A Bite of the Big Apple: Psychiatry Grand Rounds at Queens Hospital Center

By

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October 31, 2019

(from wikipedia.org)

I was very pleased to be asked to speak to the Department of Psychiatry last Friday at Queens Hospital Center. QHC is affiliated with Mt. Sinai’s Icahn School of Medicine. It was a unique chance to give the DRGO view in the heart of anti-gun sentiment, New York City, and a welcome opportunity to preach data and reason to a roomful of progressives who had to sit and listen.

The invitation came from Dr. Neil Mukerji, a dedicated DRGO member who decided to let his colleagues know him better. We need to do more of that. As Charles Krauthammer put it: “Say what you think . . . say it honestly and bluntly”; “go . . . into a liberal lion’s den. That’s where you test yourself.”

There’s no recording to memorialize my verbal tics for posterity, but it may be worth reiterating the main points presented regarding Gun Violence Research: Public Health & Mental Health.

First came the overview:

30-40,000 gunshot deaths per year in America, and 100,000 injuries.
1/3 of deaths from homicide, 2/3 from suicide (and half of all suicides by firearm).
A smattering of accidental deaths, with extremely few now among children.
Dramatic reductions over the past 30 years in homicides and accidents despite equally dramatic increase of firearm ownership in America, both in homes and being carried.
But no lessening of hoplophobia among people uncomfortable and unfamiliar with guns.

One has to note that the text of the Second Amendment is the framework within which any interventions have to fit. And then set that against some quotes from anti-gun research and public establishment figures from the 1980s and 1990s, which was the culture that had to be confronted.

The risks of anti-gun success include government monopoly on force, beginning with universal gun registration (as has preceded all modern gun confiscations, which too often precede totalitarianism). The consequences of forbidding access to Colt’s “great equalizer” would be especially dire for women, the elderly, and anyone who is not a strong, aggressive male.

It bore stating to this hospital audience that guns are not infectious, that ‘gun violence’ is not epidemic, and that our lane as physicians should above all be to reduce the second leading cause of death in the United States (after tobacco): iatrogenic deaths, easily 400,000 yearly. It’s shameful that physicians feel free to insert ourselves into politics, criticizing the mote in other’s eyes, when we deny the timber in our own.

The subject of defensive gun uses came next. There are far more than anyone imagines with as many or more lives saved as gunshot costs us each year. To my mind, this is the single greatest point that gets lost in the “conversation”. Good public policy cannot be made based on emotional anecdotes, but requires a neutral, hard look at the full range of risks and benefits of potential interventions.

What about the effects of culture on violent crime and homicide? It’s not just about guns, granting that firearms are used in these far too often here. But just a glance at the rates of those tragedies around the world shows that the United States, with far and away more guns per capita than anywhere else, shows only low to middling rates of these compared to countries around the world that rigidly limit legal gun ownership, most of whom seem to favor hanging to do themselves in.

The data from objective researchers as well as, surprisingly, some gun control advocates shows that there is no correlation of strict gun laws or background checks with rates of homicide and violent crime. Trends in many places show reductions in violent crime when legally owned firearms become more available. Background checks, that magic pill for eliminating bad actors from gun ownership, are error-prone and likely contribute little to preventing crime.

Half of our violent crime occurs in just 3% of zip codes, and actually in just a few neighborhoods within them—generally poor, urban and non-white areas ridden with drugs and gangs. These criminals (who are also the most common victims) are largely adolescents and young men. (Who are all too commonly identified as “children” in studies pulling for maximum emotional impact).

The solution isn’t to disarm the law-abiding population. It is two-fold and must be directed at these perpetrators who are also at such risk. Young men without strong, ethical role models need effective mentoring to steer them away from hazards. Once crime is committed, consequences need to be swift and lasting to limit repetition, because the best predictor of violent behavior is previous violence. There are a variety of programs and practices around the country doing this.

With all this, per capita, per gun and gun owner, especially if one avoids the small areas with the most violence, the United States remains one of the very safest countries in the world to live in.

With regard to mental illness, only about 4% of violent crime is committed by identifiably psychiatrically ill individuals. Our patients are far more likely to be victimized than to hurt others. But suicide has not dropped along with violence to others, and as the greatest risk of death involves firearms, it needs far more attention. We believe there is treatable illness (depressive, psychotic, etc.) in nearly all who die by their own hand. When 54% of suicides do not come to attention as mentally ill prior to death, it’s clear we have a great deal of work ahead of us.

Firearms are extremely lethal in suicide attempts, 18 times more likely to end in death than most other means (though jumping can be just as deadly, and hanging is increasing in frequency).

But there are large cultural issues in suicide to be grappled with. As with violence, the great number of firearms in America still leaves us below the average of suicide rates globally, with other nations preferring hanging, poison or jumping. Means substitution is a controversial subject, but I think it is virtually a sure thing in the long run—suicidality will not diminish just because Beto comes for our guns.

Acutely, the high lethality of readily available firearms matters very much. The final act may be somewhat impulsive, but the typical suicide has been working up to it for some time with a fixed idea of what he must do. When the attempt can be prevented or interrupted, most people can be healed and will likely never try again.

Thus the question of “Red Flag” laws has to be addressed. Their point, to intervene in cases where someone realizes someone else is in danger (or might commit violence), is valid. But as they have so far been enacted in 14 states, they are dangerous themselves and badly infringe on multiple constitutional principles that we normally prize. That they usually define possessing a gun as an actionable danger in itself is scary enough. Then confiscation is ordered unbeknownst to the subject, who only then can fight for his rights and property at great expense. Guilty unless proven innocent is not the basis of our society.

All we know about their efficacy is from Connecticut, which has had one for years: perhaps one suicide has been prevented for each 20 confiscations there and no homicides at all. But one man in Maryland was killed during the surprise execution of the order.

What should we do? Adding to the 22,000+ laws that regulate the ~~militia~~ . . . sorry, legal gun ownership and use . . . won’t help. The meme that matters is: “See something, Say something, Do something.” In cases like the massacre at the M.S. Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where authorities ignored many fears and warnings, the “Do something” failed, and has far too often. In cases of criminal threat, the legal system must do its job. When there may be psychiatric instability, expert evaluation must be obtained, and if inpatient treatment is indicated it must continue as long as needed until the person can be discharged safely.

Education is the key to true ‘gun safety’. Four simple Rules are really all that is necessary, and children should be taught them just as they learn to swim against the risk of drowning. People will encounter guns in our world, and must understand what they do and how to deal with them. There are programs for all that can teach everything from basic safety to expert marksmanship. The firearm industry, from major manufacturers through NSSF to the NRA to individual gun shop owners all offer or participate in educational programs that can teach safety and prevent tragedies. Our gun culture needs to be respected for all that rather than vilified.

Firearm research is a good thing; the problem is that so much of it is bad, biased, of shoddy academic and statistical quality, full of correlations, associations, and arbitrary data selection and conclusions that primarily meet the research goals rather than produce reliable findings. Despite the constant calls for more money to do more research, there has always been money for anti-gun studies, of which there are actually more than ever.

