Why Can't The North Rule The South?: The Boston Globe whines that states
like Massachusetts can't make their prohibitionist laws work so long as
southern states don't similarly restrict the RKBA.
http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2005/09/04/gun_control_efforts_weaken_in_south/?rss_id=Boston+Globe+--+National+News
---
Taser Incident From LASD:
Interesting case from yesterday. Occurred in Palmdale, got the info
from my brother who is involved in the Palmdale/Lancaster Sheriff
booster's group.
PF
At our board meeting of the Sheriff Boosters this morning, our PAC
commander relayed the story of an incident that went down here in
Palmdale last night. Not sure if it has made its' way through the
channels to you yet. This is how it was related to me.
Deputies responded to a report of a suicidal woman with a knife.
Deputies formed a perimeter around the house with deputies evacuating
children from the house at the rear while two deputies faced the woman
in a front hallway. There was a designated dep with a taser ready and
another with weapon drawn attempting to communicate with the woman. The
woman turns abruptly and walks down the hall only to turn back just as
quickly and raises the knife over her head as if to strike. The deputy
with the taser instantly reacts and fires his darts. The darts strike
the woman, one in the abdomen and one in the chest....the woman
immediately erupts in flames!! The deputies grab the screaming woman and
drop her to extinguish the flames and are successful in doing so with no
injuries to either the deputies or the suspect. The Sgt. on scene
immediately secures the taser and bags it for investigation. Ambulance
is called and while waiting, the deputies perform a cursory inspection
of the woman's garments. No noted alcohol smell, no flammable liquid on
her shirt, no alcohol breath.....nothing....no evidence as to why the
woman Ignited with the taser.
The woman was transported to the hospital and meanwhile the Sheriff's
personnel are attempting to figure out just what the heck happened.
Arguments flare over the cause and insistence that "Something" flammable
had to be on the woman's clothing or the taser had a major malfunction.
About this time, the Sgt. on scene gets a call from the hospital. When
examining the woman the ER staff found butane lighter in the woman's
bra with a small hole in it where the taser dart struck it releasing all
the butane stored in the lighter!
---
From The Firearms Coalition:
Attention Texas!!
Our friend Damaso Torres of Students for the Second Amendment contacted
us with news about a fantastic event that is running into a few
difficulties.
Last year Students for the Second Amendment and their College Firearms
Instructor Program hosted a Shooting Sports Camp that drew over 550
parents and children at the National Shooting Complex in San Antonio.
This year they're expecting even more participants to show up as well as
many from the media.
The difficulties I mentioned are Money, Ammo, Clay Birds, and People...
It seems that the program is just a little too successful and some of
the help they were counting on has backed out or fallen through.
The event date is approaching rapidly - September 24^th - so the need is
now!
If you, your club, your company, or your friends in the industry can
provide assistance in any form, please contact Damaso immediately.
Damaso Torres 210-674-5559
[email protected] <mailto:
[email protected]>
Need: Cash (insurance cost over $700), .22 ammo, 20 gauge ammo, and clay
birds
Damaso estimates they will need about 5000 rounds each of .22 ammo and
20 gauge target loads as well as 5000 clay birds.
If you are able to help, or if you have a Scout troop, church youth
group or other kids that would like to participate, please let Damaso
know immediately and let him know that we sent you. Also, be sure to let
us know about your contribution/experience.
Yours for the Second Amendment,
Jeff Knox
Director of Operations
The Firearms Coalition
Washington D.C. September 3, 2005 - 11:15pm
It has just been announced that Chief Justice William Rehnquist has died
at his home in Virginia.
Our deepest sympathies go out to Justice Rehnquist's family.
Justice Rehnquist was one of the more conservative members of the high
court and his passing creates an immediate imbalance on the court and it
is likely that the Court will convene with only eight members. That
would mean that controversial cases would probably not be heard during
the deficit but there is no guarantee of that. Sandra Day O'Connor
remains on the Court until her replacement is confirmed by the Senate
which could occur in just a couple of weeks.
