2016 SHOT Show Day Three: Gunblast.com

Hybrid AKs which incorporate many of the features of the AR-15 seem to be growing in number. On Day Three of the SHOT Show, Jeff Quinn features two of them. The KF-47 comes from Palmetto State Armory and the M10X Elite Hybrid 7.62x39 is available from MM-Industries.

Alexander Arms is coming out with a 180 grain bullet specifically designed for the .300 Blackout. It will be be available in their subsonic cartridges. Many of the heavier bullets up until now have been .300 Mag bullets used in the .300 Blackout cartridge.

I'm glad to see that XS Sights is coming out with suppressor sights for 1911s with a Novak cut. They currently have them for Glocks.

More on other things that Jeff found on Day Three of the SHOT Show are in the video below.

2016 SHOT Show Day Two: Gunblast.com

Who would have ever thought Colt would have released a semi-auto M4 carbine for less than $700? I guess that is one of the "benefits" of their bankruptcy. Jeff Quinn interviews Colt about it. The carbine doesn't have a dust cover nor a forward assist. That said, it is a simple matter to add them to the carbine if you want them.

What I consider the major find from Day Two is the Inland Manufacturing-Ithaca collaboration on a reproduction of the Ithaca 37 Trench Shotgun from WWII. It will retail for $1200. I'm not sure if it comes with the bayonet or not.

These are two of the finds that Jeff found in Day Two of the SHOT Show. More can be seen below.

2016 SHOT Show Day One: Gunblast.com

Jeff Quinn does a good job of covering some of the new product introductions at the SHOT Show. He came across a number of things I wish I had seen. Given the size of the the SHOT Show, it is no wonder I missed them this year.

For example, the Italian gun maker Pedersoli is now making a .45 Colt/.410 "pistol" modeled on the old Ithaca Auto and Burglar shotgun. For those who don't know the history of the Auto and Burglar, it was a short barrel shotgun with a pistol grip in 20 gauge. It was made from 1921 until the passage of the National Firearms Act in 1934.

Another interesting find was the new 6.5-300 Weatherby Magnum cartridge. This was the first new cartridge introduction by Weatherby in the last 17 years.

You can see this and more in the video below.

And This Is Why The Gun Culture Distrusts The Media

The Guardian is a center-left newspaper out of the UK. It is also vehemently anti-gun.Their latest effort was published on Saturday as I was flying west to go east (but that's another story for another time).

Rupert Neate and his videographer Mae Ryan did a story called, "Sex, guns and ammo: inside the world's largest gun industry trade fair". It was their idea of an expose' of the SHOT Show. By chance, I happened to speak with Ms. Ryan on the first day of the SHOT Show in the Press Room. I asked if she had gone to Media/Industry Day at the Range and she replied that The Guardian wouldn't let them attend it. This was in contrast to the young videographer from CNN Money who did attend Media Day, got to shoot some firearms, and had a great time.

Neate tried to tie the growth in sales of firearms to sex, fear of gun control, and mass shootings.

As all marketeers know, sex sells – and guns are no different. Manufacturers have hired a string of professional models to pose with their latest guns. Guns.com, the daily guns blog, collated pictures of its favourite women at the show “who do their very best to highlight and promote new products, equipment and, of course, guns”. Attendees who want to see more are invited to “the sexiest ammo show after party” at the Sapphire strip joint down the strip. Free entry with Shot Show pass.

Guns are a big business, and the industry is raking in record sales and profits as people rush out to arm themselves following a series of mass shootings and out of fear of increased gun control legislation.

He also used misleading stats such as this:

“People are buying guns as part of the American dream of freedom and liberty,” said Brauer, who is based at the Hull College of Business at Augusta University. “And also, the hope and the dream of being able to use guns in self-defence.”

People very rarely get to live out that dream, with FBI data showing that gun owners are 78 times more likely to kill themselves than they are to carry out a “justifiable homicide”, which the agency describes as “the killing of a felon, during the commission of a felony, by a private citizen”.

However, what took the cake is shown in the video below where Neate asks a S&W representative if the M&P 15-22 Sport (in .22 LR) is the same rifle as was used by the Islamofascists to kill 14 people in San Bernardino. This was after he violated Rule No. 1 by pointing what appears to be an air rifle with a scope at an attendee.



The Poynter Institute which has as its mission elevating journalism took Neate, Ryan, and The Guardian to task over its one-sided, misleading, and unfair story.

While the video makes for interesting viewing, in my judgment, the story isn't fair. It was theatrics masquerading as even-handed reporting. From the very beginning of the video, it was clear the journalists counted on causing a stir on the convention floor...

But when journalists tackle contentious issues, they have an obligation to develop expertise about the story they are reporting. They build trust with sources on all sides of the story. The more you know about a subject, the more aggressively you can pursue it.

Serious subjects require serious reporting. Not self-serving stunts.

I think Poynter hits on the head - serious subjects require serious reporting - not this anti-gun editorial that could just as well have come from Bloomberg's The Trace.

Angling For A Veep Spot?

“Mike Bloomberg is a good man. We disagree on a whole lot of things, but he’s a good person and he’s a patriot and wants the best for the country.”

So saith John Ellis Bush to Jake Tapper.

That would be Jeb! Bush who has spent over $128 million to secure 5th place in a national poll of Republicans.

Bloomberg is, as Michael Bane call him, a nasty little Fascist who would abrogate one, if not more, of our rights enshrined in the Bill of Rights. He already thought he could mandate what residents of New York City could eat and drink. Imagine what he would want to do if President.

