Heritage Barkeep First Look

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January 18, 2021

Today we’re taking our first look at the Heritage Barkeep single action revolver from Heritage Manufacturing. This is a first of its kind revolver from Heritage that’s designed to evoke memories of a common modification done to Colt Single Action revolvers in the 1800s. The gun’s barrel would be cut down from 4+ inches to 3 or less, and the ejector rod would be removed. This made the modified gun much easier to slip in a pocket or under a bar top. That’s where Heritage gets the name “Barkeep” for this handy little 22 Long Rifle revolver with an old west flair.

Heritage and design history

Heritage Manufacturing has been making revolvers in the United States for decades. The guns they build are slightly smaller versions of the classic Colt Single Action Army, but only chambered in rimfire cartridges. Additionally, all Heritage guns feature a unique safety, which keeps the hammer from contacting the firing pin when the gun has six rounds in the chamber. Older single action revolvers like Colts and faithful reproductions leave the firing pin at rest on a primer if the gun is loaded with six rounds, so they were commonly carried with the hammer over an empty chamber for maximum safety. Modern single action guns like the Ruger Vaquero solve that problem by using a transfer bar safety. The Heritage Barkeep, and in fact all Heritage guns solve this problem by using a manual safety to the left of the hammer. This manual safety blocks hammer from hitting the firing pin; however Heritage still recommends you only load the revolver with five rounds.

Old West Appearance

The new Heritage Barkeep certainly ticks the boxes in the appearance category. The little gun has a certain old west flair that’s aided by the simulated color case hardened frame finish and the wood scroll grips. Heritage has stated that the single action Barkeep comes chambered in 22 Long Rifle, however their 22 Magnum cylinders will drop in as well. If you happen to be like me and have a large stash of 22 Magnum on hand, this little revolver will give you an excellent option to turn some of that ammo into smoke and noise. Plus, since it’s 2021, 22 Magnum is officially cheaper than 9mm, so not only is this more affordable to shoot than a different gun, it’s also a lot more fun.

But can you shoot it?

Speaking of shooting, how does the little Barkeep shoot? Well, it’s certainly not going to win any bullseye matches, but that’s not the point of this gun, is it? The point is to look good and be fun, and it accomplishes that. With a fixed front sight post and open gutter sights in the frame, the Barkeep certainly keeps the traditional Colt-style sight set up. Compared to a more faithful clone of the Colt design, the Barkeep’s fixed open sights are more useful, thanks a wider rear notch and a more defined front sight post. According to my Lyman digital trigger pull gauge, the trigger breaks at a very pleasant 2.5 pounds, so getting workable accuracy out of the gun shouldn’t be a problem.

Customize your gun!

The new Heritage Barkeep has a number of options for customization. The multitude of grip options deliver classic western styling when paired with the simulated case hardened frame finish. Plus, the new Heritage Barkeep is faithful to the original “barkeep” modification by deleting the ejector rod. But don’t worry about getting empty casings out of the gun. They thoughtfully provided a punch with a nice wood handle to quickly pop the empties out, much in the same way someone would have in the 1800s.

More to come!

Keep your eyes here for more content about the Heritage Barkeep. Our next article will be a range trip, where we take advantage of that stash of 22 Magnum I’ve got sitting around and put some holes in paper.

An American Tale: The NRA Goes West

By

Keith Finch

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January 18, 2021

By now I am certain many of you readers have read or heard elsewhere one of two tales

The NRA is BANKRUPT!
The NRA is Moving to TEXAS! To Escape New York’s Oppressive Regime

The first headline I saw was from the Wall Street Journal, and it actually covered both. Depending upon which media source you saw first and which way they lean politically on the topic of firearm also largely shaped the headline you first saw.

Anti-gun places cheered at the top of their lungs and cackled triumphantly that the NRA was “broke…” then they would quietly quantify the second and crucial fact that the NRA was using the filing to leave NY for TX. Texas, a far friendlier state to gun owners, gun organizations, and their tax payers, than New York is.

The NRA is not out of money.

Far from it. Despite the infighting and internal turmoil (some of it quite deliberately actuated by New York’s hostile Attorney General) the NRA and by extension the ILA are still the 800lb Gorilla of gun rights lobbying. That isn’t to say there aren’t some 500-600lb Gorillas, especially at the state levels, doing good work but the NRA still holds the big stick.

https://www.nraforward.org/questionsanswers

The NRA posted a FAQ page to detail their plans for the move. While there are various changes we would like to see and perhaps still will, and the page is light on details, it is clear that this was a strategic move not one of desperation. Despite what anti-gun politicos and talking heads of the media may say, this was a move years in the making and it had rumored before to various more pro-gun venue locales.

In short:

The pro-gun side of things is having internal discussions that are much needed in order to progress the NRA/ILA. They are aware of the work that they need to do to begin moving forward. New York is going to use this as a political victory, no matter how hollow it is.

If you are worried about losing the ILA, regardless of how thrilled you are with recent work, the ILA is not gone.

3 Ways to Get Kids Shooting

By

Travis Pike

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January 18, 2021

It’s post-Christmas, and many of you may have purchased your son or daughter a firearm of some type for Christmas. Of that group, some of those kids might not have a real interest in shooting. I don’t believe in forcing my hobbies on my children, but I think of guns the same way I feel about cars. Kids should learn the basics of a firearm, including how to operate it safely, to clear it, and even to shoot it with a small degree of skill. The question is, how do you make it less of a chore, and how do you get kids shooting and enjoying it?

Children don’t learn well when there is no interest in the subject. Look at my math grades from 6th grade. I didn’t have an interest in the subject. From my own experience, I’ve found three successful ways to get kids shooting. My son had very little interest at the beginning of this year, but by the end of 2020, he was spitting lead like a champ and ringing steel.

Kids Shooting – Safety is Always Paramount

Safety is always critical and shouldn’t necessarily be skimped out on for the sake of fun and interest. I would never force my kids to shoot, but I will force them to learn and understand gun safety. That way, as they grow into young adults should they encounter a firearm, they will know the proper way to handle it. Enforce safety, but also remember they are kids. Explain why the safety rules exist and break them down one at a time.

Heck, do the old Marine Corps thing and make them repeat the four rules before every range trip. Keep those rules fresh and at the forefront of their thoughts. Without further ado, let’s look at three ways to get your kids shooting.

Video Games

Yep. Video games. Some of you may roll your eyes, but games like Fortnite use quasi-realistic guns and open up a chance for discussion. When I saw my son was wielding a SCAR in the game, he was fascinated to know I actually had one he could see and handle. I speak as someone who gained their gun interest from PS1 games like Syphon Filter and SOCOM US Navy SEALs. Games can build a small interest and a bit of curiosity that could get your kids shooting.