The questions after were as expected. One did want to know more (about the Dickey amendment). The other two were classic diversions. “Do you think your hunting is more important than children’s lives?” (Of course not—my hunting doesn’t endanger any children.) And, “Children’s car seats have improved through regulation.” (Sure, but the ideally functional gun simply fires when the trigger is pulled, and does not when it isn’t. I alluded to the mistaken notion that “smart guns” will make anything better, if they ever become usable.)

Sorry, I don’t remember if there was any applause at the end. But there sure were a number of attendees who couldn’t wait to get out of there and back to work!

Nonetheless, this was an excellent, Krauthammer-ish experience for me, DRGO, and the few brave souls who felt reinforced in their counter-cultural advocacy of rational thinking about firearms in the Big Apple. We had a marvelous time at lunch right after and hope to do it all again and more. For me, a free afternoon in New York City was quite a perq, too.

.

— DRGO Editor Robert B. Young, MD is a psychiatrist practicing in Pittsford, NY, an associate clinical professor at the University of Rochester School of Medicine, and a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association.

All DRGO articles by Robert B. Young, MD

Language Matters: “Gun enthusiasts launch initiative bid to repeal gun safety measure”

By

Keith Finch

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October 31, 2019

Washington State

Firearms enthusiasts in Eastern Washington have launched an initiative campaign to repeal Initiative 1639, the measure passed by voters last November that raises the minimum age for purchase of semiautomatic assault rifles from 18 to 21 and imposes a 10-day waiting period.

The opening paragraph and headline of the piece from KomoNews is reporting on the voter initiative to repeal I-1639, the law that pushed Washington into far greater alignment with California were previously they were the most firearm owner friendly of the west coast states.

The measure was so divisive, led by the coastal urbanites, that several counties refused to enforce the restrictive measure. This led to a response by the state AG saying, “enforce or else.”

We stand in support of the Washington citizenry who are looking to remove the onerous restrictions that I-1639 thrust upon them.

But take a look at that headline…

Gun enthusiasts launch initiative bid to repeal gun safety measure

Can you feel it? The passive aggressive judgement of those who look on the folks in Washington wanting to repeal I-1639.

Call me “triggered” but the both ‘Gun Enthusiasts’ and ‘Gun Safety Measure’ indicates the full opinion those reporting on the issue. They support I-1639 and are using language to minimize how seriously readers look at the measure or the ‘enthusiasts’ who are pushing for it.

Let’s face it, ‘enthusiast’ might as well read ‘gun nut’. Gun nut would at least opening convey the opinion instead of padding the language in a guise of objectivity. ‘Enthusiasts’ minimize how seriously you should take what these people have to say. You don’t go see a medical ‘enthusiast’ to treat an illness or injury, that’s just a person who spends to much time on WebMD. If I say ‘airplane enthusiast’ or ‘flying enthusiast’ you probably visualize a guy or girl frequenting airplane museums and with a remote control toy in a park, not a Blackhawk pilot.

Washington State Citizens Seek Repeal of I-1639 Gun Control Law Through Ballot Initiative

Look, what does that headline state? ‘Technically’ the same topic as the other headline but with plenty of information for someone interested to go digging.

The ‘gun enthusiasts’ trying to repeal the ‘gun safety measure’ sounds like an grumpy group of ignorant idiots angry at a ‘common sense’ little rule. It’s just a ‘gun safety measure‘, not a list of new felony and misdemeanor charges that can be leveled against Washington citizens. No need to take a look at the ‘gun safety measure’, I’m sure it’s fine and the ‘enthusiasts’ are overreacting.

Did they talk to Representative Ilhan Omar for language crafting tips?

Now, I’m an opinion writer primarily. I see something, look at something, or try something. Using my pool of knowledge I then give my honest opinion, trying my best to give good information and highlight biases that you, the readers, should account for to properly salt my words and form a better educated opinion. My perpetual love of ACOGs and enjoyment of bullpups are biases. The fact I love the M16A4 pretty much as it was is a bias. My formative education in this space from reading online and being an Infantry Marine are all biases.

But I do my level best to not ‘lead’ you to defacto sharing my opinion. This KomoNews report is trying to do just that, apparently.

Have any casual reader, someone not tuned into the measure at hand, simply read the headline, chuckle, and say “oh, those crazy ‘gun enthusiasts’ are at it again.” and dismissing the concerns Washington citizens are addressing, as serious infringements on civil rights in the state, as nothing more than fluffed up much ado about nothing.

Lions and Tigers and Terrorists

By

Dr LateBloomer

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October 30, 2019

Several years ago I had a non-shooting friend of mine express dismay that the competition targets I was shooting at in a photograph were human-shaped. Not even just human-shaped, she called them “people”. “So you shoot PEOPLE?”, was her shocked exclamation. Even cardboard cutouts are people too apparently.

This friend, like virtually every other anti-gun person, misunderstood the basic premise of the Second Amendment. It’s not about hunting, and never was. I tried to explain to my friend that if I were ever in the horrible position of having to use my gun to save my own life, it was unlikely to be because of lions and tigers and bears (oh my), but because I was being attacked by a bipedal animal of the genus Homo sapiens.

It wasn’t ravaging hordes of lions who murdered millions in Stalin’s Russia. It wasn’t tigers sent by Pol Pot who slaughtered more millions in Southeast Asia. And it won’t likely be a grizzly bear who kicks down my door in the middle of the night or who tries to grab me in a dark parking lot.

Nope. Those who do that sort of thing are animals with ostensibly human DNA. Thus, although I have absolutely nothing against cardboard personally, I train to shoot at human-shaped cardboard targets. That’s also why I refuse to give in to the “how many bullets do you ‘need’?” crowd. My answer is “As many as it takes”.

Even a perfect shot with a deer rarely results in less than a 50-yard search before finding the body. And a deer isn’t usually coming after you with murder on its mind. A criminal or terrorist who is hopped up on adrenaline? Yeah, I’ll keep my 30 round magazines, thanks just the same.

Anyone who has watched any law enforcement body cam videos should understand that there is no such thing as a one shot stop – not for rampaging bears, and not for criminal humans either. So I’ll have as many rounds as it takes, and put them in my human-shaped targets thank-you-very-much.

Then there’s zombies. Those are about the only human-shaped targets that are allowed in the public’s imagination anymore. Zombies used to be human, but aren’t anymore. They’re dead (okay, UNdead). They’re rotting and they stink, so it’s okay to hate them. (To de-humanize the formerly human as it were) In an era where newspapers soft-pedal a dead terrorist rather than praise the work of a team who forced the death of a guy who “needed killin’ “, zombies are the only acceptable “enemy” target left anymore.

