Armslist, Tacswap, GunBroker, and our LGS… How to work a gun deal with proper etiquette.
Look at me readers.
Look.
Stare through the pages of the interwebz and look at me so I know that you are paying attention.
Have you found a gun somewhere that you wanted but did not want to pay the sticker price for? Of course you have. You figured you could save a few bucks, maybe a significant few, if you just asked about it.
Now… how did you ask the question?
What is your best price?
What is your bottom dollar?
What is your absolute lowest price?
If any of those formats was how you asked the question of the selling party, I need you to get up and go find a mirror. Look deep into your own eyes in that mirror and repeat these words…
“Never again.”
Now slap yourself so you remember your oath.
Asking the seller to haggle against themselves is not haggling. It’s lazy, disrespectful, and a shit thing to do. If you have an offer in mind, make the offer. The seller has already told you what they want for what they are selling, it is on the price tag.
The gun deal process goes in these steps.
Read the price tag and decide whether you will pay that or make an offer. If offer then proceed to step 2.
Make an offer. Do so politely and realistically.
They can make a counter offer, accept your offer, or decline your offer.
If you make a polite and reasonable offer it will likely be accepted. If you are polite but the offer is unacceptable they will likely offer a counter offer or state they cannot move on the price. You then have the opportunity to get the gun you want for the listed price or decline the purchase and have a nice day.
By asking the ‘bottom dollar’ question on the gun deal you are not dealing. You are telling the seller to eat their list price and make up another for you. You are not even offering the courtesy of an offer you thought about. Making an offer shows integrity, it shows intent, it means you are engaged in the transaction. Telling the seller to give you a new price because you’re… you? That’s a big no.
Now, that is not to say there are no situations in which asking for “your” price is wrong. There are plenty. Those situations are with people you have a relationship and rapport with. Your local gun store might cut you a consistent deal because you are a regular customer. Your friend might give you the friends and family discount on a new or used item you’d like. I’ve been the giver and recipient of both those circumstances.
There is, however, nothing more presumptuously rude than a total stranger demanding you retag your for sale item just for them. In the same vein, making a polite offer is the very essence of sales and should be expected.
You are adults. Man, woman, or attack helicopter the hell up and do the work of negotiation! Talk, deal, be polite.
This rant brought to you by being asked two dozen times to bottom dollar a few guns I’m selling.
[Ed: Mission creep has been defined as “taking a group away from its original goals and objectives through expansion.”]
As has become the norm, I got an email recently from the American Academy of Pediatrics making a “statement” about the California synagogue shooting. That letter from the AAP President can be found here.
My first reaction was, “Why does a group of pediatricians feel the need to make a ‘statement’ about such an event? Did anybody ask them what their opinion was? Or are they just desperate to stick their noses where they don’t belong? . . . Again. Would they have bothered to make a “statement” about a stabbing?”
What followed were several paragraphs of self-righteous spew, patting themselves on the back for their “advocacy” which they use to “enlighten those in positions of power” and “lift up those who cannot speak for themselves”.
The letter also talks about “our collective work to counter religious and racial discrimination”. Uhhhh, that’s “our work”? Really? I thought my work was—you know—the Practice of Medicine. I don’t know about you but I never got any training in residency on how to run a social justice campaign. Talk about mission creep!
Then there is the last paragraph . . .
“Speaking out is not enough; we must also act. There are common-sense gun safety [sic] policies that can help make communities safer from gun violence—we must support and urge Congress to pass such policies. Gun violence prevention has been a longstanding priority at the highest levels of the Academy. We will keep urging action from our elected leaders until we see real progress.”
Really? We must? I thought California already had some of the strictest gun control laws in the country. But that didn’t stop the bad guy from trying to shoot up a synagogue, did it?
There is no mention of the recent bit of research printed in—drum roll please—our own journal, Pediatrics. This found that parental disengagement played a large role in boys and adolescents becoming involved with gangs and carrying guns.
That right there is some actually useful research into “gun violence”, folks! Did you bother to read your own journal? Nope, because bad parenting being a contributing cause of “gun violence” does NOT fit the narrative.
Did the AAP issue an additional “statement” about all those unarmed Venezuelan protestors being run over by military vehicles because they didn’t have any guns with which to defend themselves from their own government? Surely those are people who should be “lifted up” too, don’t you think? Nope. Crickets.
These people are so intoxicated by their own saccharine self-righteousness that they are blinded to reality and even to their own published research. When ideology and emotion trumps science and fact, there is a major problem—especially with an organization which is supposed to follow “evidence-based” principles. Am I close enough to retirement that I can tell them to pound sand yet?
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—’Dr. LateBloomer’ is the pen name of a female general pediatrician (MD, MPH, FAAP) who enjoys competitive shooting sports, including IDPA, USPSA and 3-Gun. Evil semi-automatic firearms are her favorites.
Cory Booker, Senator from New Jersey and chasing the Democratic nomination for President, is the first in the field to go hard promising gun control. The controversial issue has been a losing proposition for democrats all the way back to the 90’s and it’s curious that Booker, who is only polling between 1-3%, would choose the divisive issue to try and garner greater favor from a wider base of voters.
It’s the tired list of “reduce gun violence” diatribe including the classic attack on the NRA, a skree against assault weapons and high capacity magazines, universal background checks, monthly purchase limits, and a national licensing program. Because none of those are infringements on a constitutionally protected right, right?
Booker contends that if Americans need a license to drive a car they should also be required to have one to buy and possess a firearm.
I always miss that part of the constitution, right next to the first amendment somewhere I think, where the right to licensed vehicular modes of transport are enshrined.
Licensing, and thereby taxing, a right reduces its accessibility to the poorer segments of society who are also more likely to need it in their personal defense. The same group supporting this would lose their everloving minds if anything close to a poll tax was proposed. A voting license with a hefty fee and background check attached to it? That would make heads explode.
But according to Booker it is perfectly acceptable, among the other list of infringements, and it’s about time we got around to that “common sense” gun control.
“My plan to address gun violence is simple – we will make it harder for people who should not have a gun to get one,” Booker said.
He aims to enact gun control by making it overall harder to get a gun for everyone [Booker purposefully didn’t add], especially the poor, at risk, or those under immediate threat. It’s just a simple fact that Booker and candidates like him do not accept the right to keep and bear arms as a right, they conceptualize it only as a privilege under the best of circumstances and an epidemic under many others. The lip service they pay to that legally enshrined human right of self protection is getting thinner and thinner every election cycle.
Even in its ordinary aspects it was another terrific experience: 15 acres of booths, displays, demonstrations, freebies, giveaways, and meeting and greeting many old friends and making many new ones. Scores of thousands of people all united by one important thing—devotion to the sustenance and expansion of the Second Amendment to the Constitution.