Obviously, many gun games are rated mature and not appropriate for kids. However, some games like Fortnite minimize violence while incorporating quasi-realistic guns.

Simulated Projectile Poppers

I didn’t know exactly how to categorize BB guns, airsoft guns, and Nerf guns into one category outside of calling them simulated projectile poppers. This was a big step forward in getting my son interested in shooting. It started with Nerf guns and shooting each other around the house. Then some Nerf started making Fortnite-themed Nerf guns that were semi-automatic and battery-powered.

Now my son had a semi-auto Nerf rifle that was magazine-fed with sights and all. It fit perfectly in my AR 15 case, and even had a rail on the top for optics. Before you knew it, I was setting up Sage Dynamics printable targets hidden around the house and timing my son as he began ‘clearing’ the house with his Nerf gun. It was tons of fun for both of us.

Nerf guns are super fun and allow your kids to just focus on the fun aspect of shooting. The darts are harmless and can be used indoors. Nerf and other companies make a variety of targets, including moving targets.

Then we moved into BB guns, but airsoft guns could also be an option, and we started shooting more outdoors. My son got really into hitting my rifle gong with his classic Red Ryder BB gun. He got to the point where he was ringing steel at 20 yards with his little bb gun.

BB guns are a little more dangerous than Nerf guns and have a little more impact with every shot. These air guns provide a little more danger and can be a little more intense but more fun. They also present an easy way to begin serious safety work since, unlike a Nerf gun, they aren’t made to shoot others with. BB guns deliver more satisfaction and call for more accuracy than a Nerf gun, and can get kids shooting outdoors more. They are the logical stepping stone to introducing the “harmful if misused” lessons of firearms, you can show that the targets take appreciable ‘real’ damage that won’t come from Nerf or Airsoft.

Cool Guns And Cool Targets

I learned how to shoot on a Marlin Model 60 that was older than I am. I don’t regret that, but if someone offered me an M&P 22 over the Marlin Model 60, you wouldn’t be able to feed me enough 22 LR. Now more than ever, kid-appropriate rimfire rifles and pistols exist in crazy degrees. Umarex, in particular, makes M4, HK 416, Uzi, MP5s, and more in 22 LR.

Rimfire is a great route to take, especially if the stock is adjustable for smaller frames. Even if you just drop a Ruger 10/22 into a stock that’s adjustable, it can be a big comfort difference. Comfort is critical to accuracy, and accuracy is critical for kids shooting and having fun. A bunch of misses because the gun is too big will create frustration and eliminate the fun factor.

Getting a cool and fun gun is a surefire way to get kids shooting. Just as important as that is the target. Punching paper is fun, but I grew up popping soda cans. That was fun because they reacted. Nowadays, purpose-built reactive polymer targets cost nothing and are available everywhere. They can spin, ding, and move in various ways that are amusing and fun for kids to shoot.

Pew Pew

Getting kids shooting is the first step, and it might be the only step you’ll take. I will consider it a substantial success if my son knows gun safety and can operate a firearm competently. If he wants to be a nerd like me, that’s great too. If not, at least I know I’m sending him into the world knowing how to change his oil, how to cook a meal, how to budget, and how to handle a firearm safely.

Why I Got the Vaccine

By

DRGO

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January 15, 2021

(from antiguaobserver.com)

[Ed: We at DRGO are physicians first and civil rights activists (a very close) second. Vaccination against disease is one of the great triumphs of public health. We are 100% behind the campaign to immunize against SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19). That, along with all those recovered from the illness, will lead to population immunity, ending this terrible pandemic and returning our world to us. Dr. Brodale’s We Are at War! is a good companion piece.]

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I received the Moderna COVID vaccine this week. I’m happy about it and I’d like to discuss why.

Why am I posting this here on a gun site? Because there are many people in our firearms community who have an admittedly reasonable mistrust of the government and anything that comes from it. Recent events have not helped that mistrust. With so many people of my personal acquaintance who are hesitant, I wanted to speak my piece.

A few days ago when I posted a video of my vaccination to social media I was confronted by someone who wanted to know why, who proceeded into the standard anti-government spiel and then presumed to admonish me that I should “know better”.

I blocked that guy because:

1) I just did not have the mental energy that evening to put together a reasoned rant for one random dude on the internet. And,

2) If you want to spread your pet conspiracies have at it, but do it on your own durn page, not mine.

I am first and foremost a medical professional and a responsible adult. I make decisions that I feel are best for myself, my family, and my patients and I am not answerable to random internet denizens for those decisions.

Now that I have had time to ponder and put together reasonable sentences, I am ready to discuss why I chose to be vaccinated. Bullet format would probably be the most organized way to do this:

I am a physician. I have a duty to my patients to care for them to the best of my ability. As part of that, I have a duty to do my best to make sure that “I” do not pass communicable diseases “to” those patients. Likewise, if I catch a communicable disease “from” my patients and become myself incapacitated I cannot continue to serve my other patients.

I have a duty to myself and my family as well. My family did not sign up to be exposed to every disease that my patients may bring to me. I have to do my best to protect my family, as well as make sure that I remain healthy enough to continue to be a breadwinner for the household.

I follow the existing science as best I can. The science on a completely new virus is unavoidably a changing and evolving thing. Recommendations made in March may not hold true anymore now. Research published in the early days and originally thought promising may have turned out not to be so as follow-up studies brought us more information. But through all that, vaccination remains a gold standard for prevention of viral infections.

Operation Warp Speed did not allow for slapdash science. What it did was pump money and resources into a system which is usually bogged down by lack of investment, financial risk, and bureaucratic roadblocks.

I am a pediatrician. I also have a Master of Public Health degree. I vaccinate children every day of my professional career. I am very pro-vaccine. I have gotten a flu vaccine every year for over 30 years. Getting a COVID vaccine was simply part of that logical progression and mindset.

In fact, I would have even signed up for the early vaccine trials if I had known how to do so and if they would have taken me with a mild autoimmune condition and a latex allergy. As it is, I am following along with post vaccine follow-up so that even more data can be collected about potential side effects for those who may come after me. And I still have a booster dose yet to go. As hesitant as I normally am about giving out my personal cell phone number to a government entity, I did it anyway because I felt that gathering additional data post-vaccine was that important.

Perception of risk is important to address as well. I have had people ask me about everything from passing out to Bell’s Palsy. While it is true that there have so far been a handful of severe reactions, that handful has been spread out over millions of doses. That’s not a very large risk profile. Reactions such as Bell’s Palsy can even occur after a head cold, and they did not occur in the vaccine trials at a rate which was above what would normally be expected in the population anyway. To illustrate that, someone in the placebo group got it.

You have to look at that against the risks you take every day without even thinking about it. For instance—what is your risk of dying every time you sit behind the wheel? You probably don’t want to know. But even if you did, would you stop driving?