When I was a kid we played Good Guys vs Bad Guys all the time. These were pre-offense-days, so sometimes the bad guys were western outlaws, sometimes they were Indians, sometimes they were Nazis. The Nazis were sort of the last to go before the zombies – probably because they were white European types, and it was still ok to hate them. Oh, and Confederates – those were white guys too, so it’s still ok to hate them as well.

Some of my best friends are cardboard and they come over to my house to help.

Nowadays (with the forementioned exceptions) you can’t have bad guys at all without being accused of being racist, or classist, or sexist, or culturally insensitive, or offending someone in some way. Even terrorists who raped and beheaded people are inexplicably sympathetic figures now to certain newspapers and Hollywood types. It boggles the mind.

Some of my target friends even help me express my gender and respect for boobies.

Despite what the soft-headed and soft-hearted feel in their feelingingest of feelings, our greatest enemy is still other humans. Period. So I’ll keep my vaguely humanoid cardboard cut-outs, thanks. My targets don’t wear clothes, they don’t have a gender, and don’t have any religious or political affiliations either. But sooner or later they will probably offend papersexual androgynous nudists or something, so be prepared.

Defending Yourself from Occult Threats in the Modern World

By

Keith Finch

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October 30, 2019

pinterest — Image via Pinterest via DeviantArt. Perfect art for this topic http://admirawijaya.deviantart.com/art/The-Wolf-hunter-II-507037111

A Guest Post

In the modern world we face many threats; assault, robbery, wildlife, natural disasters, and geo-political assassinations. But while the self defense industry has really perfected fighting traditional threats, one area that it truly lacks in is dealing with the Occult.

Sure, we have all thought about the zombie apocalypse and how could you not? Popular TV shows have proven that the main thing to worry about in a zombie apocalypse is weak writing.

What about the other lesser known but still dangerous things that go bump in the night? While by no means comprehensive this article will help guide your way on identifying and dealing with other worldly threats.

Identifying your threat.

Werewolves

By Manzanedo. You’re going to be getting a lot of DevArt links in this one folks. Go give them some love after reading.

Heckin’ big ol’ pupper doin’ you a concern friendo? Well worry no more.

The Werewolf or Loup Garou is really only a concern during certain times of the month, much like my ex wife. So when the moon is full, trade out those Gold Dots for some silver bullets.

Silver, being highly and immediately toxic to the lycanthrope, will be doing devastating damage. Now don’t let that go to your head shot placement is still king. So calm down, focus on your sight, and boop that werewolf right in the face.

Now a note on silver ammo. Silver is not only costly, but also not a great metal for making bullets out of. So when you are melting down your grandma’s silver drawer make sure to copper jacket those silver slugs. Also make doubly sure you don’t leave a mag of silver ammo in when you hit the range. At 4 dollars a round, you will have a costly bill drill (assuming around 124 grains of silver).

Recommendation: Personally I prefer my Glock 34. The Holosun 507c makes fast and accurate hits on moving targets a breeze. Furthermore the cocking serrations and sight housing mean easy malfunction clearances while you hold off that werewolf with the other hand. Add some factory 19 rounders or Magpul PMAG 21 rounders and you’ll have plenty of precious metal to share with that furry aggressor.

Vampires

Vamps aren’t friends. We’re food. Ourlak image credit. Burn them down.

Dracula. Vlad. Chenobog. Spike. Sekhmet… Edward?

Okay maybe not that last one, but the rest of those names are bound to stir up some ugly thoughts of ancient blood sucking threats. While these lords of the night can drain you faster than a Black Friday sale at Brownells can drain your wallet, there are some simple things you can do to keep yourself safe.

Legends and lore say vampires can’t come into a house unless invited. So instead of a welcome mat, set out one that tells him “Come back with a warrant.” Vampires have a similar weakness to silver as their furry counterparts, ammo commonality. Vampires also have an aversion to Garlic and Holy Symbols. So keep a picture of John Moses Browning and a couple of cloves and you should be able to keep them back.

Recommendation: Personally I take a page from one of my favorite YouTube channels. Demolition Ranch, and whip up some special shotgun rounds. I remove the birdshot and load it up with minced garlic. Loaded up in a ten-round round magazine in my Mossberg 590M, I alternate silver buckshot and garlic rounds for a potent, if somewhat fragrant, defense.

Zombies

fighting the zombie hoard, JasonChanArt — Okay, this one was just too awesome not to use as the heading image. JasonChanArt. The little girl with the brick knows what’s up.

I know I know. Is this 2009? Most of you probably have in-depth zombie plans. But bear with me a moment (note to self: worry about zombie bears) because I want to discuss something I think needs discussing.

A .22LR is not an appropriate zombie defense weapon. The only known effective methods for zombie removal are a headshot and total body destruction. You still need to penetrate the skull and deal some damage if you’re not wielding high explosives or a flamethrower. Countless times we have seen .22 glance off and bounce away. So while a break down .22 has a great place in your bug out bag it is time to retire it from you anti-zombie loadout.

Instead? What if I told you that you could get tons of practice monthly towards fighting the zombie horde?

Well you can, at your local USPSA match. With stages designed for you to have to move around barricades and accurately deal with targets at a variety of ranges it is the best way to start getting ready for the undead horde we all know is coming. Plus now with their new pistol caliber carbine division you have an excuse to build another AR15 variant.

Recommendation: Personally I leave the long guns at home. I strap on the STI DVC Open 2011. Sure it costs a pretty penny. But this optic equipped, compensated, high-capacity, and accurate race gun is as at home at a competition as it is turning the undead back into the dead-dead. Available in both 9mm and .38 Super you will have plenty of power for getting through those thick noggins. Plus a number of professionals in the field of dealing with monsters have recommended STI pistols.

Cultist

Nothing worse than getting woken up on a Saturday by a pushy person with a pamphlet. Well, except for groups of people cursed by reading tomes of forbidden knowledge trying to bring about the end of the world via ancient squid gods.

While your average cultist is just your standard human, they do have some things that make them particularly dangerous. Namely magic.

When dealing with large crowds of people wearing robes and chanting you need to be careful. Especially if you find yourself encountering them in New England while getting some lobster rolls. Most cultist don’t have any real magic, however keep a sharp eye out for ones with big scary books who are reading latinish things out loud. Those guys need to be dealt with right quick.

Also be cautious because these situations often involve hostages. Resist the urge to go all Old Man Henderson and leave the molotovs at home. If you happen to find one of these old scary books, do not read out of it. I repeat DO NOT read out of it.

Recommendations: This old ones problems needs a new world solution. And I look no further than my Knights Armament SR-25 E2 Combat Carbine, combining a heavy hitting 7.62x51mm round with a quicker and easier to use carbine length barrel. Not to mention the KAC ambidextrous lower making operation easy for left or right handed shooter. It give me the confidence to face the second worst thing New England has to offer after Patriot fans.

This article, by no means, was comprehensive. In fact we left several threats off due to length. At another time we may cover Humboldt Folk, Fish People, Owlbears, Wendigo, and worst of all Mimics.

