Took El Nino to the range again last week and put another 300 rounds through it. No problems at all. Ran perfectly and accurately. Excellent. Money well-spent on an indoor range gun. Finally had some time to take it down for a cleaning. I’m not sure if it’s the 9mm blowback design or the Wal-Mart special Winchester White Box Ammo but I have never seen a gun with innards so dirty. There were these little clumps of a gritty powder all over the fire control group, bolt and inside of the lower receiver. Took like 30 Q-Tips to clean it up. Anyone have an idea why it’s so dirty?

David Kopel provides a comprehensive summary of concealed carry laws and where such laws are heading in this country. He also says Hurray for Jim and Sarah Brady. Of course, I think they’re just lying.

Seen at Bitter’s:

As of Thursday, 76,926 bills have been introduced in 2006. 11,048 have been enacted.

11K laws in three months?

Joel is blogging at Xrlq’s and Xrlq is blogging at Patterico’s.

Via Carl S., comes this:

The Army said on Friday U.S. soldiers in Iraq and elsewhere can use only body armor provided by the Pentagon even though some have bought their own because they felt what the military provided was insufficient.

Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Sorenson, the Army’s deputy chief for acquisition, acknowledged during a Pentagon briefing there were shortfalls in body armor earlier in the 3-year-old Iraq war, but said U.S. soldiers currently deployed have all the military-issued armor they need.

The Army, which provides most of the U.S. ground troops fighting in Iraq, released a directive dated March 17 prohibiting the use of commercial body armor. It specifically mentioned a type called “Dragon Skin,” made by Pinnacle Armor, based in Fresno, California.

The document contained a warning that “death or serious injury to soldiers … will occur” if the prohibition is not followed.

Sorenson said soldiers who continue to use body armor not issued to them by the Army face possible disciplinary action.

If there are concerns over a specific type of armor and its safety, I have no problem with that. However, banning all use of personally obtained body armor seems dangerous and clearly doesn’t have the best interests of our troops in mind.

Looks like AC’s new gig is up and running with a test post.

Come back when the weather sucks. Today’s agenda is good food (Uncle’s BBQ Ribs, grilled sweet taters, and corn on the cob), some bourbon, some good friends, and a few yard apes playing in the back yard. You’re dismissed.

That rifle on the wall of the labourer’s cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there. — GEORGE ORWELL