Dr. John Edeen and yours truly attended on behalf of DRGO. Each year we run into more people who already know about us, who are members, and who tell us how they appreciate our representation of rationality in medical and epidemiologic research, so sorely missing in most officially published “research” into “gun violence”. That helps all of us at DRGO realize the worth of our mission and charges us up to keep at it.
How often can we see our Vice-President and President speak? As credentialed members of the press (in fact, as temporary members of the “White House Press Pool”!) we got to watch them, Senators, Governors and activists close enough to tell which was which in the 63,000 seat Indiana Pacers’ Lucas Oil stadium.
A very meaningful moment was the presentation of the inaugural Roy Innes memorial recognition, posthumously, to the family of Otis McDonald whose unwavering insistence on his rights led to the momentous SCOTUS decision known as McDonald v. City of Chicago, confirming the application of the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms throughout all these United States. The award will continue to be awarded to those who contribute the most to bringing underrepresented groups into the fight for this aspect of civil rights.
But now to the most exciting and consequential parts.
As we all have been learning, several threats to the integrity, and possibly the future, of the NRA are about to collide. Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York where the organization was formed and incorporated in 1871, has declared his intent to close it down if possible using all of the state powers available. He has already informed financial organizations that New York will view them askance for trying to do business with NRA. New York’s attorney general Letitia James is investigating questions of malfeasance and impropriety in NRA’s financial management. She could use her findings to decertify the organization and destroy it. NRA is suing New York state on the basis that its actions are censorious and depriving it of First Amendment rights to free speech, which is a potentially powerful argument.
Simultaneously, questions have arisen about the vast sums NRA has been paying its chief contractor, Ackerman-McQueen, since the 1980s. A-McQ is an advertising agency based in Oklahoma that provides “public-relations work, marketing, branding, corporate communications, event planning, Web design, social-media engagement, and digital-content production” for NRA. This includes all sorts of marketing, but A-McQ also puts on the meetings, and owns NRANews, NRA’s very media identity. Upon this becoming a public issue, NRA sought greater detail justifying A-McQ’s billings, which A-McQ declined to provide. NRA is now suing A-McQ, which is counter-suing.
Relatedly, the web of connections between NRA and A-McQ is coming into light. NRA’s celebrity president Oliver North has been paid millions by A-McQ to produce documentaries, though has only come up with two. Wayne Lapierre, NRA’s 28 year executive director, is not only paid $1.4 million a year, but has received over $230,000 in wardrobe subsidies for the past 13 years. His contract also reportedly includes a golden parachute, assuring him $1 million yearly upon his retirement to continue serving as a consultant to NRA. Is any of this play to pay? NRA has announced that it is reviewing all this internally. It’s attorneys say there is nothing illegal of improper.
At Friday’s NRA-ILA Leadership Forum speeches were led off by North, who was in good form. Lapierre spoke later, and looked nervous. He was not on stage thereafter (though this was Chris Cox’s party, as NRA-ILA’s director).
We learned that day of an exchange of letters between North and Lapierre. North had asked for Lapierre’s resignation, and announced he was forming a special committee to do internal oversight of the NRA—A-McQ conflicts. His goal seemed to be to shake up the organization and establish new leadership, which by now many members were wanting.
Lapierre called this extortion, saying that North had said that A-McQ would release damaging information about his leadership and staff, and refused to resign. On Saturday, at the actual annual meeting of members, the 1st Vice-President read a letter from North explaining his absence (the President normally chairs the meeting). He had learned he would not be endorsed by the Board of Directors for the usual second one year term, so he resigned as President. It was not clear whether he also resigned as a Board member. Lapierre was present throughout the meeting and in his usual strong form again.
Like any large formal gathering, the Annual Meeting is normally pro forma, adjourning soon after minutes are approved and announcements are made, leaving any motions for the Board to decide on subsequently. But this weekend the first motion to adjourn was strongly defeated by the members voting. A number of members called for a discussion of the financial and linkage issues there and then. This got somewhat sidetracked by a motion to go into “executive session” (meaning that only members could stay). This became a proxy for the question as to whether these matters should even be discussed with the general membership outside the Board, which has dealt with them confidentially so far.
Concerned members like Adam Kraut (who came in second for the 76th Board seat that is always elected at the Annual Meeting) and Rob Pincus spoke in favor of the executive session, i.e., for public discussion of the problems in order to accelerate solutions. Established figures like previous NRA presidents Jim Porter and Marilyn Hammer spoke against, citing the need to avoid informing parties to legal action of details that would come out publicly thereby.
On a personal note, I’ve spoken with several respected Board members who have no connections with A-McQ or the substance of the other questions in the air. They are serious, responsible people who affirm that they are pursuing answers internally and will do whatever it takes to right this ship and steer it back on course.
The motion to enter executive session was defeated and shortly after Kraut made a new motion to adjourn, which the membership overwhelmingly approved. It was clear that nothing else was going to be accomplished there on these subjects. However, the leadership of NRA became thoroughly aware that there is major, broad-based worry by the membership about what has happened and how it is being handled.
The transition of yearly terms took place following the Annual Meeting at the Board meeting on Monday. The election results for Board seats were confirmed. All the new endorsed officers were elected and Lapierre was unanimously asked to continue as Executive Director. He in turn reappointed Cox as the NRA-ILA director.
So where does all this leave us, the grass roots supporters and activists for the RKBA?
These are critical battles being fought, and beyond the fact that the NRA itself is worth saving, it’s not clear what else should or will happen. The organization is certainly far more important than who leads it at any given time. Josh Powell, NRA’s chief operating officer about whom there had developed a lot of distrust, had already been replaced.
Whether now or later, and as effective a leader as he has been, Lapierre is aging and there will ultimately be a succession. Will Cox inherit the world of NRA from Lapierre? NRA-ILA is not very involved in these conflicts with NRA. Does there need to be a clean sweep of all top leadership? Should NRA bring at least its media activities under its own direct control? These shows and personalities are the most visible faces of NRA.
The divorce of NRA and Ackerman-McQueen is unfortunate and will be messy, but is probably overdue. Neither party can really kill the other.
The legal (if perhaps unconstitutional) attacks on NRA by New York state are much more threatening to NRA’s existence. Besides its public visibility as the 800 pound gorilla of Second Amendment activism, it makes enormous investments in training programs all across the country. It has a deeper, wider and more committed base of supporters than any other civil rights or non-profit organization. It’s a big target, whose fall would change the “conversation” about guns dramatically, and not in our favor.
