Virginia Gubernatorial Race: ...Given their other differences, Deeds and
McDonnell hold remarkably similar records on guns. Deeds often sided
with Republicans, including McDonnell, and rural Democrats in opposing
gun control bills. They voted repeatedly to stop localities from
enforcing more restrictive gun laws than the state, including proposed
bans at community centers and parks. Both voted to limit government
lawsuits against gun manufacturers and against firearm bans on school
campuses. The two split over a bill that limited handgun purchases to
one a month. Deeds voted no; McDonnell, yes. But both men have changed
their views. After the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings, Deeds began to
support closing the loophole that allows some private vendors at gun
shows to make sales without background checks. McDonnell now supports
repealing the one-gun-a-month law because of improvements he says have
been made in instant background checks. Deeds's gun-friendly record
earned him the National Rifle Association's endorsement in 2005 but cost
him the support of former governor L. Douglas Wilder. This year, the NRA
switched to McDonnell, citing his record as attorney general and Deeds's
"flip-flop" on the gun show loophole.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/26/AR2009092602516.html
---
Interesting Urination Contest: The owner of Badger Guns just posted a
sign that accuses Milwaukee Police officers of pulling over African
Americans when they leave the store. The sign makes an ugly claim. It
reads, "Racist Milwaukee Police Department is pulling over African
Americans leaving this store. Sorry for the inconvenience." Badger Guns
owner Adam Allan insists MPD officers have been hiding nearby and
pulling over his black customers. Allan claims it started about three
months ago after two MPD officers were shot in Walker's Point. Both
officers suffered permanent injuries. The gun used in that June shooting
was bought at Badger Guns by someone with a clean record, then sold to
the suspected shooter. Despite the owner's claim, he couldn't provide
any proof that African Americans had been targeted, nor could he put
reporters in touch with them, saying, "His customers had been through
enough." A spokesperson for the MPD says they won't comment until
Monday. The owner says the sign is staying up until the racism stops.
(Alternatively, I suppose the owner might simply be trying to dissuade
"African Americans" from patronizing his store.)
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/61564512.html
---
Texas County Plans New Range: A state-of-the-art, $2.5 million shooting
range is beginning to take shape in South Bexar County, a project county
commissioners hope will turn a profit by eventually serving dozens of
area law enforcement agencies. When the first phase is completed late
next year, the open-air training facility will host live-fire sniper and
SWAT training and will feature multiple computer-operated targets and
hostage-rescue simulations, sheriff's Lt. Darrell Sanders said.
Commissioners authorized the $2.5 million expenditure - another $5
million will be needed for subsequent portions - this month, and they
are eager to determine whether the range will attract paying customers.
According to a report to commissioners, potential users include law
enforcement officers from 23 cities and towns in the region, 10 public
school districts, three universities and federal and state agencies in
the area... But he acknowledges that the facility won't be fully
built-out for several years. At that point, when all phases are
complete, the county will consider admitting non-law-enforcement gun
enthusiasts... (San Antonio is the seat of Bexar County. Camp Bullis, an
Army facility on the north side of San Antonio, has hosted a lot of
law-enforcement training over the years but has been taxed by increased
military demand as medical personnel from all the services take field
training there, including preparation for dealing with IED's.)
http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/County_firing_range_in_the_works20090927.html
---
New Arizona Laws Take Effect Wednesday: Expanded gun rights, new
restrictions on abortion and a ban on forcing animals to fight for
gambling purposes are among the new laws set to take effect this week...
Meanwhile, laws will take effect Wednesday allowing concealed weapons
into bars and requiring property owners to allow guns on their
properties if locked inside a car... (This mention is incomplete and
slightly misleading. List members are referred to yesterday's mailing,
which contained more detailed information from AzCDL. Of note, no
mention is made of the bill authorizing the defensive display of a
firearm, which reduces the risk of being prosecuted for aggravated
assault if the firearm is mentioned or displayed before one is fully
justified in firing it. The AzCDL alert, on the other hand, was
confusing as to when the new laws take effect.)
http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/09/27/20090927newlaws0927.html
---
Rule Five Reminder: Police say a woman and little girl were injured
Saturday when a gun accidentally fired at a Mesa [AZ] gun show. "I was
two rows away, we heard the gun go off and everybody just kind of
stopped," said Mike Todd, a gun show regular. "It could've been much
worse." It happened just before noon at the Mesa Convention Center, near
Center and Main streets. Police told ABC15 that a dealer brought a
loaded handgun into the convention center and placed it under a table.