Dozens of my fellow physicians and healthcare personnel whom I know personally have taken both vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna. A handful have had their second doses by this point as well. None of them have reported that they had anything but a sore arm or felt “off” for a few days. Their experience seems to bear out the evidence from the trials.

Finally, I wanted to demonstrate for those in my circle who are hesitant, that I am unafraid of this vaccine and I don’t believe any of the patently false conspiracy theories which circle around the internet and social media. I wanted to try to be a leader about this.

So here I am. I have made my decision based on facts and the way I have always lived my life. If you choose not to take the vaccine, that is your decision and your right. But I urge that your decision be based on the facts– not on fear, mistrust of the government, suspicion of the CCP, doubts about vaccines in general, or because aliens.

Thanks for listening.

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—’Dr. LateBloomer’ is the pen name of a female general pediatrician (MD, MPH, FAAP) who also writes at GAT Daily. She enjoys competitive shooting sports, including IDPA, USPSA and 3-Gun. Evil semi-automatic firearms are her favorites.

All DRGO articles by ‘Dr. LateBloomer’

John Wick… Dundee?

By

Keith Finch

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January 15, 2021

tony-wittmann-58 — Image via New York Post

GAT Readers, I am a cat person.

Dog too, but currently I just own that furry little bastard. I, like most pet owners/pet parents, would contemplate causing egregious and sudden harm to person(s) who threaten my pet, as much as they threaten me. I love the furry creature who lives with me, and will be actively working against someone inside my house who would threaten my pet (and me, by being a threat inside my house).

*Disclaimer: Yes, pets are generally considered legal property and thus not subject to personal protection coverages of the law.*

But there are limits. Tony Wittman certainly crossed a few of those limits and simultaneously proved that the gun control within the Australian countryside is working out… well… about as well as we think it is.

Armed ex-soldier allegedly storms animal shelter to get cat back

Not exactly the purr-fect crime.

An ex-Australian soldier in full tactical gear allegedly burst into an animal shelter with an assault rifle and tied up a worker in a failed bid to get his kitty back, according to a report Wednesday.

Tony Wittmann, 44, was allegedly so mad when workers at the Lost Dogs’ Home in Melbourne told him he needed to wait a day to pick up the pet, he’s accused of threatening a 23-year-old female worker with the gun in the facility’s parking lot, according to ABC Australia. – New York Post

Yes, Mr. Wittman mounted a failed tactical extraction of his cat from an animal shelter. A shelter he could have picked up his cat from the following day.

“On this occasion, he’s acted to get back possession of a cat, which he was only going to be without for possibly 10 hours.” -Senior Constable Jo MacDonald, Melbourne

The 44-year-old Wittman was discharged from Australian Army service for “failing to render efficient service.” which I am assuming is a similar situation to the US Armed Forces ‘Failure to Adapt’ to military life, conditions, etc. Some people are not mentally fit to work in military conditions, they are not independent enough or able to complete the tasks, both tactical and logistic, that a military unit needs to function. This doesn’t necessarily mean they are otherwise unsuitable for work in general, but the military does take a certain level of fortitude for success.

Wittman has been charged with kidnapping, false imprisonment, and armed robbery. He will also not get his cat back, so perhaps he should have saved the John Wick antics for something more drastic than a business day delay in retrieving the pet.

The Real Point

Wittman had an AR-15, or something described as, “something a SWAT team in the movies would use.” As opposed to SWAT teams in real life using, I suppose. The worker was a 23-year-old woman who works at a pet shelter, her experience with firearms is likely limited to entertainment media.

Anyway, just more proof that all gun control in the Outback seems to work oh-so-well, right up to the point it doesn’t. It is impossible to remove a technology like auto-loading rifles from circulation. There will always be non-compliant elements, and the more likely that element is to become a problem the less likely they would comply in the first place. Making a ban and removal most effective on the people least likely to be a threat while leaving the greater likely threats as uncaringly non-compliant.

Can we imagine how bogus an assault weapon ban would be here? How porous and ineffective?

I can, and it is a laughable state of make-believe that grows in the field of naïve good intentions.

The Holosun 507K – The Best Micro Optic

By

Travis Pike

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January 15, 2021

Who thought Holosun would become an industry leader? Sure they’ve made some decent red dots, but no one would call them an industry leader. At least no one did until the Holosun 507K premiered. The mini red dot market is crowded, but the micro red dot market is relatively small. Micro red dots being the little fellas small enough to outfit the most diminutive of guns. Like the Glock 48/43X MOS, the Hellcat, and of course, the SIG P365. Holosun’s 507K is the pack leader of micro red dots.

The Shield RMSc started this category and SIG followed with the Romeo Zero. However, after lots of testing, both of these optics lack the durability necessary for a defensive-oriented pistol. The Holosun 507K has proven time and time again to be the most durable of these micro red dots. After doing a fair bit of research, I snatched up a 507K and quickly attached it to my SIG P365 hybrid design. (It’s an XL slide on a standard P365 frame.)

The 507K X2 – Specs and Rundown

Sadly I couldn’t find a 507K V2, which features the larger buttons. The X2 is the newer model post-Trijicon lawsuit that features much smaller buttons. It is what it is, unfortunately. The 507k X2 gives users a few innovative features.

This includes the multiple reticle system that grants the 507K a 2 MOA reticle, a 32 MOA ring, and a combination of the two. People living with Astigmatism love the 32 MOA reticle as it appears clearer. The 507K X2 comes with 12 brightness settings. Ten are for daylight use, and two are for night vision use. The optic is submersible up to 1 meter for 30 minutes with an IP67 rating.

The battery will last 50k hours on setting 6. The battery tray is hyper convenient and located on the side of the optic. As far as I know, this is the only micro-optic that utilizes a side-loading battery instead of a bottom loading design.

Let’s Shoot It

Red Dots on pistols are a brilliant solution for increasing your abilities. A red dot makes a handgun easier to shoot accurately, easier to shoot fast, and easier to shoot at longer ranges. With that in mind, I zeroed at 25 yards initially. I set up with a bench and used a somewhat supported position to ensure proper zero. I had to make a few adjustments, but it didn’t take long.

I zeroed with the 2 MOA red dot because it obscured less of the target. The 507K sits ultra-low on the gun, and the mechanical offset is even more minimized than other pistol mounted optics. The optic sits low enough that a small notch in the rear of the sight acts as a backup iron sight that aligns perfectly with the front sight of the P365.

The little 2 MOA reticle sounds too small for a handgun, but it works. The dot is quite crisp, and focusing on the target makes it easy to see the dot. If it feels too small for speed, swap to the big ole 32 MOA circle or circle and dot reticle. They are massive but clear and easy to see and find for those speedy close range encounters.

