A better post than most

A pretty fair piece from ABC news on the Heller case and gun rights. There are two things I saw that are not correct:

The possibility that the D.C. dispute could jeopardize a range of federal firearms laws — including those banning individuals from owning machine guns and those establishing rules for transporting weapons — has led the Bush administration to take a step back from its strong support of gun rights.

Emphasis mine. Machine guns are not banned, just regulated by the NFA. To a greater degree they are regulated by price thanks to the Firearm Owners Protection Act (FOPA). The second thing I found was:

The court did not directly address the scope of the Second Amendment. Yet its decision rested on the notion that the Second Amendment protects a collective right to firearms, not an individual right.

It didn't "rest on the notion." The Supreme Court didn't rule one way or the other in the Miller case, and it doesn't support either side of the debate. Miller didn't bother to show up for the case and neither did his attorney so the court made a ruling "in absence of any evidence."

No doubt Mr. Heller and Mr. Gura will show so lets hope the court gets it right this time.

The War on Drugs is sadly not the War on Thugs

We're number one! The US incarcerates more people than any other country. Too bad most of these inmates are non-violent drug users. When they get out they will surely become violent when they try to earn a living.

Here's a tidbit:

The report, released Thursday by the Pew Center on the States, said the 50 states spent more than $49 billion on corrections last year, up from less than $11 billion 20 years earlier. The rate of increase for prison costs was six times greater than for higher education spending, the report said.

Remember that the next time someone bitches about how short funded our education system is.

What is it with headlines these days?

Devil-Worshipping Rapist Attacks Fiancée During Prison Leave - in England

Study: Spanking may lead to risky sex - from the Fox homepage, the headline is linked to the article

Twin Porn Actors Suspected in Dozens of Burglaries in Three States

This world doesn't have long now.

Will wonders never cease?

About the surge in Iraq, Angelina Jolie says:

Addressing the question of whether the "troop surge" has worked, Jolie said that "I can only state what I witnessed."

"When I asked the troops if they wanted to go home as soon as possible, they said that they miss home but feel invested in Iraq," she wrote. "They have lost many
friends and want to be a part of the humanitarian progress they now feel is
possible."

I never thought I'd hear something like that from her.

I bet he has a record

In the land of the "most effective gun laws" according to the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership, some gangbanging scumbag shot 8 people, 5 of them children, while trying to shoot two rival gang members.

The cops got his ass though, and hopefully some big tattoo'ed monstrocity named Brutus "gets his ass" when he goes to prison. I don't know how California is about keeping criminals behind bars, but I'm pretty sure they don't put much effort into it. How much do you want to bet that he has a mile long record?

Here in Virginia they do a pretty great job putting the nasty folk away for good.

Update: Told you.

Gun banning entertainment

Here we have a satire blog site that I found thanks to SayUncle! This has to be a joke, it just has to be! This is like manna from gun blogging heaven!

The author is "vpcadmin" who is pretty clever. Either that or it's a real VPC anti-gunner who apparently breaks off from playing dungeons and dragons from his couch cushion fort in his moms basement long enough to post this fantasy piece.

I love it!

The Capitol of the greatest nation on earth

Here are crime statistics for the last two months in one police district in Washington D.C. This is the first one I picked and there are more violent ones to chose from.

I guess Mayor Fenty should take away those licensed handgun permits "to prevent felons and other danger-ous persons from keeping concealable weapons."

Or we could just hold a meeting with these thugs to "come up with an action plan" which would surely "put an end to the violence," right Assistant Chief?

I wouldn't trust the D.C. leadership to hold a bake sale, much less run the Capitol of our nation. Where do these people come from?

Maybe someone should put up a sign

Police in Virginia are still looking for the guy who had a handgun on the Ferrum College campus.

Sheriff's Department Major Josh Carter said the man intimidated a housekeeper who saw him Tuesday morning. He said authorities believe the man had "violent intentions."

He apparently did not see the "Gun Free Zone" sign, and perhaps he couldn't have read it if he saw it. I have the solution:

That was easy! I should become a politician!

Environmentalists are insane

I mentioned the grey wolf population removal from the endangered species list here. Now the animal activists have come out and started shrieking all sorts hysterical jiberish, like this:

"It's going to be very systematic killing, with aerial killing and the trapping of wolves to put radio collars on them and then, after they return to their pack, killing the entire pack."

"OMFG! They're going to kill every wolf on the planet!" Where in the world do they get this stuff? This is pure fantasy.

I swear that animal activists have never met a hunter before in their lives. Animals in the U.S. can rest assured that their species will not be wiped out by hunters because hunters take care of the animal population that they hunt. Period.

19th and early 20th century hunters did hunt animals into near extinction but since then, hunters have spearheaded the conservation movement. Here are some statistics, compliments of the Congressional Sports Foundation:

• Spending by hunters and anglers is more than the revenues of Microsoft, Google, eBay and Yahoo—combined! ($76 billion vs. $73.6 billion).
  • More people hunt and fish than watch the nightly newscasts of the three major networks—ABC, CBS, NBC. (34 million vs. 27 million)
  • Hunters spend more on their activity than the total revenues of McDonald’s ($23 billion vs. $20 billion).
  • All this spending adds up to support close to 600,000 jobs—more than the number of people employed by McDonald’s corporation.
  • Hunters spend $2.4 billion on guns and rifles annually.
  • Every year hunters and shooters pay millions in Federal excise taxes: $5.3 billion since 1939. In 2007 hunters and shooters paid $233 million in excise taxes. In fact they annually provide more than 80% of the funding for most state fish and wildlife agencies.
  • Through Federal Duck Stamp purchases, hunters have generated more than $700 million, all of which goes in to the National Wildlife Refuge System. This money has been used to purchase more than 5 million acres of land for outdoor recreation and wildlife watching opportunities around the country.
  • 80% of sportsmen consider themselves “likely voters”. 8 in 10 sportsmen state that a candidate’s position on sportsmen’s issues is important in determining whom they will vote for.
  • 73% of Americans approve of hunting.
  • Only 3% of Americans live the animal rights philosophy.
  -Todd Smith

What do organizations like PETA do for conservation? Standing around topless while waving picket signs in San Francisco doesn't cut it. For what it's worth, the Center for Biological Diversity is the organization who made the above silly remark and they are at least trying to do something constructive.