No one knows the answers yet. But this was the most dramatic week in NRA history since the 1977 “Cincinnati Revolution” and its founding in 1871. NRA’s goals and purposes have changed several times during its history, and we could be seeing the start of another tectonic shift.
Stay tuned to see what happens. As the gunfighters say: “This ain’t over yet!”
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— 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.
Women's pants are now designed with the input of the end user and built to fit women's bodies.
With Mother’s Day approaching, now
is a good time to look at a few clothing options for female shooters. Over the
last few years we have seen women’s clothing become one of the fastest growing
sectors of the outdoor industry. This only makes sense with more and more
ladies participating in action shooting. Two of the leaders in this portion of
the market are 5.11 Tactical and First Tactical offering a wide range of
clothing for women.
5.11 Tactical has the most complete
clothing line offering everything from outerwear to footwear. If you are
looking for a cargo style pair of pants with clean lines the Stryke is a good
choice. The Stryke is made from 6.76 ounce Flex-Tac fabric is tough, washes
well, and wears like iron. While they have are semi-fitted, there is no binding
when moving. This is fit comes from the Flex-Tac material they are manufactured
from. Flex-Tac is a four way stretch fabric that virtually eliminates binding,
especially with the diamond gusset crotch.
Strykes are ideal for range use; be it competition or agency qualifications.
Even though the pants have a fitted waist, they have proven to be comfortable all day without any binding or chafing. This is du mainly to the wide waistband and Flex-Tac material which gives as you move. You will find they run true to size and thanks to a generous zipper they are easy to slip on and off. Strykes are offered in sizes 0-20 in a regular (31”) and long (35”) inseam and in black, khaki, storm, TDU green, tundra and dark navy. I have worn the male version of Strykes since the debutted and they still look like new. Lisa tells me material did not pick up stains from the red clay when she was in Puerto Rico post Maria with FEMA.
This view shows you ll the pockets on the Stryke, this is what makes them a favorite for competition or duty.
For those prefer a jean style pant, the Wyldcat is for you. Lisa found these pants ideal for travel and in the field with FEMA. Coupled with a t-shirt they are perfect casual attire. These pants scream fashion not gun. They are sized 0-16 in regular and long inseams. Colors are black, khaki and grenade (a shade of gray). For comfort in all activities they are made from cotton/polyester/elastane stretch sateen with Microsand finish which is stain resistant. These pants fit like a glove, yet they allow for virtually unrestricted movement.
The rear pocket can carry a cell phone or an AR magazine.
The Wyldcats look good, but they were built for function. You will find th belt loops allow for proper holster placement and they are wide enough to fit fashion belts or a pistol belt. There are seven pockets, two truly functional rear patch pockets that set up on your butt so you can put items like a phone, wallet, etc in them. The right rear has a low profile pocket above it designed specifically to carry a phone or other item. The front slash pockets are deep enough to carry a 3″ clip-it knife, keys, etc. On each thigh there is a slash pocket that can carry an AR magazine, small wallet, pretty much anything you need easy access to.
As you can seen Wyldcats have plenty of pockets and look good.
What sets these pants apart from other ladies “tactical pants” are the legs. They are taper cut to tuck into the tops of a fashion ankle boot. When you look closely at the outer seam you will notice a zipper from the knee to the ankle. This allows the pants to become a boot cut pant for freedom of movement if you choose to wear the Wyldcats as a range pant. You can also wear these pants tucked into a fitted high boot when zipped or over the shaft of a western boot unzipped. As you can see 5.11 Tactical has put a lot of thought into the fit and function of the Wyldcat. These pants are tough, functional and designed for the active modern woman.
If you prefer a truly low profile tactical pant, the Mesa is it. The Mesa has low profile zipper thigh pockets that look more like trim than a pocket. There are traditional slash front pockets and rear patch pockets to carry most anything from a wallet to AR magazine. The front pocket’s slash is flat at the bottom to allow a clip-it knife to lay flat. You can easily stash an AR magazine or smart phone in the rear pockets. To ensure you do not lose your phone, I would zip them in the thigh pocket.
The thigh pocket is functional and adds a touch of design to the Mesas.
When it comes to comfort you will be hard pressed to find pants that beat the Mesa. The DWR polyester elastane fabric is four way stretch. The eight inch tapered pant leg allows for easy on/off while giving you a fitted look when worn. The extra wide rear belt loop keeps them from sagging when you are wearing a pistol. You will find the width of the waistband and the padding makes this waist one of the more fitted comfortable on the market today.
As you can see 5.11 Mesa pants look good for casual wear too.
I have on good authority that the fabric is comfortable for all day wear, even when it is flying a desk. It was also told these pants wash well after surviving the rigors of grandkids and their spills. I say this because as much as we would like to spend days on the range or out hiking, the reality is not every one is Laura Croft nor can we spend everyday at the ranget. The Mesa can be had in sizes 0-20 in regular and long lengths. You can choose from black or major brown
5.11 did not forget those who want jeans; the Defender Flex Slim Fit Jeans should suit your needs. Unlike teenage slim fit, these pants are not second skin tight. You would be hard pressed to tell the Defender Flex Jeans from popular brands. They have traditional riveted front slash pockets, with a front “watch” pocket in the right front. The rear pockets are patch style with magazine pockets at the bottom of the waist band. The rear pockets have stylish stitching and a flag logo on the right pocket.
Defenderflex Jeans pockets look like any other pair of jeans.
While the Slim Fit Jeans do not not have eight inch leg zippers, they will are easy on/off thanks to the 76/24 cotton poly blend, 10 ounce T400 stretch fabric. If you wear boots these will tuck neatly and comfortably into the shaft,odds are they will not fit over thh shaft of cowboy boot. Blouses tuck neatly into the waist without feeling snug thanks to the fabric’s stretch.
For daily wear the Slim Fit Jeans are ideal. My oldest friend in the world is a former EMT and now an emergency dispatcher for an international airport and she wears hers regularly. She says these jeans do not wear you out sitting for eight to twelve hours like traditional cowboy style denim jeans do. More importantly they give you freedom of movement when you need to knee, climb or any other daily activity. She tells me unlike the Mesa’s; the Slim Fit Jeans are not stain resistant to the spills and oops of pre-school grandkids…pre-treat before washing.
You can find them in black on the 5.11 website, but they can be had in a couple shades of denim on other clothing sites.. Size wise you can choose from 0-16 in short, regular and long lengths.
