Greg Morris has Part I of his interview here.  We look forward to Part II.
Author: Sebastian
Big Boomer Vest Busters
Thirdpower points out that the VPC is now demonizing one of the preferred rounds for handgun hunting. Somehow I’m doubting that gang bangers are toting around the large, heavy revolvers in their waistbands. What’s next? Thompson Center Contenders in the ghetto? Most of those will go through soft body armor too.
Some Positive Developments For Hunting in New Jersey
At least one senator is trying to get a bear hunt approved, and they have formed a sportsmen caucus:
Hoping to give sportsmen a better voice in the Legislature, and to help educate his colleagues, Sweeney initiated and organized a bi-partisan group of lawmakers and sportsmen: the recently inaugurated New Jersey Angling and Hunting Conservation Caucus (NJAHCC).
It’s a small step, but these things aren’t won by leaps and bounds.
The 0.08% Crisis
SayUncle notices the media in Tennessee are fretting over a crisis among concealed carry holders.
E-Trace by ATF
Joe Huffman thinks it might be violating the law. Depends on the details, but based on what we know, here is the law:
“(i) Prohibition Relating To Establishment of Registration Systems With Respect to Firearms.—No department, agency, officer, or employee of the United States may—“(1) require that any record or portion thereof generated by the system established under this section be recorded at or transferred to a facility owned, managed, or controlled by the United States or any State or political subdivision thereof; or“(2) use the system established under this section to establish any system for the registration of firearms, firearm owners, or firearm transactions or dispositions, except with respect to persons, prohibited by section 922 (g) or (n) of title 18, United States Code, or State law, from receiving a firearm.
This is in the part of the law that establishes the National Instant Check System. What ATF wll probably argue is that since they aren’t compiling NICS data, but just distributor A&D records, that it doesn’t constitute a registry under this section of the law. Why is that not entirely comforting?
Fattah Being Investigated by the Feds?
Chaka Fattah, who is one of only a handful of Congress Critters who lead the fight against Heller, seems to be having some difficulty with the feds.
A Match for Cold Occasions (Winter Gun Blog Rifle Match)
Unfortunately, I did not manage to get a fall gun blog rifle match up, due to the elections, and then having to get caught up on crap after the election. But for the Winter Match, I have made a 50 yard Kalashnikov and SKS match, and for the small bore match, I have brought it to indoor ranges, and made it an offhand only match.
If you would like to test your shooting skills against some other bloggers, this is for you. Since you can shoot the small bore match at most indoor ranges, I’m happy to get a lot of participants for that. If you have a Kalashnikov or SKS, you can also participate in that too, and if you have an indoor range that will allow 50 yard three position (NRA range in Fairfax, VA comes to mind) feel free to use it to shoot this match. I will envy you, as I will have to shoot it outside in the cold.
I think it would be cool to offer a prize for this match, for the best picture taken of a competitor shooting under winter conditions. I will only ask that you take a picture of yourself shooting in said wintry conditions, and then a picture of you and your target in said wintry conditions so I know you’re not cheating :) We will hold a vote here for the best. I will also put “They all suck” as a category, and if that wins, no one gets the prize. I will offer a 25 dollar gift certificate to MidwayUSA to the winner, if there’s a winner. If you’re shooting the match indoors, you can’t qualify, unless you have a particularly sucky indoor range. You can qualify with the small bore match if you shoot it outside in horrid conditions. If you win the match, you just get bragging rights, but if you shoot the match under horrid winter conditions, hell, that’s worth a 25 dollar certificate. There’s still an opprotunity for those in moderate climates to win if you get creative :)
Zeroiong Your Rifle
Papa Delta Bravo has an excellent post about zeroing your AR-15. Conventional wisdom might not be wise in this case. I have my 16″ barreled AR zeroed the way PDB mentions, and I keep my 20″ AR, which I use for target shooting, zeroed for a 6:00 hold on an SR-1 target at 100 yards. I think it’s a good idea to take advantage of the .223s flat trajectory when zeroing a rifle you’re considering using for unusual circumstances.
Duty to Inform Laws
Justin had police encounter while armed.  Traffic accident. Pennsylvania does not require you to inform the police if you’re armed. I was in a similar situation here, and didn’t inform the State Trooper I was armed. As far as I know he never knew I had a Glock 19 concealed at 4:00. I figured it would just complicate the situation if I told him, and I’m not a criminal or cop killer. One time I did get stopped by the police in Texas while armed, I was fortunate that he asked before I had the opportunity to interject. But I’ve always wondered about that requirement. I mean, do you have to interrupt the cop if he’s in the middle of asking you a bunch of questions to tell him you’re armed? I think the answer is yes, which goes against polite human nature to play along with the conversation flow.
I prefer the Pennsylvania law, which is no requirement to inform. I can accept that it ought to be done as a courtesey, but I don’t think it should be the law.
NRA Desperate for Cash?
This looks like typical NRA fundraising to me, which as any member can tell you, they do frequently, even in good times. I would have hoped that Washington Monthly would do a bit of research into how NRA is structured, but I guess that’s asking too much.
First, it’s NRA’s PAC that spent 15 million dollars. NRA itself can’t legally spend money on electioneering, so NRA-PVF, which is supported entirely through monies donated by membership. NRA-PVF can’t use funds NRA raises from membership dues, through extra fundraising, and it definitly can’t draw money from NRA’s endowment (which is part of the NRA Foundation, a different part of NRA). It is established entirely to do electioneering, and must have seperate cash sources from NRA proper.
Now, it’s true that PVF needs to refill its warchest in time for the 2010 midterms, but that’s a separate issue from how NRA as a whole is doing. It’s also expected. I didn’t donate money to PVF this election cycle so they would sit on it. I donated it with the expectation that they’d spend it, and spend it they did.
Plus, my understanding is that NRA is actually doing pretty well right now. You might think with the news being rich with stories about gun sales being through the roof in anticipation of coming restrictions on gun rights under the new Congress and Administration, that people might also be thinking that maybe it’s time to join (or rejoin) the NRA. I’m planning on upgrading to an endowment member, myself. NRA is offering steep discounts until January 20th.
Hat Tip to Pro-Gun Progressive