With the rise in popularity of pocket 380s, here’s a handy look at how various 380 ammo performs.

Of course, it loses points because you can’t fire it.

Anyone ID this three-barreled gun that Michael inherited?

Import of ‘military-style’ weapons banned. Military-style being an all purpose term to demonize gun related items.

In Tennessee:

More than 150 people, most in conflict with women, have had their handgun carry permits suspended as a result of a Channel 4 I-Team investigation.

The investigation not only exposed people served with orders of protection allowed to have handgun carry permits despite a state law but also a major hole in a system to protect domestic violence victims.

It’s a hole that’s now closing.

To try to protect people — mostly women — from gun violence, there’s a state law that says anyone served with an order of protection must have his or her handgun carry permit suspended for the length of that order.

Men in Davidson County served with orders of protection, some ordered to undergo anger management classes, were found to have been allowed to keep their handgun carry permits.

The paper makes it sound like it’s a major crisis. But that’s 160 out of over 190,000.

Some gun porn from this weekend, while I was mostly away from the PC.

MAG-K-001

Savage BAS

S&W Model 13.

Wait, it’s for hunting? A look at the new Remington Model 887 NitroMag.

NRA appeals handgun decision. Well, that was the plan.

Daley to have anti-gun conference.

Time Warp Sharp Shooting

Video of how to put your 10/22 into a P90 airsoft shell.

We’ve seen this before.

You’d think with all the cases of people open carrying, getting arrested, then winning the case in court that maybe someone would start educating the police in certain locales about the laws and such. That way they could avoid paying settlements for false arrests.

ABC is going to do a show on Homeland Security Theater. Look at all the big important things they do in the advertisement. I wonder how much time will be devoted to strip searching old ladies, taking bottles of mouthwash, stealing laptops to sell on ebay, and getting rid of the scourge of toenail clippers?

arfcommer calls the DOS and does some digging:

I called this afternoon and spoke with a very nice lady in the Handgun Permit department.

The reason for the change is that there have been some ‘forged’ certificates coming in, and the purpose of sending the rosters is to match them against the certificates.

The lady I spoke with said that they were revising the roster form so that there would not be any record of the specific firearm that was used in the class.

The only thing that she said that was even remotely negative was that she wished that NRA-ILA, TFA, etc. had contacted them directly so that they could have avoided the ‘fuss’.

I understand her point of view, but occasionally it’s good that the government be exposed to some fuss so they know we’re watching them.

A Pittsburgh paper encourages law-breaking.

Past thoughts on law-abiding here.

Second amendment legal guns?

Looked like they were registering handgun carry permit course attendees. They quickly said they didn’t mean it. Now, they have issued an official statement:

“There was no intent by the Department of Safety to create any sort of gun registry.” stated Commissioner Dave Mitchell. “The department regrets any confusion or misunderstanding caused by the issuance of the new handgun safety roster form.”

That was fast.

At Bruce’s: if keys really COULD stop an attacker, they’d outlaw them.

Ahab looks at tactical priority and tactical sequence.

I have to say it is the first cow I have ever hit in 22 years’ flying.

Poor cow.

After yesterday’s court ruling, Chicago is looking to adopt DC’s gun laws.

The Shrike (a belt fed upper receiver for M-16s) have started to ship. Finally. A report and pics here. And video here.

Ninjariffic Cheapness

Jay makes a purchase before the ascension.

Judge upholds Chicago’s handgun ban:

A federal judge today upheld Chicago’s 1982 handgun ban as Mayor Daley disclosed plans to strengthen it by following Washington D.C.’s lead.

In a 5-to-4 decision in June, the Supreme Court overturned the D.C. handgun ban on grounds that the Second Amendment establishes the right to own a handgun for personal self-defense.

Hours later, the National Rifle Association and the Illinois State Rifle Association filed lawsuits seeking to overturn handgun bans in Chicago, Morton Grove, Evanston and Oak Park. Wilmette and Morton Grove subsequently repealed their handgun bans. Chicago held fast.

Today, U.S. District Judge Milton Shadur rewarded the city for hanging tough, rejecting a pair of lawsuits challenging Chicago’s handgun freeze.

