Hornady On Ammo Availability

Steve and Jason Hornady of ammo maker Hornady Manufacturing released a YouTube video this week discussing the ammo shortage. In their own humorous way, they showed that they really are working 24/7 on getting ammo out the door. Their parody intro is really good. It's great to see a company that isn't so stuck up on itself.

Move Over Mark Harmon, Here Comes Andy Traver

Actor Mark Harmon, in this role as Agent Jethro Gibbs, is probably the name most associated with the Naval Criminal Investigative Service or NCIS. That may change with the selection of our old friend Andrew Traver to head NCIS.

Traver was selected by Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus on Friday to become the Director of NCIS. Unlike promotions to admiral and other high civilian posts, the Director of NCIS does not need Senate confirmation.

"Andrew Traver is absolutely the right person to lead the NCIS," said Mabus. "His strong law enforcement background and experience make him the ideal choice to guide NCIS in preventing and solving crimes and helping to counter those who would do us harm. As a former Naval officer, he understands the Navy and Marine Corps and the evolving security issues we face today."

 Traver is currently the SAC of the BATFE's Denver Field Division and was previously the SAC of the Chicago Field Division. We in the gun community know Mr. Traver as Obama's failed nominee to head BATFE as well as being an anti-gunner.

The Obama Administration is famous for throwing people under the bus and Traver was one of those. After B. Todd Jones was named Acting Director of BATFE, it was clear that Traver would never get the post of Director. This post as Director of NCIS may be his consolation prize for being a loyalist and keeping his mouth shut during the whole time he was being considered for BATFE Director.

Since Secretary of the Navy Mabus is using Traver's former service as a Naval officer as part of the rationale for appointing him to be head of NCIS, I think it is fair to ask more questions about his service. According to the questionnaire he submitted to the Senate Judiciary Committee, he only served in the Navy from November 1985 until May 1987.

United States Navy (Newport, Rhode Island; Coronado, California; San Diego, California; Pearl Harbor, Hawaii/USS Benjamin Stoddert; Glenview, Illinois), Commissioned Officer/O-l Ensign (November 1985-May 1987);

The questionnaire also reports that he left the Navy early as an Ensign with a "Hardship Discharge/Resignation".  The normal service commitment is 3 to 5 years for Naval officers. As I said back in 2010, I wondered why he left a growing Navy that needed officers for its planned 600 ship Navy to join a local police department and then a backwater Treasury Department agency. It still would be interesting to know what the "hardship" was that allowed Traver to leave the Navy before fulfilling his normal service commitment. Given that he won't be going through a confirmation hearing I doubt we'll ever know.

High Demand For Ammo Is Not Just In The US

I read a press release from the Swiss ammunition manufacturer RUAG this week announcing that they were increasing production. RUAG Ammotec produces ammo in plants in Switzerland, Germany, Sweden, Hungary, and Tampa, Florida. While you might not recognize RUAG Ammotec, you'd probably recognize some of their brands. They include RWS, Dynamit Nobel, Norma, Rottweil, Hirtenberger, MFS, Swiss P, and GECO.

What made RUAG's announcement interesting was that they said they were increasing production due to "the high level of capacity utilisation in Germany, Switzerland, Sweden, Hungary and the USA." This is bureaucratic-speak saying that not only are Americans buying more ammo, so are the Germans, Swiss, Swedes, and Hungarians.

From their announcement:

RUAG Ammotec was quick to recognize the signs and create additional production capacities. On the one hand, this increase in capacity is being achieved by taking on more staff and by intensifying shift operation, and on the other hand a major investment programme in the upper double-digit million range is to be implemented in the coming three years. It is the biggest project of its kind in the history of RUAG Ammotec.

"Expanding our production network across all our locations will ideally increase our current capacities. This is the only way for us to be able to meet the high international demand even better in future and reinforce our market position," states Cyril Kubelka, who has been the CEO of RUAG Ammotec and member of the Executive Board of RUAG for many years.

Win For Open Carry In Mississippi

The Mississippi Supreme Court overturned Hinds County Circuit Court Judge Winston Kidd's injunction against House Bill 2 today. HB 2 defined what constituted concealed for the purposes of concealed carry. By defining concealed, the bill clarified that open carry is permitted under the Mississippi State Constitution.

Judge Kidd had found HB 2 to be "unconstitutionally vague" back in July and had issued a permanent injunction against the law. The parties seeking the injunction included Hinds County DA Robert Shuler Smith, Hinds County Sheriff Tyrone Lewis, and St. Senator John Horhn (D-Jackson). Backers of the the lawsuit included the Southern Poverty Law Center who helped draft the briefs.

In their 9-0 decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court found that Judge Kidd had erred as a matter of law.

This Court now finds that the Circuit Judge erred as a matter of law when he found House Bill 2 to be vague and, therefore, unconstitutional. He also erred when he stated that "a reasonable person reading the bill could not discern what the law allows and what it prohibits." Therefore, the Petition for Interlocutory Appeal is granted and rendered, and the Order Granting Plaintiffs' Motion for Injunctive Relief is vacated.

The Court also assessed the cost of the appeal to the Appellees.

Mississippi politicians were quick to praise the Supreme Court's decision on open carry.

Gov. Phil Bryant (R-MS) released this statement:

JACKSON—The Mississippi Supreme Court today ruled 9-0 that House Bill 2, which clarifies the definition of “concealed” for purposes of Mississippi laws regarding the concealed carrying of firearms, is valid and constitutional. The court also vacated the injunction that a Hinds County judge had issued against the bill. As a result, it is now clear that House Bill 2 can take effect statewide.

“House Bill 2 is an important clarification of citizens’ right to keep and bear arms under the state and federal Constitutions. I am very pleased that the court has agreed that House Bill 2 is consistent with the Constitution so that law will now take effect statewide.”

Lt. Gov. Tate Reeves (R-MS) issued a briefer statement praising the decision:

“I’m proud the Supreme Court confirmed our goal of protecting our right to bear arms. Today’s ruling is a win for our Constitution and a win for every Mississippian.”

Rep. Andy Gipson (R-Braxton), author of HB 2, said he knew his bill was constitutional and was happy that the Court agreed.

“When the lawsuit was first filed, I said I never seen a lawsuit filed over the constitutionality of a law in the Constitution,” Gipson said.

Gipson has said "If you carry a weapon concealed, you need a concealed carry permit. Otherwise, the Constitution of 1890 guarantees each citizen the right to keep and bear arms to defend himself/herself. No change to the constitution here; just defining concealed for the first time. Until now, individual law enforcement or courts could fabricate a definition which resulted in an illogical infringement on constitutional rights."

The statement from Secretary of State Delbert Hoseman (R-MS) noted he was a NRA Life Member and he was pleased the Supreme Court "has protected this fundamental right."

Of course, the plaintiffs who brought the case were none too happy. St. Sen. John Horhn (D-Jackson) plans to introduce legislation to require permits for both open and concealed carry. He has also called on Jackson and Hinds County leaders to ban open carry. It should be noted that Sen. Horhn, like every other member of the Mississippi legislature, voted for HB 2.

There is no word of any public reaction from Hinds County DA Robert Shuler Smith or his attorney Lisa Ross.

Good Advice From Doug Koenig On New Shooters

The National Shooting Sports Foundation released another of their training videos featuring Doug Koenig. Unlike the others which dealt with improving your shooting, this one was dedicated to the proper ways to introduce new shooters to the sport. The video features both Doug and his son Trevor.

Doug suggests starting out with air rifles for absolute new comers and with rimfire for those slightly more experienced. Above all else, you don't want to overwhelm the new shooter with a "hand cannon". He makes good points about the use of reactive targets as a way to keep things interesting.