I have been told by two ladies I trust with my life that all four pairs of these pants work well for work, casual, range and travel wear. They were worn by one who does disaster relief for FEMA. In her travels they were worn cleaning up in some of the worst conditions one can encounter after fires and hurricanes. She gave the Wyldcat and Stryke rave reviews . The other is a dispatcher for emergency services at an international airport. Prior to that she was an EMT for over a decade, so she knows what a profession expects from clothing. Both the Meas and Defender Flex Jeans survived one of the worst things life can throw at them; three grand kids and sitting all day. Poor fitting pants will wear you out when you are sitting all
Over the last several years 5.11 Tactical has gone through many changes; some good, some bad. Vastly improving their women’s lines has been for the good. They have worked hard to bring women clothing that looks good and functions in all conditions. These four pairs of pants should serve you well no matter what you are doing. Thank you 5.11 Tactical for help with beauty shots.
Mike over at GarandThumb, the resident Air Force Plaid Clad gun guru, takes on the Sten gun from WWII. I’m on a WWII kick recently so here I am sharing the findings of my entertainment seeking brain.
The simple guns of the WWII submachine gun category are an interesting group. Most look like a variation on a can of caulk with a nozzle that happens to shoot bullets. Full info here, summary below
STEN is an acronym, from the names of the weapon’s chief designers, Major Reginald V. Shepherd and Harold Turpin, and EN for Enfield.[4][5] Over four million Stens in various versions were made in the 1940s.
The Mark II was the most common variant, with two million units produced. It was a much rougher weapon than the Mk I. The flash eliminator and the folding handle (the grip) of the Mk I were eliminated. A removable barrel was now provided which projected 3 inches (76 mm) beyond the barrel sleeve. Also, a special catch allowed the magazine to be slid partly out of the magazine housing and the housing rotated 90 degrees counter-clockwise (from the operator’s perspective), together covering the ejection opening and allowing the weapon and magazine both to lie flat on its side.
The barrel sleeve was shorter and rather than having small holes on the top, it had three sets of three holes equally spaced on the shroud. To allow a soldier to hold a Sten by the hot barrel sleeve with the supporting hand, an insulating lace-on leather sleeve guard was sometimes issued.[12] Sten Mk II’s in German possession were designated MP 749(e), the “e” signifying “englisch”. Some Mk IIs were fitted with a wooden stock as this part was desirable and interchangeable with the Mk V. Also, the Spz-kr assault rifle uses the receiver and components from the Sten Mk II.
Regular Mark II:
Overall length: 762 mm (30.0 in)
Barrel length: 197 mm (7.8 in)
Weight: 3.2 kg (7.1 lb)
The successor to this gun in British service was the Sterling
Modified versions of which were made famous in…
Star Wars… here’s the last 4th be with you pun, I promise.
On this auspicious morning all across the nations.. across the cosmos.. on this day we gather to honor those fine men, women, wookies, mandalorians, vulcans, sangheili, and all who began the modern Space Force process.
These fine volunteers, using their time, talents, and resources have pushed forward beyond the normal bounds of various services and the requirements of day-to-day life. They have sought the training to reach a higher level of readiness.
To face new challenges, threats, and trials they use the latest in Terran systems developed from brilliant minds around the world.
Space Force Prototype Service Carbine… also maybe a Tavor X95… maybe..
Emerging threats are numerous and varied, their shapes are malleable and evolving. So too the readiness of these volunteers adapts.
No Force Like Space Force!
If you feel the calling as these people have. If you too wish to prepare for the Flood, Zentradi, Borg, or Spaceballs… even a more practical ‘home invasion’… then join the Space Force voluntary training, offered and available, on the nearest date and place you can.
More information on individual avenues of training exist here, here, and here.
Check out IWI Academy (and thank to them for nerding along) at the link and Widener’s for the ammo to go. It’s summer time so kick off this training season.
Grab a seat in class and hit the range, see you there!
Michael Mann’s 1995 classic set a industry standard for what a shootout should be. Heat’s on screen gunplay still stands up 24 years later as realistic, well choreographed, and tactically sound.
The attention to detail included extensive live fire training for the actors with SAS operators and live fire audio to be certain the sound in the movie generated the correct ambience for the scene’s gravity.
The iconic moment, in my mind at least, is Val Kilmer spotting the approaching armed lawmen and making a critical decision. He doesn’t hesitate, no shoutout to his waiting comrades in the car, no other dramatically futile gesture a movie troupe might suggest. He shoots and his car full of waiting friends gets the idea. Suppression, a rolling gunfight, talking guns, proper reloads. It’s all there.
House Bills 4026 and 4029 look to grant Michigan citizens constitutional carry rights and eliminate gun free zones.
HB 4026 reforms Michigan’s current concealed carry law by striking out the exemption language in 1927 PA 372. It removes the exempt status language:
The county clerk shall include an indication on the license if an individual is exempt from the prohibitions against carrying a concealed pistol on premises described in section 5o if the applicant provides acceptable proof that he or she qualifies for that exemption.
The whole list of persons able to get an exempt license are also amended out of the law.
The crucial change is in section 5f:
An individual who is licensed to carry a concealed pistol shall have his or her license to carry that pistol and his or her state-issued driver license or personal identification card in his or her possession at all times he or she is carrying a concealed pistol or a portable device that uses electro-muscular disruption technology ON THE PREMISES LISTED IN SECTION 5o.
Pistol free zones are not disappearing from the law itself. Anyone licensed to carry would be allowed to carry under the amended language, provided they have their license on them. It’s simple. If you are licensed you may carry. The provisions for blood alcohol limits, unlicensed carry, brandishing, threats, misbehavior, etc. will apply as normal.
HB 4029
The second legislative change set into motion is decriminalizing carry of a firearm without a license. Hunting knives too.
Sec. 227. (1) A person shall not carry a dagger, dirk, stiletto, a double-edged nonfolding stabbing instrument of an length, or any other dangerous weapon, except a hunting knife adapted and carried as such, concealed on or about his or her person, or whether concealed or otherwise in any vehicle operated or occupied by the person, except in his or her dwelling house , OR place of business or on other land possessed by the person. THIS SUBSECTION DOES NOT APPLY TO EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING: (A) A PERSON CARRYING A HUNTING KNIFE ADAPTED AND CARRIED AS A HUNTING KNIFE CONCEALED ON OR ABOUT HIS OR HER PERSON OR WHETHER CONCEALED OR OTHERWISE IN ANY VEHICLE OPERATED OR OCCUPIED BY THE PERSON. (B) A PERSON CARRYING A PISTOL CONCEALED ON OR ABOUT HIS OR HER PERSON OR WHETHER CONCEALED OR OTHERWISE IN ANY VEHICLE OPERATED OR OCCUPIED BY THE PERSON.