Given that, is it any wonder that Jeb! is finding that money can't buy him neither love nor votes.

It is almost as if he wants Bloomberg to run so that he can be his vice-presidential running mate.

And This Illustrates My Travel Problems

I got a call from Southwest Airlines at 8 this morning. They were calling to tell me that the second half of my flight home - Chicago to Greenville-Spartanburg - was canceled and that I needed to make adjustments.

And this is why:

So instead of getting home Saturday night, I will be spending the night in Houston. I'd much rather spend the night in Texas than in Chicago!

We, by the way, live in that nice pink area on the border of Buncombe and Henderson counties. The Complementary Spouse says it has started snowing again -- heavily.

It could be worse. I could be living in northern Virginia with a car stuck at the airport. That's the situation facing a lot of the NRA staff here at the SHOT Show.

I'm With Ian And Karl On This

When I asked for suggestions as to which products you wanted me to check out, reader David suggested somewhat facetiously that I see Trigger Point Technology. He also asked me to find out their business plan to avoid getting sued out of existence.

As you can see in the video below made by Ian McCullom and Karl Kasarda of InRange TV, a laser or light that is activated by touching the trigger is really a bad idea. Just like with so-called "smart guns" or "microstamping", just because your engineers can invent a technical device it doesn't mean it will work in the real world.

On the Trigger Point Technology product, just say no.

2016 SHOT Show: Vicious Circle

What does the fashion forward, well-dressed woman wear when she is in a non-permissive environment to afford her some modicum of protection?

The Mantis Knives Vicious Circle last-ditch knife! It looks like a modern style necklace but it contains a sharp surprise.

Closed

And now open:

The knife opens when you pull it free from the necklace. It isn't meant to be the first line of defense but it sharp and it can put an attacker in a world of hurt.

The MSRP of the Vicious Circle is $65. It comes in 10 colors and with different stones.

2016 SHOT Show Industry Day At The Range - GunBlast.com

Since I only made a part of Media/Industry Day at the Range, I think this 2-part report by Jeff Quinn at GunBlast.com gives a better picture of what was shown there.



I did get to shoot the new revolver from Kimber. It is a six-shot, double-action only .357 Magnum revolver. I found the trigger pull to be smooth and the revolver controllable by even me while shooting .357 Mag ammo. I would have liked to try it with some .38 Special to get a better feel for the gun without the concussion but beggars can't be choosers.

Now for the second part of Jeff Quinn's report.

Glock 17/19 MOS

Glock has now introduced two of their most common pistols set up for reflex optics. I got a chance a shoot the Glock 19 MOS yesterday and I like it. Shooting a pistol with a red dot reflex optic takes some getting used to but as many others have said, it probably is the wave of the future.

My only problem with Glocks is that I have small hands and they don't quite fit me that well. I'll have to work on that.

GLOCK Releases Two New MOS Pistols:

G17 Gen4 in MOS & G19 Gen4 in MOS

Las Vegas, Nev. – Jan. 18, 2016 Today, GLOCK, Inc., announced the release of two new pistols to join the Modular Optic System (MOS) series, the G17 Gen4 in MOS and the G19 Gen4 in MOS.

Now, two of GLOCK’s best selling pistols are available with milled slides designed specifically to be adaptable to multiple optic systems without costly customization. The G17 Gen4 MOS and G19 Gen4 MOS are the ideal addition to the series as the market continues to trend toward optic-ready everyday carry and defense.

“We’re seeing more and more professional trainers recommend the use of optics for primary and defensive use,” stated Josh Dorsey, vice president at GLOCK. “Optic ready pistols will enable faster target acquisition when a reflex sight is mounted.”

Both pistols are chambered in .9mm and do not differ in specifications from their respective standard models. Other MOS pistols, introduced in January of 2015, are the G34 Gen4 MOS, G35 Gen4 MOS, G41 Gen4 MOS, and the G40 Gen4 MOS.  The new models were unveiled today at the Range Day for SHOT Show and will be on display at the GLOCK booth (#12254) throughout the week. The pistols will be available for purchase at retailers in the following weeks.

To learn more about the new MOS pistols, visit https://us.glock.com/MOS.

Above:  The new G17 Gen4 MOS

Above: The New G19 Gen4 MOS

SHOT Show Day One: Preliminaries

Day One is off to a good start. I got my luggage at 6am this morning! Southwest finally came through. I know it was the insurance I bought yesterday - a trip to Walmart to get clean underwear and socks.

I just spoke with a young reporter who is doing videography for CNN Money. She is from New York and is excited to be at her first SHOT Show. She took in Media Day at the Range and loved it. I don't know if it was her first time shooting but it is another media person who is now somewhat inoculated against the lies of the gun prohibitionists.

Despite mechanical problems on both of my Southwest flights which caused me to arrive here a day late, I still made it to a portion of Media Day at the Range. Thanks to Paul and Susan Lathrop of The Polite Society Podcast I do have some pictures to prove it. I did get to shoot many of the firearms that I wanted to try out but not the Ruger American pistol nor the Ruger LCR in .327 Federal Magnum. There is always next year or a range rental.

I just ran into Rev. Kenn Blanchard, the Black Man with a Gun, who is starting a new outreach program for minorities and other underserved groups in the shooting community. He'll be having a press conference on it tomorrow and I plan to attend. His group is called 2AO.org. As I said in the first paragraph, my day is off to a good start. It is always good to see Brother Kenn.

