out for registration of all firearms.  Oh, sure, he calls it closing the gun show loophole, but that's not what it is really for. 

Et tu, Brute?

VerBruggen, before this was good on the issue.  But now the unintended consequences of this policy escape him, and he comes down for a 'reasonable' new restriction.

"White House is likely to push for universal background checks for gun buyers. This will be no panacea for gun violence, but it is probably the gun-control policy most likely to make a difference."

~sigh~  No, sir.  No registration or precursor to registration.  No national database of serial numbers with names attched.  That is not how NICS was supposed to work anyway.  It's bad enough we have the registration regimes we already have, this is not appropriate to expand on them.

But this is good news

Whitehouse throws in towel, throws DiFi and her AWB under the bus, according to NYTimes.

SONOFA!

I am TOTALLY going to the Smithsonian with bandoleer full of empty magazines.  If Gregory get's off, I should get off Scot Free!

One nation, ONE set of laws, dammit!

I can't TELL you how pissed off I am about this.

Pentagon

The Pentagon has plans, with the help of the NRA, to confiscate all privately held firearms in the United States.  In conjunction with UN peacekeeping forces, naturally.

That's not so bad

I heard on NPR that the 'Executive Orders' being contemplated aren't so bad at all, and, in fact, if this is all it is it's something Gun Owners and the NRA can support.

• Get denied in a NICS check because you are a felon and get arrested.  Thousands of these a year, 4 dozen prosecuted.
• Some states never update the "adjudicated mentally defective" list.  Some do very few of the total percentage.  Encourage them to do better (dunno how an Exec order does this but...)

Hey, those are good!  If that's all you that comes out of this hooha, great.

I will watch them closely...

Travelling Tips

Running on fumes now after a hot few weeks.  But I did see this helpful information that I thought I'd share on Balloon Goes Up in case you missed it.

So, a day of big linky, little thinky.

Based on traffic, I am starting to think most of my 'readers' are spam bots.

When the dust settles

When the dust settles, what will the enemy get?

They are shooting for the moon and want to roll back a few decades of advances in civil rights and get whole acres of stuff actually banned, but it looks like they will settle for the incrementalism of 'only' action on the so-called gun show loophole.

In other words, they will merely settle for gun registration.

No. 

What does registration do beside be a pre-cursor, historically*, for a gun?  It does nothing to stop people getting shot by bad guys, that's for sure.

We have this, already, in my State.  Pistols and anything the State thinks is an Assault Rifle.  No action has been done with it, yet.    And THIS is also why its a good idea to keep the gun culture bipartisan.  It's a way to make inroads to the Blue states and secure our rights forever.  That is not in the interest of the Elephants or Donkeys, which often thrive on issue wedges, from one side or the other or both.


[* Like, California, UK, Australia, 1770 American Colonies... just for SOME English speaking bans]

Candidate For Gov

Clinton crony McCauliffe bought a duck gun at Dick's Sporting Goods.  That means he's Ok, right?  And all for 2nd Amendment rights?  Because 2A is all about duck hunting.

Are people in Virginia insulted by this performance?  He wants to be elected for governor but he thinks you are stupid.

Terminology

I've notice in this latest ban attempt that the meaning of words have shifted again.

VPC's Josh Sugarmann coined a term in the late 80s out of thin air: "assault weapon."  An assault rifle was what the military used and was a 'machine gun' select fire type carbine rifle.  Already controlled, since 1934 and 1986.  So Josh needed something that would include semi-auto rifles that looked like assault rifles but didn't operate select fire.  They looked like assault rifles, and scared people that would then assume they were the same thing.  His intention was to muddy the waters with lower information voters using the new phrase assault weapon.  And he then got his ban of same.

You all know that story, mostly.  But most of you know guns.

Fast forward to today.

Well, the vast majority of voter still misuse the terms.  But it's different now.  All those years of us gunnies informing folks, then those folks inform other folks... it has started to stick.  People are still confused with the exact granular difference between the terms assault rifle and assault weapon, but they are now confused in our favor.  People are now conflating the term assault weapon with machine gun, and not including *not-automatic rifles in the grouping.     At least from what I see in comments.  And people seem to know it is expensive and difficult to get a machine gun, which are scary and not needed in their eyes, and that *not-automatic guns are what people have and those are much more ok.

I don't mind the confusion on terms if  the fake term assault weapon now means machine guns only, and not the rifles most available to the public at gun stores, to the majority of voters.  We win if regular folks are thinking that a ban on assault weapons is a buncha baloney.

(* I'm trying to use not-automatic in lieu of semi-automatic now.  But heck, if people have already grokked this, maybe I won't have to long.)

Peace Between Our Peoples

I think I got it.

It is ok to pass as many laws as you like (not that I think you need many) that makes it illegal, with the full jeopardy of the criminal justice system, to commit an act of Predatory Violence, as long as that law does nothing to impede Protective Violence.  I await your proposals Diane Feinstein.

[Make Believe Violence is a whole separate category and beyond the scope of this post.]

I don't think anyone of our side has a problem comprehending this.  Murder is illegal and Predatory, but in an effort to bubble wrap the country the Liberals like to encroach on Protective Violence too.  Part of it is their desire for guaranteed safety and security as though that were possible, part of it is their desire to Control others and bend them to their whim and will, and a BIG part of it is they do not know the difference between Protective and Predatory.

This would explain their violent tendencies, like calling for the road hauling of members of Congress that do know the difference and refuse to infringe on the Protective side of the equation.  To Liberals it's all just Violence.  And with single-stage thinking they don't remember what they are summoning with 911 to come save them from bad guys trying to hurt them that instant.  There is a disconnect there.  And they can't see themselves with a gun because they assume they'd snap and use violence in a Predatory manner.  When you don't know the difference, I can see this as a possible outcome.  Perhaps all Liberals should avoid personally refraining from exercising their 2nd Amendment rights until they get this little detail straight in their head.  They are confused and conflate, or willfully obtuse and conflate.  Either way...

A man with a badge and a duty belt with holster is nothing special.  Just a contractor the people have hired to do the policing job they do not have time to do.  It is his or her sworn job to commit Protective Violence for their bosser, Us.  The ones that do Predatory Violence are certainly not doing their job and in a just world are treated the same as any bad guy scumbag stickup artist or murderer.  We should be no less well-armed than police officers.  And, in fact, We the People take our cue from the police when selecting the means to protect ourselves.  In fact, maybe the police have gone to far when they start arming themselves like soldiers.  Who are these civilian police officers going to go to war with?  Why do they need machine guns?  Why are they exempt from rules other civilians have to abide by?  Are they really under-armed compared to the bad guys with something like a .30-30 lever gun?

Prosecute predators, but make no law that hamstrings my ability to protect myself and my family.

This is also an answer to the Rectro ad Adsurdium fallacy that Lefties like to trot out.  "No gun control?!  You'll only be happy if everyone has their own M1 Tank and Maverick Missile armed Drone!"  No.  Those are weapons that are use to prey on the enemy.  Just because they now call it the Department of Defense doesn't mean the War Department really deals in defense or defense only.  The military initiates violence on the enemy.  The whole 'the best defense is a good offense' and is not the purview of civilians, either badged or not.