Vehicle carry without a license would no longer be a criminal act. Carrying concealed a firearm you own would no longer be a criminal act, subject to the pistol free zones for non-licensees.
So far they’re only bills sitting in Lansing, they could always use the public support such pro-rights measures deserve.
Entrenching tool, belt buckle and canteen: what can stop a bullet from MP-40? Gun Myths. Part 8
Kalashnikov Concern has a nifty YouTube channel if you haven’t seen it yet. The video here is tackling one of those oddball bullet proof clothing myths that alleged Soviet winter gear was reliably stopping 9mm rounds from the MP-40.
The Bullet Proof Soviet was not nearly as accurate as the bullet sponge Soviet as it turns out… which fairly accurately summed up several orders of the Red Army’s doctrine. The clothes and tools are for their original intent, not armor, but I’m certain there will be a few stories floating around still that absolutely assure us that it happened and that the thick winter clad soldiers of the Red Army were able to shrug off the submachine gun fire of the chilled Germans.
The MP40 was a well designed, simple, and typically German 9mm submachine gun. Stolid in its role, like the U.S. with the Thompson, it gave Germans mobile controllable full-auto in close where the bolt action k98 was at disadvantage. Mechanised and paratroopers were the primary intended users. A few of the unique design elements, including the bayonet lug like vehicle brace, were specifically designed to assist shooters from inside the walls of german support craft.
Palmerston Police station that was robbed of several firearms, Image via stuff.co.nz
In the ongoing aftermath of New Zealand’s ban on semi-auto weapons (one vote shy of unanimously adopted) rolled out after the Christchurch massacre the police are having issues. The sweeping gun control scheme that added a ban and buyback, on top of the licensing that was previously the keel of the nation’s gun laws, has not been the resounding success the politicos hoped. The knee jerk reaction of moving hundreds of thousands of firearms from the LEGAL pile into the ILLEGAL one has become a logistical strain.
The New Zealand gun owners who owned legally the now illegal weapons have until September to turn them in. The promise of some form of as yet unknown compensation is still there. The “buyback scheme” is still vaporware however, and the estimated cost has ballooned from the early $80-100 million to $300 million. That number could still fall drastically short of the actual value of the mandatorily forfeited property.
But, to David Seymour’s quote above.
Palmerston North Police were left embarrassed after someone went into their main police station and stole firearms on Anzac Day. The New Zealand parliament were in such a mad dash to “do something” that no one bothered to check if they had the means. A man, Alan James Harris, strolled in and helped himself to the pile of illicit firepower and 11 of those firearms are still unaccounted for.
Is the Palmerston station to be held accountable? Or is it the Government’s failure for not asking the nation’s law enforcement professionals if they could handle the sudden influx of firearms? What is the net effect going to be on gun crime, mass killings, and violent crime?
If their neighbors to the west, Australia, are any indication… unknown. While there has been no mass shooting since they enacted their ban in the 90’s, violent crime overall has been a mixed bag. Homicides trended slightly down. Assault was more sharply up. Sexual assault was steady. Robbery, both armed and unarmed has been up and down.
The fact that no one has committed an attack in Australia since the ban is a good thing, but attributing the ban as the preventive measure is political grandstanding. The fact is that New Zealand saw that massacre too, and at the time didn’t enact the gun ban Australia did, they didn’t have any massacres either. By the standards applied New Zealand should have had a few since they didn’t enact a ban, correct? But they didn’t, until a motivated lunatic took it into his head to change that.
The only thing ultimately protecting Australia, New Zealand, the U.S.A. or any nation, is a lack of motivated lunatics and a police force finding the few that pop their heads up.
I want a continued lack of motivated lunatics, because gun control won’t stop them.
Meanwhile in Venezuela… there is a population wishing it was armed right now.
David Harsanyi published this book last fall. No reviewer could better describe it than its own subtitle: A Ride Through America’s Enduring History with the Gun. It’s thorough, and it’s almost breakneck in the best ways possible.
If you are interested in anything firearm-related during our past 500 years, it’s here. And that naturally incorporates most things globally about firearms, since so much of their technology has been invented, borrowed (and stolen) across borders during that time.
[Full disclosure: David Harsanyi’s day job is as Senior Editor of The Federalist, and he writes regularly for National Review. So we know his head is screwed on right, pun intended.]
Harsanyi begins at the beginning, with what may have been the earliest technical innovation to improve upon thrown projectiles: the sling. This was in due course succeeded by the bow and arrow, kicking off the technological arms race that has led to today’s Kalashnikov and AR-15 style arms (not to mention bazookas, grenade and handheld rocket launchers). There is brief mention of China’s discovery of the formula for gunpowder and Europeans’ development of the handheld gun preceding their settlement of the New World. But once you turn page 11, buckle up.
As with most inventions, the elite originally controlled the means of production and use of these unreliable, dangerous to use, completely inaccurate fire sticks. English common law developed to be supportive of the right of most citizens to own firearms, once the kingdom’s fights over religion and aristocratic control wound down. But these precedents, good and bad, came overseas during the colonization of North America and, literally, touched off the American Revolution.
Black powder is dangerous to store in quantity, so despite general ownership and use of guns on the frontier, communities kept stores somewhat apart, in strong masonry buildings. The British and the rebels realized simultaneously the importance of securing these “magazines”, and the result was the fateful march on Concord and Lexington.
Although massed firepower remained the rule in Revolutionary warfare, Americans’ special skill at marksmanship came into play with the first organized regiment of sharpshooters, General Daniel Morgan’s “Kentucky Riflemen”. (Can you hit a 7 inch plate at 250 yards with iron sights?) Though they were few, and did not truly win the war, they did confound the enemy and helped protect troop movements. One of them was probably the first specialist sniper known to history, Timothy Murphy, who took out British General Fraser and helped win the Battle of Burgoyne in October 1777. This reversal of fortunes got America taken seriously by European powers, not least the British—and led to the alliance made in 1778 with France that won the war.
The “Brown Bess”, a .75 caliber smooth-bore musket, was the primary gun of the Revolution for both sides. It was only useful to 80-100 yards, apart from mass fire which is how it was mostly used. The American long rifle was highly accurate but took twice as long to reload. Both were flintlocks, an improvement over the original matchlocks of the Pilgrims, but still not weather proof. Correcting these deficits becomes the story of the next 200+ years of firearm development.
All the luminaries and their advancements are here:
Samuel Colt’s equalizing us thanks to his percussion cap repeating revolver.
Smith with Wesson creating and marketing the integrated brass cartridge with primer, propellant and bullet.
Oliver Winchester, whose creations were perfected and industrialized by Benjamin Tyler Henry.