Now off to check out the first floor of the Sands Expo Center which is where the smaller companies are usually located.

A Little Late To This

As many of you know, Mike Vanderboegh has been battling cancer among a whole host of ailments. Recently, he was told by his oncologist that his time for this world was quite limited. David Codrea is spearheading a campaign to raise money for Mike and his family during his last days.

Per Mike, the doctors have told him he is not long of this world. As we all know, his financial situation due to years of disability and devotion to the larger issue of self-sacrifice for freedom is terrible. He is doing what he can to get his affairs in order, but the reality is, his wife will be left in really bad shape. I would like to help with a funding appeal.

I looked at various "crowdfunding" sites, but there are hoops to jump through and/or a cut they take. For now at least, in order to get the ball rolling and hopefully growing as it does, I'm asking all of Mike's friends to spread the word and to send gratitude offerings directly to him:

Paypal to georgemason1776@aol.com*

Check, money order, cash, etc. to Mike Vanderboegh, PO Box 926, Pinson, AL 35126.**

Mike is cranky and cantankerous and can be a SOB at times. That said, he deeply loves his wife Rosie and his daughters and son. While he may have pissed off a lot of people over time, he still was the person with David Codrea and Dave Workman who broke open Operation Fast and Furious aka Project Gunwalker. If that was all he ever did in his life for the Second Amendment, then it would have been a life well spent.

As David Codrea writes in Ammoland today, donations and gifts to Mike should not be seen as charity but rather "gratitude gifts".

I like that and will be contributing. I hope you will see it in your heart to do so as well.

SHOT Show Bingo

This was posted on Facebook and I liked it. What can I say?

Now I need to get to work and finish packing and all the other stuff that needs to be done before I leave tomorrow afternoon for Las Vegas.

If you are going to be at the SHOT Show, introduce yourself and then you can check off the block at the top of the center row.

Interesting Teaser From Kimber

Kimber, well-known for their 1911s and hunting rifles, sent out a teaser yesterday on Instagram and in a press release. They say they are announcing a new platform on Monday, January 18th, that "will change the way that you think about concealed carry." The new platform will be available at Industry Day at the Range which I will be fortunate enough to attend.

Here is their teaser:

Either it is a false flag or they are getting into the revolver business.

Frankly, I think it is a false flag. It is hard enough to be successful in the revolver business for the established players. Making a solid, working revolver is harder and more expensive than making a new pistol. If I had to guess, they are coming out with a striker-fired pistol. We'll see in little more than 48 hours.

As it is, kudos to Kimber for coming up with a teaser that is artistic and that makes us speculate wildly.

The SHOT Show Cometh - What Interests You? (Updated)

The 2016 SHOT Show begins in less than three weeks. New introductions are starting to appear such as the Ruger American pistol and a hunting rifle from Ithaca.

I will be lucky enough to be attending the SHOT Show and Media Day at the Range again this year. The venue is huge as is the number of vendors. This leads to the question I asked at this time last year - what do you want to see?

I can't see everything though I'll try! I need to prioritize and start my planning. So go to the SHOT Show website and check through this map and list of vendors.

Tell me in the comments what you want me to check out. Alternatively, you can pop me an email at jpr9954 AT gmail DOT com.

I am bringing a new (to me) camera, an Olympus OM-D EM-5, which is lighter than my old camera so I hope to publish a lot of pictures here and on Instagram. If you are on Instagram, follow me at @jpr9954. I even got a ultra-lightweight chest harness to keep the camera at the ready as I go around the show floor.

Let the requests begin!

UPDATE: The press releases kept coming along with invitations to visit this booth or that booth. I'm bumping this back to the top as the SHOT Show begins this coming Tuesday. So if you read this blog or listen to the Polite Society Podcast, tell us what you want to us to check out. I've already gotten some good suggestions and would love to have more. I can't promise I'll make it to every booth or product suggested but I'll do my damnedest.

One of my plans is to devote a day to the first floor in the Sands Exhibition Center. That is where the smaller companies tend to be located and where you can find some really interesting stuff.

Single Issue Voting

I used to be against single issue voting as I thought politicians should be evaluated on the totality of their views and positions. It was one of the reasons that back in the 80s I dropped my yearly membership in the NRA for a while. I think the rise of voters who only voted based upon abortion was part of that decision. I was trying to be somewhat logically consistent.

However, I've come to appreciate how a candidate's position on gun rights is indicative of how he or she may vote on other issues of interest to me. Michael Bane has made this point many a time on his podcast and has argued the efficacy of it in electing like-minded politicians. A candidate who supports gun rights tends to be liberty minded and that is what I want.

Now it seems the President is in agreement with me (and Michael) on this and urging single issue voting on the matter of gun rights. Of course, his position is diametrically opposite of mine.

His Press Secretary Josh Earnest made this clear in a press briefing on Friday.

Q Can I ask about the President’s campaign pledge in his New York Times editorial (on gun control)?

MR. EARNEST: Please do. (Laughter.)

Q Yes. I’m just kind of wondering if you can put some parameters on that -- what a candidate would have to do or not do for the President -- or I guess what a candidate would have to do or not for the President to say I’m not going to vote for you, I’m not going to campaign for you, I’m not going to fundraise for you. And also how he would kind of extricate his actions with the DNC or the DSCC or whoever else in that.

snip

Q What about somebody like Heidi Heitkamp, who was a big vote for you guys on TPA, and the President made a big point of saying, I’m going to go out and campaign and raise money for these people who put their neck out?