Beretta Reported To Be Looking At Central Georgia

The Thomaston (GA) Times is reporting that Beretta was scouting central Georgia as a potential spot for relocation. The Thomaston-Upson Industrial Development Authority had reported last week that a prospect codenamed Project Clover had toured the area and the Central Georgia Business and Technology Park. They confirmed it was a firearms company.

Later in a joint meeting between the Upson County commissioners and town councils for Thomaston and Yatesville, the head of the county commission said the Project Clover was actually Beretta.

During a joint meeting of the Upson County Board of Commissioners (BOC) and the Thomaston and Yatesville city councils Tuesday night, Commission Chairman Rusty Blackston and Mayor Hays Arnold, both members of TUIDA, told the crowd the potential industry is Beretta Firearms.

“We had a very good prospect that, in my impression, is very interested in Upson County,” said Blackston. “They said we could go ahead and make it known to the public who they are. Beretta Firearms is looking to move to Upson County, which would be an impact of approximately 400 to 450 jobs on startup. That would put us on the global market.”

“Let’s make it clear, they have not decided on Thomaston-Upson County,” cautioned Arnold. “But, we are extremely high-ranking on their list at this point in time.”

The executive director of the TUIDA, Kyle Fletcher, said that Beretta was given an overview of the community on everything ranging from healthcare to the new fine arts auditorium. She especially emphasized the employee training opportunities offered through Southern Crescent Technical College's Training Facility. According to their website, the college does offer programs in CNC Technology and Machine Tool Technology.

Thomaston and Upson County are located almost in the middle of a triangle formed by Atlanta to the north, Macon to the east, and Columbus to the west.

It should be pointed out that even if Beretta does open operations in Georgia they are not likely to stop production for the foreseeable future in Maryland despite that state's laws. Jeff Reh has stated many times that Beretta has certain obligations to the US military for production of the M9 pistol that would be disrupted if they moved that plant. Beretta has also stated that with the passage of Maryland's new gun laws that they shelved any plans for expansion of the Accokeek plant.

It was long thought that Beretta would probably do any expansion near their existing operations in Spotsylvania, Virginia. However, plans for a Virginia Railway Express station and a mixed-use development which are adjacent to the Spotsylvania operation have caused Beretta to look elsewhere.

(Jeff) Reh said he understands why Spotsylvania officials chose that site for the VRE station, and why they approved the mixed-use development. But he said Beretta doesn’t want to expand in an area that will be densely populated.

He said the company doesn’t plan to close its existing distribution center but is looking elsewhere for an expansion that could mean a $10 million investment and 50 new jobs.

Reh didn’t offer specifics about the expansion, but according to a letter he wrote to Spotsylvania officials in 2011, the company has plans for a new facility for “the manufacturing of industrial components and testing, either below ground or above ground, of firearms manufactured by Beretta U.S.A. Corp.”

Reh said the company is looking for about 100 acres for the expansion and is considering sites in seven states with laws friendly to firearms manufacturers and the Second Amendment: Virginia, North Carolina, Kentucky, South Carolina, Tennessee, Georgia and Texas. He said he was looking at sites in the Warrenton area this week and has met previously with Caroline County officials.

West Virginia would have been on the list except for Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV).

Unusual Choice Of Firearm For This Police Department

When it comes to choosing a long arm for use by its officers, most police departments recently have been going with some form of an AR-15. Thus, when the Pennsylvania State Capitol Police chose the IWI Tavor SAR for use by its officers, it caught my attention.

The Pennsylvania State Capitol Police is an 86 member department charged with providing security and protection at the Capitol Complex in Harrisburg as well as at state office buildings in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and Scranton. They are also charged with investigating crimes that occur within its jurisdiction. Established in 1895, they were the first police agency in Pennsylvania to come under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and are the second oldest state police agency in the country after the Texas Rangers.

So why choose the Tavor when virtually all other departments are going with some form of AR-15?

According to the press release announcing the adoption, it was due to it close quarters capabilities.

“We ar e honored that the Pennsylvania State Capitol Police have chosen to be outfitted with the TAVOR® SAR ,” Michael Kassnar, Vice President of Sales & Marketing at IWI US commented. “ The State Capitol Police were looking for an extremely reliable rifle that was built specifically for close quarter battle and the design of the TAVOR® SAR bullpup was a perfect fit for their requirements.”

There is no word on how many of these bullpup rifles were purchased nor is there any word on the exact configuration.

Prior to joining IWI USA, Mr. Kassnar had been president of Harrisburg-based Charles Daly and KBI as well as Trans World Arms LLC. Charles Daly and KBI went out of business in 2010. Given that Mr. Kassnar and IWI USA are Harrisburg-based as were KBI and Charles Daly, I would not be surprised to find out that he had a long standing personal and professional relationship with the State Capitol Police. Notwithstanding that, I do believe the Tavor should perform very well in close quarters.

Interesting Picture From Syria

The Wall Street Journal ran an article on the conflict in Syria this past Monday. It was not the war news that caught my eye but the photo that they used to illustrate it. The photo from Reuters featured a Syrian rebel sniper preparing to shoot from inside a concrete and sandbag bunker. His weapon? A FN-FAL with a big rifle scope.

Reuters photo as seen in Wall Street Journal

If you check out the front iron sights as well as the curve of the buttstock, you know that he is using a FN-FAL.

I don't have any training or expertise as a sniper but I think the young man might have been better served if he used a sandbag rest for his FAL and had fired from further back in the bunker so as to minimize his muzzle flash.

We Do Raffles; They Have Billionaires

If there is anything that can illustrate the difference between the forces that want gun control and those of us who believe in freedom, it is these two stories regarding campaign money in the recall election in Colorado.

First, KVDR Fox 31 Denver reports that billionaires Eli Broad and NYC Mayor Mike Bloomberg contributed a combined $600,000 to Taxpayers for Responsible Democracy. This is the committee fighting to keep Colorado Senate President John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Senator Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) in office.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote a personal check for $350,000 to Taxpayers for Responsible Democracy, the issues committee fighting the recalls targeting Senate President John Morse and Sen. Angela Giron.

FOX31 Denver is first to report the group’s contributions report, filed Tuesday with the Secretary of State.

Bloomberg’s contribution reportedly came just last week, according to multiple sources close to the campaign.

Billionaire Eli Broad also wrote a $250,000 check to the organization, which raised a total of $708,000 in contributions between April and Aug. 22.

The article also reports another $95,000 came from two other contributors. According to a spokesperson for the anti-recall effort, they have had 17,000 contributors. Doing some quick math, four contributors put in $695,000 and 16,996 contributors contributed an average of 75 cents each. That doesn't quite add up to me.

Morse's anti-recall group, A Whole Lot of People for John Morse, has raised over $450,000 while Giron's anti-recall group, Pueblo United for Angela, has raised $586,187.

The second story involves a raffle being organized by AR maker CMMG to raise money for Colorado Citizens Protecting Our Constitution.

CMMG, a popular manufacturer of AR-pattern rifles, and the most delicious tactical bacon a person can buy, is raffling off a custom, one-of-a-kind Mk4 D special Colorado Citizens Protecting Our Constitution-edition rifle to raise money for the upcoming recall elections of pro-gun control Colorado senators.

Anyone donating at least $5 to Colorado Citizens Protecting Our Constitution fund with the donation code “CMMG” will automatically be entered into the raffle. It’s that easy.

 Missouri-based CMMG had this to say on their Facebook page about why they are doing this.

In July, Colorado had sweeping legislation aimed at disabling their citizens' Second Amendment rights go into effect and CCPOC wants to recall the biggest supporters of the legislation, Senators Giron and Morse. With your help, CCPOC can send a message to the state of Colorado - and the country - that laws like bans on magazine capacity over 15 rounds and background checks for every firearm transfer are not tolerable.

