The Battle Of The Retro XM177E2s - Troy V. Brownells

Tim at the Military Arms Channel looks at the XM177E2 retro clones in this video. Both Troy and Brownells make retro versions of the Colt Commando aka CAR-15. Given my interest in retro (or retro looking) ARs, I thought this was interesting.

Early Voting Starts April 19th For NC Primary

Tomorrow is the first day of early voting for the May Primary in North Carolina. The number of locations in a county will vary by both date and county. For example, in Buncombe County (Asheville area), there will be only one site available for early voting until Saturday, April 28th, when it expands to six locations. You can go to the NC State Board of Elections to find the locations for one-stop early voting in your county.

In anticipation of the opening of the early voting period, Grass Roots North Carolina has released their Remember in November candidate evaluations. They have both a sort by district and a sort by name file. Personally, I find the sort by district to be more helpful. The candidate evaluations are only for the state legislature and for Congress.

As GRNC notes, these are evaluations and not endorsements.

GRNC's "Remember in November" project estimates candidates' views on "assault weapons," concealed handguns, gun storage laws, gun rationing, other gun control and the Second Amendment. THE EVALUATIONS HEREIN ARE NOT ENDORSEMENTS. We issued surveys first to a control group of gun owners and then to candidates. Next, we measured how closely each candidate's views and voting record (if available) agree with the control group. Pay more attention to voting records than survey results unless, of course, you believe politicians never lie.

Also as a reminder, just because a candidate has "R" after his or her name, it doesn't mean he or she supports gun rights. I have seen a snippet of a debate between Michelle C. Lexo and Tom McInnis regarding firearm issues. They are running for the Republican nomination in the NC Senate 25th District (Anson, Moore, Richmond, and Scotland Counties). Ms. Lexo says we need to look at "high capacity magazines" because she isn't sure "they are needed". "Other than that", she says she supports the Second Amendment. Her opponent, Sen. Tom McInnis, replied "when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns".  I'll let you decide who you'd rather have defending your firearm rights.

Witness Slips Need In Illinois - III

Illinois State Rifle Association issued this alert regarding the elimination of state preemption with regard to "assault weapons".

To read the particular bill, click on the link SB2314 below, click on Full Text.
 

OPPOSE THE FOLLOWING BILLS :

Scheduled Date 4/17/2018 - 4:00 PM
SB2314    Julie A. Morrison    ASSAULT WEAPONS-MUNICIPALITY

Synopsis: Amends the Firearm Owners Identification Card Act. Provides that the regulation of the possession or ownership of assault weapons are exclusive powers and functions of each municipality (rather than this State) . Eliminates existing preemption provision concerning the regulation of assault weapons.  This provision would mean, if passed, that a person maybe fully legal in one municipality but if transporting a particular firearm to another municipality be in violation of that municipality's law.  The ISRA's view is that this should remain the purview of the State and NOT individual municipalities.

TO CREATE A WITNESS SLIP 
 

Click on the following link Create a WitnessSlip

 
I. IDENTIFICATION: Enter your personal information. Enter "NA" for the Firm/Business or Agency and Title fields unless you are officially representing an organization.
 
II. REPRESENTATION: Enter "Myself" unless representing an organization.
 
III. POSITION: Select Original Bill and choose Opponent.
 
IV. TESTIMONY: Select the "Record of Appearance Only" radio button.
 
If filing manually, complete the Captcha challenge and agree to the ILGA Terms of Agreement.
 
Then click Create Slip.

TO VIEW A WITNESS SLIP 

Click on the following link View a Witness Slip 

Witness Slips Needed In Illinois - II

Illinois Carry issued a more extensive alert yesterday.

