Gunpowder Treason

SCALIA'S CLOSE

2008-06-26T14:41:00.003-04:00

Opinion of the Court
Justice Scalia, writing for the Majority

We are aware of the problem of handgun violence in this country, and we take seriously the concerns raised by the many amici who believe that prohibition of handgun ownership is a solution.

The Constitution leaves the District of Columbia a variety of tools for combating that problem, including some measures regulating handguns, see supra, at 54–55, and n. 26.

But the enshrinement of constitutional rights necessarily takes certain policy choices off the table. These include the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home.

Undoubtedly some think that the Second Amendment is outmoded in a society where our standing army is the pride of our Nation, where well-trained police forces provide personal security, and where gun violence is a serious problem. That is perhaps debatable, but what is not debatable is that it is not the role of this Court to pronounce the Second Amendment extinct.

We affirm the judgment of the Court of Appeals.

It is so ordered.

HELLER PREVAILS.

2008-06-26T11:30:00.001-04:00

Supreme Court says Americans have right to guns
By MARK SHERMAN, Associated Press Writer

The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that Americans have a right to own guns for self-defense and hunting, the justices' first major pronouncement on gun rights in U.S. history.

The court's 5-4 ruling struck down the District of Columbia's 32-year-old ban on handguns as incompatible with gun rights under the Second Amendment. The decision went further than even the Bush administration wanted, but probably leaves most firearms laws intact.

The court had not conclusively interpreted the Second Amendment since its ratification in 1791. The amendment reads: "A well regulated militia, being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms, shall not be infringed."

The basic issue for the justices was whether the amendment protects an individual's right to own guns no matter what, or whether that right is somehow tied to service in a state militia.

Writing for the majority, Justice Antonin Scalia said that an individual right to bear arms is supported by "the historical narrative" both before and after the Second Amendment was adopted.

The Constitution does not permit "the absolute prohibition of handguns held and used for self-defense in the home," Scalia said. The court also struck down Washington's requirement that firearms be equipped with trigger locks or kept disassembled, but left intact the licensing of guns.

More here.

OBAMA BLOGS - A RESPONSE

2008-06-08T22:43:00.007-04:00

I don't normally write responses to other blogs here... instead, I leave responses as a comment. But in this case, the blog only allows comments from "team members" - and as I'm not a member of their team, I can't leave a comment.

For Reference : The Original Article:
NRA Smears Obama's Stance on Gun Ownership

Barack Obama is trying to walk a fine line between protecting the right to bear arms guaranteed under the Second Amendment and clamping down on more than 30,000 deaths from firearms that happen every year in the United States.

However, the National Rifle Association is against any limitations on gun rights, including banning or controlling any kinds of ammunition...

So is the Constitution.

they are also protecting the right of criminals to have easy access to automatic weapons and high kill rate ammunition

No one has easy, legal access to automatic weapons in this country - except people working for the govt.

Making a statement like that shows how clearly ignorant you are about firearms laws that already exist in this country.

I challenge the author to call a gun shop in this country - ANY gun shop, or hell - even go to a gunshow - and try to legally purchase an automatic weapon. Prepare for a stack of govt paperwork, fees, background checks. Prepare to pay $5000-25,000 for such a weapon.

Relatively speaking, there aren't that many automatic weapons in this country available for the average citizen to purchase. It's difficult, time-consuming, and highly expensive to legally own an automatic weapon.

You're asking for laws to be made that already exist.

And furthermore, what the hell is "high kill rate ammunition"?

The laws Barack Obama supports that the NRA are vehemently against include sensible acts like:

Mandatory waiting periods to purchase a gun

Good idea. People in fear of danger shouldn't have easy access to self-defense. Women being harassed by violent ex-husbands should just rely on hope, or perhaps 911 if the line isn't busy.

Requiring citizens to actually register their firearms

So that if the govt decides to ban them, confiscation will be easier.

Mandatory micro stamping of guns to aid tracing weapons

A technology that only works according to - surprise - the manufacturer. Forensic scientists by and large report that such an effort would have a minimal advantage - if any - in helping to solve crime. Furthermore, microstamping is incredibly easy to defeat. Stop watching CSI and do some research.

Banning inexpensive handguns that make it easier for criminals to acquire

Ok, I'm confused - earlier you implied that criminals don't buy guns; they steal them. Are you also against lower-income families being able to legally purchase a firearm?

Limit gun purchases to one gun a month

Why not 2 per month? Why not 1 per quarter? How exactly have you (or Obama) determined that 30 days is the magic number?

Require training for gun owners

Quite honestly, nearly every gun owner I know is well-trained in the use of their firearm. This is a non-issue in most respects.

Restrict gun ownership to citizens 21 and older

Why not 18 years? Why not 31 years? How is 21 years the magic number? Do criminals wait until they are 21 years old to steal guns and kill people?

Eliminate right to carry concealed weapons

Criminals are already forbidden to carry a weapon - concealed or otherwise. So clearly you are attempting to disallow law-abiding citizens from carrying a concealed weapon.

So - how do you feel about me just carrying a gun around town in a holster on my belt, openly for the world to see? You cool with that?

Ban gun shops from operating within 5 miles of a school

Now this is just complete stupidity. The only reason to create such a law is to be able to close gunshops. There's no safety advantage for the school whatsoever.

Ban resale of police firearms which include high powered assault weapons

I don't buy guns that the police have worn out. Nonetheless, I fail to see what you're concerned about such a thing. Police cannot sell a citizen a gun that the citizen cannot purchase (yes, legally) from a store.