I have to read more on them to find out what they have done for conservation. Fromwhat I cam see, hunters still lead the way.

Next time grab an anaconda

Crazy story. These people should have seen this coming when they found the beasty in the dogs bed. I'm sure the kids are traumatized and the neighbors are happy.

Colt makes several tools to deal with such critters but the Aussie government frowns upon the ownership of them. Too bad.

Man with a plan

To make folks "feel" safe at universities, our delegates are pushing a bill that would make universities implement and update a "crisis plan." Not a bad idea at all.

I wonder when they will push a bill that will "make" students safe.

Rangers lead the way...

..in stripping you of your right to protect yourself from two and four legged predators on property that you pay for with your tax money. The park rangers are doing this by trying to stop the Department of the Interior from allowing firearms to be loaded if they are transported on park property.

Prior coverage here. I still feel the same way, poachers are criminals who are going to shoot animals regardles of laws. Poachers also shoot and kill people and park rangers, so it would be nice to be able to protect yourself from those individuals.

A classic remark from the guy who used to be the only one armed in the park:

Retired ranger Bill Wade served as superintendent of Shenandoah National Park in Virginia and said, "How many of you would want to go out there if you knew that people were running up and down the Appalachian Trail with guns?"

I for one Mr. Wade. Or how about these eight woman who were killed in Shenandoah National Park Mr. Wade? Or this guy. Also consider this:

"The National Park Service says there were 116,588 reported offenses in national parks in 2006, the most recent year for which data are available, including 11 killings, 35 rapes or attempted rapes, 61 robberies, 16 kidnappings and 261 aggravated assaults."

If people don't feel like carrying a firearm in a park, or anywhere for that matter, good on them. Very few feel the need and that's their business. The few of us who will carry are not the people shooting wildlife or signs in the park, so do us a favor and get rid of this stupid law that has a habit of making good people into felons.

Can't we all just get a Jong?

If you need further proof that the MSM is off the reservation than maybe you need to be medicated into a permanent coma. No, really.

CNN is one of two news agencies to go into a North Korean nuclear plant and they of course are experts at everything and see nothing to be afraid of! Perfect!

"For a nation President Bush labeled as part of the "axis of evil," it was not an impressive sight: a dilapidated concrete hulk, built with few resources back in the early 80s."

Translation: It's not as modern or technologically advanced as nuclear facilities in the US so we should all just hate Bush. So CNN takes a shot at Bush, big deal. Oh, there's more?

"And there are technicians from the U.S. Department of Energy on-site helping with all of this. It seems a far cry from the hostility conjured by the axis of evil."

What a well balanced thing for Cristiane Amanpour to say. Twice. Nope, no opinion or bias there folks.

Those CNN journalists must go through rigorous training in damn near everything to know about nuclear facilities. Funny though, I can't find anything saying that she knows what the hell she's talking about. Wikipedia has an interesting piece of information about our esteemed journalist:

Her emotional delivery from Sarajevo during the Siege of Sarajevo led some viewers and critics to question her professional objectivity, claiming that many of her reports were unjustified and in favour towards the Bosnians, to which she replied, "There are some situations one simply cannot be neutral about, because when you are neutral you are an accomplice. Objectivity doesn't mean treating all sides equally. It means giving each side a hearing."

Fair and balanced alright.

So then she's saying that this North Korean nuclear power plant is incapable of producing weapons grade uranium or plutonium right? Nope:

"But it did produce plutonium, enough to make a few bombs and to test-fire a nuclear weapon 18 months ago."

"And we even were shown the reprocessing plant where plutonium was extracted from the rods, plutonium that was used for nuclear weapons, the chief engineer admitted."

You know, pretty insignificant stuff. Just using this "dilapidated concreat hulk" to make and test nuclear weapons. Kim Jong Il just wants to be friends and snuggle and all because nothing says "do you want to hang out sometime" like telling your friends:

"We hope the situation will be resolved before an unfortunate incident of us firing a nuclear missile comes,"

Maybe we really are just overreacting to what we percieve as threats from North Korea but are really just big misunderstandings. That "Axis of Evil" thing must have caused all of this because North Korea has been such staunch supporters of peace and diplomacy.

I swear it seems like to get a degree in journalism these days you have to be born with a deep hatred for your country. Where do these people come from?

I need a bigger freezer

What a great reason to buy a .376 Steyr Scout. I wonder if elephant is tasty...

Fully Automotive Assault Weapons

I know street racing occurs frequently but I think this sort of thing is pretty rare. One thing is for sure, cameras are only going to move street races onto remote stretches of highway.

"Cameras will be installed along 10 roadways where drag racing is likely to occur, officials said, and they will be monitored 24 hours a day by the Department of Public Works for signs of racing so police can be deployed. Some cameras are already in place."

People in charge want to do something, anything, I guess. I don't see it making the slightest bit of difference regarding public safety, but you know it will raise taxes and cause way more traffic citations to help pay for the surveillance. Installing all of these cameras as a means of making people safe reminds me of "The Eye" in Lord of the Rings.

I thought this was the most interesting:

"Vehicle inspections will be used to help crack down on illegally modified cars, police said. Air patrols will monitor areas not covered by cruisers."

Where have we heard this kinda talk before? Regulations on dangerous automobiles to follow.

Gun free D.C.

In the progressive utopia of gun free D.C. there is a gang war going on. Those silly gangbangers don't understand that it's illegal to shoot it out in the streets. D.C. thinks gang warfare should look like this.