The recall effort is and has always been a grassroots effort.  It is symbolized by Victor Head and his fellow plumbers who organized the effort against Giron. I don't see big donations coming from Kohler and American Standard to them unlike the donations that Bloomberg has made to his arrogant puppets John Morse and Angela Giron. With it likely that voters will have to vote in person rather than by mail, it will come down to whomever has the better ground game. Money can buy a lot of things but it really can't buy passion and passion may be what wins these recall elections. Passionate voters will get to the polls and I hope that helps our side in this David versus Goliath contest.

"Sickness In Our Souls" - John Morse

Jon Caldera, President of the Independence Institute, hosts a program on Colorado Public TV called Devils Advocate. In one of his shows, he quoted Colorado Senate President John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) saying that those who opposed his gun laws had a "sickness in their souls". Morse is now objecting that he was taken out of context and that isn't what he meant. Morse said he wasn't referring to gun owners but violence in general.

Caldera has the transcript of Morse's comment and says what Morse said is exactly what he meant. He has now challenged Morse to come on his show and explain himself.

Why Check If You Won't Prosecute

Dom Raso has another excellent commentary video up. This time he takes on background checks. As he correctly notes, to the average person background checks sound like a good idea. Unfortunately they do nothing to stop violent crime.

In the most recent statistics, 76,000 people lied about their eligibility to purchase a firearm on the Form 4473. Of these, only 13 were prosecuted according to Dom. We in the gun culture know that it is a Federal felony to lie on the Form 4473 and each question lied about counts as another chargeable crime. We don't lie because we are honest people. Criminals lie because that is what they do and because they are smart enough to know that virtually nothing is going to happen to them if they do lie. Given that, what incentive is there not to lie if you are a criminal? The answer is none and that is why background checks do nothing to stop crime.

Management Changes At Colt

A month and a half after reuniting the two halves of Colt - Colt Defense and Colt's Manufacturing Co. - they have announced a management change. Even though Colt's Manufacturing Co., or New Colt Holding Co. as it was legally known, was the one bought, it is their CEO, Dennis Veilleux, who will now become the CEO of the reunited company.

While I know the rationale for reunification was to secure the consumer market for Colt Defense in the face of an uncertain and turbulent defense market, one must wonder if the directors of Colt also had in mind new leadership as well. It is one of those things that we'll never know unless someone privy to the private discussions among the directors makes it public.

The Outdoor Wire has their release and I've reprinted parts of it below:

WEST HARTFORD, Conn. - Colt Defense LLC, a leading developer and manufacturer of small arms for the global military, law enforcement and sporting markets, today announced the appointment of Dennis Veilleux as President and CEO effective immediately. Mr. Veilleux was most recently President and CEO of New Colt Holding Corp., which was acquired by Colt Defense last month. Mr. Veilleux replaces Gerald R. Dinkel, who will remain on Colt Defense's Governing Board.

Commenting on the leadership transition, Governing Board Chairman Daniel J. Standen said, "During his tenure as CEO, Gerry Dinkel has been instrumental in Colt's transformation into a more diversified business, including the recent completion of the acquisition of New Colt Holding Corp. We are grateful to Gerry for his valuable contribution to the Company and look forward to supporting Dennis Veilleux as the new CEO of the re-unified Colt. Dennis has 27 years of experience in the firearms industry and has achieved considerable success in his stewardship of New Colt Holding Corp.'s growth in the commercial firearms market. We believe this succession positions Colt Defense well to address the different opportunities and challenges faced by the business."

We Didn't Skip Starbucks This Saturday!

In honor of "Skip Starbucks Saturday", the Complementary Spouse and I treated ourselves to some nice coffee at our local Starbucks this afternoon. They weren't busy when we got there but that soon changed.

Since the demanding Moms like to use handwritten messages so much, I decided to do the same as you can see below.

The Complementary Spouse went a step further and wore her Keep Calm and Carry t-shirt that we picked up at last year's Gun Rights Policy Conference.

I, by the way, was pocket carrying my little Sig P238 in my cargo shorts. The Starbucks was not posted so everything was cool.

One of my favorite pictures of the day comes from Brandon Combs of the Firearms Policy Coalition who snapped a picture with the barista holding a "I Love Guns and Coffee" patch. He made it into a nice poster shown below.

Cheers, North Dakota!

In the list of states with the highest consumption of beer, North Dakota is number one. Drinkers of legal age in North Dakota drank an average of 45.8 gallons per person. The overall US average is 28.2 gallons per drinker of legal age.

Rounding out the Top Five after North Dakota are, in order, New Hampshire, Montana, South Dakota, and Wisconsin. I would have expected the drinkers in Wisconsin, the home of beer and brats, to have come in higher. I also thought Texas would have made the list.

The other thing I notice about this list is that all are Northern states with long and dark winters. I guess beer helps the residents get through them.

Journalism Ethics? Yeah, Right

In a column posted earlier this month, Rob Cox, global editor of Reuters Breakingviews, says it would be good business for Starbucks to ban guns in their stores.

Still, the economic downside for Starbucks may be much greater than the company has let on. The current furor could explode into a nationwide call for a boycott - something that many gun control organizations are now publicly embracing, particularly following an insensitive, though legal, call by one gun rights group for its members to parade their weapons at the Starbucks in Newtown, Connecticut - where 20 children and six educators were massacred in an elementary school last December by a gunman wielding an assault weapon with high-capacity magazines.

The truth is, Starbucks and its shareholders may have more to lose than gain by resisting the adoption of a policy like the one it has for its own corporate headquarters that asks gun owners to check them at the door.

This column predated the call by Moms Demand Action to boycott Starbucks today by a few weeks. However, I think it highly likely that Mr. Cox was well aware of the impending boycott today.

Why?

Because Mr. Cox, in addition to his work for Reuters, is a founder of the gun control group Sandy Hook Promise and is their Development Director. He discloses his role as a founder of Sandy Hook Promise at the bottom of his column.

I don't know whether Mr. Cox is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. If he is a member, shame on him for ignoring the Society's Code of Ethics. It states that journalists should "Act Independently".

Act Independently
Journalists should be free of obligation to any interest other than the public's right to know.

Journalists should:

• Avoid conflicts of interest, real or perceived.
• Remain free of associations and activities that may compromise integrity or damage credibility.
• Refuse gifts, favors, fees, free travel and special treatment, and shun secondary employment, political involvement, public office and service in community organizations if they compromise journalistic integrity.
• Disclose unavoidable conflicts.
• Be vigilant and courageous about holding those with power accountable.
• Deny favored treatment to advertisers and special interests and resist their pressure to influence news coverage.
• Be wary of sources offering information for favors or money; avoid bidding for news.

If Mr. Cox and the rest of the mainstream media ever wonders why gun owners (and conservatives and libertarians) have such a distrust of the media, he need only look to this column and his role as a founder of Sandy Hook Promise. Knowing of his role in a gun control organization, who would ever believe anything that he wrote or edited for Reuters that concerned firearms? The answer is no reasonable person because it would be it be slanted against guns whether consciously or unconsciously.

How To Inspect Your M&P Shield

Smith & Wesson has issued a recall on their popular M&P Shield pistols made before August 19, 2013. They have identified a condition whereby the trigger bar pin could damage the lower trigger in such a way as to cause the drop safety feature not to work. If a pistol with this condition were to be dropped, it could fire unintentionally. While S&W thinks this condition may only be present in some more recently manufactured Shields, they are being cautious.