The Daley administration was pleased, but “not surprised” by the decision. City attorneys are well aware that the fight goes on.

“We believe this decision will ultimately end up in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court,” said Law Department spokeswoman Jennifer Hoyle.

Well, that is the plan. David Hardy doesn’t seem to be too surprised:

Even assuming the judge wasn’t part of the local machine, the Circuit Court, which is over his head, ruled the other way in the original Morton Grove case, and he can’t overrule them. But you have to raise the issue in front of him, anyway, in order to get the right to appeal.

And the judge isn’t too confident in the ruling standing:

Todd Vandermyde, Illinois legislative liaison for the NRA, called today’s ruling a temporary victory for the city.

“It was expected. We went to court knowing it’s going to take a higher court’s ruling. As Judge Shadur enumerated in his decision, he’s still bound by the precedent set by the 7th Circuit [Court of Appeals]. He wasn’t going to stick his neck out on an issue that the 7th Circuit hasn’t changed its mind on,” he said.

“City taxpayers are going to pay more money in legal fees for a fight they will ultimately lose. The city is only postponing the inevitable. They won this round. But if this thing goes to the Supreme Court, we will prevail. The court laid out a very compelling case with a lot of foundation for an individual’s right to bear arms,” said Vandermyde.

In his ruling, Shadur appeared to caution the city that its victory might be short-lived.

As a follow up to this post about the TN Department of Safety registering the firearms of those that attend a qualified handgun carry permit training course, comes an update:

I spoke with Lisa Knight, assistant director of Handgun Carry Permits at the TN Department of Safety. She stated that her office is in the process of issuing retraction letters regarding the requirement of serial numbers from carry permit instructors in the rosters that are required from each school. TDOS is aware that the requirement of serial numbers could be construed as an attempt to create a handgun registry which, while not the department’s intent, is nonetheless unacceptable under the law. So they are communicating their intentions not to require serial numbers.

School rosters are allowable under the TDOS’ Rules and Regulations (1340-2-3-.03G) and require the student’s name, and the make and model of the weapon with which they trained (which often is the school’s weapon, as many schools will not allow a first-time student to train with their own weapon). The caliber is not required information. Make and model of a student’s training weapon is information that has always been required on certificates, so it is not newly required information.

The roster, which was created in response to a Department audit finding, is used to verify certificates that are turned in after the class. TDOS’ Handgun Carry Permit office checks certificates against school rosters as a part of identifying false certificates.

Flock of seagulls. Murder of crows. Raft of sea lions. What do you call a group of zombies?

Update: On second thought, I guess a congress is more appropriate for a group of vampires.

who exactly did you think we elected President of the United States?

The Tennessee Department of Safety has sent out letters telling instructors that teach the handgun carry course to fill out this roster. This roster records information about the gun used to take the course, including model, serial number and whether or not it belongs to the student. I received this info from a forwarded email sent out by the Tennessee Firearms Association, Inc., who notes that Nothing in the statutes authorize or direct the Department of Safety to collect or require this information.

TFA encourages you to contact the DOS and your state reps about this registration issue.

Update: See here.

Interest rates are so low that money is almost free. I guess they’ll soon be paying us to borrow.

Are you refinancing now? Or waiting? Or have no plans to do so? Hmm, sounds like a job for a poll:

Update: Will lower interest rates help adjustable rate mortgage holders?

I was going to post a reply to this article but realized it would be a waste of time. But if you want to see some real PSH, flat out lying, and play a game of count teh st00pid then give it a read.

In LA, there’s an ammo ban. I’m not sure what it bans, exactly, as they use terms like military-style. And the press repeats it. John Lott notes:

Terms such as “military-style” just seem to be the all purpose term to demonize gun related items, and the media repeats these claims just as they are willing to call so many guns assault weapons.

I think military-style is even in the press style book.

In an article making a big deal about a pink handled rifle being turned in at some gun buy back, comes this:

Staten Island District Attorney Daniel Donovan dismissed the notion hunting rifles and shotguns are not the type of weapons authorities need to be worried about, noting they can cause harm if poorly safeguarded or stolen by burglars.

“Taking these off the streets is as important as the taking the handguns off the streets,” he said.