But hopefully now you find yourself better prepared those threats that go bump in the night. Stay Spooky Friends.

Soldier ‘Pulled a Sneaky’ on the Army

By

Keith Finch

-

October 29, 2019

pulledasneaky — Pictured: Soldier slips memes into Army TC 3-20.40 for individual weapons training

I wrote about the new Army training standards awhile back. I was excited to see the Army finally roll out a training standard that was a bit closer to the ‘train how you fight’ concept than the old one.

But what I missed, and the Army editors whose job it is to check these apparently did too, was the fact that one of the authors slipped in a few well known references at this juncture. Props to Soldier Systems and Gun Grabbing Memes for making my day, and thus yours, more entertaining.

Yes, that is Sergeant First Class Todd P. Cowabunga

SFC Cowabunga, Stalingrad, Colorized 2019

The very next name is Boogaloo. Staff Sergeant Samantha P. Boogaloo, perhaps our ordained leader during the Big Igloo, Luau, or uWu. (I’ve lost track of all the names, they are bountiful) and she will lead us into shenanigans. Who knows.

Then the piece de resistance…

Shall

Not

Be

Infringed

Second

Amendment

Right

Genius

All listed in the example record.

To you, oh bold soldier, I salute you. Meme on oh noble warrior of the internet.

Now the Army pulled the training doc to edit it and remove the possibly “offensive” example names but the original will be available somewhere online for all to find, I am certain. Personally, if this offended you as a serving soldier, I see deeper issues needing to be addressed.

It’s 2019. We live in the era of Terminal Lance and US Army WTF Moments. Our professional fighting forces can laugh a little, and then go chase the head of ISIS down an alley to his well earned demise.

DO YOU NEED A RIFLE SCOPE?

By

The Armory Life

-

October 29, 2019

Editor’s Note: This is part three of a three-part series on sighting options for your rifle. The first entry covered iron sights, the second part touched on red dots and this third part addresses rifle scopes. Be sure to read all three parts to get the full story.

GAT Editor’s Opinion: LPVO’s are the current best general purposes optical option for carbines. Period.

In previous weeks we discussed the merits of utilizing and understanding the practicality of iron sights as well as when red dot sights can improve speed and awareness and be beneficial to those of us with less than perfect vision.

That now brings us to the topic of rifle scopes with magnification. There is a novelty in being able to push one’s shooting prowess to its limits and see exactly how far you can connect on a shot. Simultaneously, you don’t want a rifle scope on an all-purpose carbine that is so overmatched for your target that close quarter targets become unfeasible to engage.

There is a certain balance that must be achieved in magnification, weight and other ancillary features to accomplish the mission at hand. In the third part of this series on carbine sighting systems, we will now cover the pros and cons of rifle scopes on your modern sporting rifle.

A good quality scope, such as this Vortex Strike Eagle 1-6X, can offer you close range performance as well as the ability to reach out to longer distances.

Realistic Goals

With most people’s modern sporting rifles being chambered in .223 Rem/5.56mm NATO, your effective range is roughly 600 yards (without deep-diving into reloading your own ammunition and some other wizardry performed on your firearm). Understanding this is essentially the practical limit of the cartridge, you then need to ask yourself how far you are actually going to shoot.

Secondly, how close do you want to shoot? If you top off your rifle with a titan of a scope you may not be able to engage anything quickly under 100 yards. Conversely, if the magnification of your rifle scope is too weak, how comfortable are you shooting long distances with low magnification? Identifying your working range, or the distances you intend to engage targets, will lead you to what magnification your rifle scope should be.

My answer to that proposed question was potentially 300 yards at a maximum and possibly 10 yards at a minimum. Sounds nearly too close and too far at the same time, right? Well, there are a bevy of rifle scope manufacturers who make optics that could amply cover that range of distance. With a rifle scope that is 1-4X, 1-6X or 1-8X, you have the ability to shoot both near and far while not adding significant weight to your weapon platform.

Read On

Gun Free Zone Repeal and Constitutional Carry Gaining Ground in Michigan

By

Keith Finch

-

October 29, 2019

fillerletterHB4770-4474 — Image via MCRGO. A letter encouraging the Michigan House Judiciary Committee to examine and take up the bills.

So now that Constitutional Concealed Carry and a repeal of most pistol free zones has been reported out of the House Military, Veterans, and Homeland Security Committee on a 5-1 vote, what’s the next step?

This session, the House has implemented a process where firearms legislations goes through two committees prior to being voted on by the full House. So the next step is to obtain a hearing and vote in the House Judiciary Committee chaired by Rep. Graham Filler (R-DeWitt).

It is unknown when or if the House Judiciary Committee will take up the package. Consequently, MCRGO has joined with the bill sponsors in requesting a hearing and vote in House Judiciary Committee at the earliest possible opportunity.

If Constitutional Concealed Carry and a repeal of pistol free zones is important to you, we encourage you to contact Rep. Filler as well. You can send him a message easily here: http://gophouse.org/representatives/central/filler/contact/ – Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners

If you are a Michigan resident. Click that link. If you are a supporter and want to encourage Representative Filler to take up the bill, a short email would benefit greatly.

Gun Free Zone Reform

Every effort to allow the law abiding to remain ably armed should be considered and we know good and well the prevalence of attacks that have been successfully perpetrated at locations that ban firearms. The ‘Gun Free Zone’ is a myth that needs to be put away from the legalize security theater discussions once and for all. Zones do not prevent attacks, its arguable that they encourage those places as targets.

The bills are a two prong effort to steadily restore Michigan citizens’ rights and set a continued example for the nation.

Yes, Whitmer is still The Mitten’s Governor. This legislative package has a high veto chance.

But that should not discourage Second Amendment Rights advocates from putting this bill on her desk in Lansing. The previous governor, Snyder, was no friend of the 2A crowd either and consistently ignored them. Counting on the (R) beside his name to carry the pro-gun voters.

Michigan would join 16 other states in recognizing the the right to bear arms is not something that requires a tax and permit, but a natural extension of the law abiding citizenry as a matter of standard practice. Studying the states that have the voluntary Constitutional Carry permitting system actually shows very strong returns still in training. Opt in education over mandates.

This work and these efforts matter, even if they stop at the executive branch desk this time around. Passing the bills, proving the concept, and working

TOO MUCH GUN FOR HOME DEFENSE?

By

The Armory Life

-

October 28, 2019

According to the media, no one could possibly need something like a “weapon of war” as a home defense firearm. Then again, it was television and movie people who came up with that whole idea of shooting the gun out of the bad guy’s hand.

If you’re reading this, you already know that an AR does not differ from any other type of firearm. It has different pros and cons and is suitable for some jobs more than others. In my view, one area where it shines is in the role of home defense firearm. More specifically, it’s the AR pistol that presents an option worthy of serious consideration.