While Justice Rehnquist was expected to retire soon, his death comes as
a surprise and raises many questions about the confirmation process of
John Roberts, the nomination of a new Chief Justice and nomination of a
replacement for Rehnquist.
One of the more disturbing suggestions has been nomination of Sandra Day
O'Connor to become Chief Justice... We would much prefer to see a more
conservative nominee both for the Chief Justice position and the now
open seat on the court - both of which will require Senate confirmation
hearings.
The spin that is immediately obvious is that Rehnquist was so
conservative that he shifted the Court from a "moderate" position to a
distinctly "conservative court" - suggesting that the 'Rehnquist Court'
was way off to the 'Right' and that it needs to be brought back to the
center with nominations of 'moderates' for both the open Associate
Justice position and the Chief Justice position.
The political jousting is going to be interesting to watch and could be
some of the most important history to be written during your or my
lifetime.
As Thomas Jefferson stated in 1821 and we reported in the latest edition
of the Hard Corps Report: "The germ of dissolution of our federal
government is in . . . the federal judiciary; an irresponsible body (for
impeachment is merely a scare-crow) working like gravity by night and by
day, gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing its
noiseless step like a thief, over the field of jurisdiction, until all
shall be usurped from the States." Thomas Jefferson, Letter to Mr.
Hammond, 1821.
We will of course be monitoring the situation closely and keeping you
posted.
Yours for the Second Amendment,
Jeff Knox
---
From John Farnam:
29 Aug 05
Excellent comments on the "pretty vs reliable" gun issue, from a friend
in the industry:
"...most gun buyers are not acquiring guns for the reasons you and I
do. Gun manufacturers will predictably produce and market what the
majority will purchase, and most potential pistol buyers, even
institutional ones, are gullible, confused, and unsophisticated, as we
all know.
High-end 1911s are a case in point. Many buyers demand meaningless
accuracy to a point where it overshadows our correct idea of functional
ability and robustness. Another example is awkward, oversized controls
that look cool in glossy ads and make bragging points with others who
are equally uninformed, but make life in a concealment holster impossible.
Fighting rifles are often in the same boat. Made to sell, they leave
the factory with superfluous attachment points, because buyers insist
they be able to hang everything on them except a water supply. Of
course, these rifles are then too heavy and maladroit to be carried
anywhere but in a car, to and from a range, but most buyers own them
solely to impress their friends, not their enemies!
Gun makers, big and small, believe they have to build at least some
esoteric toys that air-heads think they want. It is your job, as well
as mine, to enlighten them. We need to do better!"
Comment: I agree. I only hope world history will be patient with us!
/John
29 Aug 05
On "preferred weapons" of criminals:
"Last week in NM, mentally disturbed John Hyde went on a rampage,
murdering a state worker, two employees of a local motorcycle shop, and
two Albuquerque police officers. Hyde used an antique Webley revolver,
manufactured in 1918.
With the Webley now clearly the 'weapon of choice' of homicidal maniacs,
we should expect legislation to ban further production, sale,
importation, or possession of such 'assault revolvers.'
This incident reminds the rational among us that firearms are just
tools, and, as such, a minor part of the equation. Determined
individuals have frequently achieved formidable results using mundane
weapons, while others fail to perform less demanding tasks, even though
better equipped. No doubt the two officers slain by Hyde carried
sidearms superior to his Webley.
Too many students are obsessed with firearms, accessories, and
ammunition, when they should be focused on improving their own skills
and mental preparedness."
Comment: Put another way: Too many spend their time looking for an
excuse to lose, instead of spending it finding a way to win.
/John
30 Aug 05
Armorer tips to keep your 1911 running, from a good friend and armorer.
Nearly all bobbles will be traced to one or more of these issues:
CLEANLINESS. Do not believe the old wife's tale "Guns shoot better
dirty." They don't!
LUBRICATION. Follow recommendations in the owner's manual for guidance
on lube points. Get them all! Keep oil and grease away from places the
manual advises to leave dry.