To help determine if your M&P Shield is one of the pistols with this defect, Smith & Wesson has released a YouTube video showing exactly how to determine if the trigger bar bin is not functioning correctly.

Kudos to S& W for not only issuing the recall but posting this video showing owners on how to inspect their pistol for this potential defect. If a picture is worth a 1,000 words, then a video ups that by a factor of 10.

Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire To Be Shown In California State Capitol Building

The movie Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire will be shown, in of all places, the California Capitol Building. Given the assaults on gun and civil rights that have taken place in both the California Senate and Assembly, I can't think of a better place to show that movie. While I doubt that it will change any of the narrow minds of the gun prohibitionist politicians, the symbolism is enough.

From the release about the event by Cal-FFL along with details of this showing and another public one in Sacramento:

CAL-FFL, California Assemblyman Tim Donnelly to Co-Host Showing of Gun Rights Documentary Inside California Capitol Building

Aug. 28th public screening at the Crest Theatre follows private Capitol screening at noon; CAL-FFL giving away 100 free movie tickets and posters for the public screening.

SACRAMENTO, CA (August 22, 2013) -- Second Amendment civil rights are under fire by the California Legislature, according to leading industry and consumer group California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees (CAL-FFL). To help underscore the point, civil rights advocates have taken their argument to the big screen -- and are now bringing the big screen to the Capitol Building through the efforts of top-rated Assembly member Tim Donnelly (District 33 – Hesperia) and CAL-FFL.

In conjunction with CAL-FFL, Donnelly, who’s already declared his candidacy for the 2014 gubernatorial election, will host a private screening of the Second Amendment-focused documentary ‘Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire’ inside the State Capitol to educate members of the Legislature and staff about this historic civil rights struggle.

“We are honored that Assemblyman Donnelly chose to present our film on civil rights to his colleagues - the very elected members who are working hard to pass bills that would effectively end the Second Amendment in California for many years to come,” said Emmy Award-winning producer and writer Kris Koenig, the film’s writer and director. “Most of these bills aren’t even rationally related to actual crime data. Our research and film clearly shows that these bills won’t improve public safety. If they watch the film they will come to understand why.”

“I spent the last eighteen months of my life creating this film because I saw our rights being wholesaled off for political gain with no real benefit to public safety,” continued Koenig. “It’s like the NSA invading our privacy with no real connection to global terrorism.”

The Los Angeles Times called ‘Assaulted’, narrated by critically-acclaimed rapper and actor Ice-T, “a reasoned counter to Michael Moore's ‘Bowling for Columbine’.” The film takes a step back from the public discourse on issues like banning assault rifles and restricting magazine capacity. Instead of heavy rhetoric, ‘Assaulted’ offers a unique historical and legal perspective on the Second Amendment’s significance over the years since America’s founding, taking a critical and objective look at current gun laws and their effect on civil rights and liberty. The film includes commentary by preeminent UCLA constitutional law professors Adam Winkler and Eugene Volokh as well as attorney Alan Gura, the lawyer who secured 2 major victories for gun owners in landmark cases before the U.S. Supreme Court. Interviews include Dan Gross, president of the Brady Campaign, Margot Bennett, executive director of Women Against Gun Violence, and the advocate/entertainer Ted Nugent.

“California’s gun control movement has always been about keeping ‘those people’ from exercising their rights,” said Craig DeLuz, CAL-FFL’s Legislative Advocate. “In the 1800s, ‘those people’ were the Chinese and Native Americans. In the 1960s, it was the Black Panthers. Today, you and I are ‘those people’ - 'Assaulted' shows how we got here and why we have to avoid repeating the same gun control mistakes we’ve made in decades past that continue to cost innocent people their lives.”

“The opportunity to educate the members of the California Legislature and their staff about the civil rights aspect of the gun control bills they’re working to pass as we speak is just tremendous. We simply cannot thank Assemblyman Donnelly enough for his generosity and tireless efforts to defend our fundamental Second Amendment rights,” said Brandon Combs, President of CAL-FFL and Managing Director of the national Firearms Policy Coalition.

Continued Combs, “We hope that all public officials and senior staff of agencies like DOJ will watch the film and give real thought to the arguments made regardless of their personal views. When lawmakers make mistakes writing gun laws innocent people go to jail, period. Getting caught in the dangerous, confusing, and expanding gun control spider web is not a very pleasant future for millions of law-abiding California gun owners, visitors, and local businesses.”

CAL-FFL will be hosting a public screening of 'Assaulted' at the Crest Theatre, located at 1013 K St., at 6 p.m. that same evening. CAL-FFL is giving away free tickets to the first 100 people who RSVP and request tickets at http://www.calffl.org/assaultedtickets. All Crest attendees will receive an 'Assaulted' movie poster that can be signed by Koenig.

Government officials, staff, and members of the press can request a complementary ticket to the 6 p.m. screening at the Crest Theatre by emailing Craig DeLuz at cdeluz@calffl.org or by calling him at (916) 595-0264. Tickets may also be purchased for $12 from Tugg at http://www.tugg.com/events/5116.

Participants are invited to join Kris Koenig, Craig DeLuz, and Brandon Combs for discussion and Q&A about the film, gun control in California, and the status of Second Amendment litigation immediately following the 6 p.m. showing at the restaurant Pizza Rock, located at 1020 K St., just steps away from the Crest Theatre.

DETAILS

WHAT: Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire (Private Screening)
WHEN: August 28, 2013 - 12 Noon

WHERE: California State Capitol Building

WHAT: Assaulted: Civil Rights Under Fire (Public Screening)
WHEN: August 28, 2013 - 6 p.m.
WHERE: Crest Theatre (1013 K St., Sacramento, CA 95814)

I Know Where I'm Getting Coffee Tomorrow!

By now, you may have heard of the call by the gun prohibitionists to "Skip Starbucks Saturday" in response to the coffee chain's determination to remain neutral in the gun debate and to allow carry in accordance with each state's law. To those of the gun prohibitionists' ilk, neutrality - while smart business - is an affront to their crusade to make everyone unsafe. While they would not consider a gun-free zone unsafe, those zones have become one of the favorite places for the mentally deranged to commit their heinous acts.

So, of course, I do plan to go to one of the local Starbucks on Saturday to have some nice frou-frou coffee drink that I might not otherwise buy. The Complementary Spouse has a couple of gift cards for Starbucks that we need to use and this seems like a good time to do it.

The good folks at Grass Roots North Carolina note that this is also an opportunity to reinforce the message that it is in all restaurants' best interest to support the expanded carry provisions of HB 937.

No support is more clear than doing business with those who cooperate with us. We need to demonstrate, in a practical way, that standing behind North Carolina's gun owners is a winning proposition for restaurants. Inducing failure of this anti-Second Amendment boycott will provide initial momentum for when HB 937 becomes effective in October.

Support Starbucks Saturday…

As you make weekend plans be sure to include a Saturday stop at your local Starbucks for a beverage and snack. Make sure to let your barrista know that you appreciate their respect for carry laws. Drive this message home by printing-out and handing your server the message below.

The alert isn't up on their website yet so I'm posting their card below. I don't know if other state-based gun rights groups are doing this but I'd suggest checking their websites for details.

This is certainly an easier way of the getting the message across than try to find a bank that has any $2 bills.

Jim Shepherd in The Shooting Wire also has some wise words about this counter campaign with which I tend to agree. I like his statement about it being a personal choice and not a political one.

I think a gun-neutral position is smart for the company, but it seems that some groups are determined to make guns a polarizing issue. That, I don't like- no matter which side of an issue you fall on.

So....we may find it advantageous to show up at a Starbucks (or two) this weekend, order one of their innumerable combinations of coffee and simply say "I wanted to thank Starbucks for not taking a side in the gun debate. I think it is a personal choice, not a political one."