Before we get into specifics, we ought to invest a hot second talking about why an AR makes a good home defense option. Contrary to popular assumption, a standard .223/5.56mm projectile isn’t a penetration beast. In fact, a standard 55-grain FMJ bullet will penetrate fewer walls or pieces of furniture than most any pistol round. The combination of a small and light projectile and high velocity creates a ballistic sweet spot where bullets quickly begin to fragment and tumble. But be prepared; it will be loud.

With that said, let’s consider a few AR pistol attributes that support a home defense role for it.

A firearm like the 5.56mm SAINT Edge Pistol gives you a very capable firearm for home defense.

Read On

CZ-USA Introduces New All-Terrain Series of Shotguns

By

Keith Finch

-

October 28, 2019

unnamed — Sporting an OD Green finish and walnut stock, CZ's stunning new series of shotguns can handle any weather, any time.

Kansas City, KS (October 28, 2019) – Several of CZ-USA’s most popular shotguns are now available in the new All-Terrain Series, which features an OD Green Cerakote finish and walnut stock for the best in all-season durability and elegant design. Likewise, four break barrel models feature an innovative patent-pending earth magnet design to keep shotgun shells in place when bird hunters are most active in the field.

Perfect for chasing every species from doves and ducks to turkey and grouse, the new All-Terrain Series includes the semi-auto 1012 and break barrel Bobwhite G2, Drake, Redhead Premier and Upland Ultralight models. Barrels and receivers feature an OD Green Cerakote finish that delivers the ultimate in durability no matter how nasty the elements get. Whether you’re hunkered down in a duck blind or traipsing through the timber, the All-Terrain Series shotguns are built to take whatever abuse gets thrown their way. Paired with a walnut stock and forend, the series combines rugged dependability with a stunning look that’s anything but
ostentatious.

The stand-out feature on break-open models is the utilization of an earth magnet included in the design of the extractor/ejectors. Ideal for duck blinds or when dog handling, the magnets allow modern shells to be retained even when the gun is turned upside down. Likewise, the magnets make it easy to load the shotgun in a blind and prevent dropping shells when bending down to work with a dog.

Available in 12- or 20-gauge variants, as well as 28- or 30-inch barrel lengths depending on model, the All-Terrain Series shotguns come with extended chokes and sling swivel studs. Form meets function with these thoughtfully designed and highly durable shotguns from CZ-USA.

All-Terrain Series Features:

OD Green Cerakote finish for ruggedness in the worst elements
Premium walnut stock and forend
Extractor/ejector earth magnets on break-open variants to retain shells even when the gun is turned upside down
Sling-swivel studs
Extended chokes

1012 All-Terrain Specs:

12 GA
Barrel: 28″
MSRP: $690

Bobwhite G2 All-Terrain Specs:

12 or 20 GA
Barrel: 28″
MSRP: $828

Drake All-Terrain Specs:

12 or 20 GA
Barrel: 28″
MSRP: $790.80

Redhead Premier All-Terrain Specs:

12 or 20 GA
Barrel: 28″ or 30″
MSRP: $1,122.72

Upland Ultralight All-Terrain Specs:

12 or 20 GA
Barrel: 28″
MSRP: $889.98

An “Austere Religious Scholar” Dead

By

Keith Finch

-

October 28, 2019

Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, leader of ISIS and self proclaimed head of the Islamic Caliphate (that he announced), blew himself up when US Special Forces attacked. He ran down an alley, using three of his children as human shields, and then detonated a suicide device.

President Trump announced the death of the ISIS leader on television Sunday in a manner reminiscent of President Obama announcing the slaying of Osama Bin Laden.

But The Washington Post stole the whole show away from the terrorist’s demise with their headline.

“…austere religious scholar at the helm of Islamic State”.

Edited originally from “Terrorist-in-Chief”, which may have been to obvious a jab at our elected leader, the ‘corrected’ version has been internationally mocked. It framed arguably one of the most evil men on the planet, responsible for a host of atrocities and a staggering body count, in the same light as a stern catholic nun slapping knuckles with a ruler.

I’m also dubious of his ‘scholarly’ pursuits while trying bring about a worldwide caliphate through war and conquest, but who knows.

They settled on “Extremist Leader” in the end, but the damage was done.

#WAPostDeathNotices was born

“Adolf Hitler, dedicated art enthusiast, animal rights activist, and talented orator, dies at 56,” read another Hitler adaptation.

“Ted Bundy, meticulous researcher, charismatic figure, and Polaroid enthusiast, dead at 42”, was another, in reference to the infamous serial killer.

Sometimes the internet provides great joy, in this case savagely mocking a turn of phrase from someone apparently trying their hand at over-intellectualism.

Enjoy your Monday, friends!

Be Prepared for the Mountains, Fields and Range

By

Scott Smith

-

October 28, 2019

20190718_132723 — No matter where you hunt, hike or just go for a stroll; you need to be prepared.

This past July was spent in the Rocky Mountains traveling, shooting a couple of USPSA matches and hiking the mountains. I learned several things that I would like to share with you that apply to hiking, hunting or ventures on the water.

First, in arid climates the humidity is low and you still sweat, even if your clothing is not wet. This means you need to hydrate often and consume more liquid than at home. Not only will you be sweating but if you are at altitude the air is thin and your body needs more fluid to increase your blood volume.

Second, cover your skin. Just wearing sunscreen is not going to cut it. You are closer to the sun and it is more intense; especially when you are at altitudes over five thousand feet. Long sleeves, brimmed hats and pants protect you from wind burn and scrapes if you fall.

Third, get the right gear. The Rockies or northern plains are not rolling tree covered mountains and fields of the Appalachians or the Ozarks. They are rocky, barren and steep versus heavily vegetated and wet. You need footwear that is up to any terrain; purchase good walking sticks, pack and footwear. This gear will serve you well in the plains or the Piedmont areas of Virginia.

Even though you can see Colorado Springs from the Manitou Springs Incline, it could take 8 hours or longer to get you down. Know you limitations, no matter what you are doing. Your life and those of first responders are not worth endangering for fun.

Last and most importantly, KNOW YOUR LIMITS. It is very easy to over extend yourself. Getting lost or injured will leave you stranded on a train for hours or days. If you are like me on this trip coming from much lower altitude, you will need a few days or even weeks to adapt to the altitude, especially if it is as hot as this past summer. If you hike or hunt alone no matter where it is; let someone know where you are, guesstimated travel route and your expected return time.

The author was climbing The Manitou Springs Incline. It is a 45% incline, 68% in spots. I made in 1/3 of the 2744 steps. Going down was easily twice as hard as the clim

If you do not have walking sticks and are traveling out west you will be able to find them at many of the large truck stops or any big box outdoor store. Get at least one, a pair is better; you won’t regret it. A walking stick is invaluable to test the terrain or creek depth. Many rocky outcrops are not solid and will slide with you on them. I found mine to be invaluable descending as they give you stability to lean into going downhill. When trekking in Vegas, l learned they are needed the hard way. A few hundred yards from the truck as I slid face first down a gravel covered bike trail.

