Looks like NSSF is also eager to get on with a scientific study of Microstamping.
Category: Guns
Hysterics from VPC Over the Bushmaster ACR
Josh Sugarmann is wetting his pants because Bushmaster is recalling the ACR. Based on the fact that Bushmaster describes this problem as dangerous, I’m going to guess something like a hammer follow. Unfortunately for Josh, all semi-automatic firearms can malfunction in this way, not just evil assault weapons. The venerable M1 Garand (that’s still not an assault weapon right? Oh wait, no, it is) can certainly do it as well.
But Sugarmann seems to think this is some kind of gotcha “See! See! Assault weapons really are machine guns!”
Anschutz Responds
A few months ago The Firearms blog reported that Anschutz was working with people out to destroy our rights. I mentioned I’d not buy their products, despite the fact I compete in an area I could use one. The Firearms Blog publishes today, a response from Anschutz that convinces me my decision to never purchase one of their products is absolutely the correct one. I will not do business with a company like this.
You guys were planning to sell us out. You even pretty much admit it. Don’t get pissy with us because we caught you. He closes with:
At the same time, we can assure that the market and the demand determine the products of a company. And ANSCHUTZ has an inquiry from the Biathlon federation to have a look in that topic. In Germany and Europe we have complete different gun laws than in the US. Please keep that in mind.
Yes, you do, so why cooperate to destroy yourselves even further? You don’t notice the noose tightening every time there’s a mass shooting in Europe? You think if you give just a little more they are going to be happy and stop trying to destroy these sports? You’re fools if you believe that.
You want to be a European gun company and only sell neutered guns to Europeans, that’s your prerogative. American shooters take a very different view of companies who sell them out. Smith and Wesson’s near destruction should have taught you that.
Lancaster Online Coverage of “Run and Gun”
It’s really the new trend in shooting, and this coverage is positive. Unfortunately, my club will never run matches like this because it involves drawing from holsters and running with guns, two things which traditional shooters believe is unsafe. Yet clubs and ranges all over the country are running these matches safely.
I’ve done only a few of these matches myself, and while they were a lot of fun, the main thing that keeps me from returning is the amount of time spent sitting around watching other people shoot, which to me is like watching grass grow. Not many clubs in the area are running these, and they are crowded matches. I suspect if our club ever took up some of these newer sports, I’d be more of a Steel Challenge guy than an IPSC/IDPA guy, but I’d like to be able to shoot a match every once in a while without having to go to Central Jersey, which are the closest sanctioned matches.
The latest thing I’m considering starting is Field Target, which is one new sport our club is doing, and looks interesting. Something I should try, I think.
New Research into Gun Control
Dave Hardy shares some of his research findings on the history of gun control in the United States. It’s very interesting. We’re glad to hear he’s recovering from his snake bite, and sincerely hope all his future dealings with this phenomena involve liquor and tabasco.
UPDATE: More here.
Bloomberg’s Proposed Rules
If he thinks this is going to avoid a lawsuit, he’s delirious. Under the proposed rules you can literally be denied a constitutional right for being a bad driver or getting fired from your job. These people have a very strange conception of fundamental constitutional rights.
McCarthy’s Troubles
Jacob has been following the continuing troubles of Carolyn McCarthy, and notes that NRA is hitting that district on behalf of Becker. The Democrats are having a difficult time even manning the firewall. John Richardson notes that McCarthy is running attack ads, which is something not typically done by candidates who are on top.
This is one election I’m going to be watching with anticipation on Tuesday night.
Thirdpower Asks the Question
While everyone has the right to express their opinion, what have you done to make your opinion actually worth something? Besides sending in your annual check I mean.
His point is well taken, in that in most pro-gun groups your membership fee isn’t doing much to help protect your rights, but I wouldn’t ding someone who has better things to do with their time, but makes up for it by writing checks to help the cause. In fact, for people who live in safe districts for gun rights, that might actually be the best use of your resources.
Since my luck in recruiting volunteers for campaigns here has been virtually non-existent, I’ve been thinking about other ways to influence candidates. One thing we tried this year was fundraising in small increments. I’m not sure we were any more successful at raising money than we have been at raising volunteers, but the idea, essentially, is to spread donations out among a lot of pro-gun candidates in the hopes they notice there’s a constituency willing to give money for the Second Amendment. My belief is that it’s probably better for 20 pro-gun candidates to get ten dollars and a note that says “Thanks for supporting the Second Amendment,” than it does for one candidate to get 200 dollars.
One reason we haven’t been able to get rid of Patrick Murphy is because of the amount of money this guy can pull in from outside the district. He is a fundraising machine. The left is far better at this game than the right, and infinitely better at it than libertarians. If you live in a safe district, consider a small donation to a pro-gun campaign in a district that’s not so safe. Most states have them somewhere, so you’d probably not be looking at a completely altruistic donation to a race that doesn’t remotely affect your own situation. Most state nd local activists worth their salt will be able to tell you which races they are concerned with in any given election.
NRA-PVF certainly donates to candidates, but they are a PAC, and PACs are limited by campaign finance rules in how much they can donate. Individual donations still matter.
Shooting Ourselves in the Foot
Bloomberg Looking to Avoid a Lawsuit
“There’s no way I could vote on this. Since I’ve been in the council, we’ve voted on numerous bills where fees and fines were increased and it would send a strange message to New Yorkers that the one fine we look to reduce is the fee and fine to permit a gun,” Councilman Erik Dilan (D-Brooklyn), who did not attend the caucus, said.
Thank you, Erik Dilan, for calling it a “fine.” You’re making the inevitable multi-million dollar lawsuit against your city that much easier. Another fine council member notes wonders why they would get sued when the fee has been that high for years, as if length of time on the books has anything to do with a statutes constitutionality. What kind of screwed up place is New York City when Bloomberg is the pro-gun guy in this picture?