Someone later pulled the trigger of the gun. The bullet apparently hit
the wooded [sic] butt of a rifle then went through a side door made of
metal. A woman was hit in the neck along with a little girl. Both were
taken to the hospital as a precaution... Police were questioning the gun
dealer involved and may charge him with recklessness. "He won't be
invited back to this gun show" said Bob Templeton, who runs the gun
show. "We just had a guy here who didn't think he had to follow the
rules." ... (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm. I think it's
foolish for all firearms to be unloaded at gun shows so long as those
that are loaded for emergency use are not handled absent an emergency.
The problem here was that a loaded gun was not properly controlled.)
http://www.abc15.com/content/news/southeastvalley/mesa/story/PD-Woman-child-injured-as-weapon-fires-at-Mesa/Adu5UVs1wUybPmIne4ifpw.cspx
..Witnesses reported that an accidental shooting occurred Saturday at
the Crossroads Gun Show at Mesa's Centennial Hall. The gun show on
Center Street saw hundreds of sellers and buyers milling around in the
noisy venue until the loud crack of a solitary gun shot. The show,
packed with an estimated 200 to 300 people, fell silent about 11:30
a.m., and then came the screams of a woman who was grazed in the neck by
a bullet witnesses said was accidentally discharged by a vendor...
Wright said witnesses reported that the vendor was crouched below his
table when the gun went off...
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/145004
Video: This report suggests that the woman who was shot is the one who
picked up the loaded gun from under the dealer's table. (Rule Three:
Keep your finger out of the trigger guard, up on the frame, until your
sights are on the target and you're prepared to fire.)
http://www.kpho.com/video/21126862/index.html
---
Tangentially Related: The indictment of suspected terrorist Najibullah
Zazi, who is charged with acquiring and preparing bombs similar to the
ones deployed in the 2005 London subway attacks, rides substantially on
Zazi's Internet surfing habits... As you read the indictment and order
for permanent detention you can almost picture the various connected
databases and monitoring techniques at work. Simply put, Internet
surveillance and information technology sleuthing played a big role in
the Zazi case. FBI agents arrested Zazi in Colorado... (As the article
goes on to point out, "You are your internet search history.")
http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/25/tech/main5339112.shtml
Same Tune, Different Spouse: Bill Clinton says a vast, right-wing
conspiracy that once targeted him is now focusing on President Barack
Obama. The ex-president made the comment in a television interview when
he was asked about one of the signature moments of the Monica Lewinsky
affair over a decade ago. Back then, first lady Hillary Rodham Clinton
used the term "vast, right-wing conspiracy" to describe how her
husband's political enemies were out to destroy his presidency...
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/09/27/AR2009092701310.html?hpid=moreheadlines
Former President Bill Clinton told NBC's David Gregory on "Meet the
Press" that the so-called "vast right-wing conspiracy" still exists and
is "as virulent as it was," but has had its impact diminished by the
nation's changing demographics... (I guess that's why we've seen record
purchases of firearms and ammunition, along with all the nearly
spontaneous Tea Parties and a related massive march on Washington. Mr.
Clinton ignores the "Roe effect," which is the concept that since
left-leaning women have been more likely to abort than right-leaning
women, we are actually seeing a demographic shift to the right. Then
again, since the events to which I've alluded, along with much of the
other resistance to Big Brother, have been nearly spontaneous, it's
actually inaccurate to label them as part of a conspiracy.)
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0909/27617.html
---
From John Farnam:
21 Sept 09
Urban Rifle Notes, from a Course in PA last weekend:
(1) A student shooting an M1 Carbine suddenly experienced a stubborn
failure-to-feed.
Examination revealed the problem:
Magazines were charged from a box of S&B hardball. Mixed in with 30M1
ammunition was a single 38Spl round! It looks similar enough that it
took us several minutes to figure out what was happening. This is the
second time I've seen this with S&B ammunition. The first time, 222
Remington rounds were mixed in with 223 Remington!
Not my favorite brand!
(2) To my surprise and puzzlement, my 7.62X39 XCR suddenly started to
hiccup. All my XCRs are wonderfully reliable, and I was unsure what was
happening. I thought I may have broken an internal part.
Nothing nearly so exciting, as it turns out! The problem was that the
single bolt that holds the barrel in place had loosened. When we
tightened it back up, the rifle resumed normal functioning.
When I subsequently talked with Alex Robinson, he confirmed that the
barrel-bolt should be checked regularly. It needs to be "hand tight,
then seventy degrees more (1/4 turn)."