Speed and Accuracy

Guns like the P365 force you to remove the rear sight to mount the optic, and it’s nice to have a backup rear sight built into the optic. Once I was zeroed, I started experimenting with shooting at various ranges for both speed and precision.

My lovely girlfriend got me a set of steel targets for Christmas that includes a small 4-inch gong. At 25 yards, I was able to ring that 4-inch gong enough times that it looped over the top of the hanger. That’s quite precise for such a little gun. The 507K completely eliminates any issues with the short sight radius attached to compact pistols.

From a speed perspective, I ran the ole El Presidente drill. The drill works like this. You start with your back to three targets when your timer rings to turn, draw, and fire two rounds into each target. You reload and then fire two more rounds into each target. The goal is to land under 10 seconds.

My best time with iron sights is a slow 8 seconds or so with a subcompact pistol. After a run or two to warm up, I landed a solid 6.7 second El Presidente drill. I stopped after that because I wanted to go out on top. (Of my personal record, not the near three-second times the pros are getting.)

I used the 32 MOA reticle for this drill and did find it to be an awesome choice for target transitions. All I have to do is look at the target and put the dot on it. Target focus is way more natural than sight focus, and a red dot is all about target focus.

The 507K In and Out

I blasted through several hundred rounds of varying power levels. From snappy 124 grain NATO loads to softer shooting 115-grain FMJs. I even had some 147-grain subsonic JHPs, so variety was the name of the game. Regardless of the recoil and round selection, the optic never flickered or fluttered. The reticle stayed put and zeroed without issue as well.

The small buttons are very tactile and easy to reach with the off-hand thumb. That’s somewhat important if you plan to swap reticles as necessary. The smaller buttons are arranged horizontally, and the only real issue is turning the optic off. It’s tough to hit the + and – buttons at the same time while holding the gun. The good news is I don’t see many issues with having to turn the optic off quickly.

This little fella weighs 1 ounce, so it’s tough to say it weighs you down. It’s super small but quite useful for its size. Micro-optics are a growing category of pistol red dots. There might be a dozen new micro-optics by the end of 2021, but as of now, the Holosun 507K is the pack leader.

It’s light, small, low profile, as well as durable, precise, and easy to use. The 507K will increase your effective range, speed, and ultimately effectiveness with your teeny tiny pistol.

Impeachment

By

Keith Finch

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January 14, 2021

So… it happened… again.

President Trump has been impeached from office twice and will be removed from office… at the end of his normal term with a very uncertain likelihood that the Senate will vote to convict. This method of holding the President to account for his actions (or lack of actions) in countering the DC election certification protest turned riot certainly feels like a dog and pony show, doesn’t it?

What happens if he is convicted? Well, he’s already out of office at that point and he would not be allowed to seek re-election or another office. He also wouldn’t get his $200,000 retirement pension, which since Trump donates his presidential salary is just cutting funding to a charity of Trumps choice. I am sure he would feel thoroughly chastised in that event.[/sarc]

This begs the question, why do it?

Is barring a re-election campaign worth that much spend in political capital, especially if the Senate doesn’t convict and Trump ends up with a usable pile of capital himself? President Trump uses ego and cult of personality to great effect and that, combined with the political leverage a 2nd non-conviction, would leave him in a much more influential position than he will already occupy even if convicted.

There is also the mashup position Trump’s presidency and conduct have left the GOP in, probably most accurately described as “disordered” if I were to give it one word. Which begs the question of, if a formal ruling by conviction is necessary for Trump to not hold office again at all, a position GOP Senate members are likely well aware of but would leave them with the bigger pile of leverage and influence.

So again, why?

My guess is, as much as this had to do with the optics of formally chastising President Trump, it was more practically the earliest opportunity to flex the Congress and see who would do what and for what reasons on a contentious and emotionally charged issue. This is going to give the oncoming Biden Administration an accurate picture of a stress tested Congress and his options within it legislatively.

Under the guise of holding President Trump accountable, and as sincere or insincere as each individual House and Senate member’s contribution was/will be on that actual account, a portrait will be drawn immediately of how this Congress is going to work under the subsequent issues to be raised during the Biden/Harris administration.

It also signals all the virtues and provides propagandist ammunition.

So, call me crazy, but for every valid reason to use impeachment as the method of account against President Trump that may, could be, or has been raised.. I think this is an intelligence gathering and sensing session, far more focused on Congress and its future actions than Trump and actions past.

Biden and the Democrats’ Platform

By

DRGO

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January 14, 2021

HRguncontrolbills — Submitted Gun Control Bills

(from scopeny.org)

[Ed: This is a thorough overview of what this election appears to be bringing us. Though it was written prior to November 3 for SCOPE-NY’s bulletin Firing Lines, its prescience is less important than the reality facing us now. Thanks to SCOPE-NY, fighting on our behalf in New York state, and its president, Tom Reynolds. Minimally edited for DRGO.]

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Joe Biden has said that he is the Democrat Party. Taken directly from the Democrat platform in a section called “Healing the Soul of America”, below is Joe Biden’s platform on gun control.

Democrats / Joe Biden will:

End online sales of guns and ammunition (5 times as many people die from alcoholism as from non-suicide gun shots but you can still buy liquor online. Don’t address problems – just make political points.)

Close dangerous loopholes that currently allow stalkers, abusive partners, and some individuals convicted of assault or battery to buy and possess firearms (Let those same stalkers, abusive partners and assaulters out of jail – without bail – so they are free to threaten people again and be released again, if caught again. Wasn’t the movie Groundhog Day about something like this?)

Enact universal background checks (No transferring of a gun to a legally allowed relative without government permission. Also, see the Charleston Loophole, below.)

Adequately fund the federal background check system and close the “Charleston loophole” (Currently, the FBI has 3 days to do a NICS check or the sale can proceed. Democrats want at least a 30 day waiting period. Great way for “The Swamp” to kill gun stores. But the FBI would never abuse its authority…would it?)

Prevent individuals who have been convicted of hate crimes from possessing firearms (The definition of “Hate Crimes” will soon be changed to criticizing anything the Democrats like.)

Ban the manufacture and sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines (Democrats’ ultimate goal is to expand the definition of an Assault Weapon to anything that assaults their snowflake feelings.)

Incentivize states to enact licensing requirements for owning firearms (Use tax dollars to bribe the states. If the government can license a constitutional right then it can also refuse to license a constitutional right.)

Incentivize states to enact extreme risk protection order laws that allow courts to temporarily remove guns from the possession of those who are a danger to themselves or others (Use tax dollars to bribe the states while ignoring about half a dozen Amendments to the Constitution.)

Pass legislation requiring that guns be safely stored in homes (Another of those pesky Constitutional Amendments [#4] to be ignored. If you are being assaulted, just call a time out so you can unlock your weapon.)