MR. EARNEST: Well, look, there is no denying the fact that I think that when it comes to most issues, the President agrees with Senator Heitkamp on them, particularly when it comes to a whole range of economic issues and national security issues -- that there are a lot of reasons for them to be on the same page. But what the President made clear in that op-ed is that when it comes to this issue, he’s prepared to be a single-issue voter. And he hopes that other people will, too.

And he’s hopeful that that will have an impact on the kinds of decisions that Democrats and Republicans make on this issue in the future when they’re serving in the United States Congress and when they’re called to vote on them.

Whether Democrat voters pay attention to his advice is another matter. As rare as it might be, I wonder whether they would vote for an anti-gun, pro-life, pro-fracking, pro-coal, and climate warming denier or some combination of those so long as the candidate in question is anti-gun. For some reason I doubt it. The interest groups supporting abortion, the environment, etc. seem to be much stronger than either the Brady Campaign or Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors. Moreover, for most Democrat voters, I think abortion, women's rights, and the environment would be considered more of a core belief than gun control which is more peripheral to these voters.

Overall, I think this works out in our favor especially if we can get Gun Culture 1.0 to get on board with Gun Culture 2.0 in protecting our gun rights. We need to do more outreach to those in Gun Culture 1.0 so we don't hear "I'm a hunter but no one needs (fill in the blank)" anymore. Unifying both cultures behind candidates who support gun rights will be the key to winning in 2016 and to keeping our rights in the face of the President and "nasty little fascist" billionaires like Mike Bloomberg. Now we just have to do it.

Shocking News!!

I know you will be as shocked (shocked!) by the news below as I am.

We are proud to endorse @HillaryClinton for President of the United States. Join us here: https://t.co/dXWAoIOU92 pic.twitter.com/eUyFGVZ5gY

— Brady Campaign (@Bradybuzz) January 12, 2016

.@BradyBuzz: Hillary consistently put the safety of Americans ahead of the interests of the corporate gun lobby. https://t.co/rcF1nJ2aQF

— Hillary Clinton (@HillaryClinton) January 12, 2016

I wonder if it was her endorsement of Australian-style gun confiscation or her decision ignore the experience of Democrats in 1994 and Al Gore in 2000 to go all in for gun control. It could have been her proposal of a "cash for clunkers" approach to gun buybacks with yours and my money. And let's not forget that she is the Brady Campaign's Governor Mario M. Cuomo Leadership Award winner! It could be that an organization full of bullying old harridans recognized her as one of their own.

If Bernie Sanders actually pulls off a win in Iowa and/or New Hampshire, I wonder if they will reconsider. The Qunnipac University Poll shows him retaking the lead in Iowa and holding a lead in his neighboring state of New Hampshire.

The Brady Campaign is going all in as they have even set up a website proclaiming their strong endorsement of Clinton.

On Texas, Whiskey, And Other Stuff

If you noticed that my blogging tailed off around midweek, it was because I was in Texas for my cousin Bill's funeral. I flew down Wednesday evening and returned Friday night.

It was both a sad and joyous occasion. Sad because his wife Annie lost the love of her life. Sad because Bill was killed by a reckless driver who crossed the center line and hit him head-on. Sad because so many of us lost a friend.

It was joyous because everyone had a story or two to tell about Billy. These stories usually revolved around fishing because Billy was the consummate avid fisherman. Whether it was going on the "trip of a lifetime" to catch big yellow fin tuna which he ended up repeating a number of times or using somewhat controversial methods to catch a big rainbow trout at Yellowstone's Fishing Bridge, they all epitomized Bill. When he went on his "trip of a lifetime", he thought nothing of fishing 20 hours out of 24 when they were on the fish.

The wreath above was from his fishing friend Todd. I thought it was the perfect touch for the reception after the funeral where we all gathered to share a meal and tell Billy stories.

Bill had managed the food service operations for Aramark at the huge Dow Chemical plant in Freeport, Texas for many years. How Aramark handled things the day of his funeral says a lot about them as a company and the respect that Bill's co-workers had for him. Aramark closed the food service operations on Thursday and gave all the employees the day off with pay so that they could attend the funeral. From the looks of it, virtually all attended the funeral.

The thing that stands out in my mind about Texas and Texans is how generous they are in times of crisis. Neighbors and friends were constantly bringing in food. Mike, their next door neighbor, was a retired Houston fireman and he cleaned the belongings out of Bill's truck so as to spare Annie even more pain and grief. His fishing buddy Todd and his wife Lisa were there from day one of the tragedy. The list goes on and on.

Texas, in addition to great people, is blessed with some really good liquor stores. On my way to the airport I stopped at the Spec's in Pearland to see what they might have in the way of Texas offerings. The Spec's salesperson first asked my price range and then recommended the Rio Brazos Boxcar Texas Whiskey. Rio Brazos is a craft distillery located in College Station. It will be interesting to try given that the whiskey has a final filtering through coarse pecan wood.

Finally, I need to say something about Southwest Air. I like the fact that they don't charge for checking bags and I like their boarding system. Very few people try to cram everything they've brought into the overhead bins. As a result, boarding by number instead of assigned seat is quick and efficient.

The Empty Chair Makes An Empty Gesture With The Empty Chair

Sometimes the headline just writes itself.

So it is with the announcement that President Barack "Empty Chair" Obama will leave an empty chair in the First Lady's box at the State of the Union Address. The empty chair is help vacant for the victims of gun violence (sic).