Henry Deringer’s cute, deadly “gentleman’s gun”.
Richard Jordan Gatling’s multi-barreled Civil War slaughter machine, which led Hiram Maxim to the modern belt-fed machine gun.
The design genius John Browning, who worked with the Winchester and then the Colt companies, creating the semi-automatic pistol, the rapid-fire shotgun (“trench gun”), and the handheld machine gun (BAR).
John Canius Garand, whose rifles won Americans battle after battle in the Second World War, which led directly to the development of the M14 magazine fed version, both of which led ultimately to modern select-fire infantry rifles.
But even more interesting are some lesser known heroes of American firearm development:
John H. Hall, who first patented the breech loader in 1811, the seminal improvement in reloading efficiency. This was the first new firearm patent in the United States, though he had to deal with the corrupt head of the Patent Office. Hall also created the standards and machinery that enabled the first mass production of guns with interchangeable parts.
Joshua Shaw, an English émigré (and artist) who invented the percussion cap in 1814.
Briton John Norton invented the conical bullet, perfected by Frenchman Claude-Étienne Minié, whose cylindrical, conical “ball” eliminated the need for cloth patches and decimated both armies during our Civil War.
Christopher Spencer, who in 1863 demonstrated a 7 round magazine fed lever action rifle to President Lincoln that helped win the war for the Union; per General Grant, “the best breech-loading arms available.”
Those who used firearms through our history are not neglected. The direct descendants of Timothy Murphy and the Kentucky Riflemen of the Revolution were Hiram Burdan’s 1st United States Sharpshooters in the Civil War. He shot out the right eye of the head of a figure of Jefferson Davis at 600 yards, standing. After the war, the standard Springfield Model 1863 muzzle loaders were converted by Erskine Allen’s company to become breech loaders. These Model 1873’s were the guns that started winning the West.
Andrew Jackson dueled, earning respect from many rough-hewn Americans. “Wild Bill” Hickok was renowned for amazing (and deadly) shooting, according to his rule “Be sure and not shoot too quick.” “Buffalo Bill” Cody hunted his namesake on the plains with his Sharps rifle. Annie Oakley earned her repute as one of the most astounding marksman or woman of all time. Then, the warriors: Alvin York in the First World War and Audie Murphy in the Second, and every American who’s carried a gun into battle before, then and since.
The final chapters of First Freedom focus on the political era of the fight for gun rights versus gun control, with much about the development of the modern NRA. Many of us will already be familiar with these years and their conflicts. They are an inherent part of the story of guns in America, although perhaps less intriguing than the development of the tools and mechanisms so well described.
Regardless, if you are interested in the people, ideas and processes that fostered the development of firearms in the United States; if you are interested in the growth of technology and manufacturing through our history; or if you are curious about the politics that has always pervaded the attempt to create better, easier to operate, more efficient and more economical firepower—you will be fascinated by Harsanyi’s work. Buy it, read it, enjoy!
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— 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.
“The sequel to an already spectacular event (Shooters Symposium 2018) was twice as ambitious as the first and had thrice the payoff” – Jase, GAT Daily.
That’s what movie reviews sound like, right?
Movies are pretty great, like a “based on real events” type of movie. Basically a highlight reel of a life event packed into a two hour show.
That’s pretty much how I feel about Shooters Symposium this year. It was an action packed spectacular event with non-stop excellence and near perfect execution. From the first step on the range until the last one off, it couldn’t have been better. There was never a dull moment from 0800 every morning to 0200 the next. It was a weekend filled with learning and chalked full of fun.
This is Shooters Symposium 2019 through the eyes of a 15 y/o shooter… Which is me, incase you didn’t catch that.
The first day on the range was the Vendor Day. More than anything it was a day to break the ice, shake off the previous travel day and get yourself together. You could meet new dudes and catch up with old friends, check zero on your guns, get the lay of the land, and enjoy the various competitions for the vast prize table.
There was a vendor tent to check out the event sponsors’ products and a range to shoot some of the demo guns and optics. The safety briefing and the grand welcome by event director, Matt Shockey, was priority one. That briefing was great… short, sweet, and to the point. Follow the 4-basic firearms safety rules, the medical plan, the flow of the Symposium, and a few bits of other information we needed to know about the new ranges.
After the evening welcome dinner was prize night, where the top guys on the competitions got top picks at the prize table. I wasn’t called up there for Top Shooter, but I ended up walking away with a Phlster Floodlight and a Phlster Pocket Emergency Wallet. Not a bad night. All told there was over $20K worth of prizes… It was insane!
That was also the start of my sleepless schedule…
Wake up too early/go to bed too late. Wash-Rinse-Repeat for x4 days and nights.
Vendor day was excellent. Plus let’s not skip over the fact I got to hang out with my pal Ike from Big Tex Outdoors, shoot with my buddy Josh of Unity Tactical (Hot Button is life!), and say hello and burn some rounds with Mike from Sons Of Liberty Gun Works. I got my eyes and hands on some VIKTOS gear and fire some happy pills with Cody out of the Walther Q5SF. Lastly, finally spent some time with Joe, Eric and Brandon of Chambers Custom Pistols. Geez… Apparently vendor day was even busier than I thought!
Now onto the stuff that matters to you all, the classes.
I can only speak for the instructor’s classes I attended this year, so let me break down my Shooters Symposium 2019 education for you. In order of appearance…
Not only was this class a ton of fun, it was also full of information that applied to my goal of learning how to shoot in a more “tactical” sense. It has a great amount of cross over into competition shooting too. I’ve wanted to know how to hit A zone’s without stopping for years and it turns out that the secret was right there all along. I won’t spoil anything, you’ll have to take one of Jared’s classes to figure it out, but it was much simpler than I thought.
We shot moving towards our targets, at an angle from our targets, and straight across(left/right) the field. The biggest take away was on the speed and the way you need to use your speed to be successful. Reston is always a pleasure to learn from and hang out with (This was my 2nd Reston class) and was super knowledgeable. But now I know, whether it’s moving forwards/backwards or left/right I’ve got the tools to get relatively accurate hits on target. Now I just need to take it home, practice and get it down smooth.
Fun add on about this class, when it was over and the students cleared off, I was able to get x3 magazines worth of time on Jared’s Aimpoint ACRO. By comparison to the Trijicon RMR, the Leupold Deltapoint, and the Holosun 509 that I’ve shot… the ACRO was hands down my favorite! It looks bigger than it actually is, it is easier to pick up the first shot and easier to maintain your dot. Granted I’m not a RDS expert but I am really digging the ACRO. (CD- It’s #2 on my Sweet 16 birthday wish list.)