Gun companies should be held responsible for their products, just like any other business, and prioritize repealing the law that shields gun manufacturers from civil liability (Will politicians be personally responsible for criminals out without bail who then commit more crimes? Will Sanctuary Cities’ politicians be personally responsible for illegal aliens who commit crimes in their cities? Will car companies be responsible for vehicular assaults? Will liquor companies will be responsible for drunk drivers?)

Taken as a whole, these steps would eventually lead to no one legally owning a gun (except Democrat politicians, their friends and those protecting Democrat politicians). In fact, gun violence by criminals would undoubtedly increase since criminals don’t obey any of these laws and they would know they face disarmed citizens. (Remember Sean Connery’s famous line in the movie The Untouchables about bringing a knife to a gun fight.) Biden completely ignores that these steps would virtually eliminate legally owned guns from being used in self-defense; estimates on defensive gun use range from 50,000 to 2,500,000 per year, far outnumbering non-suicide gunshot deaths of 16,000.

But, hey, what do facts mean to a guy who believes Antifa is only an idea?

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–Tom Reynolds is the president of SCOPE-NY.

De-platforming, Hosting Risks, and Avoiding the Ban Hammer

By

Keith Finch

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January 14, 2021

This past week we’ve seen Social Media pages go dark, groups catch irrevocable bans, and websites be taken down entirely by their hosting services, all in the ‘name’ of stopping seditious speech. This is an evolution on the highly zealous efforts of tech across social media to cut down on “Fake News” that went so far as to threaten places like the ever truthful Babylon Bee…

[For anyone unaware, the Bee is a known Satirical (they make up parody stories to be funny and occasionally make social points) News network, like the Onion was.]

How do we navigate tech right now and continue engaging in discourse?

More specifically, how do we avoid having our tech based groups shut down like ARFCOM and Guns.com were this week. Message board type webspaces are especially vulnerable due to the amount of user generated content they have, but anywhere a discussion could spiral is at great risk and anywhere that touches on the topics of survival and firearms is under scrutiny.

This means comment sections of blogs, forums, and YouTube channels.

This means product reviews, even on retail websites.

Even if there is no public comment section on the blog or product page, the risk is there simply due to the content’s association. The rapid crusade Big Tech is currently waging has no space for nuance. They are in a ” Digitally Nuke First, ask questions never.” state of mind where they will use every advantage they have as the hosting entity to crush the site, to remove the allegedly offending content immediately. Then they deal with any legal fallout (emphasis on any because hosts hold all the ‘terms of service’ cards) from de-platforming the site afterward.

Meanwhile, the communication lifeblood that connects the site to their user and customer base is wiped out, scorched digital earth. The company is left scrambling to boot contingency plans (if they had any, or could have any) to get back online and in communication again.

What Should You Do?

As reader, a consumer, a social media or forum participant, you should do two things.

Sign up for direct email lists
1. Anyone you care to stay in contact with in the firearm and communications news spaces, sign up for their emails or direct to desktop notifications. These are the safest form of information exchange and as a direct message they are not under the scrutiny of public forums and comments sections
2. Companies tend to put their best info and offers into their own mailers anyway. Even if you only use 1 or 2 in a given year it may save you money, or nab you a giveaway item, while keeping you in the loop of goings on.
Mind your P’s and Q’s
1. Any forum that hasn’t been ban hammered is being put under extreme pressure. Mods (comment section moderators) are getting messages threatening total group and forum removals if members do not behave.
2. The mods do not get to choose what “behaving” is, that is entirely up to the host. Mods are placed in a position of having to ban individuals to save the forum or risk the forum’s permanent removal.
3. Being an extra polite participant, no matter your frustration levels at the current situations, can save your groups. Be very slow to take offense.

What if you own, or work for, a digital property or company with a digital property that could be at risk?

Click Here

There are professional options for assessing risks and steps that can be taken to guard against de-platforming.

Anyone with digital property needs to be doing this assessment right now.

Twilight Zone Turns to Cancel Culture

By

DRGO

-

January 13, 2021

(from time.com)

[Ed: In April 2019, we published The Twilight Zone, which described the reactions a gun club had in addressing Covid-19 risks with its members. DRGO contributing writer and then club member Bob Kingsley wrote that article and now re-visits what has happened since. We would of course welcome a response from the unnamed club.]

Last April, the gun club I had been a member of for 20 years closed abruptly after having a panic attack related to the Covid-19 virus. The club had a 24/7 access system and members could use the facility whenever it was convenient. While it would have been understandable to cancel group activities, there was no reason individuals couldn’t have continued to using the facility while observing virus protocols. Even President Trump had declared shooting ranges to be “essential.” No matter, my club’s “leadership” made the decision to close without input from the membership. (The story of how this originally unfolded here.)

So here we are nine months later with an update on what has happened since.

Inexplicably, the club re-opened in fits and starts in the summer of 2019 and even allowed leagues, unwisely encouraging exactly the kind of activity that involves close contact. Why would this be OK when individuals using the facility one or two at a time were banned? Oh, but the league shooters pay additional fees. Hard to imagine that profit should take precedence over members’ safety, but bills have to be paid, right?

September is the renewal month for all club members. For the twentieth year in a row, I dutifully and promptly paid my membership renewal fee. About a week later, I received a certified letter from the club. Club leadership had voted not to renew my membership.

After protesting to the point of involving my attorney, the club not only refused to relent and accept my renewal, they doubled down n by assailing my character, writing that I had, “… not abided by the bylaws which prohibit disparaging comments to the Binghamton Rifle Club, the Executive Committee and the members at large.” They furthermore wrote, “…we have seen other posts of Mr. Kingsley’s on his Facebook page and other media sites and find some of them offensive, misogynistic and not in character of a responsible gun owner.”

After long deliberation, I ended my two decades’ relationship with the club with this letter:

To the members of the Executive Committee:

In response to your letter of 12-03-20 I offer the following opinions.

My comments of 03-22-20 were prophetic. I was in the wrong club.

I am sickened by. . . the pettiness [of] small-minded people [who] profess to rally around the celebration of our 2^nd Amendment while simultaneously employing the tools of tyranny, censorship and expulsion as a cover for their own lack of fortitude.

A 15-lane shooting range with 24/7 member access could have easily conformed to the most stringent of Covid protocols. The President of the United States even singled out shooting ranges as essential. Yet instead of entrusting members to decide our own individual level of comfort in either using or not using the facility, you decided unilaterally for clos[ure]. When I began asking questions, “leadership” stopped responding and when I took my concerns to the club’s Facebook page, that same leadership took the posts down and censored me from further communications.

Instead of demonstrating real leadership, you put your finger to the wind, checked to see what other clubs were doing and then comforted by the safety of group-think, you rationalized your decision by proclaiming that everyone else is doing the same thing.