But have no fear folks! D.C. Assistant Chief Diane Groomes has the plan! From the video on the page:

"..we can come together, come up with an action plan, a strategic plan, to put the end to the violence. If the crews don't want to come you know we're going to try our best to figure out how we can pull them in to stop the violence."

Because, as we all know, diplomacy works great against criminals!

I've been trying to read the petitioners brief from D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty on the D.C. vs Heller case this weekend and I'm about 2/3's of the way done. Some interesting lines from the brief in regards to the ban that I thought was appropriate:

"the ultimate reso-lution of the problems of gun created crimes and gun created accidents . . . is the elimination of the avail-ability of handguns." Afternoon Council Sess. Tr. 3:22-24, May 18, 1976. The Council thus chose to "freez[e] the pistol . . . population within the District of Columbia."

"the bill reflects a legislative decision" that handguns "have no legitimate use in the purely urban environ-ment of the District of Columbia." PA112a.

Thugs disagree.

"D.C. Code § 22-4504(a). The licensing requirement, which en-ables the District to prevent felons and other danger-ous persons from keeping concealable weapons, is separate from the registration requirement applicable to all firearms."

How's that ban working for ya? D.C. is the capital of the supposed most powerfull nation in the world and the D.C. leaders want to sit down with teenage thugs and negotiate away the violence? Your kidding right? If the past D.C. leadership is any indication, this once great city is doomed.

Let's hope SCOTUS overturns D.C.'s victim zone so at least innocent civilians have a chance.

Yeah, what he said

Via The liberty Zone comes this piece which expresses exactly how I feel. Read it. Ian Coburn hit the nail on the head.

Part 2 - Personal Body Armor

In this second of three posts I will briefly discuss body armor for both police officers and the military.

Body armor is often erroniously called a "bullet proof vest." There is nothing completely "bullet proof," only bullet resistant. They work by spreading the force of the bullet or projectile over a large surface to stop it. Depending on the type, bullet resistant vests can be very effective. Earlier vests were made with all kinds of materials from silk to steel. Modern vests are made of Kevlar which was first produced in the mid 70's, as well as other materials including ceramics.

The requirements for protection differ between cops and the military, and vary widely depending on the task. The military has little use for concealable vests, and cops don't usually wear vests to protect from high explosives, the exception being bomb squads.

First we will look at body armor for the military. The US military first started using personal body armor during WWII for infantry, pilots, and air crews. The infantry armor did not see much use, but those flying around in airplanes needed something to protect them from anti-aircraft fragmentation, or "flak." Thus the flak jacket was developed using woven nylon fibers and was relatively successful. Flak jackets also proved useful for stopping fragmentation from high explosive artillery shells, mortars, and grenades.

There are those who falsely claim that we sent our troops into Iraq "without body armor." US forces have been issued a flak jacket as part of their standard equipment since WWII. The vest that I was first issued was the Personnel Armor System for Ground Troops (PASGT), used since the early 1980's. Here is a picture of a PASGT vest currently issued by the VA National Guard:

Click for a larger image:

The vest's label is pictured in the upper left hand corner. This vest uses multiple panels of 13 ply kevlar and is designed to protect against fragmentation. As you will see in part 3 of this post, the PASGT vest is capable of stopping a whole lot more.

The vest I was issued for Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) I & III was the Interceptor vest by Point Blank Body Armor Inc. This is now the standard body armor for the Marines and the Army. It is designed to stop fragmentation and 9mm threats. I'm sure it would stop much more but I do not have an Interceptor to shoot. The vest is designed to use Small Arms Protective Inserts (SAPI) made of boron carbide ceramics and Spectra/Dyneema that will stop some types of rifle ammunition up to 7.62x51 NATO. I was issued the vest only for OEF & OIF I, and the vest with SAPI plates during OIF III. Here is a picture:

Click for a larger image:

Shown is the vest with throat guard, groin guard, and SAPI plate. Top left of picture shows the back of the SAPI plate, bottom right of the picture shows the vest's label. The label says:

"The Interceptor Outer Tactical Vest (OTV) with all soft ballistic panels installed provdes protection from fragmentation and 9mm submachine gun or lesser threats. This vest does not protect against knives or sharp objects."

Most modern body armor will not stop a knife. I have personaly put a knife and a rifle mounted bayonet through a flak jacket. Our sophisticated kin over in England have "knife resistant vests" because that gun ban has made them super safe.

Now for Police vests. Most of them are made to be light weight and concealable for patrol officers and detectives. The concealable vests do not open in the front like military vests and they are donned by pulling them over the head. They fasten with velcro straps. The same materials and technology for military armor is used for police armor, with Kevlar panels being the main protection. There are knife resistant panels and plates that can be inserted into some vests for correctional officers who work in prisons and jails where the requirement for bullet resistance is not needed.

There are vests with a higher rating of protection for SWAT officers and bomb squads. Some of the SWAT vests look similar to military vest and may even use SAPI plates to provide maximum protection. Here is a picture with a concealable vest for a patrol officer on the left, and a tactical vest on the right for a SWAT officer:

Click for a larger image:

The protection provided for police vests is rated using the National Institute of Justice (NIJ)standards. The protection level most used for concealable vests is level II or IIA. SWAT teams often require protection of IIIA or higher depending on the situation. Here is a chart showing the various NIJ levels of protection:

Click for a larger image:

Military vests do not use the NIJ standards since they open in the front. The PASGT vest is considered to be roughly a IIA to IIIA equivalent. This puts them in the category of concealable police vests. In the 3rd part of this post, you will see a PASGT vest that was tested against many different types of threats with surprizing results.

Check back soon!

Replacement for tazers?

Over at Police Link I found something pretty disturbing. How would you feel if a police officer restrained you using one of these?

We're here to help!

You might be aware that in 2006 the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) lost a laptop with millions of names, SSN's, and birthdates; stuff that you don't want floating around. That was a huge breach of trust regarding the military and the government.

Well, it seems like the government could care less and has decided to show it.