RECOIL SPRINGS. Treat them like an oil change! They need to be
replaced at least once every two years, depending on how much the gun is
used. Don't use wimpy springs designed for weak, target ammunition.
Serious, high-performance ammunition calls for robust recoil springs.
BARREL LINK. The link must move, by gravity alone, when you invert the
barrel. Stickiness in barrel links is usually caused by burrs and/or
lack of lubrication. Easily fixed.
MAGAZINE CATCH. The catch must be free from stickiness and grit.
MAGAZINES. Magazines must drop free from the frame when the magazine
release button is depressed. Empty magazines must lock the slide to the
rear. Weak magazine springs are common culprits. The interior of the
magazine body must be clean. Traditional, seven-round magazines are
best. There are a number of "extra-capacity" magazines available.
None are recommended.
TRIGGER. The trigger must drop free from frame when the frame is moved
from horizontal to vertical. Once again, sticky triggers are easily fixed.
HAMMER AND SEAR. Both hammer and sear must rotate fully and freely on
their respective pins.
MAINSPRING. The mainspring must not bind in its housing.
SLIDE AND FRAME. Remove all parts from the slide and frame. The slide must
freely fall from the frame. Tight slide-to-frame fit is unsuitable for
serious guns.
EXTRACTOR (internal). Extractor tension must be sufficient to hold a
live round while the slide is rotating. The extractor tunnel must be clean.
FIRING PIN. The firing pin must protrude from breech face and return
without binding. To function check, drop a pencil, eraser end first,
down the barrel from the muzzle (unloaded pistol). Point the pistol
upward. Press the trigger. The pencil should launch from the barrel at
least a foot into the air.
AMMUNITION. Even factory ammunition needs to be inspected before using
it to charge magazines.
Comment: Adherence to the foregoing may well keep you out of a body
bag. Take care of your equipment!
/John
(Is it just me or does the preventive maintenance list for 1911's seem
longer than that for most modern autoloading pistols?)
31 Aug 05
Comments on 1911 maintenance:
"Every comment applies across the board, regardless of make or model. We
treat our water heater, furnace, even our cars with a large dose of
neglect. As a result, they fail from time to time. Such failures are
irritating, but usually not fatal. This is a serious issue, my brother
and sister warriors. When you treat your fighting tools with
disrespect, neglect, and indifference the result may well be fatal, and
you won't get a second chance!
Many are neither qualified nor competent to own or use guns. They need
to get a spear or something else their minds can handle. Don't join
that herd. Don't wait for an issue to rear its ugly head. Stay ahead
of it, alert, awake, prepared, and trained. Anything less is dangerously
foolish, and disrespects our creed."
Comment: Can't put it better!
/John
31 Aug 05
Disaster in New Orleans. Lessons for all of us:
Currently, New Orleans is a non-functioning city. Likewise for the
surrounding area. Public order has completely broken down over
thousands of square miles. No utilities. No services. No food/water.
No sanitary facilities. No way to communicate. No way to get out.
Total anarchy! Everyone there is on their own and will be for the
foreseeable future. They'll be lucky to live through it! Death toll
will likely exceed that for 9/11. Ripple effects throughout the entire
nation are substantial and will steadily grow. We are all going to feel
the effects. This has never happened in America anywhere near this
scale before. Some parts of New Orleans will never be rebuilt, nor
should they be. This is not a Hollywood screenplay. It is happening, for
real, right now, right here in America! This civilization cannot absorb
many more blows like this one.
Mercenary gangs of looters, carjackers, and other criminals, many armed,
are terrorizing anyone they can find. Swarming into business, homes,
even hospitals, looters are bypassing food and drink to steal television
sets, jewelry, and computers. Police and National Guard are unable to
respond. Residents will have to protect themselves and their property
by themselves, any way they can. We can only pray their firepower and
training are up to the task. If not, they're toast. Nobody can help them.