See, they’re not just after my handguns and evil black rifles.

Anecdotal but I was talking to a friend of mine this morning. He went to Wal-Mart this weekend to get some ammo. Trouble was that they were completely out of stock. He asked the guy at the counter if they were going to stop carrying it or something. The guy said they were still selling it but it was selling so fast they couldn’t keep it on the shelf. The guy at the counter said that one guy came in and bought $600 worth and another guy came in and bought $400 in the same day.

Seen at David’s:

“People who have come in here before and never even looked at guns are now buying them.”

As David says, this isn’t consistent with what the anti-gunners are saying. They’re saying it’s we gun owners continuing to stock up.

Michael Bane thinks that the money in the gun industry that has shifted from the hunting side to the black rifle & handgun side isn’t going to come back even after this buying frenzy. Shooters are likely here to stay. Guns continue to increase in popularity after a few decades of decrease. But hunting does continue to decline. He notes that the industry should be pushing the competition/shooter angle but is addicted to hunter recruitment. Some of us have been saying that for a while.

Bane also notes that S&W’s recent financials are consistent with that trend.

Jim Shepherd notes that the industry is hanging on to a single category:

For the past few weeks, it may be that we’ve given a false impression as to how well the firearms industry is really doing. The net of all the numbers is that if you’re a company with a strong line of high-capacity pistols and AR-style rifles, you’re doing land office business. If you’re heavily dependent on hunting, you are hurting.

Some companies, unfortunately, are seeing those languishing hunting sales carve -deeply- into their bottom lines. Take, for instance, Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ:SWHC). The company’s Military & Police (M&P) line of AR-style rifles and polymer pistols are facing significant back orders due to the incessant consumer demand for high-capacity pistols and military-style rifles that will likely face a resurrected “Assault Weapons Ban” in 2009.

Despite that solid performance, however, Smith simply couldn’t overcome the impact that hunting-centric subsidiary Thompson/Center Arms has had on the overall corporate balance sheet. When Smith & Wesson purchased Thompson/Center Arms in 2007, it looked like a solid acquisition. As a category-leader in hunting that also had a barrel-making facility, it seemed a great fit into the S&W portfolio

Now, I’m all for hunting and harbor no ill-will toward the sport. But I think the industry is starting to get that the shooters and self-defense folks are going to start carrying the weight. Some gun companies figured that out a bit back and started doing both.

Greg looks at beer myths. My favorite is that light beer is actually beer.

Spying on the enemy:

Linked to a gun nerd quiz a bit back. Well, your answer is here.

Another pic.

From guav.

KGB ultra silent pistols.

The Mrs. family has some old slides. We’d like to convert them to digital photos. They have this gizmo to do that at Amazon. Anyone every try it?

A recurring theme of anti-gunners breaking the law: Gun Buyback Sponsor Convicted on Gun Charges

Buckeye Firearms notes an interesting trend in the Bush pardons: Bush pardons have common thread: Gun ownership

For those not in the know about The Elf on the Shelf mentioned here, the elf is magic. He flies back to the North Pole every night and returns to a new location. When your kids wake up, they try to find his new location. It’s quite amazing that I can be in the car with two kids and point out a big red fire truck with it’s lights/sirens on right next to our car and they won’t see it and will keep asking where, where? But a little toy elf is found within seconds of waking up.

The power of observation.

A new member.

Guess what I got just in time for Christmas:

From Gun Porn

Click to embiggen.

That’s right, I got an Elf on the Shelf. And a new Gemtech Outback 2 suppressor (you know, for wayward elves).

The NFA process for me started in August. And the paperwork was probably sent from Coal Creek Armory in early September. So, three months.

An expert states that ATF’s NFRTR database is inadequate:

the NFA database might be reliable enough to start an investigation, but was nowhere near accurate enough to justify a conviction. The result was a hung jury, and there will be a retrial.

Seems to be a trend.

Full transcripts can be found here.

Joe was in attendance and posts a report.

Ry has photos.

Are they on the rise?

Oklahoma looking to repeal sales tax on firearms.

The government is destroying surplus M14 rifles that could be sold through the CMP. Here’s a petition to get them to stop.

