Opposition Mounts to Small Arms Treaty: A gun rights organization has
launched a petition effort to build opposition to plans being discussed
by U.S. officials and the United Nations that could result in the
confiscation and destruction of privately owned firearms inside the U.S.
The online petition, run by officials with the National Association for
Gun Rights, offers participants a conduit to tell their U.S. senators a
"Small Arms Treaty"' being discussed is "nothing more than a massive
global gun control scheme, designed to register, ban and confiscate
firearms from law-abiding citizens." ...In a video posted on the website
for the National Rifle Association, Bolton said, "I think it was clear
from the outset that the Obama administration would move in this
direction. The only thing that's surprising is that it's taken this
long." He said the presentations have portrayed the "Small Arms Treaty"
as something to address international arms trade. "But there's no doubt
that the real agenda is domestic firearms control," he said... WND
reported last fall when Secretary of State Hillary Clinton first
announced the U.S. had changed its stance and would support negotiations
of an Arms Trade Treaty to regulate international gun trafficking. The
Bush administration had opposed it... (Bolton was the US ambassador to
the UN under the Bush administration.)
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=124121
http://www.nagr.org/UNpetition1.aspx?pid=5
---
Right to Carry Road Show: ...Gun Owners of America, in partnership with
the Second Amendment March and the New Jersey Coalition for Self
Defense, are hoping their new "Right to Carry Road Show" will soon
spread nationwide to assist gun owners and send a message of defiance to
gun control advocates who push to bog down applications in endless red
tape. The Road Show is a mobile processing system that brings to gun
owners a consolidated program streamlining the steps to obtaining a
self-defense firearm permit... The system involves applying for a
non-resident concealed carry permit from Florida, which has a
streamlined process and reciprocity with many states where applying for
a permit can be long and daunting... Organizers claim they have
successfully processed hundreds of permits without a single denial and
are planning to expand from their first state, New Jersey, to develop a
nationwide program... (I'm disappointed to see that GOA is using NRA's
misnomer "Right To Carry." Rights normally do not require permits.)
http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=124271
---
Second Amendment March - the Mystery "Non-Speaker": A few months ago I
shared a link to an item from the organizers of the Second Amendment
March that expressed disappointment that an unnamed, high-profile RKBA
advocate had requested a rather large fee to appear. This morning I
received this material from a list member:
We have been in contact with Ted Nugent's Personal Assistant and she
quoted us a speaking fee for Mr. Nugent. While Mr. Nugent would be a
great asset to the march, we simply cannot afford him. We express
our regrets.
Now I can't help wondering about the nature of his relationship with the
NRA.
http://secondamendmentmarch.com/faqs
---
Retired Correctional Officer Charged in NYC Shooting: A retired New York
City correction captain working security at a Queens bowling alley shot
and wounded two men during a violent confrontation early Saturday
morning outside the alley, the authorities said. The retired officer,
Michael Iavecchio, 54, was charged with two counts of second-degree
assault after the 1:50 a.m. shooting outside the AMF 34th Avenue Lanes,
at 6910 34th Avenue in Jackson Heights, the police said... The violence
unfolded after Mr. Iavecchio, who was armed, asked the men to leave
because they were smoking cigarettes in a vestibule, according to the
police. Mr. Iavecchio then escorted the men outside, where the ensuing
fight and shooting were captured on a surveillance video, a law
enforcement official said. According to the official, words were
exchanged and the two men "put their hands" on Mr. Iavecchio. He pulled
out a .380-caliber Ruger pistol, but the men "go back at him and he
shoots," the official said. Mr. Iavecchio fired two shots; one bullet
hit one of the men in the chest and the other hit the second man in the
stomach, the police said...
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/02/07/nyregion/07shoot.html?ref=nyregion
---
Rule Five Reminder: A 3-year-old Queen Creek boy who accidently shot
himself in the head with a gun that police say he found under a couch
was in critical condition and undergoing surgery Saturday. Pinal County
Sheriff's Deputies responded to "frantic" calls from the boy's paternal
grandmother around 11:45 a.m. at 43083 N. Friend Ave., said Lt. Tammy
Villar, Pinal County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman. The boy, who was in
and out of consciousness but responsive, had a head wound from a 9-mm
bullet, she said. The boy was airlifted to Maricopa Medical Center,
Villar said. (Rule Five: Maintain control of your firearm. Toddlers who
shoot themselves often do so in the head because the only way the can
fire many handguns is by placing the hand on the back strap and placing
the thumb inside the trigger guard; this points the muzzle at the head.)
http://www.eastvalleytribune.com/story/150372
---
A Dry-Fire Warning from a Forum:
I just wanted to give everyone a heads up that if you are dry firing
your early M&P without snap caps you may be damaging your striker.