The Wolves Are at The Door Witness Slips & Legislator Visits Needed! Our last Call to Action asked your help opposing SB2561 Prepackage Explosive Component in Senate Committee. Unfortunately the bill passed out of the Senate and is now scheduled to be heard in the House Judiciary Committee on April 17. Your help is needed to prevent this once vetoed bill from reaching the Governor's desk again. Join us in opposing Senator Morrison's repeated attack on our rights. Another, more venomous attack by Ms. Morrison is her SB2314 Assault Weapons – Municipality, an attempt to repeal the State's sole authority to regulate “assault weapons”. This bill, when inserted into an earlier attempt to ban bump stocks, was described by a rabidly anti-gun House Member as a “poison pill” that killed his own work against us. We must fight an increasing patchwork of laws from one town to another.  Your witness slips opposing SB2314 will be the antidote to this legislative poison. Also in the Senate, SB2247 Ban Bump Fire Stockrepresents the work of a bizarre, newly formed coalition of anti-gun legislators who once stood with us. Make no mistake, we oppose SB2247 as much as we oppose any proposals made on behalf of the gun control groups vying for control of this state. We ask that you do the same. More critically, while your phone calls and witness slips are important, we must up the ante by making personal visits to our legislators' offices. Groups who oppose our rights have been making headway with this approach – an approach we must ourselves adopt in order to neutralize their work. Take the time to establish personal, face to face communications with your State Senators and Representatives. Together, we can counter the anti's lies with our truths. Join us in opposing these bills by filing witness slips today! Remember to log in to your account first, if you have one! File Witness Slips Now!   Detailed Witness Slip Instructions In order to avoid completing each field manually, at the top right  Log on  to your ILGA Dashboard or  Create a New Account  if you haven't already created one, then return to this email and click on the links for each witness slip.

SB2247 Ban Bump Fire Stock OPPONENT Click Here to Oppose this Bill A bill that would ban most custom trigger modifications.

SB2314 Assault Weapons - Municipality OPPONENT Click Here to Oppose this Bill A bill to make impossible the safe transport of common firearms within the state.

SB2561 Prepackage Explosive Component OPPONENT Click Here to Oppose this Bill A bill to make impossible the safe transport of common firearms within the state.

Witness slips can be tracked here:

SB2247 Ban Bump Fire Stock Track the Slips!

SB2314 Assault Weapons - Municipality Track the Slips!

SB2561 Prepackage Explosive Component Track the Slips!

Senate & House - Sustain the SB1657 Veto! Continue to call your State Senators and State Representatives in their Springfield offices. Remind them that you oppose SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing, described by the Chicago Tribune as "government overreach". Ask them to sustain Governor Rauner's veto. House – Oppose Concurrence Votes! While speaking with your state representatives remind them to oppose the changes made in the Senate to HB772 Lethal Violence Order of Protection, HB1465 “Assault Weapon Age 21, and HB1467 Preemption Repeal.

Witness Slips Needed In Illinois - I

Both Illinois Carry and the Illinois State Rifle Association have issued alerts for anti-gun bills that are coming up this week in the Illinois General Assembly.

From Illinois Carry:

Emergency Action Alert! Witness Slips Needed! Moments ago, HB1470 Criminal Law Tech was added to the House Judiciary - Criminal Committee Schedule for the April 17 hearing.  Amendment 1 (HFA1) prohibits transfers of more than one gun per month, and establishes penalties for possession with intent to transfer. Please express your immediate disapproval of  this bill and amendment by filing witness slips opposing it. Remember to log in to your account first, if you have one!   Detailed Witness Slip Instructions In order to avoid completing each field manually, at the top right  Log on  to your ILGA Dashboard or  Create a New Account  if you haven't already created one, then return to this email and click on the links for each witness slip.

HB1470 & HFA 1 OPPONENT Click Here to Oppose this Bill One gun per month and penalties for intent to sell a firearm

Witness slips can be tracked here:

HB1470 & HFA 1 Track the Slips!

Trouble Reading This Email? Click Here to View and Share as a Web Page

Senate & House - Sustain the SB1657 Veto! Continue to call your State Senators and State Representatives in their Springfield offices. Remind them that you oppose SB1657 Gun Dealer Licensing, described by the Chicago Tribune as "government overreach". Ask them to sustain Governor Rauner's veto. House – Oppose Concurrence Votes! While speaking with your state representatives remind them to oppose the changes made in the Senate to HB772 Lethal Violence Order of Protection, HB1465 “Assault Weapon Age 21, and HB1467 Preemption Repeal.

GRNC On Weekend Rallies

Grass Roots North Carolina sent out a press release this afternoon regarding the weekend gun rights rallies. They make the point that they are not affiliated with the event nor are sponsoring it. Their goal is not to discourage attendance but to make sure people are aware of the relevant state law in North Carolina about carrying on the grounds of the State Capitol.

