A Libertarian Critique of Florida's Parking-Lot-Storage Law: Supporters
of the right to keep and bear arms have long recognized the value of
firearms for the defense of life, liberty and property. But in Florida,
a perverse conception of the 2nd Amendment has produced the opposite
effect: The cause of gun rights is being used to attack property rights.
In 1987, Florida wisely affirmed personal freedom by letting law-abiding
citizens get permits to carry concealed weapons. But this year, the
legislature decided it was not enough to let licensees pack in public
places. They also should be allowed to take their guns into private
venues - even if the property owner objects...
http://townhall.com/columnists/SteveChapman/2008/08/24/gun_rights_vs_freedom?page=full&comments=true
---
Deciding to Use a Gun Not Just About Laws: Something woke me up. The
noise at 2 a.m. made me sit up in the bed and listen. I soon realized
someone was trying to break into my apartment. It was more than 25 years
ago, but I remember vividly the scary incident in which I found myself
holding a gun and faced with the possibility of shooting someone. I
thought about it last week as the community debated whether a
convenience store clerk was justified in shooting a guy stealing beer.
Store clerk Sarbrinder Pannu, 31, allegedly followed James Hawthorne out
of the J&S Food Mart on Medgar Evers Blvd. and shot him after Hawthorne
stole a case of beer. Hawthorne, who had a criminal record, was not
armed. Hawthorne is dead and Pannu is charged with murder...
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008808240370
---
An Alternative to NICS?: If we must have gun-buyer background checks to
stop criminals, at least do it without compiling massive records on the
innocent. A simple system called BIDS can do this, and at far less cost
than NICS. Basically, BIDS distributes the list of hardcore prohibited
possessors to federally licensed firearm dealers. Dealers check their
customers against the computerized list to lockout illegal sales.
This maintains the privacy of Innocent citizens and eliminates the
potential for illegal government registries. It's simple. It's cheap. It
works. Do it. BIDS: "Blind Identification Database System..."
http://www.gunlaws.com/BIDS%20v.%20NICS.htm
---
Gun Sales Up in Philippine City: Gun stores and gun repair shops in
Zamboanga City have noted an increase in the number of their customers
in the past two weeks. Alfred Wee, owner of a local gun store, said
there is about 30-40 percent increase in the sale of ammunition. Wee
however was quick to clarify that he does not consider this as panic
buying among gun owners. Wee said that people in Zamboanga City have
always been interested in owning a firearm. It has just become more
apparent in recent days considering the situation the city is in.
Various reports on alleged presence of armed separatists of the Moro
Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) are circulating and causing panic and
alarm among residents. Wee clarified that they only entertain legitimate
buyers from whom they demand to see their license to own a firearm...
http://www.abs-cbnnews.com/storypage.aspx?StoryID=129104
---
The Heller Case: Gun Rights Affirmed: Alan Korwin and Dave Kopel have
written what may be the definitive book on District of Columbia v.
Heller. Included is commentary by Alan Gura, Bob Levy, Don Kates, Glenn
Reynolds, Eugene Volokh, David Hardy, Clayton Cramer, Robert Cottrol,
Bruce Eimer, Joyce Lee Malcolm, Michael Anthony, Sandy Froman and many
more. A pre-publication discount is offered at this time.
http://www.gunlaws.com/hc.htm
---
One Month to the 2008 Gun Rights Policy Conference: Come meet national
gun rights leaders and your fellow grassroots activists at the 23rd
Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC 2008) in Phoenix, Arizona,
September 26, 27, & 28, 2008. This is your once-a-year chance to network
and get an insider look and plan pro-gun rights strategies for the
coming year. Past GRPCs have outlined victory plans and made public the
latest firearms trends. They allow you a first-hand chance to hear
movement leaders - and make your voice heard. This year we'll take a
look at critical issues such as: city gun bans, youth violence, "smart"
guns, concealed carry, federal legislation, legal actions, gun show
regulation, state and local activity. We'll also preview the upcoming
Presidential Elections and analyze the U.S. Supreme Court Heller
Decision...Books, monographs and other materials - enough to start a
Second Amendment library - are free, as are Saturday Luncheon, Friday
and Saturday evening receptions and morning and afternoon snack breaks.