Mine broke a few weeks ago when I was dry firing it. The gun had
maybe 600 rds through it and a couple of thousand dry fires
(estimated). Smith sent me a new striker and it is made of polished
stainless steel instead of the black finished metal that was
originally in the gun. The tech I talked to on the phone confirmed
that they were having problems with the original MIM strikers. He
also suggested that I invest in some snap caps. I was disappointed
that it broke but the customer service was excellent.
Generally, modern firearms other than rimfire, are considered to be safe
to dry-fire. This is disappointing as to the MIM striker but encouraging
that it has been replaced with one of stainless steel. Back to the
disappointing side, I don't recall seeing any notices about this from
S&W. As of this morning, all I can find on their website is a caution
about not dry-firing .22 pistols and revolvers. For those who reload, a
much cheaper version of a commercial snap cap can be made by punching
out the used primer from a fired case and filling in the primer pocket
with a silicone sealant. If you choose to seat a bullet, be sure to mark
such dummy rounds very clearly so that they do not get confused with
live ammunition.
http://www.stoppingpower.net/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=18130
---
Charles Daly Goes Belly Up:
To all our friends, fans, supporters and consumers of Charles Daly
and by extension, KBI products, I regret to inform you that the
rumors of our demise are true.
KBI is going out of business and closing its doors, effective today,
January 29, 2010.
I don't want to go into each and every detail as to why this has
occurred, except to say that there have been a multitude of events
over the past five years that have contributed to our current situation.
For those of you with ongoing service requirements please be advised
that we are currently negotiating with several companies that will
be performing after-sale service of Charles Daly, CD Defense and
Jericho firearms. As soon as we have finalized a contract with one
of these companies we will post the name, address and contact
details of that company on www.CharlesDalyForum.com, so you will
know who to contact to obtain service on your KBI firearm.
Again, I wish to thank all of you that have supported our company,
Charles Daly and all the other fine firearms that we have sold over
the years.. This spells the end of KBI but I imagine it will
certainly not mean the end of Charles Daly� and CD Defense^(TM).
Look for this excellent brand to resurface in the very near future.
Sincerely,
Michael B. Kassnar, President
K.B.I., Inc.
http://www.charlesdaly.com/
---
From John Farnam:
2 Feb 10
"In banking, when you're right one-hundred percent of the time, you'll
make money.
Right ninety-nine percent of the time, you'll break even.
Right ninety-eight percent of the time, you'll lose money.
Right ninety-seven percent of the time, you'll go to jail!"
Banker's Axiom
In our Art, as in banking, boldness and caution are maintained in
delicate balance. Our enemies are always mis-focus and mis-direction.
After viewing glittering new equipment at this year's SHOT Show, and
patiently listening, and re-listening, to all the new, and re-hashed,
theories of lethal confrontation, I am, once again, invariably drawn to
the conclusion that, while our Art must, and will, advance, key
principles continue to stand at our foundation, keeping us from going
astray.
Fancy, slick gun-trickery, designed to impress rather than inspire, is,
I suppose, unavoidable at trade-shows. But, such grandstanders remind
me of shallow, flamboyant snake-oil salesmen. While always garnering a
gullible audience, their slight-of-hand and chicanery, masquerading as
"enlightenment," represent little more than glib amusement.
In war, "victory" and "defeat" and not nearly as clear-cut to players,
as to historians. In real-time, war a muddy, bloody business, and those
who are directly involved are just glad to have lived through it (those
of us who do, that is)!
Wyatt Earp, in his later years, observed:
"I would shun, as I would poison, flashy trick-shooting... in all my
life as a frontier peace officer, I never knew a proficient gunfighter
who had anything but contempt for the gun-fanner, or the man who
literally shot from the hip."
Wyatt was one of an extremely small group who, in his day, actually
lived long enough to see his "later years!"
Indeed, the ever-omnipotent repertoire of confrontational and fighting
skills we have the honor, in our day, to faithfully pass on to the next
generation has little glamour, nor spectator-appeal, associated with
it. Never will. Who long to be interviewed by sexy TV correspondents
are best advised to seek another profession!