When hiking I use these from Stony Ridge and Shooters Rdige. They are lightweight and the length is easily adjusted. Walking sticks take a lot of stress off your legs on uneven terrain.

This is my First Tactical One Day Plus Pack,you can see there are numerous pouches and MOLLE attachments to meet your needs. The smaller pouch is my major injury kit from North American Rescue with a blood type and allergy maker.

Your pack does not need to be large enough for a week long military operation. However it does need to be a quality pack. You do not want to dump your load. I use Camelbak’s discontinued Mother Load or First Tactical’s One Day Plus($189.99). It is well made, had MOLLE attachments to add pouches and its pockets are compartmentalized. In my pack I carry water, food(protein bars), med kit(s), BRIGHT flashlight (spare batteries), a couple butane lighters and cotton balls soaked in petroleum jelly to start a fire and protection from the elements (an inexpensive poncho, a poncho liner wouldn’t hurt). Some of these items sound extreme, but weather moves in quickly, changes drastically no matter where you are and you will not out run it; be prepared.

The back and shoulder straps of the One Day Plus is well padded for comfort. The coyote panel is where the NAR med pouch attachs.

I carry two med kits; one for scrapes and one for major injuries. The boo boo kit needs to have a mix of band aids, antibiotic cream, aspirin, etc. The major kit has a tourniquet, wound seals, homeostatic gauze etc. Anyone who hunts, hikes or shoots needs to be able to treat a serious wound; you could be hours from rescue. Find a qualified trainer to teach you Tactical Combat Casualty Care. I have been to North American Rescue’s course, and highly suggest it. I also suggest carrying a thumb drive or typed list with your medical conditions, allergies, surgeries and medications. It would not hurt to carry an emergency supply of your meds with you; remember if something happens you life may depend on it.

Having hiked and climbed many fields, hills and mountains for fun and in the military; I learned that footwear is one of if not the most important piece of kit you can have. Climbing or even trekking the mountains of Wyoming, Montana, Colorado, etc requires a more stable boot than you wear for upland hunting or trekking in the Allegheny Forest of Pennsylvania. My go to boot for most outdoor activities is Lowa’s Zephyr GTX. While it serves well for most terrain, I knew with the angle of the mountains and trails out west; it would not be the best choice. A much more beefy boot was going to be needed, Lowa’s Z-6S GTX is much better suited to harder use in harsher terrain.

Lowa’s Z6-S is a serious boot built for military operations, it will handle most anything a serious hiker or hunter will throw at it. You can see how beefy the Monowrap is and you foot is wrapped from heel to tow.

At first glance the Z-6S looks like a slightly beefier Zephyr, they are vastly different. Lowa has built the Z6-S to meet the demands of SAR teams and for military operations. It meets Safety Certifications O2 HI CI FO HRO SRA. These are government testing standards that in plain English mean these boots are slip resistant, have a heat resistant outsole, oil resistant and waterproof.

You can see how similar the Z6-S GTX (L) and Zephyr GTX (R) look, that is where similarities end.

Climbing in sunny hot conditions (temps in excess of 100F), I appreciated the heat resistance of the soles. The climate control insoles worked as designed; my feet did not sweat even though these are Gore-tex lined boots. Listening to other folks at the trailhead or at the ranges where I shot matches, I know their experience was not the same.

As I mentioned these boots are Gore-tex lined. Some might question why in the middle of summer I would want to chance having hot feet. That is simple; you can encounter many mountain streams and ponds in The Rockies as well as the afternoon monsoons. There is nothing worse than wet feet when you have to walk out to your car. Not only is it uncomfortable, but odds are you will get blisters which will kill anymore treks or activities that require you to be on your feet.

You can see how deep the Cross Cuty tread pattern is, it grips even the most slippery or rocky terrain.

On more than one occasion I was glad to have chosen the Z-6S over my Zephyrs. The more aggressive Lowa Cross Duty outsole and greater ankle support were God sends when rocks or dirt gave way underfoot. I was able to dig in and not go sliding down the hill. As aggressive as the treads are they were pretty much self-cleaning even when filled with mud from the streams.

This photo shows the detail of Cross Duty sole of the Z6-S(B) versus the ATC sole the Zephyr.

If you go rappelling while you are hiking, the arch of the Z6-S wraps up the arch area to protect your boots and give you grip on the rope.

Like many of Lowa’s boots the Z6-S uses their patented Monowrap. This system literally wraps the foot completely. This is what gives a slip-lasted boot such great support and stability. The Monowrap of the Z6-S is visibly beefier than other boots. When coupled with the split grain leather upper, these boots are almost as supportive as mountaineering boots, but a lot more responsive and lighter.

Of course one of the biggest reasons to purchase a boot is comfort. Not only were the Z-6Ss as comfortable as their lighter weight siblings, but they are comfortable enough to do long haul drives in. I chose to wear them driving out I70 through the Vail area so that I could take Lulu out for walks along the mountain trails you can access from pull-offs along the interstate. At these pull-offs you will see folks kayaking, fishing and of course hiking. It is a great way to see Colorado. These boots were ideal for this light trekking and stopping to browse the tourist areas.

Like most of Lowa’s boots the Z6-Ss will be comfortable for a long time thanks to the double injection DuraPU (polyurethane). Unlike EVA used in other brands, PU does not collapse and lose its shock absorbing properties. My six year old Zephyrs are still comfortable enough to take Lulu for walks in foul weather when camping. I suspect these boots will hold up just as well.

When taking to the woods, mountains or fields; make sure you have the right gear. Not only will it make your time in the great outdoors more pleasurable, but it may save your life. Always wear quality footwear; if you go cheap your body pays the price. The Lowa Z6-S will set you back $310 but I guarantee you, they will outlast the big box hot deals or designer hiking boots that are the fad this year. Get your gear and head out into the wild; be safe, relax and have fun.

The REAL Reason for the 2nd Amendment

By

DRGO

-

October 27, 2019

“Disband your army and return to Rome . . . immediately!” the letter read. Julius Caesar looked at it, appalled. Rome wanted him to step down from his position of power and disband his standing army. “Not going to happen,” Caesar thought to himself. “In fact, I’ve got a little surprise for you . . […]

Caesar rallied his 13th legion army and marched straight to Rome’s border, stopping at the ‘illegal’ river.

It’s called ‘illegal’ because ANY army who passes the river will become an enemy of the state and immediately sentenced to death.

Julius stopped. He knew what that meant. If he screwed up, he’d sacrifice everything: his army, reputation, family, and most of all . . . his power.

Caesar could still turn back now, but in doing so, he’d miss out on the very rare opportunity to become . . .

. . . the most powerful dictator in history.

Caesar smiled. He wouldn’t pass up that opportunity for the world. So, he crossed the ‘illegal’ river and stormed the defenseless city of Rome.

The result?

Julius Caesar took over Rome and established himself as Rome’s dictator . . . for LIFE. With it came a loss of freedoms and liberties. The cause of it all could be traced back to one thing:

The standing army.

