Drum Fed Saiga

This is very cool, but I worry it’s going to prompt ATF to reclassify the Saiga shotguns as destructive devices.  Generally speaking, anything with a barrel diameter over one-half inch is considered a destructive device.  Shotguns are regulated under 27 CFR § 479.11:

any type of weapon by whatever name known which will, or which may be readily converted to, expel a projectile by the action of an explosive or other propellant, the barrel or barrels of which have a bore of more than one-half inch in diameter, except a shotgun or shotgun shell which the Director finds is generally recognized as particularly suitable for sporting purposes.

So all it takes is ATF to make a ruling and everyone who owns one either has to register it, or become an instant felon.  There are a lot of Saiga’s out there.

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City’s Proposal for Heller Compliance

The District of Columbia seems to have proposed the following framework for it’s new gun regulations:

The council proposal does not give residents blanket approval to own semiautomatic pistols, which have become the most popular kinds of handguns. It would ban magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds. It also would repeal a regulation barring a gun owner from registering more than one pistol. In addition, the legislation would do away with the requirement that handgun registrants submit their weapons to D.C. police for ballistics testing.

This is why we need to get H.R.6691 passed out of Congress.  It’s an uphill battle.  There’s probably little chance the Senate will agree to take it up in an election year, but it’s worthwhile to persue anyway.  It’s always good to have a recent vote that reflects who our friends are, but more importantly which politicians are against us.  My guess is Harry Reid doesn’t force Obama to take a stance here.  But there might be time left for some arm twisting of blue dogs like John Tester from Montana and our own Bob Casey, to get this to the floor and get a vote on it.

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Gun Trafficking in New Jersey

Thanks to reader Chuck, who sent me this while I was in Virginia, and I am not just getting around to posting, we have a look into the world of black market gun trafficking in New Jersey:

Milgram said Kinston, who was out on parole on an eluding conviction, managed to lead hundreds of gang members across the state despite being monitored with a locator bracelet as a condition of his prison release in January.

However, on Aug. 16, state police with the help of 16 different law enforcement agencies learned that a shipment of stolen handguns would be arriving from North Carolina at Kinston’s residence in Burlington City, Milgram said.

So the guy was out on parole, had a locator bracelet on, and yet somehow was managing to run an elaborate gun and drug trafficking network.  Would Bryan Miller care to come on here to describe how exactly other states are to blame for the fact that New Jersey can’t keep its violent gang members in prison where they belong?  It’s a simple equation.  Gang members who are in prison have a harder time running a black market gun business.  But somehow the gun control crowd thinks trying their failed policies everywhere else is the answer.

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Quote of the Day

From Chuck Heath, Sarah Palin’s father:

She started shooting a gun when she was eight and shot her first animal when she was ten. It was something small, possibly a rabbit. She is a really good shot. I taught her to shoot a moose and dress it, to fish and hunt for game. We raised our family to be able to support ourselves — 90 per cent of our meat and fish we get ourselves.

Obama can make fun of it all he wants, but Sarah is the real deal.

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A Female Teddy Roosevelt?

Firearms and Freedom notices that Sarah Palin looks like an ordinary person.  I think it’s interesting, but if you look at some of the parallels, she’s not completely unlike Teddy Roosevelt.  TR overshadowed McKinley on the ticket.  Given McCain’s age, it’s not out of the realm of possibility she could end up assuming the presidency.  She’s about the same age TR was.  She has a reputation as a reformer.  She’s an outdoorswoman.  There would be more than a few people in Washington who’d be rather unhappy to see her ascend to the highest office.  I doubt she’ll be giving a speech with a gunshot wound to the chest any time soon, but she just might be the same kind of political personality.  TR defined the presidency for the 20th century.  Could Sarah Palin do the same thing for the 21st?  Hard to say.  Reality doesn’t quite live up to the reputaiton, but the same charge could have been leveled at TR.  Legend matters, and Sarah Palin’s story has the potential to be that kind of legend.

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Almost Cool

The airforce seems to be getting closer to having a workable chemical laser system.  This is good, but a key feature of a useable defense system will have to include a laser that can refire in a short amount of time.  These types of COIL lasers aren’t really of that variety.

Of course, we have come quite a long way since the days of Ronald Reagan’s “Star Wars,” which at the time really was science fiction.  Back then researchers were happy to test x-ray lasers that used nuclear weapons as a pumping mechanism.  Needless to say, you don’t get much repeatability out of that.  Of course, these days we’re pretty close to useful x-ray lasers.

Having a workable laser weapon would be transformative on the battlefield, so I support these kinds of programs.  Plus, as we’ve seen with x-ray lasers, you never know what other useful things you’ll be able to do with the concepts and technology.

UPDATE: Looks like they are also working on high power solid state laser systems.  We’re probably still a long ways off a laser rifle, at least with currently battery technology.

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