Ban high capacity ammunition magazines that are often used by gang members in drive by shootings and not needed to kill a deer

Here's an idea - why not just ban gang shootings? Or shooting out of cars driving down the road?

Oh, wait. There are already laws against such things. Odd that laws against murder and prisons and death penalties haven't stopped gang shootings, yet you think microstamping will.

By the way... to a few of the other posters, who use terms like "KKK" - gun owners' feelings about Obama's gun control agenda have nothing to do with race.

The fact is, Clinton's agenda is no different when it comes to guns. She wants to ban them all as well - she's just less overt about it when making speeches.

A SMALL VICTORY

2008-05-15T20:55:00.003-04:00

Credit can seem to be a gift at times, but far too often it becomes a rope that many people hang themselves with. I've been somewhat responsible over the years paying my bills; though not always perfect, my record is sufficiently good that companies are still willing to loan me piles of money.

But several months ago, I came to the decision that I wanted to carry as little debt as possible. Though I have a salary sufficient to pay my bills, I've lived too long with monthly payments that seemed to never end. And due to some life changes I'd hoped to make, it was paramount to bring my monthly expenses down in such a manner that I wasn't wasting 10-20% of my monthly salary on interest payments.

After hearing Dave Ramsey's radio program for a few weeks, I decided that much of his advice was rather sound. Though I've not been starving myself on beans and rice, I have cut down my recreational spending significantly and put those funds towards killing off debt.

Last month was a milestone: paying of one of my two credit cards. Today was another - a few moments ago, Kawasaki was paid off and I officially own my motorcycle. I've still one thing left to pay off, but having the others taken care of frees up even more money to quickly erase my final debt. I expect I can be completely debt-free within the next 12-16 weeks.

The last bike payment was significant; I'd looked forward to this day for several months. Not only to own the bike, but to be free of the billing cycle. In light of recent events in life, though... somehow the victory is bittersweet.

I suppose it's a victory nonetheless.

FIRST TARGETS

2008-05-03T15:35:00.002-04:00

Somehow this post stayed in the Draft folder and never got published... perhaps it's a bit late to be adding it now, but I was rather pleased with the results of my first attempt at making ammo so I'll still share the pics:

The first batch of reloads:

And the first 10 targets:

Over the past month I've been experimenting with powder levels, and have also tried cheaper lead bullets. So far, 5.9gr of HS-6 shoots the best. FMJ-ENC bullets have given me more consistent rounds - both dimensionally and in groupings. Overall, buying a press has greatly improved my shooting. Though it was a much greater expense than a couple of boxes of WWB, it was a very good decision in the end.

ON MATTERS OF SACRIFICE

2008-04-02T21:42:00.009-04:00

Two views:

Success, wealth and celebrity gained and kept for private interest is a small thing. It makes us comfortable, eases the material hardships our children will bear, purchases a fleeting regard for our lives, yet not the self-respect that, in the end, matters most. But sacrifice for a cause greater than yourself, and you invest your life with the eminence of that cause, your self-respect assured.

John McCain
Address at the Naval Academy
April 2, 2008

...

It only stands to reason that where there’s sacrifice, there’s someone collecting the sacrificial offerings. Where there’s service, there is someone being served. The man who speaks to you of sacrifice is speaking of slaves and masters, and intends to be the master.

Ayn Rand

CRIMINAL DEFICIT

2008-03-25T21:58:00.011-04:00

There's no way to rule innocent men.

The only power any government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them.

One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws. Who wants a nation of law-abiding citizens? What's there in that for anyone?

But just pass the kind of laws that can neither be observed nor enforced nor objectively interpreted and you create a nation of law-breakers.

Ayn Rand

READY TO LOCK-N-LOAD.

2008-03-14T13:12:00.013-04:00

The final box of necessities arrived this week, and I was able to take the first steps away from "relying" on factory 9mm. I'm taking the process very slowly - not only for safety reasons, but also to be become very familiar with how to best approach the process.

I've spent a few hours with some cleaned shells, the seating and crimp dies, and a caliper. Along the way, I've learned that OAL for 9mm is a rather relative thing depending on who writes the load data. It's a place where the process becomes a combination of science and intuition, backed up by a lot of careful testing and observation at the range. Most people entering the world of reloading have little difficulty understanding the importance of min/max powder loads, but proper seating depth takes more study and research.

After much reading and seeking advice from experienced reloaders, I believe I have a good starting point for loads. My first rounds will be using HS-6 powder, CCI primers, and Hornady 124gr FMJ bullets. I'm also going to stick with small batches - perhaps 5-10 of each version, using near-minimum powder levels.

I'm still pondering which variable to adjust first, but I believe that I'll leave the powder weight as a constant, first concentrating on finding the best OAL for my P99. Once that's established, I'll slowly experiment with varying the powder amount.

Though I'm anxious to begin, it will be put aside for a couple of days... I'm getting away for the weekend with The Bethy, and quite honestly the reloading can wait a bit longer. ;)

On a side note - if you want to learn more about reloading and are looking for a good community of people to discuss it with, I recommend stopping by a recently-created forum - GlockPost.com. Don't let the name fool you... it isn't a Glock-specific forum in the least. No one cares what gun you own nor what press you use; you'll find fun conversation with a very diverse membership, as well a lot of valuable advice for starting this hobby. Whether you are new to the hobby or have reloaded for years, we'd like to have you stop by.