A Vacant Seat for the Victims of Gun Violence

Last week, the President took a series of commonsense steps to help reduce gun violence in America and make our communities safer.

We leave one seat empty in the First Lady’s State of the Union Guest Box for the victims of gun violence who no longer have a voice – because they need the rest of us to speak for them. To tell their stories. To honor their memory. To support the Americans whose lives have been forever changed by the terrible ripple effect of gun violence – survivors who’ve had to learn to live with a disability, or without the love of their life. To remind every single one of our representatives that it’s their responsibility to do something about this.

To see what an empty gesture that this is, let's drill down through the numbers. The gun prohibitionists at Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors tell us that 88 people die daily due to "gun violence" (sic). Using their own numbers, this includes a daily average of 55 people who commit suicide using a firearm. This is disingenuous as it blames the instrument for their deaths. We don't talk about intentional overdose violence or Golden Gate Bridge violence or subway violence but all are a means by which people have killed themselves. Realistically we should be more concerned with the why of suicide than the how but then that wouldn't fit the narrative.

After you take out the 55 people a day who commit suicide using a gun, you are left with 33 deaths per day. Of these, still using Everytown's averages, about 2 daily are due to unintentional injuries and undetermined circumstances. That leaves 31 homicides per day and here is where it gets interesting.

During 2013, according to the CDC, there were 11,208 homicides that involved a firearm. Breaking it down by race and ethnicity, you find that non-Hispanic blacks accounted for 56.8% of homicide victims, non-Hispanic whites for 25% of homicide victims, and those of Hispanic ethnicity for 15.6% of homicide victims. Asians, American Indians, Pacific Islanders, and "other" only were victims in 2.6% of homicides.

Current census statistics show that non-Hispanic blacks are only 12.4% of the total US population with those of Hispanic ethnicity making up another 17.1%. Non-Hispanic whites account for 62.6% of the population. So while Hispanics and non-Hispanic blacks make up only 29.5% of the US population, they account for 72.4% of homicide victims.

Given that non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics make up the great majority of homicide victims, I had to speculate about the age distribution. The CDC 2013 aggregate statistics didn't give this info but their WONDER database did allow for searches by race and age groups.

Whites showed a fairly even distribution with tails for the young and elderly. The 25-29 age group was the peak age group for homicides among whites at 12% of white homicides. Murder victims between the ages of 15 and 34 account for 38.8% of all white murder victims. Keep that number in mind.

Hispanics and non-Hispanic black murder numbers were skewed younger and less evenly distributed by age. Hispanic murder victims between the ages of 15 and 34 accounted for 68.6% of all Hispanics murdered. The peak age group was between 20 and 24 with 24.1% of all Hispanic murder victims. Non-Hispanic blacks showed similar results. 71.9% of black murder victims were between the ages of 15 and 34 with the peak age group being the same 20 to 24 years of age as Hispanics. That age group accounted for 25.9% of black murder victims.

I am not a criminologist but even common sense (a word beloved by President Obama) would indicate that gang and drug-related crime is behind the significant concentration of deaths among younger blacks and Hispanics. Efforts concentrated on suppressing gangs combined with a more realistic policy on drugs would have a greater impact on reducing so-called gun violence (sic) than any of the gun control efforts that President Obama is seeking. However, given the unholy alliance in cities like Chicago between gangs and the Democrat machine, I doubt anything will be done to suppress the gangs. It is far easier to demonize guns and legal gun owners than it is to attack the root causes of either suicide or homicides.

GSSF Celebrates 25 Years

The Glock Sport Shooting Foundation is celebrating its 25th Anniversary. While I've never had the opportunity to attend one of their matches I hear that they are a lot of fun. In addition, GSSF is a CMP affiliated club which satisfies the club membership requirement when you go to buy a Garand or one of the 1911 pistols from the CMP.

GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) Celebrates 25th Anniversary

SMYRNA, Ga. – Jan. 6, 2016 The GLOCK Sport Shooting Foundation (GSSF) celebrates its 25th Anniversary this year. GSSF was formed in 1991 and continues to exceed the goal of introducing new shooters to the shooting sports.

Since 1991, GSSF has seen more than 120,000 members, over 200,000 match entries, and more than 700 outdoor events. Planned for 2016 are 55 outdoor matches scheduled throughout the United States and another 500+ Indoor League matches available for members who wish to demonstrate their marksmanship, win prizes and enjoy family-oriented atmosphere that is safe as well as fun.

GSSF matches are low-pressure competitions using standard GLOCK pistols and there is no need for expensive match gear. Members compete with others according to their respective skill levels and GLOCK models. The courses of fire are simple yet challenging. There are 10 competitive divisions and also special awards for Juniors, Seniors, Super Seniors, Ladies and 3-Person Teams.

“Millions of dollars in prizes and GLOCK pistols have been awarded over the years,” said Alan Ramsey, Director of Training & GSSF. “We hope you will come out this year and shoot with GSSF as we celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Mr. Gaston GLOCK’s vision.”

To view the 2016 match schedules and for more information on GSSF, visit www.gssfonline.com.

Congratulations to GSSF on their 25th.

December NICS Checks

The National Shooting Sports Foundation released their adjusted NICS checks for December 2015 on Monday. Let's just say that if I had an investment that went up that much I'd be ecstatic! Compared to December 2014, the NSSF-adjusted NICS checks rose 37.6%. This wasn't the highest December on record - that was December 2012 - but it missed hitting the all-time December high by only about 2,000 checks out of over 2.2 million.