The Founding Fathers feared standing armies the most. They believed it was freedom’s #1 enemy. To protect us from it, they drafted . . .

The 2nd Amendment.

Here’s what they wrote:

“A well-regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” (2nd Amendment)

They’ve got a point if you think about it:

The standing army is equipped with ALL the weapons — AR15s with sco pes (technically called M16s), tanks, airplanes — and the experience to take down ANY nation.

That’s scary.

What if — like Julius Caesar — our same standing army was ordered to attack the people? Would we be able to defend ourselves?

Of course not.

We’d be burned to a crisp overnight. With it, everything that makes us American would go with it: our rights, civil liberties, and freedom would go down the drain.

Then, after we’ve been turned to ashes, a dictator will rise to rule the world with an iron fist just like Hitler.

But lucky for us, our Founders were smart. They learned from history and built a defense against freedom’s #1 enemy . . .

An Armed Militia.

But there was an unforeseen problem with it:

The soldiers themselves.

Let me explain:

Militias are run by the common man. That’s a great thing until the common man disagrees with politics (which happens every day). This can lead to catastrophe.

To illustrate what I mean, let me put you into the shoes of a common man serving the militia:

It’s 1787. You’ve just been hired to serve in a state militia along with your buddies. Recently, the governor just passed a law that taxes everyone more.

“Ain’t nobody gonna take my hard-earned money!” you complain. “Why don’t they come and get it?!”

Your friends nod in agreement with their rifles and you guys storm the local courthouse to serve justice. People die. An army is eventually called to take you guys down and, as a result, your rebellion fails.

As ridiculous as this story may sound, this event (although dramatized a bit) ACTUALLY happened in American history:

It’s called Shays’ Rebellion.

And that’s the EXACT reason why militias don’t work: they’re unstable standing armies that are ONE law away from a revolution.

Not good for peace.

The solution? Dissolve the militia and make a . . .

Permanent Standing Army.

As a result, we built the most powerful military in the world. Because of this, we now rule the world but it came at a costly price . . .

. . . we can NO longer protect ourselves from our own standing army IF they turn against the people.

As with Julius Caesar, it has happened before. So how can we protect ourselves when the militia no longer exists?

If you think the National Guard is a militia . . . think again.

In 2007, President Bush signed into action the National Defense Authorization Act, giving the president the ability to order the National Guard WITHOUT asking for permission from our own state governors.

In other words? The National Guard became ANOTHER standing army.

So if the militia isn’t the answer, then what is? In my opinion, the only answer that comes to mind is . . .

Individual Gun Rights

What was the REAL reason for the 2nd amendment? To enable we the people to defend ourselves from the standing army.

Sure, the original idea was to use a militia, but as I’ve mentioned . . . it isn’t the solution. So, what’s the only logical replacement our founding fathers would approve of? Again,

Individual Gun Rights.

Let me explain:

Militias are armed small armies run by us . . . the people. Take away militias but keep the people armed and we can easily regroup into a militia if it is ever needed.

However, that’s no longer the case. With every mass shooting, the people’s right to bear arms is being threatened. The other side’s viewpoint is their belief that if we just removed guns, gun violence would go away.

Not exactly.

You see, there are too many guns already in circulation. By passing strict gun control, you’ll immediately create a black market for guns, resulting in no change in gun violence, or worsening it.

Not good.

Instead, we should follow the footsteps of our Founders and protect our most sacred liberty to bear arms. Who knows, maybe one day we’ll be called to use it to protect our country from a tyrannical evil like Caesar.

That said, what do you think? Do you think protecting our individual gun rights is the best way to protect our freedom? Or is there another solution?

—Richard Douglas is the founder of Scopes Field, a blog where he reviews different scopes and guns on the market. He’s a strong 2nd amendment advocate and believes in science-backed gun solutions to our nation’s biggest problems.

All DRGO articles by Richard Douglas

‘Red Flag’ for Veteran Health?

By

Keith Finch

-

October 27, 2019

Stars and Stripes is reporting on the efforts of the well informed, compassionate, and totally unbiased Bloomberg minions at Everytown for Gun Safety. This group, leading its menagerie of well meaning yet ignorant folk, are trying to use the epidemic of veteran suicide to pass Extreme Risk Protection Order and other ‘Red Flag’ legislation across all 50 states.

The piece opens with an dark soul wrenching statement. If retired Marine Corps Master Sgt. Mike Washington had access to a firearm on some of his darkest days, he would’ve used it on himself.

We are immediately beset by emotion, encouraged to place our logic aside as we manifest sympathy. We feel for MSgt Washington. A Gulf War Veteran of both campaigns and he lost his son to the latter war, Afghanistan in 2008. Losing his son devastated him and pushed him into suicidal ideation. He got help.

“If I had a weapon handy at that time, I certainly would’ve used it,” Washington said.

He didn’t have a weapon. He is not a red flag success story.

But there is where Everytown grabbed their chance, and brought the retired MSgt onto an advisory council. They have taken the veteran suicide rate, a rate that is far higher than combat deaths and has been for awhile, and used it to recommend states add Red Flag and ERPO orders into their legal codes.

The Department of Veterans Affairs reported that firearms were used in 69% of all veteran suicides in 2017, the latest year data is available. That’s a nearly 33% increase from 2005. I am unsure if that was 33% overall suicides or by firearm specifically, firearm is implied.

The factors glossed over or omitted, it seems, are what the national suicide rates were and the trend of veteran suicides as a whole as the wars grew longer and all the services struggled with a myriad of internal problems that fueled service member stress and depression rates. The DoD is struggling colossally against toxic internal problems that undoubtedly kill its people.

Let’s take a hard look at that chart now that Everytown has claimed the 33% increase in ‘Veteran Firearm Suicide’ from 2005 to 2017. Suicide is sadly up across the whole population. Up 31% from 2001. Female suicide is up nearly 49% while males are up 23%.

Suicide has increased as a national concern, not just suicide by firearm. This context throws a 33% increase in Veteran suicide by firearm as falling inline with the troubling national trend, not an outlier and not directly firearm related. Firearms are the chosen method 50.5% of the time with a heavy bias towards male use. Given Veterans higher propensity to be firearm owners and also male, a higher use of firearms by veterans logically follows.

In Indiana, which enacted a red flag law in 2005, suicides by firearm have decreased by 7.5%, according to a study published last year in the journal Psychiatric Services. The same study found a 13.7% decline in gun suicides in Connecticut, which was the first state to pass a red flag law in 1999. –Stripes.com Article

Yet Indiana’s overall suicide rate is well above the national average and climbing. So why are we celebrating the Red Flag law when more people took their lives? Just because proportionally less did so with a gun? More people are dead but a lesser percentage chose a gun to do it. More people shot themselves but it was a lower ratio, that is their ‘Red Flag’ “win”.