You won't find a lot of KoolAid at GlockPost.com... but if you BBQ, we'd love to hear your recipe. ;)

ALMOST THERE

2008-03-05T21:45:00.001-05:00

When I decided to start reloading, I made the decision to purchase the equipment in stages. Budget-wise this was a smart thing, and gave me extra time to do a lot of reading before starting to work with explosive components. In the meantime, I'd created shopping lists on Midway and Midsouth Shooter's Supply. Dies, a shellplate, a caliper and other various parts were on the lists. A couple of items - such as the pistol measuring rotor - were on "out of stock", but I decided by the time I was ready to purchase the retailers would have everything available.

Last week, I checked the lists again for completeness and was troubled to see that not only were certain items still not in stock, but others had either become "out of stock" or gone on backorder. Apparently I'm not the only person taking a step away from factory ammo, as rather common items (such as 9mm dies) were completely out of stock.

After a lot of searching, I came upon Grafs.com and found everything I needed was in-stock. However, some items were nearly sold out. I decided it was time to finish purchasing what I needed, else run the risk of having to wait until retailer back orders arrived (whenever that might be).

The package arrived on Monday, and I spent the evening prepping all the dies and installing them into the press. Along with the parts, I ordered a can of Hornady One-Shot Gun Cleaner & Dry Lube. It absolutely degreased the parts, and left a very slight dry film for protection and lubrication. Avoid the brake cleaner, the teflon spray and the alcohol... this product is simply wonderful, and I wish I had used it from the beginning.

The caliper, scale, and a small order of bullets should arrive by Friday - so unless I've left something off the list, I'll be ready to start making some test rounds.

AEROSOL TEFLON

2008-02-24T23:33:00.005-05:00

I called Hornady on Monday to order a replacement powder rotor. The conversation went something like this:

thorn: Hi Karen. A screw in the rotor was too tight, and by the time I removed it I'd stripped the hole. I need to order a new rotor and some screws.

Karen: Ok, let me start with your address.

thorn: Blah blah blah Cincinnati, Ohio.

Karen: I'll ship it today. Need anything else?

No charge, even for shipping. This is how a company creates a customer for life.

The parts arrived on Friday afternoon, and today I degreased the powder funnel system and installed everything into place. Observant readers will notice a few things are missing in the photo... for example, dies and a shellplate. I'll be ordering them sometime in the next week or so, and should actually be making ammunition within a couple of weeks.

Oh, as to the title...

If you should ever find yourself lubricating steel parts with aerosol teflon drylube - read the can. It probably says "shake well". Be sure you do this. And while spraying: if you start to see the spray take on the appearance of white foam, stop spraying and shake the can for a minute. The foam is NOT your friend.

Should you forget this quality advice, be aware that the parts will be coated in solidified white gunk. Brake cleaner will not remove this substance. Scrub with a towel and rubbing alcohol.

Dried teflon foam is a very bad thing.

LOCK-N-LOAD, DAY 1

2008-02-17T21:09:00.011-05:00

Saturday morning arrived, and I was anxious to get the new press off the top of the filing cabinet and mounted. The first problem was where to mount it; I had absolutely no flat surface suitable for such a purpose... nor a basement or spare closet to add a table. One might think I would have solved that particular problem before buying a press, but no.

Finally, inspiration struck. I decided to place a board on top of a counter hutch, and keep it in place with weights instead of clamps. I headed off to the hardware store and purchased a large sheet of 3/4" MDF along with various bolts and a couple of large drill bits, cans of brake cleaner and drylube to prep the components.

Several things I learned in the first few minutes:

- It helps to have someone hold the press while you're putting in the bolts.
- 7/16 Wrenches don't fit on the heads of 7/16 bolts.
- Holes drilled in MDF are much cleaner when the drill speed is fast instead of slow.
- Reading the directions 3 times beats taking the bolts out twice.
- You can indeed use too many washers.

I was a bit worried that the press would be too heavy for the counter-weight i was relying on, but it worked out well. Feeling victorious, I turned my attention to the powder measure assembly.

Hornady ships the parts coated in grease/oil to protect from rust, and the manual instructs the user to clean it off before use. The manual could be a bit more descriptive, but after a couple of minutes the method to disassemble was clear.

- Remove powder measure - check.
- Remove hex bolt #1 from rotor with included wrench - check.
- Remove hex bolt #2... remove hex bolt #2... why won't the damned bolt turn...?

The bolt was stuck. And by stuck, I don't mean difficult to turn. It was stuck to the degree that the wrench was nearly stripping the hex hole without turning. After 20 mins and nearly ripping the skin from my palm, I gave up. It would have to be exchanged for a replacement part. I put the other pieces back in. Hex #1 didn't quite fit in the hole anymore, and in my annoyance i just turned it hard a couple of times and went on about my evening.

This morning, a bit of inspiration struck. I grabbed a small hammer and tapped the bar that hex #2 was holding. It rotated just a bit, and as a result the bolt began turning freely. With amazement and glee, I put the wrench in hex #1 and ... oh, great. Hex #1 had gone in the hole diagonally the night before, and the hole was stripped at the crown and no longer straight. It's now unusable. I need another powder rotor and 2-3 hex screws.

So in the end of all this, ordering a new part is more due to my breaking it that the part being defective from the factory. I'm told Hornady's customer service and warranty is outstanding, so tomorrow at 9am I'll find out how forgiving they are in such matters.

GOODBYE, WINCHESTER WHITE BOX.

2008-02-14T19:15:00.007-05:00

Dear WWB,

When our association began some 2-3 years ago, I found you to be a somewhat acceptable candidate for the position of "target practice ammo". Though you arrived crudely packaged in an unimpressive box, your regular availability combined with affordable pricing nonetheless gained my respect.