A friend in the fuel distribution business in OH tells me there is no
crude flowing north. Disruption in the supply chain will last for
weeks, at least. He advises all of us to fill up.
During a televised interview yesterday, a reporter asked LA's governor
how the people currently housed in the Superdome were going to be
evacuated. She mumbled incoherently and then defaulted to typical,
political double-talk. When pressed, she became exasperated and finally
blurted "We're in crisis mode now, and we don't know what we're going to
do". How inspiring! Sad that, in our democracy, so many mumbling,
bumbling bureaucrats like this one are in important, executive positions
for which they are obviously unqualified.
If you're wondering if there is a point lurking in all this, it is that
this massive disaster serves to illustrate how we, and only we, are
individually responsible for our health and safety. PREPAREDNESS CAN
NEVER BE RETROACTIVE. We all need to be self-contained, and important
decisions to that end must be made by each of us right now, and acted
upon unilaterally, rather than listening to elected grasseaters and
waiting on them to make decisions for us.
/John
31 Aug 05
Comments on the catastrophe in New Orleans:
"Real reason the Superdome is being evacuated is that there have been so
many assaults, robberies, and rapes, everyone has concluded it is unsafe
to remain there."
"Firearm section of Wall-Marts have all been cleaned out by gangs of
looters. Bands of armed VCAs are freely roaming the city now,
committing violent crimes at will, unafraid of interference from police
or the NG."
"My mother is here with me in Baton Rouge. We are running off a
generator. There is enough juice for lights, fans, and the
refrigerator, but not enough for central air. My brothers are staying at
their homes to protect them from looting, which is rampant. No one
begrudges the hungry for taking food, but these people are taking
everything of value except food, including appliances, athletic shoes,
and booze. They are also committing rapes and assaults. Both my
brothers have found it necessary to point shotguns at roaming bands of
looters. Fortunately, the looters immediately thought of somewhere else
they needed to be! They're impressed with firepower, little else.
Gunshots can be heard throughout the area. One can call the police,
but they're not coming."
"Real life is different from the square range, eh? In real life, tough
guns rule! After a beautifully-blued, tightly-fitted, tack driving 1911
rusts shut, the owner might be looking for a good spear. He'll surely
need something, considering the antics of the disturbed classes down here!
"I've decided to change my procedure for going to back-up pistol. I
will now retain my primary pistol rather than jettisoning it. Tossing
the only other gun I have into two feet of dirty water is a bad idea
when no help is coming for the foreseeable future. Same with
reloading. I'm making the permanent transition to military reloading,
rather than speed reloading. Give the current direction of world
history, I've come to believe these changes in personal tactical
doctrine are necessary."
/John
2 Sept 05
.. as anarchy descends:
In order to address the anarchy, lawlessness, and mob violence that has
spread, unchecked, throughout the entire New Orleans region this past
week, LA's governor Blanco has said of the newly-arriving NG, "They
have M-16s, and they're locked and loaded. These troops know how to
shoot and kill, and they are more than willing to do so, and I expect
they will."
Tough talk, a mere five days late! If looters, arsonists, vandals, and
other VCAs had heard that warning from the beginning, and had then been
gunned down without hesitation, on sight, by local police, little of the
present chaos would be seen.
For decades, local and state officials in the area considered violent
criminals "cute." After all, as is the case in most metro areas, it the
votes of the criminal class that keep many local politicians in power.
Corruption was tolerated. Criminal conduct was winked at. The
welfare/handout mentality was encouraged, as unproductive people voted
themselves all kinds of benefits. Now, the city gets to sleep in the
bed it has made!
The lesson here is that good people, no matter where they live, need to
be well supplied, heavily armed, and well trained, lest they fall victim
to a suddenly broken infrastructure and hoards of newly-enfranchised
VCAs. The world is filled with dangerous vermin, as we see. The anemic
veneer we laughingly call "civilization" is paper thin. Be unprepared
at your peril!
/John
(Interesting news report from Australia:
http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0%2C5478%2C16483597%255E2862%2C00.html)
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