Feel free to put that into your own words- but speak them if you have the opportunity.

Oh, The Mental Images

Checking my university email this morning, I found a security alert due to an off-campus stabbing in the vicinity of the campus. Read the alert below and see if it doesn't conjure up an "interesting" mental image.

Jackson County Sheriff Department is reporting a stabbing at River Park Trailer Park. This is located off of Old Cullowhee Rd. approximately 1/2/ mile from the rear entrance. Suspect is described as a White Female, Blonde Hair, slender build, approximately 5'5" tall, poor dental hygiene. No clothing description available. May be armed with a knife. Suspect was last seen on foot in the area of the trailer park. Due to the proximity to campus, the community should be aware of this event. There have been no sightings of the suspect on campus and officers are checking the area.

Stabbing. Trailer park. Poor dental hygiene.

Sometimes the stereotypes about the Southern Appalachians exist for a reason. This may be one of them.

TSA Needs Some ".347 SIG" Training Ammo

The Transportation Security Administration issued a solicitation on Friday for training ammunition. This solicitation is a Request for Proposal for the following:

3,454,000 rounds of .347 SIG Caliber Training Ammunition including shipping (See specifications attached.)

It seems that the TSA in addition to not catching any terrorists can't catch typos either.

They do clarify in the next paragraph that they are seeking 115-130 grain .357 SIG training ammunition.

Given that the Federal Air Marshal program is under the auspices of the TSA, I presume this ammo is for them. I certainly hope the TSA doesn't have any intention of arming the gropers at airport gates with anything more than nitrile gloves.

Compromise?

Colion Noir dissects the gun prohibitionists' call for "compromise". He's quite correct that it has been our side that has been doing all the compromising over the years.

Not Just Famous For Country Music

Nashville, Tennessee is justly famous as being the center of country music. It is home to both the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame. And, if the rumors being reported by The Tennessean are correct, the future home to a major Remington Arms manufacturing plant.

One of the nation’s largest gun manufacturers, Remington Arms, has looked at sites around Nashville for a potential corporate relocation or expansion that would likely include hundreds of manufacturing jobs.

The Madison, N.C.-based company, which is part of the nation’s largest firearms company and has its largest plant in Ilion, N.Y, has scouted sites near Nashville’s airport, Lebanon and in Clarksville, Tenn.

Why Nashville?

According to the story, a plant in Middle Tennessee would place it between their plants in Lonoke, AR and Mayfield, KY. Moreover, it would only be a 2 hour drive to their technical and research center in Elizabethton, KY. They also have a distribution center run by a third party in Memphis.

An expanded article in today's Tennessean notes that owners of industrial locations are having their properties scouted.

Reports about Remington’s search for sites come as owners of large tracts of land and economic development officials said they’re seeing more corporate relocation and other prospects in Middle Tennessee. Within the past two months, local real estate investor and developer Bert Mathews has encountered unidentified prospects at his 180-acre Buchanan Point site near Nashville International Airport off Interstate 40.

They include a 50-acre user, a 10-acre user and other users that had sought space for a 250,000-square-foot building. “Everybody’s looking at Nashville,” said Mathews, also a past chairman of the Nashville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Local and regional economic development officials were mum when asked about Remington’s search. “It is the policy of the Clarksville-Montgomery County Economic Development Council to refrain from discussing business recruitment projects, whether they be rumored or real,” said spokeswoman Robin Burton.

If Remington chooses to relocate operations from New York, it would add to the list of companies doing or planning to do so in part to protest stricter gun laws.

I should emphasize that these are only rumors but I doubt The Tennessean would have run a story specifically naming Remington Arms unless they had a solid source confirming the visits by Remington.

On the face of it, Middle Tennesse makes sense. You have engineering programs at Vanderbilt and Tennessee State along with engineering programs at Tennessee Tech, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Memphis which are within easy driving distance. You have a transportation hub with the intersection of Interstates 24, 40, and 65 and a good airport. And you have a gun-friendly, business-friendly right-to-work state.

What's not to like about all of that if you are in the firearms industry?

Clearing Out Some Tabs

Need a new Smith & Wesson revolver? Here is one for sale at auction.

This is not just any Smith & Wesson Revolver. It is No. 2 Old Model Army revolver owned by Wild Bill Hickok and carried by him when he was slain in Deadwood, SD. According to the auction company, Bonham's, the provenance is proven and the revolver is expected to fetch somewhere between $300,000 and $500,00.

An appeals court in Florida has determined that the state's stand your ground applies to middle school students in Florida. The case involved a male student in Broward County who had been attacked on a school bus by a female student, defended himself, and ended up charged with battery. The school bus driver corroborated the student's story as being the one attacked. The  4th District Court of Appeals ruled that:

"In this case, T.P. (the male student) had the right to assert a defense under Stand Your Ground. He was not engaged in an unlawful activity, and he had the right to be on the bus going home from school. He had no duty to retreat and, despite the trial court’s misgivings, had the right to ‘meet force with force.’"

There is no word yet if the Reverends Jackson and Sharpton plan demonstrations nor has there been any comment from Attorney General Eric Holder that DOJ is looking at the case for violations of civil rights.

If you want to get a concealed carry permit in Maine, you better be prepared to wait. There is a 5 month delay in processing the requisite background checks. The Maine State Police are supposed to permit applications for those who have resided in the state for over 5 years within 30 days. It has gotten so bad that the legislature is planning hearings to discuss the matter.

The DoD's Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is working on a nanotechnology  that can destroy guns.

The technological system, known as a micro-electromechanical system (MEMS), utilizes tiny devices that are implanted in guns and other weapons. These devices are more than chips; they are actual mechanical processes created by precision engineering that can affect the weapon’s operations. Media reports reveal the devices include miniature GPS systems designed to make guns easier to track and self-destruct systems that could cause them to explode if they receive a wireless signal.

MEMS is intended for weapons given to groups like the Syrian rebels in their fight against the Assad regime. That said, I'm sure the gun prohibitionists are studying this very closely.

Smith and Wesson employees pack Massachusetts hearing on proposed gun laws held by the Massachusetts Legislature’s Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. You have to wonder if they will be listened to any more attentively than the Connecticut Legislature listened to the employees of Colt, Stag, Mossberg, and Ruger. While one would hope so, I'm not holding my breath.

Is This What They Mean By "Outside Interests"?

One of the false accusations that Colorado State Senators John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) and Angela Giron (D-Pueblo) have made against those calling for their recall is that it was instigated by out-of-state interests. Of course, by this, they mean the NRA and other gun rights organizations. This is rich coming from two politicians who are being financially backed by Mayor Bloomberg and who have done his bidding.

Pueblo Freedom and Rights takes this issue on headfirst in one of their two TV ads running. As Colorado Peak Politics notes:

The first spot pushes back against the lies coming from Giron’s campaign that her opponents are somehow out-of-state interests, or “extremists from Denver.” It features the three plumbers from Pueblo who initiated and ran the recall effort speaking direct to camera earnestly about their grassroots effort.

The ad has a charm about it — far from a slickly produced spot, it’s a raw, amateurish ad that underscores the grassroots nature of the recall effort. No political professionals are they, but everyday citizens fed up with their rights being violated by a Senator who won’t listen.

Look at the ad below. These three guys certainly don't appear to be big money, out of state interests.



In their second ad, they ask Sen. Giron if she will protect the Second Amendment rights of her constituents. She replies that it isn't a yes or no answer.





If you are a voter in either of the two Senators' districts, you need to remember you must check "Yes" for recall as well as voting for the replacement. Jim Geraghty of National Review has a great guide to the recall here.