Unfortunately, your performance has become less satisfactory with each passing month.

Your hygienic practices have always been undesirable, ranging from unclean to completely filthy. While many of your peers occasionally share a similar problem, they nonetheless have generally offered something you can only deliver in brief spurts:

Accuracy.

Certainly, there were times in the early days in which I cursed myself or the gun for the poor results on the target. But over time, I have realized that although I and the Walther are not always in sync - you are never in sync with yourself from month-to-month.

When combined with your recent demands for a 30% salary increase, I find that our relationship must come to an end. Please clean out your desk immediately; your replacement will be starting this weekend.

Regards,

thorn

BEST OF CINCINNATI

2008-01-29T21:00:00.000-05:00

Four places in or near Cincinnati that you might not be aware of, but should be:

BEST GUN STORE:
Peterson's Gun Shop
11338 Reading Rd, Sharonville

When you tire of looking at endless rows of the latest tactical offerings that debuted at SHOT and wish for something a bit different - drive over to Peterson's for a real treat. While they do have a respectable collection of new handguns, it's the items inside the back counter that you should spend some time studying. You'll likely find a treasure or two, whether you're looking for a vintage revolver or a more modern used weapon.

The pricing is fair, and the store offers 90-day layaway. If you're concerned about the reliability of their used guns - don't be. They have a gunsmith on premises to examine things before they're offered for sale, and offer a money-back guarantee on their used guns.

It's a small shop, and may not look like much from the street... you may have even driven past it and not noticed it. Nor do they do heavy radio advertising like the large store/range just down the road. But their large, unique selection and great personable service make it the perfect destination on a Saturday morning.

BEST INDOOR RANGE:
Shooter's Supply
3450 Richardson Rd, Independence KY

Shooter's is relatively new to the scene, and I'll admit a bit of trepidation in revealing their location... they almost seem like a well-kept secret; a place that real gun owners go to shoot with others of their kind, instead of having to deal with long lines and the occasional questionable customers at the range a few miles north of Petersons. ;)

To be fair, I've done a lot of shooting at TargetWorld. The staff is very friendly, and I'll quickly admit they've always treated me more than fairly - both when I've used their range or purchased guns. But as with many things, popularity tends to bring population - and on many weekends, waiting 30-60 mins for a lane is not unheard of. Also unfortunate is the condition of the range. It's not uncommon for multiple lanes to be "down", and the customers range from older gentlemen with excellent skills, to college kids perfecting their spray-and-pray technique.

Such is not the case at Shooter's.

The range has excellent lighting and plenty of room behind the firing line. It's kept cleaner than your basement, and I've yet to see a lane out-of-service. You'll find your fellow shooters will be a bit more mature in their attitude and safety practices, as well quite friendly should a conversation arise.

Extra bonus: if you reload, you'll have no problem sweeping up your brass as there's nothing cluttering up the range and most customers I've seen are very good about policing their own brass. Finally - if you enjoy shooting rifles larger than rimfire, Shooter's may be just your ticket. While they don't allow higher-velocity rounds such as 22-250, feel free to bring your .223 AR15.

While the store doesn't have the the wealth of inventory ala TargetWorld, you'll find that their range is worth the drive.

BEST SUSHI:
Wild Ginger Asian Bistro
3655 Edwards Road, Cincinnati

For years, I had a rule about eating seafood in the Midwest: I didn't. Growing up 30 minutes away from the Gulf of Mexico gives one a different opinion of "fresh seafood" compared to the fare in Ohio. But every rule has an exception, and in this case it's in Norwood.

It's fresh, it's tasty, and the prices are - well, strangely affordable. It's fairly packed around lunchtime, so if you're hoping for some quiet conversation over a Spicy Tuna Roll - prepare to hear quite a few conversations in addition to your own. However, once the food arrives you'll have little time to talk... the flavors will win the contest of talk vs eat.

If you happen to have a lunch partner that doesn't enjoy the perfection that is raw seafood - not to worry, as there's also an extensive menu of noodle and rice dishes. I highly recommend the Thai Garlic Chicken. PF Chang's does have its merits, and Bangkok Bistro does have a loyal following... but if you truly want the best Asian food, you'll be at Wild Ginger.

BEST LIVE ENTERTAINMENT:
Shadowbox Cabaret
Newport on the Levee, Newport

Shadowbox isn't a bar with live entertainment; more accurately, it's a theatre that happens to serve drinks. While I could type a couple of paragraphs describing the stellar entertainment value, I really wouldn't be able to do it justice. It may be the best live music and sketch comedy presentation you'll ever see in Cincinnati.

If you're hoping to impress your date/girlfriend/boyfriend/spouse (and don't mind more adult-oriented humor) Shadowbox is hands-down going to earn you some Cool Points. But consider yourself warned... if you're anything like me, don't be surprised when you go from being a "first timer" to nearly an "all the damned timer".

Note: this list is Bethy-approved.

7 MONTHS, 7 YARDS

2008-01-27T22:10:00.000-05:00

In June of last year, I decided it was time to sell my Glock 19 and acquire a handgun I felt better suited me... I wrote about it here. While the G19 is a fine gun, I could never get any consistent accuracy. Some shots would be good, while others flew to the left with annoying regularity.

When I first fired the P99, I knew I had found something better for me. While I don't consider myself to be a great shooter by any means, I've steadily improved over the months... getting my stance more consistent, raising the gun to the same height every time, and forcing myself to focus more on the front sight and less on the target.

