"Can't We All Just Get Along?": I was at a popular Tri-Cities sporting
goods store earlier this week looking at various and sundry hunting
items. I suddenly became aware of myself admiring a particularly
handsome piece of walnut on a bolt action rifle and thought: "I guess
I've really got my Fudd on." You know "Fudds" (after Elmer), a derisive
term for hunters who love traditional hunting weapons but have little or
no use for black rifles. The epithet gets bandied about a lot on the
internet by all the indignant "Tactifools" (two can play that game!) who
distrust the hunting fraternity's ideological purity when it comes to
gun rights... Which brings me back to that walnut stock I was admiring.
It was a Browning X-bolt Hunter. Satin finish. Very nice for what it
was. Evidently, the popularity of synthetic rifle stocks has freed up
some decent wood. The X-bolt stock is not to everyone's taste, but it
certainly is elegant. Here is where some Tactifool speaks up: "Well,
wood is pretty. But it's impractical. It doesn't hold up in the field."
Actually, that isn't true. Ever heard of the Korean War? Or World War
II? Or World War I? The Spanish American War? The Civil War? What
material comprised the stocks of the rifles employed in those conflicts?
Ever see the movie "Master and Commander?" What was that British warship
made of, anyway? ... (I have always had a fondness for Mannlicher
[full-length] stocks and recently purchased a rifle of that design as my
first dedicated hunting rifle. However, I did so knowing that wooden
stocks are liable to shifts with changes in humidity and that a rifle
with wooden furniture is much more vulnerable to wandering zeros or to
shifts in impact as the barrel heats up, for that reason.)
http://www.timesnews.net/blogger.php?id=327&postid=7692
---
Iowa Shall-Issue Bill Resurrected: Legislation to make Iowa a
"shall-issue" state for concealed weapons permits is getting a second
life in the waning days of the 2010 legislative session. Although the
legislation died in the second funnel deadline two weeks ago, House
Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, D-Des Moines, said the topic surfaced in
a Democratic caucus and about two-thirds of his members were interested
in giving it another look. A shell bill declaring the House Public
Safety Committee's intent to write legislation had 44 co-sponsors. House
File 2528, he said, would standardize the criteria for getting concealed
weapons permits and require sheriffs to issue the permits if Iowans meet
those criteria. It also would hide the permits from the public. "It's a
hodge-podge now," McCarthy said about how sheriffs issue the permits.
"Some give (permits) out like water. Some don't give them out at all."
The result is that a person who can legally carry a concealed in one
county may be guilty of a misdemeanor in the next county, McCarthy said.
"Right now sheriffs impose their discretion. They're God now," he said.
Discretion is good, according to the Iowa State Sheriffs and Deputies
Association, which, like other law enforcement groups, opposes the bill
and a companion piece in the Senate... (If we compare facts with the
claims of the sheriffs' association, it would appear that entire
counties have "patterns of behavior" that should disqualify their
residents from self-defense.)
http://www.siouxcityjournal.com/news/local/article_bd1cf839-74c9-51f7-8431-929a5b9c7a02.html
---
Alaska May Facilitate CCW for Non-Violent Felons: ... A felon convicted
in state court may have their [sic] rights re-instated so they can hunt
or carry a firearm in bear country, but state restrictions on their
right to carry a concealed weapon turn into a straight-up ban under the
federal law. Ross wants changes to Alaska criminal law. He says changing
some state laws would help certain felons - the nonviolent kind, mind
you - to avoid prosecution in federal court for illegally possessing
firearms under a U.S. law. When Ross first shopped the idea to the
Alaska legislators, he got little traction. In fact, at the time he
hadn't found an elected official to sponsor the bill. "They see the
problem," Ross said last fall, "but nothing's happened so far." ...We
returned to work this week and learned that restoring gun rights to
felons - as provocative as that sounds at first blush - is trendy in
Juneau. Four bills address the issue this year. Mat-Su Republican
Senator Charlie Huggins has a bill specific to concealed-carry
restrictions. A longer but similar concealed-carry bill was introduced
in the senate by Anchorage Democrat Hollis French. On the house side,
Scott Kawasaki, a Fairbanks Democrat, has his own concealed-carry bill.
The most comprehensive bill, the one Ross and the NRA are pushing
hardest, carries the name of the Alaska House Judiciary Committee as
sponsor, and addresses restoration of rights for convicted felons...
http://www.anchoragepress.com/articles/2010/03/17/news/doc4ba179c50347a229385358.txt
---
More on Ohio CCW Reform: Ohio Senate Bill 239 was introduced yesterday
by Senators Tim Schaffer, R-Lancaster, and Shannon Jones, R-Springboro.
The bill has two primary provisions. First, it contains a restaurant
carry provision similar to House Bill 203 (that bill is currently still
in committee). The reform in this bill would "permit a concealed carry
licensee to possess a firearm in liquor permit premises, or an open air
arena, for which a D permit has been issued if the licensee is not
consuming liquor or under the influence of alcohol or a drug of abuse."