Seems DC has passed another gun law. This one is a training requirement for permits to own a weapon and to re-register weapons every three years. They keep trowing hurdles out there.

At this rate, they’ll be back to the way they were.

Gun clip art.

Update: In comments, it was pointed out that it’s magazine art and not clip art. heh.

The US Marine Corp to aid in DUI roadblocks? That’s frightening.

From Smith and Wesson Gets Political:

I thought about this as I was skimming through the 10Q that Smith & Wesson (SWHC) filed yesterday. Buried in an otherwise uneventful MD&A was this statement: “M&P 15 sales were helped by a consumer promotion as well as what appears to have been speculation on the outcome of the presidential election.” And, just in case you missed that, a page later, the company adds this: “It appears that political concerns may have temporarily spurred the tactical rifle market.”

I don’t know if that’s getting political. Seems more like it’s stating fact.

I’ve said before that teh st00pid could be fatal. Now, I have scientific proof:

High IQ test scores in early adulthood were associated with a reduced risk of death by homicide.

Ya know, politicians with their various gun ban schemes like to tells us that the law-abiding gun owners have nothing to fear. I guess when it comes to law-abiding, they must think that we’re like them. Behold, some politicians passing illegal laws.

In Pittsburgh: Illegal Gun Law to go into Effect Soon

And in Seattle, they’re is a proposed ban despite an opinion from the AG that cities don’t have the authority to ban guns.

Yesterday was toilet paper in the capitol building day. Err, I mean Bill of Rights day. A look at how it’s doing.

From reader HtownTejas.

Our kids watch a lot of Nick. There’s a commercial for Big Green Help, which encourages kids to be more eco-friendly. There’s a game shown on TeeVee that you can access at the website where you run around zapping threats to the environment. One of the threats is a big truck. And not just any big truck. A big truck that is morphed into some evil looking Transformer type of thing. I guess they’re trying to scare kids into saving the Earth.

Aunt B. reminds us that the Republicans will soon be running the Tennessee state legislature and points us to some bills coming down the pike. Pro tip to the new majority: If you guys get in power and set up toll roads, you’ll be out in two years.

Seen at David’s: An Oregon Appeals Court decision has found that your car is now considered a “public place.”

Some disagreement as to what the court meant in comments as a lawyer type says your car is a container on a public street. But so is my house. Still, I’m of the opinion that my vehicle is private. Oh sure, you can see in it. But it is my personal space.

Six discoveries science cannot explain.

Stupid science.

Oh, and I seem to recall a TeeVee show that said the Baghdad batteries were probably used to gold plate things.

Politico:

Vice President Dick Cheney said Monday that President-elect Barack Obama will “appreciate” the expansions of executive power achieved during the Bush administration and is unlikely to cede authority back to Congress.

“Once they get here and they’re faced with the same problems we deal with every day, then they will appreciate some of the things we’ve put in place,” Cheney said during an interview on Rush Limbaugh’s radio show.

No kidding. And I wonder if all the Bush league champions will still be cool with all these powers once their guy isn’t driving the boat?

More on CCW increases in Florida.

From a night shoot.

If I was a petty man, I’d say I told you so. And I am, so I told you so.

Bill Schneider said we gun nuts were all crazy for thinking Obama would be a threat to gun rights. Turns out, he’s starting to think that maybe we gun nuts were right all along.

An article on stocking your bar on a budget since economic times are tough. Uhm, shouldn’t you maybe forgo stocking your bar if economic times are tough?

There are are a few recession proof industries (drugs – including alcohol & tobacco; sex; and gambling) so maybe not.

And I do concur, Evan Williams is pretty darn good for the price.

What’s in a name?

Local blogger gets handgun carry permit.

Tacticool: A Springfield 45-70 Government with an Aimpoint Micro.

A reader* emails his pre-Obama acquisition:

From Gun Porn

* who shall remain nameless unless he tells me otherwise.

Les wants to know which night sights you recommend.

Means hitting what you aim at.

My local paper: Park to see concealed guns in 2009

Err, how? If they’re concealed, I mean.

Some old Christmas ads.