That’s called “leading from behind.”

Leadership censored me from the club Facebook page because you were afraid that the membership would agree with my position. If any group of people ought to be particularly insulted by censorship, it would be those who cherish our 2^nd Amendment.

How shameful.

It is truly a sad day in America when the leadership of a rifle club in existence for over 100 years believes it is OK to use censorship and expulsion in order to squelch debate with a 20 year member. Your unilateral and draconian measures removed decision making from the members because you didn’t believe we were smart enough to decide for ourselves. I happily distance myself from such a group of petty tyrants who are the very antithesis of the patriots that envisioned the necessity of a 2^nd Amendment in the first place.

Not the way I would have preferred this relationship to end, but hey, things don’t stay the same forever.

What I never would have guessed is that a group of gun owners would so willingly embrace censorship, group think, oppressiveness and bullying against someone simply because they disagree. Tactics that are routinely used to vilify and attack gun owners are apparently OK to be used by gun owners against gun owners when they have the tyranny of of official positions to wield.

I for one have no desire to be a member of any organization that inflicts “progressive” cancel culture. I didn’t imagine such a thing could happen among gun owners, but in today’s America I guess nothing is a surprise. God help us.

.

—Bob Kingsley is a private investigator and writer from New York. He is a Life Member of the NRA, a certified handgun instructor and an educator for the program, “Refuse to be a Victim.” He blogs at BobKingsley.com.

All DRGO articles by Bob Kingsley

Stretching Definitions (AKA: Engineer > Regulator) FRT-15 Trigger

By

Keith Finch

-

January 13, 2021

Semi-automatic, also commonly referred to as auto-loading, is defined by two factors. The first is an energy induced method of extraction, ejection, and chambering of a subsequent round. The second is that a semi-automatic only fires one shot per ‘deliberate action’ of the trigger.

An automatic firearm, which is also autoloading, will fire rounds until the trigger/firing mechanism is released by the shooter.

This new trigger from Rare Breed certainly sits in a space between. We know that Echo and Binary triggers utilize the definition of semi-automatic to take advantage of the forward motion of the trigger as a deliberate action. This allows for a very rapid rate-of-fire by utilizing an otherwise unused action of the trigger.

But.. what if the trigger is mechanically forced to the reset point by the same mechanical method that trips the auto-sear in a select-fire AR-15. The ‘Forced Reset Trigger’ FRT-15 uses the geometry of the of a standard AR-15/M16/M4 bolt carrier to move the trigger forward to the reset point, coinciding with the point the bolt is safely closed and locked to fire another round.

Where an automatic/select-fire fire control auto-sear will release the hammer as the bolt closes and locks, an action independent of movement of the trigger, the FRT-15 uses that energy to push the trigger itself back to the reset point.

By design, the trigger must still be pulled to the rear deliberately to fire subsequent rounds. But the FRT-15 is mechanically adding an active trigger reset mechanic as part of the cycle of operations instead of keeping that mechanic separate of the operation cycle. Yes the trigger will still reset “automatically” because of the trigger spring, but because of the disconnector assembly in a standard or automatic trigger group the energy imparted by the bolt opening and closing is not imparted to the trigger in any manner to move it.

It is that active reset that will be the crux of an ATF determination for or against this trigger. BDU and Rare Breed clearly put some legal legs into the design but the ATF has chopped solid legal legs from beneath things before, the original MCX muzzle device comes to mind where you could purchase the simplified suppressor from SIG that threaded onto it and had the break become the baffle system.

From a pure mechanics standpoint this thing is very cool. The mechanical weak point theoretically exists in the fact that if the trigger is kept pulled too hard to the rear, you may be able to keep the rifle from going into battery. If there is a separating mechanic where enough pressure is exerted against the trigger it will still allow the closing of the bolt, I’m not seeing it in the video.

With that all said, I do expect this to trigger (hehe) another NFA fight and generate yet another reason why it should be chucked from law books into this history bin as a heavily flawed piece of legislation.

Thermion XM30 Thermal Rifle Optic from Pulsar

By

Keith Finch

-

January 13, 2021

(MANSFIELD, TEXAS) – Pulsar is proudly unveiling the next iteration of the celebrated Thermion product family – the Thermion XM30 3.5-14x Thermal Riflescope (PL76524). This elite thermal scope boasts 12 µm pixel pitch with 320×240 resolution, guaranteeing users can see the heat signatures of adult-sized objects up to 1,400 yards away, day or night. Whether you’re hog, predator or varmint hunting, the XM30 gives you the imaging you need. In keeping with Pulsar’s commitment to technological excellence, the fixed-focus Thermion XM30 features built-in recording with sound, Picture-in-Picture mode, Wi-Fi connectivity and Stream Vision app compatibility to guarantee you can capture and preserve every hunting memory. Remarkably rugged, the XM30 is housed in a metal body with IP67 dust- and waterproof rating, operating temperatures from -13F to 122F and can withstand recoil up to .375 H&H. The XM30 is powered by a B-Pack Mini Li-Ion battery with up to 5 hours of life.

Features:

320×240 resolution, 12¬µ pixel pitch core
8x digital zoom – continuous and stepped zoom
Picture-in-Picture digital zoom
Stream Vision app connects scope to smart device
External power supply adaptable
5 rifle profiles with 50 zero saves
13 variable electronic reticles
One-shot zeroing with freeze function
Color viewing modes
High resolution AMOLED display
Stadiametric rangefinder
Rock, forest and identification viewing modes
Manual, automatic and semi-automatics calibration modes
Defective pixel repair feature

Magpul Days Have Come Again!

By

Keith Finch

-

January 13, 2021

While SHOT Show is not happening this year, products are still rolling out. From the Polymer Paragon’s that means a week of releases for upcoming products.

Still waiting on a 2020 release, you say? Several of those should be shipping soon. Yes, Savage 110 owners, you have not been forgotten.

First up new though, the MBUS 3.

Magpul departed from much of the competing flip up sight market when the MBUS and MBUS GenII’s rolled out, making a highly affordable and still quality basic sighting option. About the only major detractor to the MBUS was the larger size over a competing steel and aluminum assembly. They served (and continue to) as back-ups on many a carbine. They came standard on many too, as a cost effective addition.

Then came the PRO line, where Magpul aimed to compete with the like of Troy and Knight’s to make a sturdy lo-pro option and join the ranks offer offset sights too. The Pro’s, like the Magpul rifle chassis, was a departure from their competitively affordable polymer product mix and stepping into high quality machining. They succeeded in keeping the prices highly competitive but the chassis was still $1,000 and a set of range adjustable Pro MBUS was $200.

The MBUS 3 updates the polymer line of BUIS with several of the features the Pro’s brough while maintaining the $100 complete set price point.