Among other places, this would primarily remove the current prohibition
which requires a concealed handgun licensee to leave his or her firearm
in their vehicle while dining in an Applebee's or similar restaurant
which happens to serve alcohol, leaving the gun vulnerable to theft and
rendering the CHL holder defenseless. The second provision would enact
several reforms to Ohio's vehicle carry law. The net result is that a
CHL holder could have a loaded firearm in a vehicle without restriction
on the method of transport. It would no longer need to be in a holster
or closed container...
http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d17-Bill-for-restaurant-carry-and-vehicle-gun-transport-reform-introduced-in-Ohio
---
Illinois "AWB" Advances: An Illinois ban on assault weapons gained
initial traction on Wednesday. A House committee dominated by Chicago
Democrats approved the measure on a vote of 7-4. It now makes its way to
the full House. The hot button issue has been proposed frequently since
a federal ban on semiautomatic weapons expired in 2004. But it has
failed to become law in Illinois. The issue showcased the ideological
difference between gun opponents, who are supported by Chicago
Democrats, and gun advocates, who are supported by Downstate lawmakers.
Some law enforcement members say the weapons are tools for murder, while
gun advocates say a ban would impede on their Second Amendment rights.
"They are not designed for sport, they are designed to kill humans
quickly and efficiently," said state Rep. Edward Acevedo, D-Chicago, who
sponsored the legislation... (Again we see the trap created by the
concept of linking the RKBA with sporting use.)
http://www.pantagraph.com/news/state-and-regional/illinois/article_a82c9430-31db-11df-be26-001cc4c03286.html
In what's practically annual rite of spring, a legislative panel today
approved a ban on high-powered, semi-automatic assault weapons favored
by Mayor Richard Daley. The idea of outlawing the weapons consistently
has stalled in the General Assembly, where regional differences split
votes between gun rights supporters and gun control advocates...
http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/clout_st/2010/03/daley-assault-weapon-passes-house-panel-but-prospects-uncertain.html
---
Private Groups Can Ban Guns in Virginia: Private organizations that rent
space from local governments can ban or regulate weapons at their
events, according to Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli. Responding to a
request for an opinion from Loudoun Del. Tag Greason (R), Cucccinelli
wrote Wednesday that private groups can apply their own rules on guns
when they have paid to use government space for private functions.
Greason's request dealt specifically with the Alexandria Red Cross and
whether the group can bar guns at a waterfront festival held on land
leased from the city. "As a general proposition, the Constitution acts
as a restraint on government, not private actors. It is well established
that private actors may do certain things on government property that
the government itself could not do," he writes...
http://voices.washingtonpost.com/virginiapolitics/2010/03/cuccinelli_private_groups_can.html
---
Wisconsin Open Carry - Seen from Britain: Other customers stare as Nik
Clark and Kim Garny do their weekly shop at a large upscale supermarket.
It's hardy a surprise as a TV camera is trailing behind their trolley.
But people would do a double-take even if the BBC weren't in tow. In
some ways Nick wants them to look. There's a revolver amid the ravioli,
an automatic among the avocados. Like cowboys out of Westerns, the
couple carry handguns on holsters on their hips. She has a Smith and
Wesson .38 special with a cute pink grip that makes it look almost like
a toy. He has a rather more chunky Glock... The movement is slightly
different in the state of Wisconsin where concealed guns are banned.
Nick says wearing a gun in a visible holster is the only way he can
carry a weapon legally and he wants others to be aware of their rights:
he doesn't want to confront but to convert... (Not a bad article,
particularly when you consider the source.)
http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/thereporters/markmardell/2010/03/armed_and_ready_to_shop.html
---
Ohio Crooks - Slow Learning Curve: The number of concealed handgun
licenses issued in Ohio during 2009 was the most ever since concealed
carry was enacted nearly six years ago, exceeding fifty-six thousand for
the year. This raises the question: Will the increased number of law
abiding gun owners carrying firearms result in a more obvious use of
those weapons for self defense? In the past week we've seen two
legitimate uses of a handgun out of Toledo for self-defense against
career criminals, in a rare 48 hour period. In both cases gun shots
were exchanged between the robbery victims and the criminal. One
suspect died of his wounds while customers and store owners escaped
uninjured in both shootings. Early Tuesday morning, the day after the
second Toledo shooting, a third documented case of self-defense took
place in Columbus, and 10TV News is covering the story with video.
According to Erick Tehoke he was sitting in his SUV at an ATM when a man
approach and demanded his money. Tehoke instintively drew his defensive
pistol and never fired a shot, proving a claim this organization has
made since our inception: Crimes can be deterred without a shot being
fired, and they won't be documented by law enforcement statistics.