Airborne Leads The Way

Today is National Airborne Day. It was officially designated that by Congress in 2001 to commemorate the first official Army parachute jump on August 16, 1940.

Just like Airborne leads the way, so too, do Airborne vets and gun bloggers Sean Sorrentino, Kurt Hofmann, and David Cole when it comes to the fight for the Second Amendment.

So a big thanks to them for their service and to all who served in the US Army Airborne.

Behind My Sporadic Blogging

You may have noticed that my blogging has been a little less frequent and a bit sporadic lately.

Blame it on ObamaCare.

In the budget tightening that is going on throughout the healthcare world due to ObamaCare, the hospital at which the Complementary Spouse works cut her position. Or in the parlance used by her department's director, they will not be funding her position in the new fiscal year that starts October 1st. Of course,

This means she has until the end of September to find a new position within the hospital or she is out after 25 years with the same organization.

Thanks, President Obama, Nancy Pelosi, and every other fucking idiot who voted to pass this abomination of a "tax" as Chief Justice Roberts has decreed it to be. Your efforts will not go unappreciated.

As you can imagine, the Complementary Spouse is grieving. She is grieving not only the loss of her nursing position but the negative impact on the patients and their outcomes as a result. She needs my support and attention during this trying time. Fortunately, we live frugally and are big savers so the financial impact will be minimal for the immediate future.

I wasn't sure if I should share this or how much to share but decided to go ahead with it. I guess I just wanted you to know that I wasn't getting tired of the blog or of you but that the Complementary Spouse needs me and my attention a bit more than you until the dust settles.

It's More Than Official Now

While Ruger made their official announcement that they intended to open their third plant in Mayodan, North Carolina back in early July, it became really official yesterday with an announcement ceremony involving Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC), numerous state and local officials, and Ruger CEO Mike Fifer.

From the Rockingham County's local paper, the News-Advance:

The busy atmosphere outside Unifi’s former dye plant on Cardwell Road in Mayodan on Tuesday morning was only a small indication of things to come. More than 150 people gathered under a tent beside the 221,000-square-foot building to hear Gov. Pat McCrory make the official announcement that Sturm, Ruger & Co. would locate the company’s newest manufacturing facility in Rockingham County.

McCrory said the new plant would create more than 450 new jobs and invest more than $26 million in the Mayodan location by the end of 2017.

Video of the event from the Winston-Salem Journal can be seen here.

Included in the incentives to Ruger from the State of North Carolina is a Job Development Investment Grant that could be worth as much as $9.6 million according to the press release from the Governor's Office.

The project was made possible in part by an award to Ruger from the state Job Development Investment Grant (JDIG) program, as voted by the state Economic Investment Committee. Receipt of the award is based on proof of job creation and other performance requirements. JDIGs are awarded only to new and expanding businesses and industrial projects whose benefits exceed the costs to the state, and which would not be undertaken in North Carolina without the grant.

Under the terms of the company’s JDIG award, Ruger is eligible to receive up to twelve annual grants equal to 75 percent of the state personal income tax withholdings from the eligible new jobs created since the date of the initial award. Receipt of each annual grant is based on state-certified proof that the company has fulfilled incremental job creation requirements. Over twelve years, the JDIG award could yield aggregate benefits to Ruger of up to $9.46 million upon creation of 473 new jobs.

This report from WFMY-TV2 in Greensboro discusses more about the grants. Rockingham Community College will receive $700,000 for workforce training with another $372,000 going to Ruger for employee training. In addition, people and businesses in the Town of Mayodan are quite excited about the possibilities that the new Ruger plant will bring to that town.




Other anecdotal evidence that the people of Mayodan and Rockingham County are on board with the Ruger expansion comes from Perry Hughes who is the chairman of the career and technology education department at Rockingham Community College. Registration for fall classes began yesterday at 10am. He had a student who arrived before 7:30am to be first in line for a slot in their machining program.

“We’re starting to look at ways to expand our machining program capacity and Ruger hasn’t even arrived yet,” Hughes said.

The final day registration for courses at RCC opened, Hughes said he arrived at his office at 7:30 a.m. to prepare for the 10 a.m. registration. One young man was already sitting outside the door when Hughes arrived.

“He said he had already been there for a while, but wanted to make sure he was first in line,” Hughes said.

It was fortunate the young man made that decision. Hughes said he only had two slots left in the machining program.

“Education is a supply and demand industry and right now our demand is much greater than the supply,” Hughes said. “With industries like Ruger coming to the area, we’re going to have to find ways to work with these companies and expand our programs to meet the demand. We’ve even considered the possibility of having day and night classes to allow for more students.”

RCC has an associate's degree program in computer-integrated machining which I'm sure will be sending a number of graduates to Ruger over the coming years.

UPDATE: More on the official announcement as well on how the RCC computer-integrated machining program will tie into Ruger's plans from WGHP-Fox8 in High Point.

An Introduction To A Dying Art

When you think of the exploration of the United States and Canada in the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries, you have to think about trappers in their quest for beaver and other fur bearing animals. Names like Kit Carson and Jeremiah Johnson come to mind along with companies like the Hudson's Bay Company. Likewise when you think of the adventure literature of an earlier time such as the works of James Fenimore Cooper or Jack London, the heroic figures they portrayed were often trappers. If you go back to earlier issues of Outdoor Life or Field & Stream, you will see short stories about trappers in Alaska or the Yukon and their battles against both the elements and grizzly bears.

While there are still trappers and you can still get a trapping license from every state (I think), I'd wager that there are few, if any, of us who have actually trapped or know anything more about it than what we've read. That is why this post in today's Outdoor Wire about a trapper education class being held in Indiana caught my eye.

Salamonie Lake will host a free trapper education course, Oct. 5 and 6, at the Salamonie Interpretive Center.

The program is open to all ages, though youths are especially encouraged to attend. Registration is open now, and those interested are encouraged to register well in advance. The registration deadline is Sept. 30.

The program will start at 9 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 5, with education on trapping issues, ethics and regulations. The program is sponsored by Salamonie Lake, the Indiana State Trappers Association and Indiana Conservation Officers.

Saturday afternoon, participants will set traps under supervision. Traps will be checked Sunday morning. Furbearers caught will be used in skinning and fleshing demonstrations by ISTA instructors.

Free camping is available for all course attendees on Friday and Saturday nights at the Lost Bridge West Youth Campground, within walking distance of the interpretive center.

Lunch will be provided both days. The program will end by 4:30 pm each day. Participants do not need a trapping license. Property entrance fees will be waived for participants.

To register or to get more information, call Upper Wabash Interpretive Services at (260) 468-2127.

Trappers must attend both days to receive the DNR Trapper Education Certification.

Salamonie Lake (stateparks.IN.gov/2952.htm) is at 9214 West-Lost Bridge West, Andrews, 46702.

If I lived closer to Indiana, I might just attend this course. I doubt I'd ever trap on a regular basis but would want to know some of the skills. It sure wouldn't hurt to have these skills from a prepping standpoint in a TEOTWAWKI situation.

Quote Of The Day

Jim Shepherd, publisher of the Outdoor/Shooting/Tactical Wires, has been doing a series of road trips this summer for his MyTime2Stand project. Currently he is on his western swing visiting many western states on his way out to the Crimson Trace Midnight 3-Gun event.

One of his stops was in Oklahoma City at H&H Shooting Sports Complex. Miles Hall of H&H likened his complex to a mall experience with its variety. This led Jim to write:

Later, while Hall gave me a tour of a bustling shooting complex he likens to a "mall experience" (more on that in a later column) I couldn't help but believe the levels of interest in shooting, hunting, reloading, archery and almost any aspect of shooting sports was an indication of why many mainstream media outlets were concentrating so hard on negative stories about firearms: shooting is gaining in popularity-across the classic demographic lines. The mix of customers in H&H very closely resembled a typical Saturday crowd at the mall: all shapes, colors, and sizes.

