Month: June 2016

Reporter Helen Ubinas set out to show the world how easy it was to buy an AR-15, but then committed a federal felony, and violated a number of state laws. You see, Ms. Ubinas paid for the AR-15 with her company card, while answering “Yes” that she was the true buyer of the firearm. You see, if the company is buying it, then it’s a purchase by that corporation, and that corporation is what needs to go on the paperwork. If you put yourself up as the person buying, and the money is being fronted by your corporation, then that is a straw purchase.

After that she says “No need for a concealed carry permit.” Actually, transporting firearms in Philadelphia is illegal except under exceptions. One of those is having a License to Carry Firearms. Another is going directly from the place of purchase to your home. My Jersey readers are quite familiar with this type of transportation regime. It’s the same in Pennsylvania for handguns outside Philadelphia, but applies to all firearms in the City of Philadelphia. The only difference between New Jersey laws and Pennsylvania laws, is that licenses to carry are not difficult to get here, and they exempt you from all these transportation laws. But Ms. Ubinas admittedly drive around the city for a bit (not excepted, and thus illegal) and then drove to the police station (also not excepted, unless you’re under an order to).

I mean, I get that whipping out the company AMEX is an innocent mistake, but there’s no innocent mistake exception to what you put on a 4473. I’m actually surprised the dealer would run a corporate card through the machine without noticing. I hold out the possibility that this is all wistful fiction, and the reporter in question is a liar rather than a felon. But none of this stuff is as unregulated as the reporter leads us to believe. When dealing with guns, it’s very easy for uninitiated people to commit serious crimes without realizing it. Maybe Ms. Ubinas can have some sympathy when we argue that each new regulation, while seemingly well-intended, can often put well-meaning people in prison for understandable mistakes. If you’re going to be a serious gun owner and stay out of trouble, you have to know your law.

So says this Daily News article that has been making the rounds. That’s funny, because that’s pretty much the opposite reaction I’ve gotten, even from women and children. He even goes so far as to say the first shot gave him PTSD, and insult to people who have gotten PTSD from experiencing something far far worse. This guy is a tool. To me, the bigger story is who enabled the Daily News to come up with this hit piece: Frank Stelmach of Frank’s Double Tap Shooting Range at 4730 Blakiston St, Philadelphia, PA:

“There should be expanded background checks — extending into your family, friends and associates,” he said. “And there should be a mental health screening. In Europe, if you want to buy a gun, you have to see a doctor (for a psychiatric examination) to see if something’s not right.”

Something to keep in mind if you patronize that establishment. Psych evals? Really? At whose expense? Not just believe that stuff, but willing to say so to the media, and cooperate with the media to make gun owners look bad! I don’t really give a crap what you think as an individual, but the game changes when you announce as much to the media in a hit piece to a paper you know is doing a hit piece.

I would note that Classic Pistol is only 12.7 miles further if you live in The City. Pistol People is only 4.6 miles, and 10 minutes. Ready Aim Fire, 11 miles or 18 minutes. So really, you have no excuse.

Notice in the update the author apologized for his hyperbole about firing an AR-15 giving him PTSD. I’m glad to see our folks getting their Alinsky on: make them live up to their own standards.

UPDATE: Double Tap responds that their words were twisted by Kuntzman, and they do not in fact support any of the things the article claimed they supported.