(3) In addition, Alex recommended, "... gas valve should be set so brass
is thrown fifteen feet. When you're throwing brass forty feet, you'll
regularly consume recoil buffers."
Sure enough, examination revealed that the rubber recoil buffer on my
XCR was badly chewed-up. Easily replaced, and the rifle will run fine
without it, but my rifle's gas valve had been closed all the way, and
the weapon it sees a lot of use.
I learned a few things about it last weekend! The XCR is a superior
system, and I recommend it, but, as with any military rifle, users need
to be familiar with all important issues.
/John
(This is not the first report of problems I've seen with S&B ammo - at
least this one did not cause any damage to the firearm or the operator.
One issue is defective ammunition, which I have seen reported more than
once with S&B; another is inadvertently mixing calibers. Trying to load
an oversize round into a firearm is often a self-limiting process.
Undersize rounds, however, may fit into the chamber. This can
potentially result in catastrophic case failures or the round slipping
into the barrel, causing an obstruction. When I trained on the US Park
Police Range in DC, in January 1994, they had a very strict rule about
not having more than one caliber of ammunition on a range at a time.
John appears to have a commitment of some sort to the XCR. I've never
seen or used one but the above report does not convince me that it is a
"superior system." To my knowledge, AR-15's do not require this sort of
adjustment unless, perhaps, you try to "improve" them. See further
maintenance instructions for the XCR below. As Grandpa Wenger liked to
say, "Differences of opinion are what make horse races.")
22 Sept 09
Why I like, and regularly carry, big blades. This from an LEO friend in SA:
"I was on my way home after work yesterday afternoon.
The route I have to take includes a couple of notorious intersections.
One in particular is so well know for smash-and-grabs that police
vehicles are usually parked there all day.
Sure enough, I was caught by the red light and had to stop. As is my
habit, I had already scanned when I realized I would be compelled to
stop for the light.
It was then that I noticed a seedy character standing on the
center-island, checking out cars. For some reason, he immediately
selected me and came directly at my car, even though he could plainly
see that I was onto him. My driver's-side window was open (due to the
heat!), and he already had his hand, fingers extended, forward, in an
effort to get it inside my vehicle.
Knowing, from bitter experience, where this was all going, I slipped my
Cold Steel Grande Vaquero out of my pocket, simultaneously deploying
it. As this character got to my window, he aggressively reached inside
my car and missed grabbing a handful of Vaquero by millimeters!
When he finally saw my blade, he abruptly sucked in several cubic meters
of air, and I thought his eyes were going to pop out of his head! With
a panicked shriek, he instantly withdrew his hand and fell backward.
The last I saw, he was running back down the center island!
The light changed, and I went my way in peace."
Comment: There is no doubt. Big blades are scary! To be sure, enormous
damage can be done with small blades too, but big blades really get
people's attention.
Like my friend, I carry a CS/VG in my pocket every day. For aggressive
panhandlers, there is nothing better, as we see!
/John
(I assume that "SA" means "South Africa" and not "San Antonio," where
Texas law would prohibit carrying a knife with a blade of 5 �" or
longer. While these stories always produce a sympathetic chuckle, I have
doubts about the legal ramifications of using knives in this fashion.
While some enlightened states, such as Arizona and Montana, have passed
statutes legalizing the defensive display of a firearm, these statutes
make no reference to the defensive display of a knife. I think it would
be wise to check with an attorney in my home state before rushing out to
purchase a Vaquero Grande [sic] for this purpose. Speaking of attorneys,
list member David Wong, author of Knife Laws of the Fifty States: A
Guide for the Law-Abiding Traveler
[
http://www.knifelawsonline.com/knifehome/], cautions against carrying
knives that can easily be characterized for a jury as fighting knives
instead of tools.)
23 Sept 09
XCR comments, to me, from the manufacturer:
"The barrel-bolt, extractor, and our adjustable gas system top the list
of customer concerns. We try hard to educate each of our customers, so
they know how to keep their rifles running.
The barrel bolt must be tightened to two-hundred inch-pounds in order to
stretch it adequately, so it won't come loose. When so tightened, it
will not come loose under most circumstances, but it still needs to be
checked just the same, particularly when the rifle sees heavy use, as
does your copy. When you don't have a torque-wrench handy, the rule of
thumb is: tighten the bolt hand-tight, and then try to turn it 1/4 turn
more. You won't get a full 1/4 turn; you'll only go 60-70 degrees.