Word I hear is that it will be legal in Tennessee as well. There was some speculation as to whether or not it would be in TN due to state laws.

Update: Confirmed.

Missile Defense Agency links to video of the Multiple Kill Vehicle.

Via gauv’s place.

here’s a forensic challenge for you geek firearms types.

I’m not a fan. I don’t care for the disease-ridden vermin. My mother in law likes them. In fact, she has several bird feeders and a bird bath to attract them for, as far as I can tell, the sole purpose of shitting all over her patio. One year, she asked me and the Mrs. if we’d like a bird feeder and a bird bath for our backyard. I said I would love an automatic moving-target re-generator. Both she and the Mrs. shot me a look. Needless to say, she didn’t get us either one.

I guess lots of people actually like birds. They like them to the extent that there is actually a market for bird bath warmers. No kidding. I know this because that’s what the mother in law asked us to get her for Christmas.

From Kevin, turns out their draconian gun laws don’t reduce homicide or suicide:

New research on Australia’s gun laws published in the Sydney University journal Current Issues in Criminal Justice examines the strengths and weaknesses of a series of papers on Australia’s firearms legislation, and highlights “best-practice approaches to evidence-based policymaking.”

What is the conclusion of the report? Two things. First, there is no evidence that gun laws save lives. Second, “anti-gun extremists” rely of flimsy evidence.

Looking to fill the void left by Cardinal Armory going out of business, Carnaby is starting up Bison Armory for your 6.8SPC barrel needs. Barrels will be made by Shaw.

In Australia:

Interesting that gun registration amongst the law abiding there has increased by 10,000 each year since 2004. Registrations by the criminal element remains at zero.

A look at the track record of Snopes.

Tam looks at how times have changed for gun buyers.

My first gun was a single shot, 20 gauge shotgun. It was purchased at Frank Snodderly’s General Store in Dandridge, TN. I was probably 11 or 12. My dad and I walked into the store, he asked for a pack of Winstons and the shotgun up on the rack. I didn’t even know he was going to buy it. Seemed like a spur of the moment purchase. The next day was my first dove hunt.

How times have changed.

Heh:

From Gun Porn

Funny pic but, depending on where you live, it may be an Any Other Weapon.

Cowboy Up.

Wilson Carry Pistol.

WWII veteran rifles.

Greeks to start selling Stens, Enfields, and Brens. Oh my.

Dumping money into the economy yields inflation fears. This made me laugh in that sucks-but-funny kinda way:

Budget: A mythical beanbag. Congress votes mythical beans into it, and then tries to reach in and pull beans out.

Also related is a story I saw somewhere and I can’t find it now. But, basically, it was economic genius Paul Krugman, who has been predicting recession every month since about January 2000 and no doubt ecstatic he finally got it right, noting something to the effect of There are no libertarians during a financial crisis. That’s pretty stupid. I mean, if you’re appealing to the left, it may sound clever. But it’s not. After all, if libertarians prepare for the things they’re known to prepare by stocking up on food, ammo, sources of engergy, etc. Don’t you think they’d also maybe prepare for tough economic times?

The Second Amendment Book Bomb on Bill of Rights Day, December 15!

http://www.secondamendmentbook.com/

Monday, December 15, marks America’s Bill of Rights Day, the anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights of the U.S. Constitution. To commemorate this event, the Second Amendment Book Bomb website has been created, a unique and powerful way to communicate the importance of the Bill of Rights’ Second Amendment for the protection of liberty. With your help, we can launch constitutional rights to the top of national book bestseller lists, making a loud and clear statement that Second Amendment rights are inalienable!

The Second Amendment has already won a historic victory on June 26, 2008, when the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in the landmark case of District of Columbia v. Heller that the Second Amendment protects an individual right to own and bear arms. However, the Heller ruling was immediately attacked and efforts continue on the national level and across the country to undermine gun rights. Therefore, to secure the Second Amendment now and for the future the American public must be made aware of the reasons why the Founders sought to protect this right.

And now we have the tool to do so. Fascinating, seminal, and inspiring, the new book, The Founders’ Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms, by Dr. Stephen P. Halbrook*, is the perfect way both to educate ourselves and to reach friends and family who don’t yet understand Second Amendment rights. Our goal is to reach one million Americans with Dr. Halbrook’s book during the Holiday Season and throughout the New Year ahead. Will you help?