"Most of the two dozen federal agencies examined by the Government Accountability Office, Congress' investigative arm, had not implemented five federal recommendations aimed at protecting personal information."

Still want government run healthcare? Just remember that when you think about trusting them with your medical information.

Some of us had government run healthcare and know all to well what to expect.

He loves me, he loves me not

It seems the Bush administration can't figure out what they support. First, the US Department of Justice (DoJ) backs individual rights for firearms ownership, then Bush said he would sign an "assault weapons ban" renewal a month later. Then Bush signs The Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act in October of 2005, then the DoJ backs DC in the Heller case in January of this year.

Then we get some good news via VCDL:

"VCDL has just learned that the Department of the Interior (DOI) is beginning the process of allowing the lawful carry of firearms for self-defense in National Parks!!!!!"

This is good. For those who think nefarious acts will come from this, let me put your mind at ease.

"It will embolden poachers!" No, it won't give poachers a legal means to shoot animals. This bill does not allow people to shoot animals on park lands, nor does it enable people to shoot signs or target practice. Poachers are criminals and are breaking the law. Having associated with a poacher or two in my time, I can accurately say that laws and signs do not give them a moment's pause.

"People will shoot some poor Elk that is attacking their car that is not really a threat!" This may happen from time to time, but there are already laws in place for this. Someone who does something stupid will be tried and go to prison. Park Rangers don't play around. This bill does not allow someone to shoot an animal or person who is damaging or stealing their property.

There are reasons for this bill. Under current law, you have to pull over, unload your gun, and stick it out of reach. This may sound trivial to some, but there are endless opportunities to have this backfire on some law abiding person.

About four years ago, I was a passenger in a commercial van driving out of a subdivision here in VA. We were pulled over by a Park Ranger who stated, to our surprise, that a 200 yard stretch of the road that we were driving on was owned by the Park. We were on it. I had a Glock 20 in my lunchbox and informed the Ranger when he asked if we had any weapons in the vehicle. He detained us using handcuffs, checked our credentials including my Concealed Handgun Permit, and told me that it is useless on park property. After about an hour, we were cleared of any past or present criminal actions and the Ranger kindly gave me back my pistol. He could have put me in prison. That's one example.

Another is that there is a stretch of park road that is about 1/4 of a mile long that is a great shortcut between my house and my parents. I have to drive several miles around because the government does not trust me to drive down a road that I pay for, through a park that I pay for, and enforces it with a law enforcement officer that I pay for.

Another is that people want to be able to lock their firearm in the glovebox when traveling through a national park. This a safety concern. Their are people who like to carry in this manner. Think of their children!

Many folks face similar problems with national parks every day. This bill will not allow idiots to shoot wildly into the air. It will allow folks who are armed for their safety to prevent things like this. Park land is our land that we paid for and we should be safe and legal to lawfully carry on it.

Paint is harmful in more ways than one

This is just plain old hysterical journalism. They're scared that guns that are not black are dangerous to kids. Notice the frightening angle that is pushed? "Candy colored guns" that are "Hard Core." They insist that police will hesitate thinking that a gun is a toy, or worse, that they will shoot a kid with a real gun that looks like a toy. Yeah, I saw a kid yesterday running around with one of these:


In this surprizingly un-hysterical article, Steve Lauer of Duracoat says it best:

"Kids are in danger when they aren't educated on gun safety."

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg has the solution to this madness:

"Bloomberg wants to ban the selling of gun coloration or paint kits to anyone in New York City's five boroughs."

Paint kits? Like this? Great plan chief! Way to bring criminals to their knees!

But they're targeting children! Do children buy a H&K G3 and mail it to Jims Gun Supply for a $250 Duracoat paintjob? Didn't think so. Maybe we should impose legislation to do a background check on all future Rustoleum purchases.

Do you trust your life to 8 minutes?

Because that's how long it took the police to show up at this womans house when she called 911. Fortunately the woman and her children were not harmed and the intruder in her house was caught by police. Still, she's incredibly lucky.

The guy tried to get into the room that she was in and gave up. He was a thief looking for something easy to steal. 8 minutes is a long time when someones in your house, and what would she have done if he had opened the door?

I would try my hardest to fill the intruder with holes, but maybe I'm crazy.

I knew there was something evil about Elmo

Creepy.

What a shame

Just...wow. To think that these men served their country and this is the way they get treated. Let's hope this gets fixed nationwide.

The government you pay for

In this piece earlier this week I talked about the US Department of Agriculture and how they suck, and that one of the reasons that I hunt and kill animals myself is because they suck. Now it seems that the USDA doesn't have enough inspectors to ensure that our food is safe, or to ensure that sick and diseased cows aren't pushed into machines with bulldozers.

In two days they will be asking for more money, guaranteed.

I just don't see where they have credibility, but maybe I'm wrong. Wikipedia says that as of June last year, the USDA had employed 105,778 employees. The Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) are the inspectors who are saying they are short staffed. They have a budget of $800 million and employ 7,000 people, 5,000 of which are out inspecting.

Do they really not have enough inspectors? Are there too many farms?

"The agency has 7,800 inspectors covering 6,200 federally inspected establishments, 900 of which slaughter livestock."

The USDA says that there are just too many vacancies within the department. Seems like CYA time to me. "It's not our fault!" "I know that this is what you pay us to do but we need more! MORE!" So who governs the government? Is this what socialized healthcare is going to look like? You can bet your ass on that.

If you need me I'll be at the reloading bench.

I've never hunted wolf before

Gray wolves in the Rockies have come off the endangered species list.

Wow! An unbiased piece on firearms from CNN!

Here's the link. It's about students who carry firearms on campus in Utah. It is surprizingly void of hysterics which is rather odd coming from CNN. Here is a helpful interactive map of state gun laws in regards to college campuses.

There are already a few idiots in the comments talking about mayhem, but for the most part everyone has something possitive to say.