The December 2015 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) figure of 2,235,560 is an increase of 37.6 percent compared to the December 2014 NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 1,624,524. For comparison, the unadjusted December 2015 FBI NICS figure of 3,308,199 reflects a 43.7 percent increase from the unadjusted FBI NICS figure of 2,301,386 in December 2014.

You can see the increase graphically below. Look at December 2015 and December 2012 in particular. Both months saw a tremendous surge in anticipation of more gun control coming from the Obama Administration. People were buying firearms while the getting was good.

The firearms industry and those that hold Ruger, Smith & Wesson, and Vista Outdoors stock are probably saying, "Keep talking big guy".

Tweet Of The Day

Our problem as mere peons is that we just don't have the mental wherewithal to comprehend the sheer genius of President Barack Hussain Obama. Fortunately, the Iowahawk explains it for us.

Obama proposes gun control => gun sales skyrocket => murders go down #seeitworks

— David Burge (@iowahawkblog) January 5, 2016

NSSF Response To Obama's Executive Actions

Like the NRA, the National Shooting Sports Foundation issued a response to President Obama's Executive Actions on gun control. Their response is a bit more detailed than the NRA response and they note that they will be issuing more responses as the days go by. They bring up a good point about making the shipper - not the recipient dealer - responsible for reporting guns lost or stolen in transit.

NSSF Statement: "Executive Actions to Reduce Gun Violence and make Our Communities Safer"

We all share the goal of reducing the intentional misuse of guns and enhancing the safety of our communities. As the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) will carefully review all aspects of the executive actions that President Obama announced today. Much remains to be spelled out. In the interim we have some initial reactions:

• We support further resources being allocated to staffing and increasing operational hours for the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) to make the system more efficient and responsive.
• We represent Federal Firearms Licensees (FFLs). The criteria for what will constitute being "engaged in the business" going forward needs considerable clarification and raises questions about enforceability.
• The number of firearms lost or stolen while in transit to or from FFLs is less than 0.15 percent of the number manufactured and imported in a given year. In these rare occurrences, FFLs already actively participate in ATF's long-standing voluntary reporting program and FFLs and common carriers work closely with ATF to investigate them. Proposals to make a shipping FFL responsible for tracking and reporting firearms no longer in their inventories, after the legal title has been transferred to the purchaser, are misdirected, as the receiving FFL is in the best position to know if it receives its shipment.
• We have long called for the effective enforcement of the numerous laws already on the books regarding the criminal misuse of firearms and would encourage the administration to carry through on this directive.
• NSSF has been working actively since early 2013 through our FixNICS initiative to encourage states to report all appropriate adjudicated mental health records to NICS and has succeeded in getting legislation passed in more than a dozen states. We welcome the administration's attention to this issue.
• With regard to the development of "smart-gun" technology, the industry has never opposed its development. How additional government research into this technology would advance it is unclear. Law enforcement agencies and consumers themselves will have to make the determination whether acquisition of firearms with this technology "would be consistent with operational needs," as the White House itself states. We would continue to oppose mandates for this technology, particularly since there are well proven existing methods to secure firearms, and firearms accidents are at historic low levels.

NSSF will have additional responses in the days, weeks and months ahead, especially as federal departments and agencies begin the work of carrying out the executive orders.

NRA Response To Obama's Executive Actions

While the gun prohibitionists are declaring victory due to President Obama's Executive Actions - and who knew it would take so little to satisfy their demands - gun rights groups have also responded. They don't have such sanguine expectations that these "tweaks" will do much to combat either terrorism or crime.

Below is the response of NRA-ILA Executive Director Chris Cox which is followed by a just released video of Wayne LaPierre speaking on background checks.

Fairfax, Va. – The executive director of the National Rifle Association's Institute for Legislative Action, Chris W. Cox, released the following statement on Tuesday regarding President Barack Obama's Executive Gun Control Order:

Once again, President Obama has chosen to engage in political rhetoric, instead of offering meaningful solutions to our nation's pressing problems. Today's event also represents an ongoing attempt to distract attention away from his lack of a coherent strategy to keep the American people safe from terrorist attack.

The American people do not need more emotional, condescending lectures that are completely devoid of facts. The men and women of the National Rifle Association take a back seat to no one when it comes to keeping our communities safe. But the fact is that President Obama's proposals would not have prevented any of the horrific events he mentioned. The timing of this announcement, in the eighth and final year of his presidency, demonstrates not only political exploitation but a fundamental lack of seriousness.

The proposed executive actions are ripe for abuse by the Obama Administration, which has made no secret of its contempt for the Second Amendment. The NRA will continue to fight to protect the fundamental, individual Right to Keep and Bear Arms as guaranteed under our Constitution. We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be harassed or intimidated for engaging in lawful, constitutionally-protected activity – nor will we allow them to become scapegoats for President Obama's failed policies.

NRA News released this video of Wayne LaPierre speaking about the deficiencies of the current background checks. As he says, you don't need to cast a bigger net - just one with smaller holes.

People Ask The Most Embarrassing Questions

Unlike scripted townhalls scheduled for CNN, when it comes to government agencies and social media embarrassing questions do get asked.