To achieve this goal the Second Amendment Book Bomb website has been established to create a phenomenon so great that even the mainstream media will have to take notice. Let’s spread The Founders’ Second Amendment so far and wide that Americans across the political spectrum, and all walks of life, will be discussing the Second Amendment in every possible venue.

With your help, we can make Dr. Halbrook’s book #1 on the New York Times bestseller list. To make this happen, please go to the website and pledge to buy at least one copy of the book before or on the December 15th Second Amendment Book Bomb date. Let’s make this the most amazing and explosive event ever on the right to bear arms, and declare in no uncertain terms that the Second Amendment will be around for a very long time to come.

With your pledge to buy the book, we can:
* Make The Founders’ Second Amendment #1 on the New York Times bestseller list.
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Please help now by making your pledge here: http://www.secondamendmentbook.com/

*Stephen P. Halbrook is a Research Fellow at the Independent Institute and author of The Founders’ Second Amendment: Origins of the Right to Bear Arms. Having won three cases before the U.S. Supreme Court, he filed an Amici Curiae Brief in District of Columbia v. Heller on behalf of 55 members of the Senate, the Senate President, and 250 members of the House of Representatives.

Woman found not guilty, sentenced to 55 years.

Press releases groups wish they could take back: VPC Lauds Introduction of Blagojevich Bill to Ban “Pocket Rockets”

Of course, Blaogojevich may have thought they were talking about sex toys.

Help Beth find the gun she wants.

Gun-toting woman divides community

Gifts for the girl gunny.

This stupid bill, perpetuated by lobbyists for the company that invented the technology, is making the rounds again. It’s pretty stupid, arbitrary, and difficult to enforce.

Fire a round, go to jail?

Also, if the bill passes, non-serialized ammo would have to be destroyed by 2011.

Ya know, back during the primary, I was not a fan of Bob Corker. But, recently, he has impressed me. Lately with his big call out of the auto industry. Good for him.

Also, we bailed out the banks. Most of us did not approve. I’m convinced if McCain had come out in opposition to that, he may have squeaked out the election. Instead, he tried to play Obama-light. And, being McCain, he’s never seen anything he thought the government shouldn’t be involved in. So, of course, he supported letting someone else suck the government teat.

Now, we’re looking at bailing out the dinosaurs of industry, auto-makers that have cost structures that cannot be sustained. Most of us do not approve. Think they’ll pass it anyway? A bail out is just a delay unless it comes with some serious pre-conditions, such as not paying unskilled laborers more than three times the national average in wages and benefits.

Up next at the trough looks to be the state of California. And for the same reason, unsustainable employee benefits.

We can’t continue to print money to get us out of tough economic times. If I do that, it’s called counterfeiting.

And I love the news coverage. They say things like congress failed to pass the bill. That’s not a failure.

And I wonder how much bling bling our elected representatives stand to get in campaign contributions from said auto makers? Corker probably won’t get much.

Robb addresses some PSH.

Pretty cool website called Ballistics By The Inch. Short version: start with long barrel, fire, measure the ballistics. Cut one inch off the barrel and repeat.

Michael Bane has a range report from testing out the new Para USA GI Expert. Pics of this thing seem about as rare as unicorn farts. I’ve seen one to date. And I’ve asked.

In FL, it’s the law. I wonder if it’s applicable to mice you buy to feed pet snakes? I’d like to see the check box for that.

Quite a few gun posts at Volokh’s lately. The latest looks at the right to arms and strict liability

Larry:

But I do have some news for the people that take issue with me. I’m not just selling guns to racist stormtrooper hillbillies. I’m selling guns to everybody. My customer base looks more like America than Barack Obama’s cabinet. I’ve sold guns to people who don’t speak English. I’ve sold guns to Asians, Blacks, Hispanics, Arabs, Mormons, Catholics, Muslims, Buddists, Wiccans, Lesbians, a Democrat state legislator, the head of a union that supported Obama, and your momma.

Well, what’d my momma get?

Judge takes meat cleaver to First Amendment.