The family target stand

I thought I would share pictures of where I learned to be a marksman. The shed in my parents backyard used to keep the tractor safe. When the tractor blew up, someone thought the shed would make a lovely target stand and we have been using it for that purpose for the last 15 years or so.


Somewhere along the line, someone decided to put an antique foot pedal organ in the shed to keep it safe. Brilliant! Who knows how much extra weight that organ is carrying from all of the lead and copper. The right wall collapsed a bit a few years ago due to a couple inches of snow. I think the structural integrity has been compromised.

The hill in the background is the backstop and we fire down into it from the back porch. Maybe ten years ago the farmer that owned the hill sold the farm (as in he sold it for money, he didn't perish) and people with metal detectors were allowed to look for Civil War stuff for the very first time on what was once a historic battleground. Those guys provided us with about two weeks of entertainment when they concentrated on that hill, digging for bullets! Little did they know that all of those lead minnie balls were made by Hornady!

Hey Scott, would you mind stirring up some hate?

Scott Bauer of the Associated Press drums up this garbage:

"Online Gun Dealer Sold Items to NIU, Va. Tech Shooters"

"Eric Thompson said Friday that his Web site, http://www.thegunsource.com, sold two empty 9 mm Glock magazines and a Glock holster to Stephen Kazmierczak on Feb. 4, just 10 days before the 27-year-old opened fire in a classroom and killed five before committing suicide."

I think I just wet my britches! HE'S SELLING TERROR FOLKS!!

You can just expect a journalist to fuel a witch hunt like this these days. Ridiculous.

Who knows how many people lost their lives to the front end of a drunks Chrysler in my town, and yet I've never heard of anyone trying to crucify the liquor store cashier for selling "bottles of death!" See how silly that sounds? Why would this jackass try to stir up some hysterics, especially considering that Thompson did nothing wrong?

On the bright side, I bet his website gets a lot more hits!

Is it a protest, or a mourning?

Some Virginia Tech students who survived the shooting rampage last April are making ribbons in preparation for a protest on April 16 this year, the anniversary of the shooting.

Good on them.

I sincerely hope that they recognize that since this is a public protest, there will be counter protests like in Richmond, VA.

Good on them as well.

If you want to protest, cool. Protesting to take away peoples rights, or at least restrict them, will draw the opposite type of response as well. When it does you have no logical reason to be mad.

Time will tell whether or not they hide behind a tragedy by saying that this is a gathering "in memory of the victims of VA Tech" instead of a public protest, or worse, saying that the resistance was "bullying." You can't have it both ways.

Velcome to Amerika! Papier Bitte!

So Amtrack apparently thinks it's cool to just search passengers at random, all the while being watched by guys with automatic weapons. I think the terrorist threat thing has made people batshit crazy. Do they think that haji is going to charge the subway with all of his buddies, toting real AK-47's that cost $7,000 apiece, screaming some sort of arabic jibberish? Stop watching 24!

Are you supposed to "duck and cover" as some cop lets out a burst from his MP5 in a crowded train station? In the comments we have a fellow citizen who dribbles this bit:

"Its about time some heads up security is set in place. What took so long? We had our "A doubles" handed to us in '01, and Amtrak is now just getting around to it? I believe the national guard should have show of force posts throughout the US at public transit of all types. AND in uniform with an automatic weapon lock and loaded."

Stalin would be proud.

There is not a terrorist around every corner folks! I'm sure there are a few in this country planning something but turning America into a police state, if we're not already there, will not prevent anything. It may be OK in Briton, but they are not a free country.

Amtrak says you do have the right to refuse inspection, but if you do you won't be able to board the train and your ticket will be refunded. Fair enough. But what happens after you get your money back? I'm sure that bored guard with the firepower will just let you go on your way. I understand that they want to do something, but randomly searching bags sounds pretty stupid, not to mention the legal issues.

My real question is, why are we electing leaders who shovel hundreds of millions of dollars into this insane effort to turn every law enforcement officer into some sort of terrorist hunting ninja? How do you feel about "counterterrorist officers" riding on your train?

"In addition to the screening, counterterrorism officers with bomb-sniffing dogs will patrol platforms and walk through trains, and sometimes will ride the trains, officials said."

Hans and Klaus practice their latest terror chopping martial art and it will inevitably end up being used on some non-violent pothead because there are no terrorists to chop:

Now add Raiden and friends and you see where I'm going with this:

I think it's a clown show. Here's more:

"There is no new or different specific threat," Kummant said. "This is just the correct step to take."

Then why the change? Nobody wants another 9/11, but understand that this is a free country. We need to stop pissing away our rights by allowing aspiring Jack Bauer types on every corner.

Think I'm being foolish? The government doesn't want "paranoid" citizens to have guns because of a remote possibility that someone could get hurt, but because there is the remote chance that someone could get hurt they will arm guys with automatic rifles and let them search your bags, and if you refuse, you are "paranoid."

We're going off the deep end with this terror stuff, and allowing this behavior will lead somewhere that we don't want to go.

The Cult

Seriously. What else are they going to regulate or take away in the name of global warming? There will be a ban in play by years end, watch.

"London Mayor Ken Livingstone on Tuesday launched a blitz against bottled mineral water, urging restaurant customers in the British capital to ask for tap water to help the environment."

I've never seen a cult take place before but it seems to have manifested over the last few years. Crazy folks are already sterilizing themselves to this end, how long before the folks in government just start passing out suicide pills? Constituents, end your pathetic little lives on the altar of earth!

This world is doomed, and it's not from climate change.

Hunters, are you paying attention?

If you haven't heard already, the government that is supposed to be protecting you and I screwed up. There's a shocker! The US Department of Agriculture recalled 143 million pounds of beef from a California (surprised?) slaughterhouse. This line cemented my plans to homeschool:

"The beef subjected to the recall dates to February 2006. Most of it has already been consumed, including in school lunch programs."

There's nothing to worry about folks! It has already been eaten by your children. We've got everything under control. As far as we know, nobody has perished due to our malfeasance.