A case in point. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives maintains a Facebook page. They posted a number of links late last night to the new rules being promulgated as the result of President Obama's Executive Actions. There was one about the elimination of the CLEO signoff and another about Rule 41-P and responsible persons needing background checks. My favorite, however, was their guidance about when a Federal firearms license was needed. Someone named Bre Ve asked a question that you know they would rather ignore.

Reading the comments, it appears that a Becky Solis objected to the question. The commenters had good Google-fu and found out that she was none other than an area supervisor in the Denver Field Division. Her comment objecting to Ms. Ve's question has, of course, been deleted.

Good on Bre Ve for asking the question of the day and for the commenters in exposing Ms. Solis.

On The HIPAA Exclusion

Someone at the Department of Health and Human Services jumped the gun earlier today on the Executive Action on the HIPAA exclusion to the states on mental health records. The screen cap below is from Google cache thanks to a post on Arfcom. It was put up and then taken down soon after posting.

The final rule is scheduled to be published in the Federal Register on Wednesday, January 6th. The full 56 page rule is now online and can be examined here.

The rule summary states that the following are persons subject to the GCA 68 mental illness prohibition.

Among the persons subject to the Federal mental health prohibitor established under the Gun Control Act of 1968 and implementing regulations issued by the Department of Justice (DOJ) are individuals who have been involuntarily committed to a mental institution; found incompetent to stand trial or not guilty by reason of insanity; or otherwise have been determined by a court, board, commission, or other lawful authority to be a danger to themselves or others or to lack the mental capacity to contract or manage their own affairs, as a result of marked subnormal intelligence or mental illness, incompetency, condition, or disease.

This seems to me to expand the 18 U.S. Code § 922(d)(4) prohibition which only states "has been adjudicated as a mental defective or has been committed to any mental institution". Other lawful authority is very broad and does not seem to take due process into account. If they are indeed expanding the legal definition, I fully expect that this will be challenged in the courts as it well should. While no one wants a truly mentally ill or defective person to have a firearm, this is a real slippery slope in my opinion.

What To Expect Tomorrow From Obama

This afternoon President Obama met with Attorney General Loretta Lynch, Deputy Attorney General Sally Yates, BATFE Deputy Directory Tom Brandon, and FBI Director James Comey to discuss his plans for more gun control. About an hour ago, the White House released a "Fact Sheet" outlining his Executive Actions. The full document can be read here.

Here are the highlights as I've summarized them.

1.   Expanding the definition of who will be considered a dealer in firearms. Key factors that will be considered is if you advertise on the Internet, have formal business cards, rent tables at gun shows, and the number of firearms sold.


2.   BATFE will finalize Rule 41-P which will force background checks and chief law enforcement officer checkoffs on trusts and corporations.


3.   Expanding the NICS operating hours to 24/7, hiring of 230 new personnel, and notification to local law enforcement when a prohibited person attempts to purchase a firearm. 


4.   Attorney General Lynch will urge the states to submit complete criminal histories.


5.   Federal prosecutors will be urged to "continue to focus on smart and effective enforcement of our gun laws."


6.   BATFE will be budgeted for 200 more Special Agents and Industry Investigators in FY2017.


7.   BATFE will establish an Internet Investigation Center to track illegal online firearms trafficking.


8.   BATFE will devote $4 million to enhance the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network. 


9.   FFLs must notify BATFE if firearms are lost or stolen in shipment.


10.   US Attorneys will be encouraged to "renew domestic violence outreach efforts".


11.   $500 million to increase access to mental health treatment.


12.   Social Security Administration will begin reporting recipients who have a financial guardian to the NICS system.


13. Depart of Health and Human Services will instruct states that HIPAA doesn't apply when reporting mental health issues.


14. DOD, Justice, and Homeland Security will conduct or sponsor smart gun research.


15. All other departments are instructed to review the availability of smart gun technology on a regular basis and promote it.

Sebastian at Shall Not Be Questioned has his take on these Executive Actions. He finds it a less ambitious and bold than he was expecting.

UPDATE: Charles Cooke at National Review has an excellent analysis on these gun control moves by Obama.

Further, he will have set no meaningful precedents whatsoever. In other words: Even if he wins this round, he will have done precisely nothing of merit — except perhaps to have pleased his base and to have convinced the most ignorant parts of the electorate that he has finally stuck his finger into the NRA’s eye. Were these serious measures, I would be squealing. Instead, I’m amused. These are the dampest of squibs.

Read the whole thing. It is worth a few minutes your time.

IWI Galil Ace (GAP39) Recall

In an effort to be safe rather than sorry when dealing with BATFE intepretations, IWI is recalling their Galil Ace (GAP39) pistol. The issue is that its receiver has a 3-pin (holes) fire control group construction and the BATFE thinks that this by definition makes it a machine gun. Go figure.

The full press release and where to return the pistols is below:

Galil ACE (GAP39) RECALL

IWI US is conducting a recall of all Galil ACE (GAP39) pistols that have a receiver with a 3-pin (3-hole) fire control group construction. While these pistols cannot fire automatically, BATF&E has historically held that AK type receivers with 3-pin (3-hole) fire control groups are, by definition, machine gun receivers.

Accordingly, all owners (FFL Dealers or Consumers) of a GAP39 pistol must return their firearms to IWI US, Inc. immediately for either a full refund or you can opt for replacement with a 2-pin (2-hole) pistol within 90 to 120 days.

FFL Dealers and/or Consumers must include a copy of an invoice or receipt with the returned firearm. IWI US cannot issue a refund without a receipt.

There are no safety issues involved with this recall.