We use Red Loctite #277 on ejector bolts. Once we began doing this, we
have not lost a single ejector. With all the shooting you do, you've
never seen an ejector come loose.
I cannot tell you how many calls I get from customers who are confused
about the gas-adjustment dial. Here's the deal: Set the gas-dial on the
setting which throws the brass between eight and fifteen feet from the
rifle when shooting from a standing position. When brass is landing
three to five feet away, you are flirting with a short-cycle.
Conversely, when you're throwing the brass over fifteen feet, you'll
beat up your recoil buffer (as you did), and the trigger will slap your
finger.
You might have to change the setting when you use different ammunition.
For Example, Wolf 5.56 tends to be wimpy and often requires the highest
setting. On the other hand, American Eagle is hot and needs a lower
setting.
When you keep your rifle at the highest setting, which some do, your
ejection buffer will get beat up, as yours did. With a correct gas
setting, buffers will last through 15,000 rounds, minimum. Our friends
at DSA have much the same problem in teaching their customers how to get
the most from a rifle (FAL) with an adjustable gas system.
I could make a 'fool-proof' rifle by welding-in the ejector, affixing
the barrel bolt, and eliminating gas adjustment, but much of the XCR's
elegance and grace would be lost. With a little enlightenment of
owners, the rifle will run just fine!
So, prior to attending a shooting event, or going on duty, XCR owners
should:
(1) Inspect magazines. Watch for feed lips that are spread or cracked.
Look over each round as magazines are charged. Watch for bullet
set-back, missing primers, cracks.
(2) Check the barrel-bolt. It should be tight, and the barrel itself
should have no play.
(3) Check the ejector. It too should be tight, with no play.
(4) Check the gas-valve setting.
(5) Push on the hammer-axis pin. It should not push out.
The XCR is a robust, military weapon and will continue to run and run,
despite continuous lack of maintenance and lubrication. However, you
should still clean, and inspect (per the above) the rifle when you have
the chance."
Comment: Alex Robinson, like Dave Selvaggio (DSA) and many others, is a
modern, American hero, boldly and fearlessly innovating and producing.
We all want him, and all American arms manufacturers, to be widely
successful. We need to be able, as a nation, to produce our own guns!
/John
(At least we now know how 70 degrees came to equal � turn; when I took
geometry in school 90 degrees was one-fourth of a circle. For all that
John has cautioned about impeding the reliability of a fighting rifle
with match triggers and the quest for target-grade accuracy, I am
intrigued to see him tolerate this much need of adjustment in the name
of maintaining "elegance and grace." That sounds like an awfully long
checklist to cover before going on duty.)
24 Sept 09
This sad note from a State Trooper, and one of our Instructors:
"I attended one of our training sessions today, conducted at our
Academy, by our Joint Terrorism Task Force. Instructors pointed out the
way terrorists predictably target crowds of unarmed people when planning
attacks. They showed us video after video, of terrorist after
terrorist, shooting up tightly-packed crowds of unarmed people, and
detonating suicide bombs.
During the show, I looked around the room at just short of one-hundred,
unarmed Troopers. Yes, we're all unarmed (myself excluded, because I
don't give a damn about their stupid 'guidance'), because leaving
gun-belts in vehicles is 'encouraged' at the Academy. They're all so
afraid of guns, you know!
Then, I glanced at the doorway, 'guarded' by a tottering geriatric, also
unarmed.
I thought to myself: When terrorists strike here, I, for one, am armed,
and I have a plan. But, I'm the only one!
We are truly on our own, even in a room full of uniforms!"
Comment: All too typical!
While piously paying lip service to public safety, many of us are
routinely unprepared to protect even ourselves.
History does not deal kindly with the willfully naive!
/John
(Back when Arizona DPS still offered instructor-update courses, we were
not allowed to be armed when entering the building and, judging by the
belt knife one of the officers used to wear to class, I infer that the
officers were not allowed to carry firearms into the building either.
When I attended armorer courses at the 2007 IALEFI conference, students
were asked to unload their own pistols and secure the ammo so that it
could not find its way into the pistols on which we worked. In the first
two courses I was readily granted exemptions as my revolver ammunition
would not fit into the Glock or Beretta pistols. When I pointed this out
at the S&W M&P Pistol Armorer Course, I was grudgingly granted the
exemption with a remark questioning if I really expected a terror attack
in the classroom. Why not? Conferences of this sort provide terrorists
the opportunity to take out a large number of leadership personnel from
both American and foreign law-enforcement agencies.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
http://www.spw-duf.info