GRNC not affiliated with Saturday's rally.  Warns supporters against
bringing guns to the State Capital Grounds

---

To gun rights supporters: 

You may have heard about the nationwide pro-gun rally planned for this weekend. GRNC is not affiliated with this event, but we have learned that some organizers in various states have encouraged attendees to bring firearms to their particular rally location.

While it’s true that they are only encouraging this in states where it is legal to do so, there should be some concern that people unaware of their state and local laws could inadvertently ensnare themselves in serious legal trouble.

Although GRNC is not affiliated with this event, we want to serve our supporters who may plan to attend with a helpful warning: it is absolutely illegal to carry a gun on the State Capital grounds in North Carolina, unloaded or otherwise.

Carrying a gun at a protest in that part of the city will most likely land you in serious legal trouble, and may very well compromise your personal safety. It would also be counterproductive to the gun rights movement. GRNC does not condone breaking any gun laws. 

Should you choose to attend this (non-GRNC) rally:

DO NOT BRING A FIREARM 

Gun Rights Rallies This Weekend - Advocate But Stay Within The Law

A group calling itself the National Constitutional Coalition of Patriotic Americans is calling for gun rights rallies at state capitals across the nation. It is called National Support the Second Amendment Rally at the Capital.

This effort is not affiliated with gun rights groups like Grass Roots North Carolina, Georgia Carry, the NRA, or Gun Owners of America. They are not opposing it but they are not sponsoring it either.

In many states, people are being encouraged to open carry unloaded long guns. I can't speak for other states but do not do it in North Carolina.

Open carry in North Carolina is a constitutional right that was affirmed by the NC Supreme Court in State v. Keener back in 1922. Notwithstanding that, there are places where carry of any firearm, loaded or unloaded, is forbidden. The grounds of the North Carolina State Capitol is one of those places. Interestingly, papers like the Charlotte Observer are running stories headlined "Gun rights supporters: Bring your unloaded rifle to rallies". They conveniently forget to tell you that it is illegal in North Carolina.

DO NOT CARRY A FIREARM if you are attending the rally in Raleigh, North Carolina as it is ILLEGAL. You are asking to be arrested. Moreover, you will be giving aid and comfort to the enemies of the Second Amendment. Let me repeat that - if you carry a loaded or unloaded firearm on the State Capitol grounds in North Carolina you will be providing a photo op and talking point for every gun prohibitionist, anti-gun group and their media allies in the state and country.

Advocate for our rights but don't be an idiot.

Recall Of Certain Ruger Mark IV Pistols

Ruger has issued a recall for Ruger Mark IV .22 pistols (including the 22/45) made before June 1, 2017. They have a potential to discharge unintentionally. This does not apply to the Ruger Mark I, II, or III line of pistols.

From Ruger:

Ruger recently discovered that all Mark IV™ pistols (including 22/45™ models) manufactured prior to June 1, 2017 have the potential to discharge unintentionally if the safety is not utilized correctly. In particular, if the trigger is pulled while the safety lever is midway between the "safe" and "fire" positions (that is, the safety is not fully engaged or fully disengaged), then the pistol may not fire when the trigger is pulled. However, if the trigger is released and the safety lever is then moved from the mid position to the "fire" position, the pistol may fire at that time.

Although only a small percentage of pistols appear to be affected and we are not aware of any injuries, Ruger is firmly committed to safety and would like to retrofit all potentially affected pistols with an updated safety mechanism.

Until your Mark IV™ pistol has been retrofitted or you verify that it is not subject to the recall, we strongly recommend that you not use your pistol.

How To Determine If Your Pistol Needs The Retrofit

How to find your serial number All Mark IV™ pistols produced prior to June 1, 2017 are potentially affected and therefore are being recalled. This includes Mark IV™ Target, Hunter, Competition, 22/45™, 22/45™ Lite and 22/45™ Tactical models. These models bear serial numbers beginning with "401" (2017 models) or "WBR" (2016 models).

Firearms NOT subject to the Recall

Newly manufactured Mark IV™ pistols will begin with serial number "500." Thus, if you have a Mark IV™ or 22/45™ pistol with a serial number beginning with the number "5," your pistol is not subject to the recall.

Firearms That Have Been Retrofitted Already

Finding Retrofit Marking Mark IV™ and 22/45™ pistols retrofitted with the updated safety mechanism are easily identified by the letter "S" in the white safety dot that is visible when the safety is engaged.

Go to this page to view the video describing the potential safety issue and to access the serial number verification tool.