FFL Dealers and Consumers should contact IWI US, Inc. at (717) 695-2081, email recall@iwi.us or write the company at:

IWI US, Inc.
Attn. GAP39 Recall
P.O. Box 126707
Harrisburg, PA 17112

IWI US, Inc. will issue a Return Authorization number (RA#) and will issue a “Call Tag” for UPS to pick up the firearm(s) at no cost to the FFL Dealer or Consumer. Returned firearms must have a RA# or they will be refused. Please allow up to 4 weeks to receive your refund.

A picture of the Galil ACE pistol can be seen on page 7 of IWI's US catalog.

"Feral Urchins" Are Stealing Shotguns In England

There have been a rash of burglaries in the countryside surrounding the English city of Liverpool. The thieves have been targeting farmers and wealthy landowners for their legally-owned shotguns. According to Detective Chief Superintendent Paul Richardson (no relation), shotguns are the weapon of choice of these, in his words, "feral urchins" for settling disputes.

Shotguns were responsible for two of the city’s most high-profile murders - the Eldonian Village killing of 16-year-old Lewis Dunne and the fatal attack on Vinny Waddington, in Garston, last July.

Detective Chief Superintendent Richardson told the ECHO: “I’m not convinced these kids are totally aware of the capacity of that firearm{shotgun}.

“They see it as some sort of air weapon, but it is a lethally-barrelled firearm that has the capacity to kill.

“These urchins are using these weapons oblivious to the consequences, going round with weapons with the idea to resolve disputes by discharging it through windows.”

The UK requires shotgun owners to keep their legally-owned shotguns secured in locked cabinets which can be inspected by police at any time.

Shotguns have been used in about half the shootings in the Merseyside (Liverpool) area in the past 12 months. The other most common firearm is the 9mm Glock pistol which has been banned from possession by the average Briton for years.

The Merseyside police have given no information where the "feral urchins" are obtaining Glock pistols.

Make Your Voice Heard At NC Wildlife Commission Hearings

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission will start its yearly round of public hearings on proposed rule changes for fisheries, game lands, hunting, and other issues. The commission will start their hearings on Tuesday in Bladen County and conclude them on January 21st in Rocky Mount. Hearings will be held in all nine districts.

Among the proposed regulations are the opening of an elk season and an alligator season. Some of the proposed regulations are to bring them into compliance with state law. There is one proposed regulation that has gun rights implications. The text of the proposed regulation deals with US Army Corps of Engineers managed properties that are enrolled in the NC Game Lands program.

On Butner-Falls of Neuse, Jordan, Kerr Scott and Vance game lands, no person shall possess loaded firearms, ammunition, bows and arrows, crossbows, or other weapons except as provided in the Code of Federal Regulations, Title 36, Chapter III, Part 327.13.

That section of the Code of Federal Regulations prohibits the possession of loaded firearms unless you are law enforcement, hunting, at a target range, or have written permission from the District Commander. This was the issue in Nesbitt v. USACE which was a win at the District Court level but was appealed by the government to the 9th Circuit.

Written public comments can be submitted until January 25th. The comment form is located here. Personally, I'd wait to make my comment until the wording of the proposed regulations are released.

The schedule and location of the hearings is below:

The schedule for the 2016-17 public hearings is below. Public hearings begin at 7 p.m.

DATE	DISTRICT	CITY	LOCATION
Jan. 5  (Tues.)	4	Dublin	Bladen Community College Auditorium  7418 N.C. Hwy. 41W Dublin, N.C. 28332
Jan. 6  (Wed.)	5	Graham	Southern Alamance High School 631 Southern High School Road  Graham, N.C. 27253
Jan. 7  (Thurs.)	6	Norwood	South Stanly High School 40488 South Stanly School Rd.  Norwood, N.C. 28128
Jan. 12  (Tues.)	9	Clyde	Haywood Community College Auditorium 185 Freelander Drive Clyde, N.C.
Jan. 13  (Wed.)	8	Morganton	Western Piedmont Community College Leviton Auditorium, Moore Hall 1001 Burkemont Ave. Morganton, N.C. 28655
Jan. 14 (Thurs.)	7	Elkin	Elkin High School 334 Elk Spur Street Elkin, N.C. 28621
Jan. 19 (Tues.)	1	Edenton	Swain Auditorium 200 E. Church St. Edenton, N.C. 27932
Jan. 20 (Wed.)	2	New Bern	Craven Community College Orringer Auditorium 800 College Court  New Bern, N.C.  28562
Jan. 21 (Thurs.)	3	Rocky Mount	Nash Community College Brown Auditorium 454 N. Old Carriage Road Rocky Mount, N.C. 27804

New Year's Resolutions

Given that Hillary Clinton thinks the National Rifle Association is one of the enemies that she is most proud of, it is good to see the NRA punching back twice as hard.  Their New Year's video pokes fun at her support from Bloomberg as well as her obvious disdain for the Second Amendment and by extension the US Constitution.




I think it is smart for the NRA to start switching their focus from Obama to Clinton. While Obama can still make mischief as he is signaling with his weekly address, he is a lame duck. Short of appointing another Supreme Court justice, he can't hurt us too badly. Hillary, on the other hand, given four years in office would be a disaster for gun owners.

UPDATE: Interestingly enough, the NRA's video is catching some traction with the news media. In our local station's (WLOS Asheville) reports on the gun control moves by Obama, this video is mentioned each and every time. I heard about it at 5pm, 5:30pm, 6pm, and 11pm.