Normally I place targets around 3-5 yards, but today I decided to push out to 7 yards. I was doing well at the shorter distances, and decided to see how it would translate a few feet further. I raised the gun up, got a good sight picture, and started pulling the trigger.

The results basically shocked me.

In the recent past, I've usually managed 3-4" groups at 5 yards, and around 5-7" groups at 7 yards. But today, everything really came together. I fired 10 rounds into a 2.5" group. I looked up a bit amazed, and reloaded. On the second pass, I popped a flyer on the 6th shot. After silently cursing myself for rushing it, I raised the gun back up and put the last 4 through the red.

I retrieved the target and smiled.

I shot about 40 rounds after that, most within 3-4" at that distance. Finally my hour was up - I packed up, collected all my brass and headed home. It was a good day for shooting.

THE GIRL AND A GUN

2008-01-05T02:20:00.000-05:00

The Bethy flew up to Cincinnati to celebrate the New Year, and on Sunday we went on her second trip to the range. Her first time ever was nearly a year ago, and she was eager to punch some more holes in paper.

Before we left home, I quickly gave her a refresher course on how the guns worked. It had been a long time since she'd held one, and I wanted to make sure she was comfortable. I handed her the Walther P99, and was impressed; she immediately remembered her trigger and muzzle discipline, indexing her finger on the slide and keeping it pointed in a safe direction.

We stopped by Walmart and picked up 200rds of WWB, some extra .22 for the Ruger MkII, and a pack of reactive targets. Normally I use regular paper targets, but I thought seeing the holes brightly pop out would make it easier for her to track her shots.

Her shooting was impressive. She hadn't fired a gun in nearly a year, yet her form was good and her groups respectable for someone so new to the sport. Her first few shots were always very close to the center. She did have a tendency to drop her aim near the end of the magazine, but her lack of an obvious flinch is indeed a strength.

I'm fairly sure she shot more that day than I did, but for me it wasn't about trigger time... it was just about spending time with my girl. She's without a doubt my favorite range partner, and I can't wait for our next trip.

MR. 9/11

2007-12-27T18:50:00.001-05:00

Morning exchange via MSN...

Bethy: I think I may vomit.
(link)

thorn: btw
thorn: did you know that Giuliani was Mayor of NYC on 9/11?

Bethy: really? i should vote for him then.
Bethy: but....
Bethy: did he walk thru the rubble?

thorn: i believe he may have even seen people working in rubble

Bethy: no!
Bethy: that makes him my president.

thorn; in fact, he may even know barney rubble.

Bethy: well I'm glad my decision is made

ANYONE?

2007-12-26T21:21:00.000-05:00

Ask the average group of gun owners who they're hoping the next President will be, and it is not unlikely that the answer will be "Anyone but Hillary Clinton". While I agree that yet another President Clinton would be a nightmare for America, I find myself thinking that "anyone but..." isn't a great answer.

Anyone?

The general idea of "anyone" is of course "anyone but a Democrat" and therefore a Republican. But I find it troubling that at this point in the campaign - during the primaries - that any Republican would be better. Too often, Americans pay far too much attention to the party that a candidate belongs to and not enough attention on their voting record. Having a Republican as the Head of State doesn't automatically mean that your gun rights are in good hands.

For example:

President George H. W. Bush (R) expanded the ban on imposed a ban on the importation several different semi-automatic rifles.

Governor Bob Taft (R) fought an ultimately losing battle against lowering restrictions on carrying concealed handguns in Ohio.

Governor Rudy Giuliani (R) has a substantial anti-gun history.

President George W. Bush (R) clearly stated that he would re-authorize the Assault Weapons Ban if Congress passed the bill and delivered it to the White House.

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) recently signed a bill which allows the state to begin requiring the micro-stamping of cartridges.

I could probably fill a few pages with more Republican names... Republicans who spoke of supporting gun owners, yet turned their backs on us once elected. But by now, the point should be clear: during the primary elections, your concern should not be "who can beat Hillary Clinton?". Your concern should be "Which candidate's record shows a clear history of supporting the 2nd Amendment? Which candidate will continue to support my right to own and use a firearm?".

Party labels are of little concern; it is the candidate's record which is paramount.

Do not vote for Anyone.

RANDOM UPDATE

2007-12-05T22:45:00.000-05:00

November was a rather busy month for me, so please forgive my lack of posting. When I wasn't occupied with daily life, I was suffering from writer's block. That still may be the case, but I'll make the effort anyway...

I've created a new channel on LiveVideo. Currently there are two videos related to the Walther P99 - one discussing the AS trigger, and the other demonstrating how to perform a slide strip for detailed cleaning. Check them out... hopefully they'll be helpful to someone out there.
New addition to Notable Sites: Somewhat Intelligent. Clay is a fan of Ron Paul and Walthers, as well as a Florida resident. I wonder if we're related... but I do fear he could also be a Gator fan. Hm. For now, enjoy his postings while he begins to discover the superiority of the Florida State Seminoles. ;)
Old news that you've already heard, but I feel compelled to mention: On November 5, Ron Paul raised over $4.2 Million Dollars during the one-day fundraiser. Tres cool, no? One wonders at what point the media and America will start realizing the man is a viable, real candidate.
Layaway is wonderfully evil... expect a picture or two in the coming weeks.