Other meals, travel and lodging are to be paid by attendee.
http://www.saf.org/default.asp?p=grpc
---
NRA-ILA Alerts: Alerts for the week are posted on the NRA-ILA website.
http://www.nraila.org/GrassrootsAlerts/read.aspx
---
From John Farnam:
19 Aug 08
A good friend will soon be publishing a book on shooting schools, and he
has asked many of us currently teaching this Art to write a few
paragraphs on what one should expect from such instruction. Here is my
contribution:
With regard to shooting/tactics instruction, at the top of the list of
"advice" is this: Don't put it off! We are plummeting headlong into
some exciting World History, and Art that we teach, like so many other
critical life-skills, defines the thin membrane the separates the Quick
from the ead!
When you walk into Class, leave your ego outside. Come to learn. Come
to work. Neither your instructor, nor your fellow students, are
interested in how wonderful you are, nor in the fact that you think it
should be you who is teaching the Class! Not everyone in the Class will
start at the same level, but all need to have a healthy, discerning, and
enthusiastic learning attitude.
Don't come with the expectation of being entertained, nor to have "fun,"
nor to relax. Competent instruction is never relaxing. It is hard,
grueling work, and the purpose is not to make you look good. That is of
interest only to the shallow and self-centered. Competent instruction
is always a tempestuous mixture of success and failure. Real learning
takes place when you fail! Little is ever learned from success, but
there needs to be enough of it to keep students motivated and moving
forward. When success is always easily attained, you are simply
striving toward the insignificant!
Your instructor should always lead the way, live-demonstrating every
drill. You need to see it done, and know it can be done, before
starting to learn how to do it yourself. Instructors who hesitate to
boldly step forward and lead/show/demonstrate the way are always suspect!
Understand that some of the instruction will be dry. We try to make it
as interesting and exciting as we can, but, in order for you to be a
well-rounded and competent Operator, you need to be intimately
acquainted with a wide spectrum of subjects and skills. Some are more
interesting than others, but all are important.
Finally, expose yourself to as many good instructors as you can. None
of us are perfect, nor does any one of us have a complete understanding
of the True Way. We are students too!
/John
(John raises some good points but, as my grandfather was fond of saying,
differences of opinion are what make horse races. In my experience,
there are plenty of people who want to learn the skills to be able to
defend themselves with firearms, should the need arise, but who do not
view themselves as Warriors or Operators. Some of these people need the
opportunity to train in street-real skills but may not be prepared to
deal with a hard, grueling regimen. Such people may be well served by
private or semi-private instruction that can adjust to their individual
level of fitness or speed of learning.)
20 Aug 08
Flying with guns:
Many have asked me about flying with guns via commercial airlines. They
want to be armed after they arrive at their destination.
I do it a lot! Yes, tin helps, but not as much as you might think.
Neither airline clerks, nor TSA employees, have any particular regard
for local, peon police officers.
Here are my recommendations:
Most of us know that guns must be unloaded and packed in a hard case
that is individually locked, in order to satisfy TSA regulations for
air-transport in checked baggage. The hard, plastic case that your
pistol came in will probably suffice, as most are now lockable. Trigger
locks are not required, nor are they recommended.
Pistols locked in the box need to be unloaded (no round chambered),
dry-fired, and with magazines removed and placed elsewhere in your
luggage. Even empty magazines, when inserted into unloaded pistols,
have been known to "confuse" TSA inspectors. And, when you're in a
place where high-capacity magazines may be an issue, removing them from
pistols and putting them elsewhere in your luggage is a good idea. TSA
may look at your guns. They rarely look at magazines. TSA doesn't care
about state and local restrictions, but when local police become
involved, problems could develop. Best that you not attract their
attention!