"Officials of the U.S. Department of Agriculture say the recall is more precautionary than anything else."

CYA time.

This is exactly why I hunt! For those liberal soccer moms who tell me that I shouldn't hunt because it's cruel and I can get plenty of food at the Piggly Wiggly, take this to heart! So your cows that are so humanely tortured to provide you with shoes and a burger are a better alternative to me blasting an old doe that would just wind up on your windshield! Perfect.

I asure you, me and my fellow hunters take far more precautions to end their life honorably and humanely. If you don't believe me, chew this cud:

"the scandalous conditions at the Hallmark/Westland Meat Packing, based in Chino, only came to light because animal rights activists went undercover and filmed the horrific way workers tried to get the downer cows to stand. The cows were so stricken it defies belief that they got that way in the minutes or hours between inspection and slaughter."
"The video shows cows being given electric shocks, dragged by chains attached to trucks, hauled by forklifts and subjected to simulated drowning."

Castro Retires

Fidel Castro retired publicly today saying he wouldn't pursue another presidential term. Whoopty-Freakin-Doo. I like how he words it, like he would no longer ask the Cuban citizens to elect him again. Yeah sure:

"I communicate to you that I will not aspire to or accept -- I repeat not aspire to or accept -- the positions of President of Council of State and Commander in Chief,"

I find it amusing when someone tells me that we don't need guns in our country to thwart tyrrany because we vote. I usually respond that so does Russia, China, Cuba, but that it does not always work.

The real question I have now is what murderous bastard is going to replace him for the next forty years.

The First Of A New Series of Posts

Check out here for a piece that I have been working on for over a week now regarding how a cartridge works. This is part one of three in a test of a ballistic vest. The link is also permanently up on the right.

The Cache of Terror

So apparently the murdering goblin that shot up the University of Illinois had acquired an "arsenal" of guns before starting his spree. I guess that all depends on your definition of arsenal now doesn't it? If four guns makes an arsenal then I'm in trouble. The media has a way with these things if they want to set the mood.

You say church, they say "compound." No real difference.

Another School Shooting

Another scumbag shot up a school and then took his own life. It appears that he wounded 17 at the Nothern Illinois University, but fortunately there are no fatalities at this point. Three students are in serious condition. Pray for them, and scumbags family. No doubt they are suffering as well.

Update: 4 of the students died in the shooting, not including the gunman.

Update: Another student has died. What a shame.

Update: Gunman bought his guns legally. He bought a SigSauer on August of 2007, a High Point .380 in December of 2007, and the shotgun and a Glock 9mm in February of this year. It seems he had a FOID card from Illinois as well, so he was a legal beagle.

One thing that everyone is talking about is that he had mental health problems and was off his meds. Over at HuffPo, the village idiots are arguing for gun bans and such. I started commenting early on and stopped when there were almost 1,300 comments. I was trying to learn something about the mental health part and how medications help or hurt, but there are some very nasty arguements going on.

Let's make a law

I propose legislation to immediately close the "strangling loophole" that allows our children to purchase these deadly things only designed for asphyxiation!

"At least 82 youths have died from the so-called "choking game," according to the first government count of fatalities from the tragic fad.
In the game, children use dog leashes, bungee cords wrapped around their necks or other means to temporarily cut blood flow to their head. The goal is a dreamlike, floating-in-space feeling when blood rushes back into the brain."

Immediate registration, mental health checks, body cavity searches, and I.Q. tests are needed to combat this latest threat to our nations youth.

On the other hand, maybe we should legalize drugs, for the children of course.

"Many of the children who died form the choking game were described as bright, athletic students who apparently were intrigued by a method of getting high that doesn't involve drugs or alcohol, he said."

"If it saves one life!"

I know how to stop this madness! Register cars!

Tell me again how registration stops crime? Link here.

"A Gaithersburg woman was killed late last night in an automobile accident caused by a man fleeing a routine traffic stop."

"The officer pulled the car over after it turned onto Odendhal Avenue. As she was preparing to approach the vehicle, the driver sped away, running red lights while traveling east on Odendhal near Lakeforest Mall."

Why Does The Press Give Him a Pass

I just finished reading this piece linked to yahoo news this morning. I can't figure out why Freeman Klopott of The Examiner didn't reveal who Keith Washington was. The beginning of the article says:

"A furniture mover who narrowly survived being shot in the home of a high-ranking Prince George’s law enforcement official testified Wednesday that he played dead to save his life."

Then the story talks about Washington shooting two furniture movers in what his attorney says is self defense. It very well may be, but is Washington the "high-ranking Prince George's official?" I'm feeling like I'm being handled. Washington's name is linked to this story which says:

"The testimony of a mother whose son was shot and killed by a former Prince George's County homeland security official won't be allowed in court, a judge has ruled."

Ok, so he's a "homeland security official" but it still is vague on Washington's status as a law enforcement officer. I has to go to the Washington Post of all places to find his status:

"The men were shot by Cpl. Keith Washington, who is a police officer as well as a top homeland security official in Prince George's County, at Washington's home in Accokeek during what was supposed to have been a simple swap: one Marlo Furniture bedroom set for another."

Now we're getting somewhere. None of this is in the first two stories. You get little bits and pieces like; the 2 men were furniture movers, they were told to leave 6 year old daughters bedroom, White is a registered sex offender, etc. Basically the reader is getting manipulated.

Put the all of the fricken facts into the story and let me decide what I want. And stop hiding the fact that Washington is indeed a Corporal as a "top homeland security official in Prince George's county" who shot the two unarmed men delivering furniture to his house.

Simple facts folks. This is the type of journalism that just pisses me off and is the reason why I fact check every damn news story that I come across. You can't trust the news these days.