NOVEMBER 5

2007-11-05T01:02:00.001-05:00

A few months ago, I had a discussion on a forum regarding the nature of politics and how to get involved; how to not merely complain from the sidelines, but how to actively change the political landscape. I considered rewriting my thoughts into some sort of long article, but instead I'll simply copy/paste my original post.

I often wonder how much the average gun owner actually does - in a qualitative way - to keep their rights.

It is one thing for people to preach to each other on web forums and blogs. It is another thing to actually contribute money to candidates and PACs that can measurably affect the future in a beneficial way.

I know that many people here can and do contribute their hard-earned dollars to such causes, as well as send letters and make phone calls when the need arises.

But for those that do not, I challenge you to begin doing it.

The next time you're buying 10 boxes of ammo, consider buying 9 boxes instead - and join the NRA.

Instead of spending 10 hours at the range, spend 8 hours - and join OFCC.

Instead of purchasing your 48th 30-rnd AR15 magazine, consider being satisfied for the moment with having 47 mags - and donate money to a candidate who actually agrees with you.

Support the groups and the leaders who will work to ensure you will continue to be able to purchase ammo, shoot at a range, and own an AR15.

Truly - think about this for a moment:

There are just over 2000 members of this forum. What if every member donated $100 - the average cost of 3 of my Walther mags, for example - all to the same cause or candidate?

Do the math. That's nearly a quarter of a million dollars.

Glocktalk.com has just over 72,000 members. If every one of them sent the cost of ONE GLOCK MAGAZINE to the same candidate or PAC, that's nearly 2 MILLION dollars.

People say they are sick of money in politics... and I agree that it's somewhat sickening that the one with the most dollars is the one most-listened to.

But that's reality. Television ads cost money. Radio ads cost money. Print ads, fliers, stickers, buttons, phone lines, campaign trips to Iowa, gas for the vehicles - it all costs money. Reaching everyone in America enough times to not only draw their vote - but convince them TO vote - costs millions of dollars.

Despise it or wish it to be untrue - but ignore it at your own peril.

Today, on November the 5th, I challenge each of you to stand up and fight.

AFTERNOON AT THE GUN SHOW

2007-10-13T19:59:00.000-04:00

Bill Goodman's gun show stopped in Cincinnati this weekend. It's been a few months since the last one, and I'd marked the date on the calendar. I'm not in the market for anything in particular, but I've been looking forward to the show hoping that something interesting would catch my eye.

To summarize the show today:

If you're looking for a Mosin M44, Walther P22, any handgun made by Taurus, an AR15, or some cheap bejeweled pocket knife: the doors open again tomorrow at 9am, but don't worry about being the first in the line. They have so many to choose from that there's no chance you'll miss out on buying one.

Unfortunately, I'm not interested in any of those weapons.

To be fair, there were many new guns for sale from the companies you'd expect: Glocks, Smith & Wesson, Springfield, and the aforementioned Taurus... but I can easily find those in the gun shop, for nearly the same price. It's the used guns that attract me to the show, but sadly the selection wasn't too diverse. S&W revolvers were scarce, as were ones from Ruger. Hardly any 1911s, and guns made by Jennings/Lorcin/Highpoint easily outnumbered the Walthers 10-1.

A couple of things did catch my attention, though.

I passed a table and noticed an HK VP70, priced at $365 - quite a deal; nearly half the price of ones I've seen on Gunbroker. I took a close look at it, and the inner excitement turned to depression. The edges on the slide were worn far beyond what counts for holster wear, and even without a borelight I could see the rifling was in fairly poor condition. The magazine showed similar signs of neglect, with splotches of rust competing with the steel for dominance. I briefly considered purchasing it and having the slide refinished, but the condition of the bore and magazine killed the deal for me.

An hour later, I came upon a Walther P5 selling for around $650. I wasn't prepared to spend that much today, but thought it was worth a look. The finish wasn't bad, but did show some moderate use - this was definitely not a "lived in a police officer's holster" specimen. I pulled the slide back to check the chamber, and was horrified to notice that the feed ramp had been polished. No, "polished" is the wrong word... "butchered with a grinding wheel" would be more accurate. After noticing that, the rest of the gun's condition was of little interest to me.

Finally, I came upon a display containing three Nagant M1895 pistols made in 1944-45. At least one had the original holster, complete with cleaning rod. Though I didn't ask to examine one, all appeared to be in very good condition and had a fair price of $109. They were interesting, but would be little more that a conversational piece for me. I debated it a bit, and eventually decided I'd just leave the $100 in my pocket.

After about 2 hours of walking the aisles, I purchased a box of 9mm +P hollow points and drove home for lunch a bit depressed. Tomorrow I'll be hitting the range for some good practice. I'm sure after a couple hundred rounds I'll mostly forget that there was nothing to buy, and be happy with the gun I'm shooting.

15 vs 16

2007-09-19T23:48:00.000-04:00

I recently purchased a 16rd magazine for the P99. Though I've put a budgetary hold on my gun purchasing funds (due to other priorities), the price was too good to pass up. I've read that the P99 originally shipped with 16rd magazines, but the magazine was later redesigned to a 15rd capacity. This one is particular has a Walther-labeled baseplate, and was manufactured by Mec-Gar.

In case you're unfamiliar with the differences - and there are a couple - I thought a couple of pictures might be useful:

The lips at the top have been reshaped. The 16rd is on the left, the 15rd on the right. Note the more angular cut on the left. I'm not sure if this modification has any effect on feeding the rounds (my tests show no difference), but it does make loading the mags more difficult for sure. The first round is especially harder to quickly insert and seat onto the follower.