SIG makes a superior air-transport box, and it is the one I use, no
matter what pistols I'm traveling with. It can be locked so that it
cannot even be opened a crack without first undoing the locks. To lock
it up, I use cable locks that now come with most new guns. SIG's
shipping container is compact, yet big enough to hold two pistols in
foam-padded comfort. I don't recommend traveling with just one gun.
Guns break unexpectedly sometimes, and, when they do, you'll be glad you
have two!
The locked box then goes inside your ordinary-looking luggage, so there
is no external suggestion that there are guns inside. Your luggage
should then also be locked. Best locks to use are "TSA locks" to which
TSA has access via special keys. Using them makes it unnecessary for
TSA to cut locks off your luggage, which they will do without much ceremony!
I usually travel with three, twenty-round boxes of high-performance
pistol ammunition. Unlike guns, it does not need to be in a locked
box. Ammunition in factory (cardboard or plastic) boxes (so long as
cartridges are individually contained) works just fine. Quantity is
supposedly restricted, usually by weight, so there is a limit, but sixty
rounds is no problem. Ammunition may also be transported in charged
pistol and rifle magazines, so long as the top, exposed round is
covered. I transport charged magazines (both pistol and rifle) fully
inserted in their Comp-Tac belt carriers and then tucked into a padded case.
Every airport is different! After declaration, sometimes the airline
clerk wants to see your guns. However, they mostly have no interest and
just ask you to sign the tag, put it in your luggage, and then send you
to off TSA.
Sometimes, they want the tag inside the gun-box itself. Most of the
time, they don't care where you put it! TSA will then x-ray your
luggage and may want to physically look inside the gun box itself.
When flying with a large carrier, like United, it is best to go to the
"Odd-Size" luggage counter. The folks there are used to checking guns.
When "declaring," I matter-of-factly (but softly) say, "I have unloaded
guns in my checked baggage." In airports like DIA, where they do it a
lot, it is no particular event. In airports like Newark, JFK, et al,
reaction may be more animated. Folding knives and sheath-knives
(secured in sheaths), expandable batons, saps, etc are best put in a
padded gun-rag, inside checked luggage. No need to mention them.
When dealing with TSA, and bureaucrats in general, the secret is,
"Don't-fail-the-attitude-test!" You will come out on the losing end of
any power struggle, so don't even go there! So long as you're civil,
non-threatening, and refrain from whining, TSA folks will actually try
to help you. However, don't be chatty, and don't answer questions that
weren't asked. Be polite, but exceedingly boring. Be clean, reasonably
well-groomed, and have an otherwise "normal" appearance. They'll
quickly lose interest in you! "
Standing-out," for any reason, is the last thing you want to do when
traveling!
You won't be able to carry guns nor ammunition onto the passenger area
of the plane, of course, but there are other useful items you might want
in your carry-on bag:
A small flashlight. I travel with my Firstlight Tomahawk all the time,
also my Blackhawk Gladius, and various Surefires. Sharing space in my
carry-on, I have an electric toothbrush and an electric shaver. When my
bags don't make it to my destination, I can at least shave and brush my
teeth! TSA has never expressed concern with, nor interest in, any of
the above.
When flying, I wear steel-toed safety boots. They are formidable weapons!
With a single kick, I can effortlessly break a shin or an ankle,
essentially immobilizing my opponent, all with no risk to my own foot.
Nevertheless, my boots have been x-rayed hundreds of times, and TSA
thinks they're just fine! My Cold Steel City Stick also travels with
me, and it, too, has been x-rayed more time than I can count. No
prescription is needed for a cane. I also have a Cold-Steel Sharkie in
my carry-on, along with an ST ActionPro Talon. Both have been with me
on dozens of flights, and, since there is no metal in either, TSA has
never even looked at them.
My concern is, of course, being able to effectively defend myself
between when the plane arrives and when I can get into my luggage and
re-arm myself. Airport parking lots, at night, are fraught with
danger! Mugging suspects like them, because they believe all their
potential victims there are unarmed. It's a lot safer than mugging
people downtown!