If anyone understands the mindset and narrative of the mainstream media it is Jim. In another life he was one of the founders of Ted Turner's CNN and served as their VP for News.

Dick Durbin Might Not Approve Of It But The Florida Sheriffs Do

Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) is on a political jihad against so-called Stand Your Ground laws. These laws state that a person does not have a duty to retreat if faced with great bodily harm or death and can meet force with force. Durbin has recently been sending letters to a number of non-profits and corporations who may have been involved with the conservative American Legislative Exchange Council asking them if they support Stand Your Ground laws. The Chicago Tribune calls the recipients of the letter Durbin's enemies list.

Now, though, Durbin has changed tactics. Rather than accusing political enemies of flouting federal law, he's suggesting that he may publicly expose them to public outrage over the killing of Trayvon Martin. The editorial page of Thursday's Wall Street Journal reported that the senator has sent letters to corporate and nonprofit supporters of the American Legislative Exchange Council, asking them to disclose their positions on "stand-your-ground" legislation that ALEC supported in Florida in 2005.

Some of the groups that have received this letter have told Durbin where he can stick his letter. The Goldwater Institute called Durbin's attempted intimidation "disgraceful and not worthy of the title you hold." Cato Institute President John Allison called Durbin's actions "a subtle but powerful form of government coercion" and that his letter symbolized an "unconstitutional abuse of power". 

The American Legislative Exchange Council, by the way, says that they based their model Stand Your Ground law upon the state of Florida's law and not the other way around. The Florida statutes on justifiable use of force including Stand Your Ground can be found here.

Against this backdrop of attempted political intimidation, it is quite interesting to note that the Florida Sheriffs Association voted unanimously this week to continue their support for Florida's Stand Your Ground law. This is the same group of law enforcement officers that has opposed open carry laws supported by gun rights supporters in Florida.

From the FSA press release:

FSA President, Sheriff Grady Judd, today announced, “The right to self-defense is well-established in law. The Florida Sheriffs confirmed this position by voting unanimously, at the 2013 Florida Sheriffs Association Summer Conference, to support the Stand Your Ground law as it is currently written. Our current judicial system is comprised of multiple checks and balances to ensure fair and equitable application of all laws, including Stand Your Ground.”

Let's be brutally honest about this. Dick Durbin doesn't give a big rat's ass about Stand Your Ground laws one way or another. What he does care about are only two things: denying resources to conservative political groups and keeping African-Americans safely ensconced on the Democrat's plantation. His letter and hearings are expressly intended to do exactly this.

Athena Lee On An Alternate Method Of Mag Changes

Normally when one makes a mag change, you shift the pistol in your hand so that your strong hand thumb can push the mag release. Champion shooter Athena Lee, by contrast, maintains her grip of the pistol with her strong hand and uses her weak hand thumb to push the mag release.

In the video below produced by Armscor, she notes that she has smaller hands. After viewing the video, I'd have to say her method of mag changes seems just as fast as the traditional method. I may have to give it a try as I, too, have smaller hands.

A Man's Gotta Eat

Louisiana repealed a 22 year old ban on hunting in portions of Orleans Parish, Louisiana yesterday. Orleans Parish is home to New Orleans as well as the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. While special youth-only waterfowl hunts have been allowed in the refuge for the last two years, this was only by special exemption.

On Tuesday the Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Commission (LWFC) voted to repeal a ban on all hunting for portions of the Orleans Parrish. The ban was originally instated in 1991 by the LWFC to assist the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in establishing the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge. More than 20 years later, the refuge is now currently the largest urban wildlife refuge in the country and plays host to an increasing amount of young waterfowlers.

Bayou Sauvage is entirely within the city limits of New Orleans and is the largest urban wildlife refuge in the country.

It will be up to the City of New Orleans as to what other hunting will be allowed within their city limits outside of the National Wildlife Refuges. They currently allow limited deer hunting in certain swamps within the city limits. The latest figures from the LA Department of Wildlife and Fisheries shows 15 deer taken in the 2011-12 season in Orleans Parish.

Keith Westlake, a wildlife specialist with the refuge noted that they were starting to have problems with feral hogs.

Striking down the ban could potentially allow hunters to pursue feral hogs, which are causing problems outside the refuge. Westlake said that beginning in 2011 wildlife officials have culled 575 pigs from the area to reduce the damage the animals can cause. Feral hogs are an increasingly critical problem for conservationists and hunting regulations for these animals are generally lax.

For now the area’s alligators seem to be enjoying the lack of competition, as well as the carcasses left behind by management hunts.

I imagine some of the more imaginative chefs in New Orleans might find a better use for wild hogs than as food for alligators. I certainly hope so.

Remington Breaks Ground On Ammo Plant Expansion

As I reported a few months ago, Remington is planning to expand their ammunition manufacturing plant in Lonoke, Arkansas. Yesterday, they held their ground-breaking ceremony. It attracted the politicians as both Gov. Mike Beebe (D-AR) and US Senator Mark Pryor (D-AR) spoke. I'm sure as Democrats in an increasingly red state they wanted to be perceived as pro-gun. Pryor, by the way, was one of the few Democrats to vote against Manchin-Toomey.

The plant expansion is a $32 million project and is expected to be operational somewhere around mid-year 2014.

Remington Plant Manager Jim Grahlmann declined to comment on the purpose of the new facility, for competitive purposes, he said. Grahlmann added that while he couldn't be specific, the new plant will add 50-100 "relatively high skill positions."

He added that some of those jobs may be offered to current employees of the plant, depending on their qualifications.

Grahlmann said the new addition to the plant will be 35,000 square feet and should be constructed by June 2014, though he is unsure of when it will officially open, due to the company having to move the equipment into the facility.

While the plant manager is being a little closed mouthed about the purpose of the new facility, the PR department of Remington was not so reticent.

The Remington expansion will help meet consumer demand for quality ammunition products at a time when many sportsmen and gun owners are struggling to find supply. Further, it will stimulate both the state and local economy.

"This groundbreaking ceremony marks a significant event for Remington and for the Lonoke community," said George Kollitides, Chief Executive Officer of Remington. "It demonstrates our commitment to state-of-the-art facilities; ensuring quality, increasing product availability and improving on-time delivery to our customers. The expansion also allows us the opportunity to provide job growth within a community that has supported us since we laid the first cornerstone here in 1969. We are honored and pleased to celebrate this expansion with such great partners."

I really did like one comment that Gov. Beebe made regarding supporting expansion versus only recruiting new businesses.

“As we strive to create new relationships with new partners, we must never forget the ones we already have,” said Gov. Mike Beebe in reference to helping an existing manufacturer. “It is so much easier to expand existing business than it is to create new ones.”

THV Channel 11 has more on the ground-breaking below. I do want to correct one mistake that anchor Craig O'Neill made. He stated that Remington was the only company to make both firearms and ammunition. That is incorrect. ATK which makes Federal Ammuniton would also fit in that category with its acquisition earlier this year of Savage Arms.

Gun Usuage And Death Stats

I don't want you to think I'm on some sort of infographic kick or something but I just stumbled across this great infographic showing US gun usage, ownership, and death statistics. It shows that as the number of guns owned has increased by 50% gun-related crime has declined by 73%.

In terms of accidental deaths, you are 17 times more likely to die from a fall than you are from an accidental shooting. As an aside, if more people - especially youth - were taught gun safety, the differential between falls and accidental shootings would likely rise even more.