Tehoke states in the video on 10TV's website that after drawing his
firearm he realized his attacker was displaying no weapons and the
perceived threat de-escalated in more ways that one. Tehoke's attempted
robbery suspect promptly fled the scene, and everyone went home safe
that night.
http://www.ohioccw.org/201003184829/columbus-third-defensive-use-of-a-pistol-in-less-than-seven-days.html
http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d18-Attempted-robbery-thwarted-by-armed-citizen?cid=exrss-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner
---
Rule Five Reminder: Indiana State Police are reviewing the details of a
weekend incident where a state trooper forgot his loaded Glock 17 9mm
handgun inside a public restroom. It happened Saturday around 7 p.m. at
the Lowe's hardware store on Coliseum Blvd. According to police, the
trooper was off-duty, and shopping with a concealed weapon. For unknown
reasons, the trooper left the gun in the restroom. It was later
recovered by a store employee, and turned over to Fort Wayne Police.
"This was just a mistake, it was nothing more than that, plain and
simple," said Sergeant Ron Galaviz with the Indiana State Police. "He
made a mistake. Is it possible he may pay for that? Sure." Galaviz tells
NewsChannel 15 the trooper remained in the store throughout the entire
incident, which lasted about 15 minutes. Once the trooper realized the
weapon was missing, he re-traced his steps and notified store managers.
By then, the gun had already been confiscated by police... (Rule Five:
Maintain control of your firearm. If it can't remain safely in the
holster when your pants come down, stretch your pants and underpants
between your knees and place it in the "hammock" they form.)
http://www.wane.com/dpp/news/indiana/state-trooper-leaves-loaded-gun-at-hardware-store
Cabell County [WV] Commission President Scott Bias on Wednesday said his
May 2009 arrest at Myrtle Beach International Airport resulted from
nothing more than an honest mistake. It occurred May 17, 2009, as Bias
went through federal airport screening. The X-ray machine detected a
handgun in his possession, according to Bias and court documents filed
in Horry County, S.C. "It was just a plain old, honest mistake, and now
it's just mudslinging in the election," Bias said Monday. Local
authorities in South Carolina charged Bias, who this year is seeking his
second term in office, with misdemeanor unlawful carrying of a pistol.
Horry County prosecutors dismissed the charge two months later. Bias
then paid a civil fine assessed by the Transportation Security
Administration. He estimates the fine exceeded $100. Bias had traveled
to Myrtle Beach by automobile with a relative. Scheduling issues forced
him to catch a flight home, he said. Bias carried along a laptop case
containing a computer and a gun, among other items. He had used the
computer, but had never retrieved the gun. He said he "flat forgot it
was in there," until being alerted by security. Bias, who said he knew
guns could not pass through airport security, said he would have left it
with the relative if he had remembered...
http://www.herald-dispatch.com/news/x2086849764/Bias-says-arrest-an-honest-mistake
---
Oops, Wrong Campus: Police at Florida Atlantic University's campus in
Boca Raton called Ryan Beauchamp on March 10 while he was working as a
valet on Sunrise Boulevard. They had found a box of ammo in the
University Village Apartments mailroom with the words "9 mm ammunition"
emblazoned on the side. He agreed to cooperate with campus police. He
came in and explained that, yes, he did have a gun stored in a box with
cleaning supplies in his on-campus apartment. According to FAU's Deputy
Keith Totten, Beauchamp was promptly arrested on a felony weapons
violation charge under Florida Statute 790.115...
http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/juice/2010/03/fau_gun_ryan_beauchamp.php
---
More on the Airsoft Bust: ... However, a little technicality like lack
of jurisdiction was not enough to keep BATFE off the case. "In its
present state, our firearms technology branch classified this as a
machine gun," said BATFE special agent Kelvin Crenshaw. Astonished, the
owners of the store, Brad Martin and his son, Ben, inquired with the
agents as to exactly how "minimal" the work would be to "convert" these
toys into real machine guns. The Martins were given the government
version of "talk to the hand." File a Freedom of Information Act
request, they were told. The Martins have done just that, as has Gun
Owners of America. There must be accountability with this agency because
if the Bureau can unilaterally decide to get into the business of
regulating toys, its mission has grown dramatically without any
congressional input or oversight...
http://www.opposingviews.com/i/batfe-guilty-of-more-arrogant-behavior-seizes-toy-guns
---
Kalashnikov Rifle Comparison: From time to time I am asked for advice on
which AK-47 clone to purchase. This is not an area of expertise for me
so I am including this link, with the caveat that I take the report with
at least one grain of salt. Among other issues, there's something about
the way that the "panel of experts" is described that leaves me feeling
a bit queasy.
http://www.gunreports.com/special_reports/special_purpose/SAR-1-M70AB2T-NORINCO-NHM91-SSR85-XTREME-AT-471932-1.html?ET=gunreports:e667:183810a:&st=email
--
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