Columbia makes an upscale 36-inch "Wheeled-Duffel" that is perfect for
transporting rifles. An M4 with the stock telescoped all the way in,
and nearly any folding-stock military rifle with the stock folded, can
be accommodated. The rifle is locked inside a 32-inch hard case, and
the case then goes inside the duffel. In addition, I carry a
soft-fabric viola case for low-profile rifle transport after I arrive at
my destination and subsequently need to go about without the hard case.
The foregoing applies to domestic air-travel. Flying internationally is
a different subject. When I travel overseas, my local friends see that
I am well-armed after I arrive. Accordingly, I don't transport guns on
international flights.
There is, of course, a risk that checked baggage will be pilfered or
lost. It has surely happened. You can purchase insurance for the trip,
but I usually don't bother, as it takes a lot of time, and such risks
are something that, in the end, we all have to accept.
I usually arrive at the airport a minimum of two hours before
flight-time. With that buffer, I've never been rushed.
After 9/11, I made a change in my personal philosophy. I decided that
I'm not going to travel without a rifle! I've always traveled with
pistols, but I'm now concerned about being stranded in a strange place
with only pistols for personal protection.
When you fly with guns, the System will grudgingly accommodate you. You
just have to do the best you can to make it work. Of course, there are
risks inherent to traveling with guns. On the other hand, there are
risks associated with traveling without guns too!
/John
(My own experience flying with firearms, as well as flying on any
commercial flights, came to an end in June 2000. After a four-leg trip
on which America West cancelled five of my flights, I had my fill of the
ritual disarmament and concerns that my firearms might not be there when
I arrived at my destination. I decided that I had reached a point in my
life where, if I cannot get there by driving and cannot legally remain
armed in the process, I probably don't need to go there. Consequently,
the advice I used to give my students on flying with firearms may be
outdated. Much of John's advice seems useful but I'm not sure that
carrying or wearing items that invite X-ray examination is consistent
with "being boring." I carried an inexpensive rattan cane on my last two
trips to Mexico and drew attention only from those people who needed to
stay back - it drew no attention from customs, immigration, police or
military personnel, despite the fact that I obviously did not need it
for walking. Years ago the people at PPCT went counter to the tide of
the then-popular side-handle police batons and recommended straight
rattan batons; part of their argument was that the lighter weight of the
rattan allowed the stick to accelerate to a higher velocity. I don't
know how the shape of John's feet compares to mine but I have been
required to wear steel-toed shoes when I worked in industrial
environments and found that if I kicked with the toes, I would smash my
own toes into the steel caps. Personally, I prefer to kick with the sole
of the foot and to target the knee. From all angles except the rear, if
you get the sole of your foot in contact with the assailant's knee and
step into it, you will most likely tear at least one of the ligaments
that hold that joint together. Further, this is a technique that is more
dependent on the shift of your body weight than the ability to generate
speed in the strike.)
22 Aug 08
Near-incident, from a friend and Instructor in the Midwest:
"Last week, I pulled into our Gun-Club Range entrance in order to unlock
the gate. It's a remote gun-range, with only one road leading to it.
There is a farmhouse nearby, but, unless you're going to the range, or
to the farmhouse, or are lost, there's no reason to be on that road.
I was meeting a student there, but she hadn't arrived yet. Suddenly a
red sports-car appeared on the road and drove past me. As it did, the
driver looked over and gave me what I can only describe as a
'dirty-look,' as if he knew me. But, he was a complete stranger to me,
and I surely didn't recognize him.
I went over to the gate to unlock it. The red sports-car, instead of
driving on down the road, stopped, turned around, and pulled up to my
car, bumper to bumper. The driver got out and faced me. He was a white
male, wearing a T-shirt that had a what looked like a badge pinned to
it. He immediately started talking, saying his 'uncle' was meeting him
at the range. I asked what his uncle's name was, as, if he is a member,
I probably know him.