For those of you who haven’t read my very first GAT article, Bill was the first instructor I ever remember meeting. Sitting in on one of his classes here in Spokane was what really got me intrigued on pursuing the tactical training side of shooting. In Bill’s Tac Carbine class the goal surmounted on how to get accurate hits on target at a faster cadence than you’re used to shooting. We also did work on speed reloads from an empty carbine. He gave us all some excellent drills to bring home to do our own training.
Everything in that class was timed, absolutely nothing we did was without a timer. When you shoot a string of fire with all accurate hits you get a time, you do this multiple times and find your average. Based on your average you know at a minimum what you should be able to hit every time without fail. It was genius simple. He gave me, personally, some excellent things to train with to make me an all around better carbine shooter. It certainly doesn’t hurt either that Mr. Bill is also a pretty funny dude and his witty remarks keep it fun but help drive home certain points making.
This was also my 2nd class with Mr. Bill and he did not disappoint!
Mr. Scott’s class was definitely a tight learning curve for me. I’ve been shooting pistol for years but probably had fewer than 300 rounds with an Red Dot Sight… trial by fire definitely applied here. I loved how Jedi conveyed the information and really made me think about why he was saying what he was saying.
Learning to shoot an RDS pistol isn’t rocket science… matter of fact once you get over the hurdle with your eyes, it’s really easy! I not only learned how to shoot a red dot pistol (I’m hooked on the dot) but also learned how to just be a better pistol shooter. For the gazillionth time I got told how to fix my stance, which is honestly one of the hardest shooting habits for me to break. But I also found how to adjust my grip to minimize recoil, get more positive control on the gun, get an accurate first shot on target from the draw, and that I don’t actually need my sights to get an accurate hit on paper from three yards (weird, I know). Do less work and reap greater results… and what a true slide bite feels like (ultra high grip + bad draw= oops. Chicks dig scars, right?) It was a great class with a ton of good info.
Easy to process and understand… so easy this 15 year old could do it.
Author Jase Winner making the ACRO do work
Quick brag, I won “high shooter” during one of the speed and accuracy drills and my reward was my first piece of Viktos gear. Viktos was one of the Shooters Symposium sponsors, I won the T-shirt of my choice from Jedi and I can’t wait to represent!
This was definitely the most competition oriented of my Symposium classes. But even with that said, it was about running a gun not gaming a stage. One of the most prevalent phrases of the weekend was “shooting is shooting” it doesn’t matter what kind of class you’re taking as long as you take away something that makes you a better shooter, that’s a win. Vogel’s class is a high round count shoot-fest trying to find the perfect balance of accuracy and speed, which is exactly what we want right? From one drill to another we would fire different distances at different cadences trying to maintain accurate hits on paper or steel. We also ran a few new to me steel drills which I thoroughly enjoyed and will definitely be taking back to my local clubs run.
It wasn’t the competition course I expected it to be, it was just a pistol course to make you better at what you do, and better for it I am.
There was no way that I wasn’t gonna take advantage of the opportunity to refresh some knowledge on my medical training. The added bonus of this class, other than getting an excellent refresher on how to stop people from bleeding, was that I chose just the right time to take it.
We were scheduled to go on the range and shoot some pistol/rifle drills with our fresh medical knowledge but mother nature felt like giving us a torrential downpour that morning and flooded out many of the ranges. So instead of heading out on the lake that was once a range we just called it, broke down camp, and headed back up to the food.
We went over all of the basic essential information on how to plug holes… Tourniquets, combat gauze, pressure dressings, etc. “Tourniquet the limbs, Pack the junctions, Seal the box” sort of thing. This was my 2nd time through Kerry’s DART class and was just as valuable as before, if not more. It was just the refresher I needed just when I needed it.
“Knowing how to put holes in people is easy, knowing how to stop up the holes in people is a different and much more relevant and pressing issue.”-Jase
Round two with Jedi was in the aftermath of the Texas Monsoon (I think it’s a Texas thing… do everything bigger right?). With that in mind I imagine that class got a little bit off track.
Advanced Red Dot was similar to Red Dot Fundamentals until the end. We put what we learned to a test on some Bill drills to finish out class. It is also noteworthy that it was in this class that I shot a $6000 dollar work-of-art-Blaster. I shot the Chambers Custom Pistols “Night Fighter” and it was nothing but fun. That gun shot like a dream and if you have the means I would absolutely recommend buying one. It basically shot itself, all I had to do was point it, squeeze the trigger and follow up my shots. Lol
This was a fantastic class to wrap up the weekend and I’m not mad that I finished out Shooters Symposium 2019 the way that I did… Muddy, Bloody and all smiles!
For those curious souls out there, the other Instructors present this year were Mike Pantone of CTT Solutions who taught “Covert carry with low light”, Craig Douglas of Shiv Works who taught “Grappling in a Weapons Based Environment” , Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts “Low Light Practical Urban Carbine”, Aaron Cowan teaching his “Force Focus Fundamentals” class, as well as Dan Brooks bringing his “Urban Gunfighter” to the range and the master of the night life… Mr. Chuck Pressburg who was rocking the NODS and lasers in his “Night Fighter 101.”
I would loved to have trained with ALL these Instructors but there are necessary limits put on how much training we can experience… based on 8-hrs/day. So I filled my plate this year with what I could and will do so again next year.
Bottom line, Shooters Symposium 2019 was awesome. It’s an excellent place to experience a bunch of different instructors and get a small view of what they bring to the table for future training. Think of it like a buffet… taste a little of this and a little of that and figure out what you want to go back and fill your plate with.
Me personally, I really want another class with Dan Brooks of Lead Faucet Tactical (I trained under him last year but couldn’t fit it into the schedule this year, same goes for my friend Steve Fisher of Sentinel Concepts.). Word on the street is they are adding another instructor for next year, I’ve got my fingers crossed for either my buddy Matt Jacques from Victory First for a carbine class or Mr. Chase Jenkins for his Injured Shooter. One of the best things about Shooters Symposium is that it really is a variety pack with something for everyone. You can be Joe Citizen, Larry the LEO or Mr. Mike Military… Shooters Symposium has something to offer all. Heck, I’m only 15 and still trying to reach a seat at the table and yet Shooters Symposium has plenty to offer me.
The days were slammed with learning and shooting, the nights with good food, good friends, and long hours of laughter. Being able to catch up with people from previous courses, Friends of Pat Rogers, SHOT Show, and the inaugural Shooters Symposium was all great.
Like I said before, the days started way too early, the nights ended way too late… but every minute of Shooter Symposium 2019 was a minute well spent.