Like accomplished poker players, we are "masters of incomplete
information." We are at peace, even within chaos, boldly, incisively
streaming in fluid motion. With ascendent confidence, both in our
purpose and potency, we dare audaciously!
Ever gracious and unpretentious, in victory and defeat, we do honor to
our Art, and our progenitors.
Like competent bankers, who never forget they are responsible for other
people's money, we never forget the burden our mighty ancestors have
placed upon our shoulders!
"So let the wild circle of argument rage
On what wins, as war comes and goes.
Many new theories briefly hold center-stage
But the man with the rifle... knows!"
/John
(Anyone who gives much credence to Wyatt Earp should read Steve Gatto's
book The Real Wyatt Earp. Most of the few Western gunfights, where
contenders actually faced each other with handguns, generally produced
clouds of smoke and little blood, much like today. While it is certainly
easy to miss shooting from the hip, objective evidence continues to
mount that, when surprised at close range, few operators will get the
gun high enough to use the sights and, even if they do, will likely
focus on the threat anyway. I have sought to deal with this issue,
albeit rather concisely, in the forthcoming update to my book, now
expected to be released in July.)
3 Feb 10
Decisive action, with a plan, saves the day. This from a friend:
"Early Sunday morning, my wife experienced a severe allergic attack.
Her tongue had suddenly swollen to the point where she was having
difficulty breathing. She has had similar reactions before, but never
this severe.
I grabbed an EpiPen (epinephrin injector) in an attempt to give her an
injection. It failed mechanically. The needle never deployed. I
discarded it and grabbed a second EpiPen. This copy functioned normally.
The nearest hospital ER is less than a mile away, so we drove there
immediately. Upon arriving, I noticed the ER was nearly empty. Yet,
the receptionist there told us to sit and wait! I explained to her that
my wife's tongue was swollen, and that she was at risk of suffocating.
The obviously bored receptionist couldn't have cared less! She just
rolled her eyes, sighed, and explained that we would have to sit down
and wait.
When I asked how long, she, with a simultaneous yawn and sneer,
indicated she had no idea and couldn't provide any more information.
Without another word, we dashed back to the car and departed
immediately, driving several miles to a second hospital. That ER was
infinitely superior! They immediately recognized the problem and had
her with a resident within minutes. She spent the night at the hospital
and was discharged the next day, none the worse for ware!"
Comment: Emergencies don't make appointments, and no one is excluded!
When a can of worms suddenly lands in your lap, you're on center-stage,
Bud, ready or not!
Let us reiterate:
(1) Be prepared! We can't specifically prepare for all conceivable
emergencies, but we can make reasonable preparations for the most
likely. That is why the prudent among us have guns, fire extinguishers,
trauma kits, et al!
(2) Have a plan, but don't fall in love with your plan. Be flexible, as
parts of your plan will inevitably fail.
(3) Expect equipment misfunction. Have sufficient redundancy on hand so
you can work around equipment issues. No matter how elaborate or
well-maintained, all machines have the irritating habit of breaking at
inconvenient times!
(4) Don't relax too soon. Don't relax at all! Keep your head up, and
in the game.
(5) Find a way to win! Keep thinking ahead. Have alternatives always in
mind.
Operators can't be oblivious to dangers inherent to this indifferent
planet. Lives (maybe yours!) depend upon your preparedness and ability
to act quickly, decisively, and correctly.
/John
4 Feb 10
Hospital ER Arrival:
With regard to the last Quip, nearly all MDs, EMTs, nurses, and medical
bureaucrats seem to agree that, when going to the ER, you are far better
off arriving in an ambulance than you will be walking in, or arriving in
a private car.
When arriving via ambulance, escorted by uniformed EMTs, you will likely
be ushered past receptionists and other disinterested gate-keepers,
going directly to a treatment room and into the presence of an MD or
someone else who has at least some capacity for actually helping you.
Hospital ERs, by law, cannot outright "reject" anyone. So, most ERs
have become little more than walk-in clinics, crowded, indeed
overcrowded, with "users, boozers, and losers." Few of these "walk-ins"
even remotely qualify as an "emergency," but they have the effect of
clogging the system to the point where real emergencies can't get through.
Thus, arriving via ambulance offers you the best chance of breaking
through the congestion and getting the emergency treatment you need quickly.