The Punch Line

Funniest thing I've heard in awhile. Over at Huffpo, we have Joseph Wilson to thank for this comical bit:

"If he were around today, TR might be speaking of the woman in the arena. Hillary Clinton has been in that arena for a generation. She is one of the few to have defeated the attack machine that is today's Republican Party and to have emerged stronger. She is deeply knowledgeable about governing; she made herself into a power in the Senate; she is respected by our military; and she never flinches. She has never been intimidated, not by any Republican -- not even John McCain."

Emphasis mine. Respected huh? Like this?

Wishfull thinking hoss.

I assume that by TR you meant Teddy Roosevelt? The same guy who said:

"I should welcome almost any war, for I think this country
needs one."

and earned a Medal of Honor for risking his ass in a real fight? The same guy who was shot in the chest while giving a speech, and finished despite his wound?

I wonder what TR would think about Hillary wanting to license him to own the "high powered" and "high capacity" rifles that John Browning built with such exquisite craftsmanship?

Yeah, I'm sure TR would be real proud. Nice try.

REAL Future Weapons

So I found this picture in a Defense magazine:

and I thought it looked like a Covenant weapon from the game Halo...with Harris bi-pods.

I guess Defense contractors are gamers.

Your Report Card Doesn't Help

So the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Ownership released its 2007 "report card" which puts Kalifornia as number one in the country, in regards to having the most effective gun control laws. Yeah, how are those laws working out for you? If Kalifornia scored 79 points and their crime rate looks like this, than who the hell came in last and are there any survivors? Check here for violent crime by state for 2006, the most current on record.

I'm not trying to dance in their misfortunes, but Kalifornia has some of the most ridiculous laws mankind has ever devised. The people are all but stripped by law of an effective means of defense outside their homes while the criminal element goes about their day ignoring the same laws and terrorizing the citizens.

Have no fear!! Microstamping is here!!

What is the Kali government going to take away next next? Gasoline? Knives? Paper from skateboarders? The emasculation is almost complete. Gun control sure isn't the solution, so maybe try a little criminal control.

Part 1 - Anatomy of a Cartridge

This is the first part of a three piece post. In this post I will describe the components of a cartridge and how it works. This will be very fundamental so if you are a shooter than you may get bored. The second piece will be on body armor and how it works. As you can guess, the third part will be a combination of both as an illustrated test of a ballistic vest. Let's get started.



Here is a picture showing the components. On the left is a .223 Remington rifle cartridge, and on the right is a .44 Magnum pistol cartridge. This is the breakdown:

1. The cartridge. A cartridge is a group of components fit into a metallic case that can be fired in a firearm.



2. The bullet. This is the projectile that is discharged from a firearm. They are made of many materials including lead, copper and lead, bronze, and brass. Some are designed to break apart on impact, expand on impact, or just penetrate with little or no expansion. The most common bullets are made of lead with a copper jacket.



3. The cartridge case. The case holds all of the components and protects them. Usually made of brass, sometimes the case is made of aluminum or steel.



4. The case head. This is the strongpoint of the case. The hole in the case head is the primer pocket.



5. The primer. The primer is struck by the firing pin of the firearm causing it to emit a small but very hot flame, which starts the firing process by igniting the propellant.



6. The propellant. The propellant for modern cartridges is a smokeless type of gunpowder which when ignited turns into a gas. The gas pushes the bullet down the barrel of the gun and out of the muzzle.
   

That is all there is to a metallic cased cartridge or a "round," as in "rounds of ammunition." Here is an animation showing how a cartidge is fired in a gun:

Pistol cartridges generally fire a heavy bullet at slow velocities. A .45 ACP fires a 230 grain, .45 caliber bullet at around 850 feet per second (FPS). The effectiveness of a pistol cartridge depends on the size, or caliber, of the bullet and other factors like the amount of propellant in the case. They are useful at close range for hunting or personal defense. Most hunting or defensive pistol bullets are copper jacketed hollowpoints which are designed to expand in a controlled manner inside of the target. Contrary to popular belief, hollow points are not designed to penetrate bullet resistant vests and are actually less effective than other designs such as full metal jacketed bullets.

Full metal jacketed bullets are desiged for penetration. These are used almost exclusively in combat by our troops. They are easy to manufacture making them ideal for target practice. Since they do not expand, they penetrate farther in a target and cause less tissue damage than hollowpoints, which is why they are not often used for defense. A 9mm or .45 caliber full metal jacketed bullet can penetrate through a person and still be a danger to anyone in the line of fire. Hollowpoints generally stop inside the target making them a safer choice for personal defense.

Rifle cartidges generally fire a lighter projectile at high velocities. Like pistol cartridges, the effectiveness is determined by the caliber of the bullet, the shape of the case, and the amount of propellant in the case. The 7.62x39mm cartridge fires a 115 grain, .30 caliber bullet at about 2,400 fps. The .300 Winchester Magnum fires a 180 grain, .30 caliber bullet at up to 3,000 fps.


Rifles are used for all ranges; from close range for house clearing or dangerous game, mid range for hunting or sniping, or long range for competition, sniping, experienced hunters or fun. Rifles are incredibly versatile and can be used for just about any purpose, and the proper cartridge has to be considered to that end. A .22 magnum would not be considered to stop a charging bear, and a .460 Weatherby Magnum would be considered overkill for groundhogs.


Next up is a shotgun shell, or shotshell. Here are the components:

1. Shotshell. This is the unfired shell as it would be loaded into a shotgun. The translucent and red shotshells on the right and left are 12 guage highbrass shells and the yellow shotshell in the center is a 20 guage lowbrass shell.



2. Shot. Pictured here is birdshot, buckshot, and a slug.



3. Shotshell hull. This holds all of the components together. This one is made of plastic with a brass base. Low brass cases are used in low powered shotshells, high brass cases are used for high powered shotshells such as buckshot or slugs.



4. Shotcup or Wad. This holds the shot together until it exits out of the muzzle of the shotgun. After it exits it will slow down and allow the shot to continue on its path.