Now, we can argue for hours about whether or not rifles even need BUIS but I continue to contend that…

BUIS are a no harm value add for a modest spend
Least expensive way to have a useable sighting system immediately
Are valuable to understand as a discipline and are easier to learn after using the red dot.

Alright, next product!

For those large pawed and long fingered among our ranks, the K2 is now coming in XL.

The K2 took the MIAD grip and gave it that more vertical treatment that most shooters like on their rifles today, myself included. Increasing the grip diameter by 25% grants a shooter two advantages in two distinct shooting styles. In CQC/CQB/Shooting a tiny rifle it gives more useable control surface in a shooting variant where you are relying on that pistol grip for control a lot more. In precision shooting it aids in finger placement so you can set your pad ‘just right.’

A simple comfort and quality of life improvement option, the K2-XL.

The fourth generation of the Precision Rifle/Sniper is coming in Lite. The PRS Lite is not only cutting the weight but also the price.

The Magpul PRS was quickly adopted and retrofitted onto the Knight’s M110’s by many, it was also massively successful in the precision gas gun circles on .308’s, 6.5’s, and .223 Wylde rigs. In many of these applications the extra mass was seen as an asset to the stability of the shooter more than any hinderance, it helped balance out heavy barrels, optics, and suppressors.

[Fun Fact Time: This modification (adding a PRS) violates the contract weight requirement for procurement of the original M110, so the rifles couldn’t just be bought from KAC with the stock installed. Procurement is weird.

There were other items even in the native Knight’s stock for the M110 that were added after the rifles were bought because the rifle would be heavier than signed TDP contract weight when it was shipped, but there was no block on authorized modifications and TDP upgrades violating the original weight after the purchase and shipment… again, procurement is weird. It has to do with quality control and knowing precisely what is being ordered, but it doesn’t allow for variance even within authorized items. That is all on the end unit.

Think of it like this. You buy a fleet-truck and it comes with X brand brake pads because with those brake pads the truck weighs exactly what the contract said it needed to weigh, for fuel efficiency or another stated reason. But when you get it, you immediately install Y brake pads because the performance of Y brake pads is much better than X brake pads. You might think, why not have motor-vehicle-supply-mart just install Y brake pads instead of X? It is because your contract with motor-vehicle-supply-mart specifically says X brake pads for the purchase of fleet-truck because it makes weight and thus is fuel efficient or less harmful to the roads or whichever contractually stated reason… when it is purchased.

Make sense? Of course not, but such is life. There are so valid reasons for this from a QC and liability standpoint but those are fairly nuanced. We are also the nation that made “green” lead-free bullets to help the environment.]

Back on topic.

The PRS Lite combines features seen in the previous PRS stocks with some of the features we say in the UBR. It sheds 10oz from the weight and still allows for comb height adjustment, length of pull adjustment, and even a custom cant on the buttpad.

What you give up is tool-less adjustment, you will need hand tools for changing any of the lengths and heights. This could almost be considered an evolution on the MOE rifle stock as well, in the regard that once adjusted it becomes a fixed stock. But a custom fit fixed stock, which makes including it in the PRS line natural.

The Magpul QR Rail Grabber provides a compact, user-adjustable, true quick-release plate that’s compatible with a wide variety of products that use the A.R.M.S ® 17S style footprint. Developed primarily for our Magpul Bipods, the Bipod QR Adapter can be used with either Picatinny or RRS/ARCA interfaces. Its user-adjustable dual clamping mechanism slims down to the rail it sits on, ensuring a compact fit. A serrated knob makes for easy manipulation and sits close to the body of the adapter and out of the way. Machined from Mil-Spec aluminum, it’s extremely rugged and provides a stable platform for hard-use applications.

I don’t have much to comment beyond the Magpul line on this one. It is outside my wheelhouse. I use the Magpul Bi-Pods in the M-LOK format. For those using the stated interfaces this may be an excellent, more compatible, and more flexible interface for mounting across various rifles.

The Gerber Mk2 – A Commando’s Knife

By

Travis Pike

-

January 12, 2021

The Gerber Mk2 is right up there with the Ka-Bar as far as legendary fighting knives go. The ole Mk2 came to be in 1966 and was produced until 2000. Recently Gerber has revitalized the knife in limited numbers. The Mk2 was designed by Bud Holtzman, a retired U.S. Army Captain who created the blade based on the Roman Mainz Gladius. Archaeologists dug up the Mainz Gladius in 1866, and it was likely issued to a high-ranking Roman Officer. Take a peek at the Mainz Gladius, and the inspiration for the Gerber Mk2 is clear.

The Commando’s Option

Both feature a long double-sided blade with a dagger point. The Gerber Mk2 mixes both the classic dagger design with a modern tactical look. There are numerous variants of the Mk2, and mine features serration on both sides for extra cutting ability. Gerber added the serration after Base PXs refused to sell a fighting knife because it was distasteful. Yep, the store is a place dedicated to killing America’s enemies found the Mk2 objectionable.

The added serration made the Gerber Mk2 a ‘survival’ knife and it resumed sales on military bases. The Gerber Mk2 was insanely popular with troops and second only to the famed Ka-Bar. Gerber’s website shows tons of reviews of this knife from guys who claimed to carry it during the cold war, and I find them believable because none of the stories are Chuck Norris inspired commando fiction.

There are numerous photos of MACV SOG types carrying the Mk2 in Vietnam. According to the book Six Silent Men, the MACV Recondo School’s honor graduate received a Gerber Mk2.

The Mk2 has come and gone from Gerber’s line up in various quality and price points. The current incarnation is relatively affordable at around 79 bucks, but it has noticeable differences from the original.

Gerber Mk2 – Noticeable Differences

The modern variants are made from 420 HC stainless steel instead of L6 tool steel. L6 is a much better choice for a fighting knife but would drive the price up. Personally, I’d pay the higher price for the L6 steel, but the 420 HC steel keeps the Gerber Mk2 priced under a hundred bucks. Most people buying them are likely buying them for their historical significance and not as a practical knife.

420 HC steel isn’t terrible. For a survival knife, it works well and is super resistant to corrosion. It’s used commonly in machetes and hatchets for a good reason. The steel is easy to sharpen and can take some abuse. As far as cheaper steels go, it’s one of the better options.

Breaking Down the Mk2

This is a big knife, and the blade is 6.5 inches long, and from a combat perspective, that makes sense. In 1966 we weren’t that far departed from the hand-to-hand fighting in Korea, World War 2, and World War 1. Combat knives meant the blade needed to be long enough to strike something vital regardless of the angle from which the knife penetrates. That’s why the Ka-Bar has a 7-inch blade as well.

The dagger tip design could be used to slash, but this is a stabbing knife more than a slasher. The handle inspires you to use a fencing style grip, much like the famed Fairbairn-Sykes V-42 dagger. The handle and blade design could even make a good spear with a good stick and some solid lashing.