/John
(Absolutely! I spent the bulk of my 29-year career as a clinical
pharmacist working in hospitals and can attest that admitting personnel
are clerks, not health professionals. They are among the lowest-paid
employees in any hospital and their primary job is to gather the
information for the hospital to seek reimbursement for your care,
whether you leave on your own two feet or on the coroner's or
mortician's gurney. Even if you are wheeled into the ER in "full code"
by paramedics, they will be hovering in the background. They need to do
their jobs, if only to get you registered so that the other departments
have the requisite information to process laboratory tests, X-rays,
etc., but, unless you collapse on the floor, you are not likely to get
into a treatment booth until they have done their initial job, if you
don't come through the ambulance entrance. Also, unless you are
obviously at death's door, you will most likely also have to be
interviewed by a nurse, who will take a rudimentary history and vital
signs, before you make it to a treatment booth. Be aware that most
hospitals take precautions to keep the public from walking through the
ambulance entrance.)
5 Feb 10
Excellent response to a common question from naive students, "Why can't
I just shoot him in the leg?"
.. from a colleague:
"Deliberately launching high-velocity missiles, from a firearm, in
someone's direction, necessarily represents a voluntary employment of
'deadly-force.' Your sincerely articulated 'intended outcome,' for the
most part, ceases to be relevant once you press the trigger!
I'm not sure why so many apparently fail to grasp the foregoing, when
they simultaneously claim to understand perfectly why they are shooting
someone in the first place! When defending yourself with gunfire, it
is always because you perceive an imminent, deadly threat to yourself
(and/or other innocent parties), and other, lesser options are
precluded, ie: unlikely to be efficacious, unavailable, or not practicable.
Any time you shoot someone, you are employing 'deadly-force,' because no
one can accurately predict the ultimate damage a bullet (any kind of
bullet, striking anywhere on the body) will do. You may attempt a shot
to an extremity, and you may even be successful, but your bullet may
still sever an artery, and, as a direct result, the person may bleed to
death in short order, even when that outcome was not your 'intention.'
Even when death does not result immediately, permanent
disablement/impairment/disfigurement surely will. No one ever
'recovers completely' from a gunshot wound!
Deadly force is deadly force. Know and understand that you cannot shoot
anyone in a 'non-deadly' manner!
In defensive shooting, our goal is, of course, to end the criminal's
violent behavior as quickly as possible. To that end, we shoot with
sufficient precision and volume to accomplish the goal. After that goal
is accomplished, additional shooting is unnecessary, and thus unjustified.
The incontrovertible, inescapable maxim is: Shot placement that is most
likely to stop violent, criminal behavior quickly is also most likely to
beget fatal wounds. For better or worse, the two outcomes are
inseparably linked! Accordingly, purposely attempting to inflict
ostensibly non-fatal wounds may well actually prolong the fight,
exacerbating risk-exposure yourself, other innocent parties, even the
VCA himself.
In addition, attempting to hit arms or legs of an aggressively animated
attacker represents a far greater challenge, even for competent
marksman, than does aiming for the chest and trunk. Thus, attempting to
'shoot him in the leg' is unlikely to be successful to begin with!
You must, at long last, confront the unavoidable fact that employing
gunfire in self-defense, no matter your intent, is likely to result in
forceful death, or permanent, crippling injury, to the VCA in question.
Who cannot accept, nor deal with, that stark reality, should have naught
to do with guns!
Trying, in the face of the foregoing, to convince yourself that
'shooting him in the leg' is an appropriate force-response to a lethal,
personal attack is delusional in the extreme! It is identical to the
self-deceptive concept that a nation can print its way to prosperity, or
that death, pain, and suffering, in general, can all be legislated out
of existence.
Only cretins and children believe that!
'Shooting with charity' is thus an absurd contradiction! Who believe it
are destined for a short and unhappy life!"
Comment: Years ago, the false concept of deliberately wounding an
attacker with gunfire was actually taught in some circles. No one, with
any credibility, teaches it today.
/John
(Most of these same arguments also explain why we do not fire "warning
shots." Most cultures have some version of the saying that was
translated for me out of Chinese as "kindness to your enemy is cruelty
to yourself." I recently heard almost the same words quoted out of the
Talmud, a compendium of rabbinic discussions that, if I understand it
correctly, aids in interpretation of the Bible.)
--
Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY
Firearm safety - It's a matter
for education, not legislation.
The tactics and skills to use a firearm
in self-defense don't come naturally
with the right to keep and bear arms.
http://www.spw-duf.info