The cases themselves have differing vertical indentations, but I've no idea if these differences affect the mags' reliability.

The springs are different as well:

The 15rd (top) has a standard uniform coil, while the 16rd (bottom) has a staggered coil approximately 1/5 down from the top.

Curiously, I've been unable to load 16 rounds into the magazine. I'm not sure if it's due to a spring issue (perhaps it was replaced by the previous owner), or if it's naturally difficult to get the 16th round in - something you'll notice in Glock magazines, when they are new.

Because the magazine will only be used for range trips, I'm not too concerned about the unexpected capacity limit. It was a great deal, and it will do the job just fine. But if you're in the market for a used mag, hopefully this might give you a bit more info on the fact that the 16's and 15's are quite different in construction.

SHOOTING ON A BUDGET

2007-08-22T20:54:00.000-04:00

If you shoot with any sort of regularity, or read posts by people that do, you've probably noticed that the price of ammunition is rising.

I've read several reasons for this.

Some people say that it's due to the war, and the military's increasing needs for ammo is driving up the price. American law enforcement agencies are also placing larger orders for ammo, which of course plays into the laws of supply and demand. Others point out that raw materials such as brass and copper are in higher demand in other countries (such as China), which increases the costs of the metals worldwide. Other factors come into play too - the price of fuel affects everyone, from the producer to the shipper to the retailer.

There are several ways the average gun owner can deal with this problem, but simply complaining about it isn't one of them. So instead of just adding another post to the internet's archives about how much ammo costs annoy me, I thought I'd share a few of the things I do to keep the cost of my range trips down.

In no particular order:

SHOP WISELY
The most expensive place I've purchased ammo was from the range itself. A 50rd box of Blazer Brass 9mm sells for around $14. At Walmart, the same box sells for around $8. A 100rd box of Winchester WhiteBox is around $15. In other words, you can buy twice as much ammo for the same price by simply choosing where to purchase it.

Online vendors typically offer good prices, but be sure to add shipping costs into the overall price. Gunshows can also sometimes be a good source for cheaper ammunition - especially self-defense ammo.

In addition, I purchase more ammo than I need for one range trip. Usually I buy 500-1000rnds at the time. A local store you wont give you a multi-box discount, but you will save time and gas money by combining several store trips into one.

MAKE YOUR OWN TARGETS
Range targets are sold at a premium, usually going for .75 - $1 per target. It may not seem like much, but over a year you might end up spending $40-50 just on sheets of paper. There are a number websites out there with PDF targets you can download and print at home. Even better, print one target at home and make the rest on a copier (inkjet supplies are very expensive - copies can be made at Kinko's cheaply, or depending on your workplace - for free.) Buy just one B27 at the range and use tape to place your homemade target over the COM.

If you do a lot of bullseye shooting, you dont need a B27. Get some large index cards, and use an ink marker to make a small circle in the middle. Some shooters use paper plates as a cheap target. Whichever solution you use, try to limit the number of fullsized expensive targets you purchase.

DON'T WASTE AMMO
Every time you empty a magazine, you've basically thrown $2 down the range. I've seen casual shooters come into the range with a rental gun and 2-3 boxes of ammo... they finish in an amazing amount of time. One moment they're loading the first mag, and 10 minutes later they've emptied all 3 boxes by pulling the trigger as quickly as possible without much regard to accuracy or technique.

Granted, rapid-fire can be a lot of fun. But always keep in mind that rounds are practically dollar bills. Don't waste ammunition anymore than you would randomly light piles of money on fire.

PLAN YOUR RANGE TRIP
Simply stated: if you're going to the range for half an hour, try to guage how much ammo you will shoot... and don't take much more than that. For me, that's about 100-150 rnds of 9mm and 50-100 rnds of .22. If I take 500rds of each, then mentally I'll be trying to use it all before my time is up. Back to the previous point: don't waste ammo. Better to have a few unused minutes on the clock, than waste 30 more rds just trying to kill some time.

Shoot until you've accomplished your goal for the day - don't just shoot until you're out of ammunition.

SHOOT FEWER CALIBERS
If you have a .22, a .357, a .45, a 9mm and a .44 magnum with you every time you hit the range - you're going to spend a lot of money feeding them. I've read posts by people seeking to consolidate their guns into just 2-3 calibers at most, and I believe it's a good idea. The more calibers you own and actively shoot, the more boxes of ammo you're going to have to purchase.

BUY A .22 PISTOL
Anyone that owns a .22 will tell you it's a great investment for shooting cheaply - and they're right. .22 Ammo is very inexpensive, and the skills necessary to be accurate with a .22 will translate into a larger caliber. If you want to shoot a LOT every time you hit the range, use a gun that isn't expensive to shoot.

Some of these might be something you can try, while others may not help at all... competitive shooters have different needs than someone who just owns a gun for self-defense. So consider these suggestions, or freely ignore them.

IN THE DARK

2007-08-16T01:14:00.000-04:00

Here's a test for you...

1. How quickly can you field strip your carry weapon, and reassemble it?
2. Can you do it in the dark?

There's not necessarily a correct answer for the first question. It's not a task that one normally has to do in under 20-30 seconds. But if you cannot perform a field strip without referring to your manual, then take some time this weekend and learn to do it.

Once you can do it effortlessly, try putting on a blindfold. Learn to check the chamber without your eyes. You may find, as I did, that replacing the slide is a bit harder when you can't visually line it up... or perhaps you'll need to learn how each end of the recoil spring feels, so that it's not put in backwards.