2012 through 2018 shown. Indiana are the boxes, the national rate are the circles.

Suicides. Are. Up.

It’s highly inappropriate to claim a decrease, I feel, if we just dropped one method for another. If that 7.5% firearm method decrease had accompanied an overall decrease in suicide there might be a leg to stand on. But it doesn’t, suicides aren’t down. More people took their lives, not less.

Is this really the data you want to stand on, Everytown?

Washington, who said he was “very fortunate” to not have a gun in his house when he was suicidal, ran the suggestion for red flag laws past a group of Marine Corps veterans. They immediately bristled.

No shit? A group that knows full well what a clusterfuck the government apparatus can be like doesn’t want that same apparatus to be able to take their personal weapons on the whim of someone who ‘thinks’ they are having a problem, who would have seen that one coming.

Especially when all the methods in the world exist to do this, relinquish your firearms, on a voluntary basis. I’ve held guns for friends going through a rough spot. I gave them back when they were feeling themselves again. I have friends I wish would’ve reached out too. I have no faith that ‘Red Flagging’ would’ve helped any of them.

Getting ‘Red Flagged’ is a conviction without a day in court. It will be seen that way. It will always feel that way.

“There’s a lot of pushback,” Washington said. “There’s this fear that the cops are going to be the ones to do this. That fear of infringement on the Second Amendment, it’s a big fear. That’s huge.”

Yeah, who else is going to take weapons by force? The court isn’t going to empower your relatives to break, enter, and take.

Retired Army Capt. Chris Marvin, a founding member of the Everytown Veterans Advisory Council, thinks the idea could be sold to veterans if they know it’s a temporary measure – and if family members are the ones securing the firearms.

“Approaching them by saying, ‘You will get your guns back,’ when it’s coming from people close to them who love them – that comes with a measure of trust,” Marvin said. “I think from a policy standpoint, red flag laws are the most immediate and effective that we could put in place.”

Making your family the method of forcible government intervention is a real way to build trust.

I’m not saying asking and encouraging someone going through crisis, or that you suspect is going through crisis, to put their guns up is a bad idea. It isn’t, it’s absolutely a behavior to be encouraged. I’m saying that government is the worst engine for it. Mandating it turns this into a pseudo criminal conviction and not a positive health choice.

Everytown,

Nobody believes the organization actively looking to ban firearms wants to enable any method to give your firearms back to you, even when you’re “better”. Members of Gun Control organizations have openly stated they believe firearm ownership itself is a mental disorder.

No thanks, we see what you’re doing there. Try again. And stop using Veteran dead as your emotional lever. You can fuck right off with that shit.

Savage New Precision Series Rifles

By

Keith Finch

-

October 26, 2019

Three platforms chambered in from rimfire to magnum calibers, Savage’s new Precision Series rifles cover a wide spectrum of wants and needs.

The bolt-action 110 Elite Precision and B Series Precision, along with the semi-auto A22 Precision cover 11 popular calibers in total.

The 110 Elite Precision utilizes Savage’s 10/110 style action built around an MDT ACC aluminum chassis with a fully adjustable stock, M-LOK, and AICS magazine. With a 1.5- to 4-pound user-adjustable AccuTrigger, titanium nitride bolt body and a taper aligned muzzle brake, the 110 Elite Precision are offered in .223 Rem, .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 6mm Creedmoor, .300 Win Mag, .300 Norma, .300 PRC, and .338 Lapua.

Weighing in at 14.95-pounds in the .338 Lapua model, the 110 Elite Precision has an overall length of 49.75 to 50.75-inches due to its adjustable length of pull and 30-inch barrel. (Photo: Savage)

“The MDT chassis are an ideal match for these Savage actions,” said Jessica Treglia, senior brand manager at Savage. “The pairings will allow shooters to custom fit every aspect of these rifles to suit their needs.”

MSRP ranges from $1,999 to $2,149, depending on caliber. Continuing Savage’s well known reputation for frugal and cost efficient offerings even within their specialized and high end lines.

The B Series Precision

The B Series Precision is the rimfire rendition of the 110’s. (Photo: Savage)

A one-piece MDT chassis forms the rifle’s core and sports a stock with length-of-pull and comb height adjustments. It is listed as a branch of the company’s B22 line. Offered in .22LR, .22WMR and .17HMR, the rifles use an 18-inch threaded barrel with a flush muzzle cap, suppressor ready.

Other features include a 10-round detachable magazine and user-tunable AccuTrigger (Photo: Savage)

10-round detachable magazine and user-tunable AccuTrigger still come standard (Photo: Savage)

MSRP is $599

A22 Precision

The A22 Precision installment is a modernized take on their classic semi-auto .22LR (Photo: Savage)

MDT chassis, 18-inch heavy threaded barrel, and adding an oversized charging handle.

The A22 Precision has a user-adjustable AccuTrigger and Pic rail. (Photo: Savage)

MSRP is also $599

Ope, Canada – Special Forces Soldier who admitted to stealing military equipment faces expulsion

By

Keith Finch

-

October 26, 2019

080726-N-7949W-054 KAHUKU, Hawaii (July 26, 2008) A Canadian soldier assigned to 1st Battalion of Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry aims his rifle in the direction of enemy fire during an assault operation as part of Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2008. RIMPAC is the worldÕs largest multinational exercise and is scheduled biennially by the U.S. Pacific Fleet. Participants include the United States, Australia, Canada, Chile, Japan, the Netherlands, Peru, Republic of Korea, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel N. Woods/Released) Soldier has a C7 rifle, parts of which Collier stole as part of his online sales.

Expulsion? I would hope. The military giving a guy a pass with just a pay doc or a little time spent cleaning the barracks would seem underwhelming.

Cpl. Pedro Collier pleaded guilty after stealing military supplies and selling them online.

Like a Northern MilSurp Amazon

The Canadian military is weighing the fate of a member of the special forces who recently pleaded guilty to stealing supplies — including gun parts — and selling them online. Cpl. Pedro Collier could be dismissed from the forces as a result.

Okay, depending upon what was taken this could be a broad range of charges and a punishment to fit the crime should result. He was charged with 5 items and ultimately got hit with 1 year probation and a suspended sentence.

So what did he take?

The thefts took place at the main base of Joint Task Force-2 (JTF-2) at Dwyer Hill, near Ottawa, between December 2015 and March 2017. Among the items stolen were C7 gun parts, a generator, batteries, clothing, ballistic sunglasses and cleaning supplies.

Wait… the guy nabbed a generator? Even a ‘tiny’ a generator isn’t all that tiny. But what if he snuck off with one of those big diesel beasts? Oh and AR parts, C7 parts which might include select fire internals. At least he didn’t actually walk out with rifles? Remember when that happened?

Or the APC thief? That one was an officer.

Collier, our Canadian Combat Craigslister, took about $4,600 in property overall. So nothing absolutely insane but skimming the gear pool is a centuries old trick to pad the income.

You’re just spare parts there, aren’t ya bud.