He abruptly changed the subject, saying that, since he was 'military and
law-enforcement,' he didn't think anyone would mind if he used the
range. I didn't see a gun on him, nor could I see one in his car, but
his sleazy appearance and disquieting demeanor put me on alert.
Assuming an interview-stance, I said, 'What police department are you
with, Bud?' Not answering, he looked around nervously, then hurriedly
returned to his car and drove off!
A half-hour later, the people who live at the farmhouse, whom I've met
and recognized, ran over in a panic, saying that someone had just shot
one of their horses! Police were soon there, and I gave them a
description of the red sports-car and driver, who was, as it turns out,
the chief suspect.
Monday, the driver I had encountered was confronted and arrested by our
SO's Tactical Team. He confessed to shooting the horse and a number of
other misdeeds. As it turns out, he was not (and had never been) a
police officer. Quite the contrary! He has an extensive, violent,
criminal record and, in fact, had several active, felony warrants when
he was taken into custody.
Wanted posters described him as 'armed and extremely dangerous.' He had
attempted to extort money from the farming family who lived near the
range, and had apparently shot their horse in order to punctuate his
demands for cash!
Of course, I knew nothing of this when I confronted him that evening on
the range road. However, his behavior did set off my internal alarm.
At the time, I was carrying my SA/XD (concealed) in my lightening-fast
Kytac/BraveHeart holster. Being one of your students, I practice with
both regularly. Had he tried to harm me, he would have found himself in
the fight of his life!
I never go unarmed, but this incident reminded me of why. If this
person had produced a gun or knife in a threatening manner, a gun in my
car, even as close as five feet, would not have been in a high-enough
state of readiness to save my life!"
Lesson: Yet another excellent illustration of the tactical principle:
There will be no time to "get ready."
You have to "be ready," or be prepared to accept murder/mayhem at the
hands of VCAs who will sometimes cross paths with you, no matter how
careful and foresighted you try to be!
/John
(I could probably write a small book in response to this account so I
will restrict my comments. While it may not be readily available to
those who have not spent time in those environments, there is usually a
distinctive vernacular in the law-enforcement and special-ops
communities that can rapidly uncover impersonators. On the East Coast
the term "on the job" is widely used to refer to being an LEO. On the
other hand, it should raise your hackles if someone claims to be "on the
job" out West. In general, most American LEO's will ask "who are you
with?" when inquiring about agency affiliation. Similarly, Navy
special-ops personnel will not usually speak of being SEAL's but of
"being in the teams." As for preparedness, there is a saying, "Greet
everyone you meet with a smile but have a plan to kill them all.")
23 Aug 08
On the 6.5 Grendel rifle cartridge, from an instructor and small-arms
design engineer:
"In testing the 6.5 Grendel round though the existing AR-15 platform,
we've discovered that the two don't mix! I wrecked our test copy
within just a few hundred rounds, disintegrating the two locking-lugs on
either side of the extractor, and this was all with the manufacturer's
recommended ammunition. The 6.5 Grendel is just too much for the AR!
When you open-up the AR's bolt-face in order to accept the 7.62x39
case-head, the process weakens already delicate locking lugs to the
point of impotence. I know you, and most others, have also had poor
experience with AR-15s chambered for 30/Soviet (7.62X39). It's the same
problem!
Ballistically, the 6.5 Grendel is an impressive round, to be sure. It
will probably run fine in an XCR or some other, more robust, rifle.
However, with the existing AR-15 platform, the biggest thing we're going
to be able to shove through it is the 6.8/SPC, and even that cartridge
pushes the System's limits."
Comment: The entire Stoner Rifle was designed around the 223 cartridge,
and that is the one with which it runs best. AR-15s in any other
caliber are fraught with problems, as we see, and are thus not recommended!
/John
(At the risk of picking nits, it is a misnomer to substitute "Stoner
Rifle" for "AR-15." The AR-15 was but one of a family of Stoner weapons,
at least two of which, the AR-10 and the SR-25, were designed around the
7.62x51mm cartridge.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