It can be seen full size here

INFOGRAPHIC: Gun Crimes Plummet Even As Gun Sales Rise

The National Shooting Sports Foundation just released this infographic showing the decline in crime committed with a firearm that has occurred even as gun sales have drastically increased. Go figure!

It's Time To Win

I hope everyone has their Powerball tickets for tonight's $425 million prize drawing. If you don't win, might I suggest going to the Weapon-Blog and entering to win some of the fine firearms that are being offered. Given that you have a 1 in 175 millionth chance of winning the big Powerball prize, I think you might have some better odds there.

This month's listing has 2 custom 1911s, a HK P30, at least 5 ARs, 2 Mossberg 500s, and that is just the beginning. There are also some nice bolt guns just in time for hunting season. Speaking of which, he also is now listing hunting trip giveaways including a woodland caribou in Newfoundland!

As always, please take a moment and thank Aaron for this great service he provides.

It's Just Another Moral Monday

If you read the New York Times or follow North Carolina politics, you may have heard of Moral Mondays. It is a protest organized by the so-called progressives in North Carolina to vent their feelings towards Gov. Pat McCrory (R-NC) and the Republican-majority North Carolina General Assembly.

This past Monday the protests moved to the progressive island of Asheville which, by the way, was number 3 on the list of Best US Cities for Hippies. Need I say too much more?

Given that perception is reality for these protesters, it is not surprising that they think that the state's education budget was much higher the last time that the Democrats controlled the General Assembly. Actually it isn't. But that didn't stop the protesters from signing a petition demanding that the education budget be restored to the levels passed by the Democrats. The video below from the Buncombe County Young Republicans shows just how out of touch most of these people really are.





UPDATE: YouTube removed the Buncombe County Young Republican's video. They are saying it violates YouTube's terms of service. I guess showing the stupidity of low-information voters constitutes a violation. The local TV station WLOS reports some of the people signing the petition are saying that they were duped. Uh, hunh. Has duped become another word for stupid liberals?

Not to be deterred by the anger of idiots complaining to YouTube, the Young Republicans have just reposted the video using Vimeo.

Mountain Moral Monday education petition from Buncombe YRs on Vimeo.

Not Just For Women

The NRA has been featuring a series of training videos featuring Kim Heath. They are called Tips and Tactics and come under the NRA Women TV label. Just because they are labeled "women" doesn't mean men can't get a lot from them.

I know for a fact that I'm not in the same physical condition I was in my 20s and 30s. I think one of my docs has referred to it as "deconditioned". What it means is that I don't have the same strength and stamina that I had earlier in my life. Kim's videos show different ways to compensate for our body's limitations.

The latest is on managing rifle weight. As a day of shooting goes on the rifles tend to get heavier. Kim shows a way to take some of that weight off your arm and transfer it to your body.





I also really like the Counter Supination Grip that she shows in the video below. I might not use it all the time but it does allow you to transfer the weight of your AR from your arm to more of your body.

Morris V. US Army Corps Of Engineers

The Mountain States Legal Foundation filed suit yesterday in the US District Court for the District of Idaho challenging the US Army Corps of Engineers' prohibition on firearms on Corps-administered lands. The plaintiffs in the case, Elizabeth Morris and Alan Baker, are residents of Idaho who wish to have functional firearms for self-defense while they are camping, boating, or hiking in Corps-administered recreational areas.

A bit of the history behind the suit from MSLF:

Ms. Morris was issued an emergency license by the Nez Perce County Sheriff to carry a concealed handgun in 2012 due to threats and physical attacks against her by a former neighbor. She regularly carries a handgun for self-defense. She uses Corps-administered public lands near the Snake River in Lewiston, Idaho, to boat with friends, regularly walks the Corps-administered paths in the area with her dog and/or her family, and must travel across Corps-administered public lands to reach Hells Gate State Park.

Mr. Baker is a NRA-Certified Home Firearm Safety, Personal Protection In The Home, Rifle, Pistol, and Shotgun Instructor, and also a Utah Concealed Firearms Instructor. He is licensed to carry a concealed handgun in Idaho, Utah, Oregon, and Arizona and regularly carries a handgun for self-defense. A life-long outdoorsman, he regularly recreates on Corps-managed lands in Idaho, including Dworshak Dam and Reservoir on the North Fork Clearwater River.

Because Corps of Engineer regulations ban functional firearms, even while camped in tents, Ms. Morris and Mr. Baker are subject to criminal prosecution if they exercise their Second Amendment rights. The Corps of Engineers did not respond to requests from MSLF seeking exemptions from its firearm ban for Ms. Morris and Mr. Baker. Also filed with their complaint is a motion for a preliminary injunction, asking the court to immediately stop enforcement of the firearms ban.

The lawsuit makes the point that when camping a tent should be considered a temporary dwelling that is treated no differently than something made from bricks and mortar. This argument was used in another successful MSLF lawsuit against the State of Nevada and their park system. Mr. Baker was the plaintiff in that case.

The plaintiffs present two claims for relief. The first alleges that by prohibiting law-abiding individuals from possessing a firearm in a temporary dwelling on Corps-administered lands, the US Army Corps of Engineers and the other defendants are violating the plaintiffs' Second Amendment rights. The plaintiffs are asking for both declaratory and injunctive relief.

The second claim for relief in Morris et al v. US Army Corps of Engineers et al is that the Corps is again violating the plaintiffs' Second Amendment rights by prohibiting the carrying of a functional firearm - whether openly, concealed, or in a vehicle. Again, the plaintiffs are asking for both declaratory and injunctive relief.

While the Heller decision allowed the prohibition of firearms in "sensitive areas", I think it would be hard to argue that a campground or a lake constituted a sensitive area. They are not sensitive areas like the control house for the dam and powerhouse on Lucky Peak Lake.

The complaint in Morris et al v. US Army Corps of Engineers et al can be found here.

It's Small But Still An Increase

The National Shooting Sports Foundation reported their adjusted NICS checks for the month of July 2013. It marks the 38th straight month in which the NSSF-adjusted NICS checks increased when compared to the same month a year previously.

The July 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 855,259 is an increase of 0.2 percent over the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 853,355 in July 2012. For comparison, the unadjusted July 2013 NICS figure of 1,271,571 reflects a 1.4 percent decrease from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,289,585 in July 2012.

The increase was only 0.2%. While still an increase, I think it may mark the end of the massive rush to purchase guns and ammo that started when President Barack Obama started proposing gun control measures in the wake of the Newtown shootings. That said, even if the August numbers come in lower than the previous period in 2012, we are seeing a new normal. Gun sales may have hit a plateau but it is a much higher plateau.

Of course, it is important to note that the adjusted NICS checks are not perfectly correlated with gun sales. The NICS background checks are used by many states for background checks on new and existing concealed carry permit holders.

Colt And Florida

Back in late 2011, Colt's Manufacturing Company indicated that it planned to open a plant in Kissimmee, Florida. They said they were going to make a $2.5 million investment in a vacant facility that was owned by Osceola County. While the plant was scheduled to open in 2012, it never did.

Fast forward to today. At today's Regular Meeting of the Osceola County Board of Commissioners, the Board gave their unanimous approval and authorization for the Board Chair and Vice-Chair to sign the landlord agreement with Colt's Manufacturing. The lease will run through 2023. This agreement was necessary before the equipment lessor would allow Colt's Manufacturing to move any machinery into the building.

While Colt has committed to this plant since 2011, I don't believe any mention has been made of just what will be made or assembled in this plant. Given Connecticut's new gun control laws, I would not be surprised to see the plant being used for the assembly of AR-15s for the civilian market. However, that is just a guess.

WFTV Channel 9 Orlando has a report on Colt moving in along with the positive reaction by area residents.






H/T Miguel