A huge shout out and thanks for all your hard work to Matt and Rose Shockey, Mr. Trevor and the entire crew that helped put on Shooters Symposium 2019. The Ranch TX looked nothing like it did last year and is well on its way to becoming a premier shooting facility (Picture “Wow” then add about X50 “Damnnnnnn” and you’ll start to get the idea.)
Facilities were great, food was awesome, and the hospitality was killer.
Thank you to all the event sponsors: Surefire, BE Meyers, Big Tex Outdoors, Chambers Custom Pistols, UNITY Tactical, Sons of Liberty Gun Works, VIKTOS Gear, Magpul, PHLSTER, Lead Faucet Tactical, Walther Arms, Vortex Optics, STI Pistols, Saddle River Range, Troy, UTM Munitions, Down Range Thermal, Dark Star Gear, and Bliss Tactical.
Thank you to everyone who bought my T-shirt’s and Hoodies from BonFire. The sales from those are what helps me be able to attend events like this, I very much appreciate it. By the way, you all look amazing in your JaseWinner_ShootingSports gear…Amazing!
And last but certainly not least, thank you to my amazing Sponsors… this may not have been a competition but what I learned will no doubt help me become a better competitor and, more importantly, a better person: TUFF Products, Midwest Industries, Sentinel Concepts, Victory First, Primary and Secondary LLC, Dark Angel Medical, Overwatch Precision, GAT Marketing, Magpul Industries, Heathen Systems, Liberty Timbers LLC, 3Aces LLC, In Motion Targets, Pro Shot Products, Speedloaderz, AT Armor, and Taran Tactical Innovations. You all rock!
Now it’s back to school and time to start Drivers Ed… which means y’all may not want to hang out on Spokane streets and sidewalks for the next few months.
Yesterday we published a story about the California Synagogue attack. That narrative played out as expected on media circuits. The white supremacist anti-semite (Trump hater too, as the President is pro-Israeli) who “somehow” got an AR-15. The focus seems to be on whether it was a California compliant rifle or not and the horror that are the border states where such guns can be purchased at street vendors as easily as a hotdog… or so the fervor seems to point towards.
Heaven forbid we remember back to another mass shooting, in San Bernardino, where the assailants used non CA compliant rifles to commit a devastating terrorist attack. Or the Bataclan Theater in France where terrorists used non French compliant weapons to initiate a devastating terrorist attack.
It is shocking, shocking I say, that rules against a tool’s possession or configuration don’t seem to resonate deeply with people who blatantly disregard the rules against homicide.
However, back to The Narrative.
The Narrative is the constant portrayal of the AR-15 and like firearms as weapons of mass destruction, and that those who support ownership or own such items are, at some level, paranoid or deranged individuals. Given my understanding, I would bet Japan would have much preferred to be attacked with semi-automatic rifles.
The Narrative requires they give the synagogue shooting all the attention and ignore the Baltimore cookout shooting in my subheadline, despite the same dead (1) and more wounded in Baltimore. The Narrative will only acknowledge Baltimore if it becomes convenient to pad their mass shooting tally, they will ignore the circumstances surrounding Baltimore.
Investigators found shell locations at two separate locations, and believe that someone may have returned fire at the gunman, or that there may have been a second shooter, the Associated Press reported.
He [Harrison, the Police Commissioner] did not release a possible motive for the incident, but noted that it appeared to be “extremely targeted.”
“Someone knows something,” Young said. “These things…they don’t happen by happenstance. People know who’s doing these shootings.”
A neighbor told me a bunch of people were having a cook out when “someone rolled up and started shooting.” 7 people shot. I asked if this is shocking or concerning, it happened steps from her door… and she shrugged and said it’s Baltimore. @WMAR2News –AbbyIssacsNews
So in short… a gang-style shooting, a hit or retaliation specifically targeting someone at the cookout or suspected of attending. As the Baltimore resident said, “It’s Baltimore.” The violence displayed with such prominence from California isn’t being pushed. The Narrative cannot use this, not like it can use California
The Narrative does not recognize gang violence the way it does spree killing or attempted spree killing. The vast disparity in their respective frequency and circumstance does not support The Narrative. A group of criminals killing another group just as laden with illegal and illicit activities can’t be used by The Narrative as a headline.
In short… The Narrative requires a certain kind of violence to encite its audience, anything straying from that must be downplayed or ignored. #GunControlLogic
I’m being investigated by the county sheriff – again. He investigated me five years ago. And five years before that.
The FBI investigates me on a semi-regular basis too – dozens of times in the past ten years in fact.
Why? Because I am a firearms owner exercising my Constitutional Rights.
With all of that investigating, does that sound like a “Right” to you?
The full story is that I needed to renew my concealed carry permit this month. Which means that I had to apply to the local sheriff for a background check, involving time off work on two separate days and $100 worth of paperwork. This process is repeated every five years so that I am “licensed” to carry a concealed handgun.
That’s on top of the FBI running a NICS background check on me every time I purchase a firearm (or even select pieces of firearms). Every. Single. Time.
Does that sound like a “Right” to you?
To be clear, I live in a Constitutional Carry state thanks to the untiring efforts of my state gun rights organization. BUT, if I need to carry across state lines to visit relatives, go to the hunting property, protect myself while traveling, etc, I need to have a permit which is reciprocally recognized by EVERY state I cross. Except at least one neighboring state does NOT recognize my not only Constitutional, but also educated, tested, investigated, and paid for, LICENSED right to carry a firearm.
The straightest route to the hunting property is through a short corner of that non-permissive neighboring state. Which means I have to either remember to pull over before the border, in order to lock up the gun in the back of the car out of reach, or make sure it is locked up at the start of the trip so I don’t forget – effectively disarming myself and stripping myself of a Constitutional Right just because I have to drive through 20 miles of a state that fought in the frickin’ Revolution, and should know better.
Does that sound like a “Right” to you?
How many times in my life do I have to prove to some bureaucrat that I am a good person in order to exercise a God-given right that is supposedly ensured by the Constitution of the United States of America?
And the lefty looney-tooners want to institute “Universal” Background checks? You mean they’re not universally infringing upon my rights already? This virtuous-sounding concept is evil at its core – because it essentially assumes that I am guilty of something heinous until “proven” innocent by a background check. That is at its root a violation of due process rights.
How many times do I have to prove this – that I am innocent until proven guilty?
Oh yeah, and that doesn’t take into account red flag laws where someone who simply doesn’t like me can claim I am a “threat” and have what’s left of my 2nd Amendment rights stripped from me WITHOUT being proven guilty – without due process of law – which is another Constitutional right by the way. That one is covered by TWO amendments – the Fifth and the Fourteenth.