The serration is quite capable of doing some serious sawing. If I had to dig a fighting hole, the serration would chop through roots nice. The Mk2 makes short work of thick ropes, rough leather, and thick uniform style clothing.

Gerber makes a die-cast aluminum handle for the Mk2. G10 is great, leather-wrapped metal is great, but there is an extra degree of durability with an all-aluminum handle. Plus, it was 1966, and we didn’t have the technology and innovation we have today. It’s rounded and comfortable enough.

The downside is the grip isn’t very aggressive. It’s smooth without checkering of any kind. There is an aggressive handguard that prevents your hand from sliding into the blade. The lack of checkering means saying bye-bye to hotspots when hard work is at play.

All In All

The Gerber Mk2 is a sweet reproduction of a historical knife. If you are a knife nerd who likes historical knives, this is for you. If you want a dedicated survival knife, then go for something more modern. The ESEE 4 is objectively a better survival knife, but the Mk2 is a cooler knife. Also, remember the knife scene in Aliens? Bishop was tossing around a Gerber Mk2 like an absolute beast.

That might’ve been the sole reason I bought this knife.

Staring Down the Barrel of Gun Control

By

Keith Finch

-

January 12, 2021

Oh, it’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas (or F*ck This) depending upon which side of the gun control spectrum you fall on, assuming this is a polarizing issue for you as it is for me. I am firmly in the parenthetical category.

However, it is not all sunshine and roses for the gun restrictions crowd, although they are likely to smile and pretend it is clear skies while the thunderhead rolls in.

But they aren’t all putting on the delusional brave face. This report, from San Diego of all places (I would generally expect more enthusiasm but this is the AP, not Mother Jones or Vox) details one of the chief difficulties.

Market Saturation.

Gun restrictions face uphill battle even under Biden

SAN DIEGO (AP) – The gun debate in America will soon enter a new chapter with a Democrat in the White House after four years under President Donald Trump in which gun control advocates developed a long wish list for reform amid a spate of large-scale mass killings in places like Las Vegas, El Paso and Parkland, Florida.

Ah, already we have selective memory. We didn’t mention Pulse in Orlando, Florida. We didn’t mention the slaying of officers in Dallas, Texas during the march over the police shootings of Alton Sterling and Philando Castile. We didn’t mention the Kalamazoo, MI Uber Killer, or the federal officer who killed 3 and injured 3 in Bethesda and Beltsville, Maryland… Would those happening to be in the year 2016 make them irrelevant?

The items on the agenda — largely relegated to the political shelf in recent years — include renewing a ban on AR-style rifles, universal background checks, restrictions on high-capacity magazines and a federal red flag law designed to prevent people at risk of harming themselves or others from purchasing a firearm.

Oh, look… the same empirically terrible ideas as usual, I’m sure they’ll work this time though…

Let’s break these down… again.

Ban “Assault Weapons”
- Nebulous definition unless it is so broadly applied it covers the whole of semi-automatics
- Targets the method less likely to be used in homicide than sharp objects and blunt force
- Would reduce homicides by 2-4%, at most, and relies on 3 impossibilities to achieve that efficiency rate
  - First, all the homicides accounted for would have to be done with a banned weapon. They are not
  - Second, none of the killers must pick an alternate method. They would
  - Third, we must assume “ban” means gone and no longer available in circulation legally or illegally. This is impossible as shown by every nation with a ban in place
“Universal” Background Checks
- Relies on voluntary compliance
- No practical method of enforcement
Magazine Capacity Ban
- Has minimal correlation with the lethality of mass casualty attacks
  - High casualty counts have been achieved with high capacity and low capacity firearms with equal ease
  - Other factors tend to drive casualty counts
    - Time in which the shooter encounters effective resistance
    - Environment keeping people close to the shooter
    - Environment keeping people from knowing there is a threat
    - Shooter’s own motives and actions
      - Specific target, mass casualty, or mix
      - Change or acceleration of motive (single homicide becoming a mass killing/suicide)
      - Psychological desire to continue
- There are hundreds of millions units in circulation
“Red Flag” Law
- Designed ostensibly for the safety of vulnerable individuals and those around them during a suspected temporary mental crisis, example: severe depression
- In practice has subjective problems, due process concerns, bureaucratic implementation and recovery problems, and can easily be weaponized against an individual
  - “Red Flagging” may not be as potentially lethal as “SWATing” but the disruption to someone’s life for a selfish, vindictive, or malicious reason is still immense
    - There are usually very weak provisions in place to prevent misuse
- Most of the effective methods used under “Red Flag” are available to family member, friends, and law enforcement through other channels, and voluntarily available to the person in potential crisis
- The Help/Harm ratio on these laws is suspect, especially with voluntary alternatives. Active engagement by the individual is preferred

Now, back to the AP

But virtually all of those will require Congress to act.

Yes, as they should require. The President should in no way wield that authority.

The most coveted piece of legislation by gun control advocates has been a renewal of the ban on “assault weapons” that expired in 2004. Biden played a central role in pushing through that decade-long ban, and he has pledged to push for another ban on the semiautomatic long guns that have only surged in popularity since their return to the market.

Interesting… I thought the big push and the great saving laws were going to be Universal Background Checks and Red Flag Laws, now its an Assault Weapons Ban again. Saturation of AR-type rifles into the market (and that is a nebulous distinction because we don’t have clear criteria) has at the very least doubled since 2004’s sunset on the first ban.

Much has changed since that ban was pushed through — from the political landscape to the saturation of those firearms in the civilian market.

In the years leading up to and following the ban, there were an estimated 8.5 million AR-platform rifles in circulation in the United States. Since the ban was lifted, the rifles — called “modern sporting rifles” by the industry — have only surged in popularity. The National Shooting Sports Foundation now estimates there are more than 17 million in circulation. And there are likely significantly more after this year, which consistently smashed monthly records for federal background checks.

It’s good to see the AP pulling reliable numbers. We are sitting at about 21 million background checks for 2020 according to the NSSF, upwards of 10 million of those are new owners. This does not begin to estimate the number of firearms sold that didn’t need a background check and didn’t end up on NICS because they were legal individual to individual transfers.

How many people bought their first gun off a friend or family member who had one to spare? How many more million new owners are there with that method?

The Point

The point is that with a 50/50 Senate and a bare majority in the House of Representatives, combined with a more vibrant and larger gun owning populous than ever before after the year that proved gun control was useless. They are going to have an uphill challenge even holding all the cards and the Congress, already on the nation’s shitlist for many-a-reason, is going to need to earn good grace points.

Some of them remember, hell the President-Elect should remember, just what the AWB cost them in 1994.

It will be a fight, it is coming, but socially and informationally we are in a much better position than 94 had us.