More On The New Giuliani: New York's Daily News claims that candidate
Giuliani was successful in selling himself as a defender of the Second
Amendment at a town-hall meeting in Georgia. "What your friends are
probably concerned about is my history as mayor of New York City,
because I enforced the gun laws in New York very aggressively," Giuliani
said. "I did it because I had a city [where] crime was way out of
control. It was destroying the fabric of our society." In other words,
the RKBA is fine until the moment a government official decides that it
threatens "the fabric of our society."
http://www.nydailynews.com/news/wn_report/2007/07/07/2007-07-07_giuliani_whistles_gun_tune_in_dixie-2.html
---
An Interesting Theory: Although crime did fall dramatically in New York
during Giuliani's tenure, a broad range of scientific research has
emerged in recent years to show that the mayor deserves only a fraction
of the credit that he claims. The most compelling information has come
from an economist in Fairfax who has argued in a series of
little-noticed papers that the "New York miracle" was caused by local
and federal efforts decades earlier to reduce lead poisoning.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/07/07/AR2007070701073.html?hpid=topnews
---
Boy Scout Shooting Camp Provokes Backlash: ...Although the Colorado camp
has had a shooting range for rifles and shotguns for years, noise has
not been an issue until now. Neighbors say part of their frustration is
that the Scouts only notified them of the event with the sound of the
guns, and they never applied for permit from the county.
http://www.rockymountainnews.com/drmn/local/article/0%2C1299%2CDRMN_15_5619407%2C00.html
---
TV Tokyo Examines Arizona Gun Laws: Peoria Police spokesperson Mike
Tellef, who spent several days with the television crew, said they chose
to film in Arizona because the gun laws here are more relaxed than in
either California or New York, where TV Tokyo has satellite offices.
http://www.peoriatimes.com/articles/2007/07/05/news/news01.txt
---
"Modernizing" Your Shotgun: List member Frank Borelli offers some
opinions on how to modify a 12-gauge shotgun, to enhance its
versatility. (This is one of the few times where I am inclined to agree
with Dave Grossman, on the superiority of the rifle or carbine over the
shotgun. However, those shotguns I do own have been modified, not
necessarily with all of the same accessories. Compare this view with
John Farnam's comments on accessorizing rifles and carbines.)
http://www.borelliconsulting.com/evals/guns/modern12g.htm
---
From John Farnam:
2 July 07
Evil Roy?
During a Course in WY last weekend, I had the opportunity to use a copy
of Action Target's new "ERPT" portable, steel target. "ERPT" stands for
"Evil Roy's Practice Target." It seems "Evil Roy" is the pseudonym used
by a well-known Cowboy Action shooter. Having no interest in Cowboy
Action shooting, I never heard of him, but I saw this new target at the
last Shot Show, and I immediately saw great potential.
An eight-inch disk sits on a collapsible tripod. The whole thing folds
up flat for easy transport. It even features a carrying handle. One
can deploy it anywhere. There is no necessity to drive stakes in the
ground nor to assemble anything. It deploys, and folds back up, instantly!
The disk itself rings and jumps when hit. Very useful and inexpensive.
Recommended!
Get hold of Chad Burdett at
[email protected]_
(mailto:
[email protected])
/John
(John has a reputation for incorporating innovative target systems into
his training and of relying heavily on steel targets. The plus side of
steel targets is that they always provide auditory feedback when they
are hit and, if they are designed to fall, also provide visual feedback.
The minus side is that they can also provide ricochets and "splashback,"
particularly if they are shot at distances less than 25 yards. This is
particularly the case when the shooter is using jacketed hollowpoint
ammunition; I have seen numerous jacket fragments embed themselves to
various depths in soft tissue.)
2 July 07
Rifles under heavy use:
At an Urban Rifle Course in WY last weekend we had, of course, a number
of ARs, two Kalashnikovs, one SA/SOCOM (M14), one DSA/FAL, one Ruger
Mini-14, and one Fulton Armory M1 Carbine.
Most of the ARs ran fine. However, one attached/coaxial flashlight fell
off the first day. Not uncommon when rifles see heavy use.
One AR-user had his rifle equipped with an Aimpoint. Optic ran fine,
but it was fitted with flip-up scope covers, front and back. Several
times, he mounted his rifle only to see nothing, as the covers were
down! Critical seconds were lost as he fumbled around trying to get
them out of his life. Such scope-cover-engendered disasters are
common. Scope covers all need to be unceremoniously thrown in the
trash, before they get you killed!
The front sight on the SOCOM fractured and fell off within five-hundred
rounds. The student defaulted to a DSA/FAL, which, as ever, ran fine
for the duration.
Both Kalashnikovs were Eastern-European manufactured and ran fine, but
both were equipped with stock, Soviet-style rear sights. Both students
found the open sights difficult to use and extremely coarse, and, as a
result, both had great difficulty passing our Proficiency Test.
Soviet-style rifle sights are intended for youths with excellent eyes!
Middle-aged shooters typically find them a good deal less satisfactory!
On my Kalashnikovs, there have all been replaced with Western-style,
peep sights.
The Fulton Armory M1 Carbine ran through the entire Course without a hiccup!
Excellent weapon, but expensive. FA is not known for their discounts!
The Mini-14 ran poorly, experiencing all manner of feeding
difficulties. Most were clearly magazine-related, as some magazines
definitely worked better than others. All high-capacity magazines were
after-market, and none worked well. Ruger needs to start making
high-capacity magazines for this rifle and clean up this problem! The
frustrated student eventually finished the Course with my DSA/AR, which,
as always, ran fine.
Comment: Serious equipment must be selected with great care. With most
after-market attachments and accessories, the "cure" is worse than the
"disease!" When both equipment and shooter run hard and long,
weaknesses quickly make themselves known. That's why we do it!
/John
(I believe that flip-up scope covers may have a role on a precision
rifle, which is normally deployed in a slower fashion than a
general-purpose rifle or carbine. The ones on mine have release levers
that facilitate quick flip-up of the covers from a shooting position. To
my knowledge, Ruger has always made 20-round magazines for their Mini-14
but has always restricted their distribution to law enforcement. It's
been a while since I purchased the ones I own and they weren't cheap.)
5 July 07
On US passports, from a friend trying to get his:
"... if you don't currently have a passport, start the paperwork now!
I applied on 11 Apr 07, and I paid extra for the "expedited" process. I
still don't have it. The whole system is currently in complete
vapor-lock, and calling them is every bit as productive as calling the
North Pole! "
Comment: Every American ought to have a passport! It is quite literally
the only positive proof of citizenship. All other government-issued
documents are trash! They prove nothing. They impress no one. Get a
passport. Start the process now!
/John
(Interesting observation. I was born outside the US and have never had
anyone question the "Report of Child Born Abroad to American Parents"
that I use as a birth certificate and proof of US citizenship.
Certainly, anyone who contemplates foreign travel, even to Mexico or
Canada, should start the application process for a passport if he
doesn't have a current one. Personally, I no longer travel where I can't
legally bear arms.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