I don't know that it's a skill that I'll ever need, but it's nice knowing that I have it... and I believe that every gun owner can benefit from learning it as well.

BULLETS ALWAYS FIND A TARGET

2007-08-06T12:47:00.000-04:00

I was about 11 years old when I entered the woods with my Dad for my first hunting trip. I was raised in the South, where for many people hunting is as much of a regular activity as going to work or having a large family dinner every Sunday. I don't remember what we were hunting; it might have been squirrels or birds, and I'm sure we would have come home with a deer on the off-chance we'd have been lucky enough to take one, given the amount of racket I made walking about the woods.

As I grew older, Dad's interest in hunting also grew. Many areas of the South are farmland, and it's not uncommon for the farmers to lease their land for hunting to small groups of people. One morning we got up far before dawn, and drove to a small cabin in the middle of nowhere to go deer hunting. It was chilly and dark in the cabin, and 3-4 other men were sitting around a small woodstove when we arrived.

We spent most of the day in the woods, and came back empty handed. I was cold, damp, dirty, and rather tired of the whole experience as we unrolled our sleeping bags. As I began to fall asleep, the men were recounting their various tales of the past couple of days. One man had a brief story I'll never forget.

"We were out last night, didn't see anything though. So finally we decided to come back to camp. But we're walking though the woods, and I heard some noise to the left in the distance... I kneeled down and leveled my rifle, and fired off 3 shots. Never did find anything, so I guess I missed. Was pretty dark out there."

We left the following day, and never hunted with that group again.

I remembered that story as I read about this boy being killed in Oklahoma yesterday. Two police officers were trying to shoot a snake out of a tree, and missed their target. Sadly, one of their bullets found another target: 5 yr-old Austin Haley, who died in his grandfather's arms.

I find this part of the news report to be rather troubling:

(City Manager Bob) Wade refused to identify the officer suspected of firing the shots but said the officer has been placed on paid administrative leave pending the outcome of the investigation.

As I've mentioned before, I work in the media... specifically, I create graphics for the newscasts. Each and every day, I receive photographs in my email from various law enforcement offices - photographs of people suspected of a crime. The law enforcement community creates press releases, and sends them to us hoping that we'll put the information and the photographs on television so that the public will be well-informed about possible criminal activity and the people responsible.

Austin's grandfather has this to say:

"I'm not saying the cop shot him on purpose,” Tracy said. "It was an accident. But let me tell you — if I had a kid and put him in this car and didn't put him in a car seat and he got killed on the way to town, they'd charge me with murder ... and what this cop did is a lot worse than that. ... There was no reason for him to kill my grandson.”

Mr. Tracy is quite correct - that's exactly what prosecutors have done, and continue to do, when children die due to negligence. From the moment a child dies, the party suspected of responsibility has their picture transmitted over the airwaves as quickly as possible.

City Manager Bob Wade will not identify the officer suspected of killing Austin Haley?

I would like to remind Mr. Wade of something. I'd like to remind the Officer, the Noble Chief of Police, their Mayor, their City Council members, and their City Prosecutor: All of you are public employees. You are not royalty. You are not above criticism and your positions do not absolve you of responsibility. You have your jobs because the citizens of Noble gave those jobs to you, in the hope that you would perform your duties with honor and in the best interests of the City of Noble.

And in this circumstance, all of you are failing miserably.

So here's Mr. Wade's contact information, should you care to let him know your opinion on his job performance:

Bob Wade, City Manager
City of Noble
P.O. Box 557, 304 S. Main
Noble, OK 73068
(405) 872-9251; Fax: (405) 972-9363
Email: bobwade@sbcglobal.net

Let Mr. Wade know how you feel about this negligent shooting. And while you're at it, you might ask him about his feelings on government hypocrisy.

AUGUST 3

2007-08-03T12:38:00.000-04:00

August 3 is a rather unique day, and like all the other days of the year has many events associated with it:

- In 1942, Christopher Columbus set sail from Palos de la Frontera, Spain.
- In 1527, the first known letter was sent from North America by John Rut while at St. John's, Newfoundland.
- In 1678, Robert LaSalle built the Le Griffon, the first known ship built in America.
- In 1852, the first Boat Race was held between Yale and Harvard as the first American intercollegiate athletic event.
- In 1900, the Firestone Tire & Rubber Company was founded.
- In 1923, President Warren G. Harding (deceased) was succeeded by Vice President Calvin Coolidge as the 30th President of the United States.
- In 1936, Jesse Owens won the 100 meter dash by defeating Ralph Metcalfe at Berlin Olympics.
- In 1946, the National Basketball Association was founded in the United States.
- In 2004, the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopened after being closed since the September 11, 2001 attacks.

Several notable people were also born on this day:

1770 - King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia
1811 - Elisha Graves Otis, American inventor
1887 - Rupert Brooke, English poet
1900 - John T. Scopes, American defendant
1926 - Tony Bennett, American singer
1940 - Martin Sheen, American actor
1941 - Martha Stewart, American media personality
1963 - Isaiah Washington, American actor
1963 - James Hetfield, American guitar player (Metallica)
1971 - DJ Spinderella, American rapper (Salt-N-Pepa)
1977 - Tom Brady, American football player
1979 - Evangeline Lilly, Canadian model/actress
1984 - Carah Faye Charnow, American singer (Shiny Toy Guns)

But for me, there is one event which eclipses all of them.

At 5:05am on a Thursday morning, the love of my life entered this world.

Happy Birthday, Bethy.

May you wish upon every star you see tonight,
and may all your dreams come true.