5. Propellant. When ignited the propellant turns into a gas which pushes the slug or shot out of the muzzle.



6. Slug. Inside the translucent hull is the soft lead slug.

• Primer. Not pictured. The primer is struck by the firing pin of the shotgun causing it to emit a small but very hot flame that ignites the propellant. This is a 209 primer which is sometimes used on a muzzle loader.
  

Shotgun shells started out using brass as a case, or hull as it's called today. Other stuff was also used for the hull like paper, but then the shells were not water resistant. Todays modern shotgun shells use a plastic hull with a brass base.

There are many types of projectiles that can be used in a shotgun, the first being the obvious which is shot. Shot comes in different sizes for different uses. Smaller shot is used for killing birds like doves and quail, or for killing tiny critters like squirrels or rabbits. Larger shot is used for geese and turkeys, and finally the largest type of shot, buckshot, is used for the larger game like deer.

Buckshot is often used by military, police, and citizens for personal defense against a human threat. Buckshot fires as many as 45 pellets and as little as 8 pellets depending on the size of the shot and the guage of the shotgun, making it very useful for putting many holes in a target at one time. Buckshot is used at close range where it is devastating on a soft target. At ranges beyond 50 yards it looses its effectiveness because the shot spreads out enough that a single target cannot be engaged.

Buckshot has endless versatility. It is used to blow off locks, blow out door hinges, and pop tires. At close range, buckshot can be very effective at stopping a felon or insurgent driving a car. Hollywood and anti-gun people have spread some myths about buckshot, the most prominent being that you can "cover a wall" with a shotgun using buckshot, meaning that the gun can be fired without aiming and still hit the target. This of course is false. Buckshot fired in a home or a building will spread out very little, often times making almost one hole at distances of 30 feet or less.

Shotgun shells can be loaded with single projectiles as well. This can vary from beanbags and wooden dowels for less-than-lethal situations, to fin stabilized explosive charges used by Marines to open doors. By far the most popular is the slug, which as you will see in part three of this series can be devastating.

A slug is usually made of soft lead but now technology has made some types of slugs as effective as a rifle by using a copper jacketed bullet. Most slugs are used within 100 yards, but some more advanced types can be used out to 200 yards or more. Hunters often use slugs for killing deer, or for large and dangerous animals like bears or lions. A 12 guage shotgun loaded up with slugs is very comforting when one is around animals that can kill you.

The last bit covered will be muzzle loaders. This is the same technology that was used in the American Revolution and the American Civil War. Muzzle loaders do not fire cartridges. They have to be loaded from the muzzle with gunpowder and then a bullet, and lastly primed with a priming cap or a shotgun primer.

Modern muzzle loaders use newer technology to make them more accurate, more reliable, and to increase their range. Copper jacketed bullets are now used to help control the expantion of the bullet and to make them more aerodynamic for accuracy. Shotgun primers are often used instead of priming caps because they are more water resistant and produce a hotter flame. Modern muzzle loaders can humanely take game out to 250 yards or more making them a very capable but one shot weapon.

Moonbattery against the USMC

If you haven't been following the crazyness that is going on in California against our Marines then your wrong. Sometimes I wish Kalifornia would break off and fall into the sea. Story here, video here and here.

There is also moonbattery going on in Toledo against our Marine Reservists. Check it out here.

These people are just nuts. They would never be able to pull that off here.

When Will They Finally Learn

Virginia is an open carry state. That is, a non-felon can open carry a firearm without any sort of permission from their government. The only problem with this is the combination of New England liberals who have moved down here from an anti-freedom state like Massachusetts, and cops who don't know the law. These New England liberals have only seen criminals with a gun, so when they see a free man or woman carrying a gun they immediately stain their Jordaches and call the cops.

So an upstanding Virginian citizen decides to open carry because he can. After all, a right not exercised is not a right at all. He is promptly detained. He was very up to date on all laws which was fortunate, and he says the 10 cops that responded were professional, but they tried to manipulate him which is bad. He followed up on this incident with a FOIA and got some results.

The readers digest version brought to you by The Agitator. The full story from the victim is here.

The thing that burns me up is that it keeps happening. I have never been stopped for open carry of a firearm, but I have been harassed for having a knife. I think the Sheriff and his Deputies in my neck of the woods are professional and know the law, but I have serious doubts about the city police. Time will tell.

I Knew Hockey Was Dangerous but...Wow!

Check this out! Florida Panthers forward Richard Zednick got his throat cut by a skate last night in a freak accident. I didn't think ice skates were that sharp!

Journalistic Incompetence

Brought to you by The News Leader in Staunton, VA. Discovered by the Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL).

Here we have the typical deception and hysteria that virtually all journalists like to employ against anything gun related:

"Year of the gun
OK, let's get this straight: A year after the deadliest massacre in U.S. history happened on Virginia soil, state legislators are considering a bill that would allow people carrying concealed weapons into bars."

Dancing in the blood of a tragedy? You tell me. What they are not telling you is that it is LEGAL to carry into bars in VA already, as long as you open carry. They also don't mention that VA law prohibits carrying a firearm while drinking...period. The only difference is that this law will allow one to conceal their gun in a bar or a restaurant that serves alcohol to be consumed on premises. Like Olive Garden. It will not let you drink and carry as that is still illegal. Got it? Now check this out:

"The NRA has to be jumping for joy, because, after all, any bill that weakens the control of loaded weapons is a win for their members, right?"

"Tossing back a few whiskeys beside a guy with a .44 Magnum on his hip isn't just a volatile situation — it's a Molotov cocktail."

Ooooh, great word play there! So the gun rights advocates are irrational because they value their rights and are advocating what cops have asked them to do in the past. Wierd! Well then lets just imply that gun owners want to drink in public while carrying a firearm! Good stuff here! This just tells me that they didn't read the legislation but instead chose to make statements based on emotion.

"And no, the man responsible for the massacre at Virginia Tech wasn't in a bar, in fact, there's no evidence that he'd been drinking. He was, however, mentally impaired, and state lawmakers are busy making sure the loopholes of evaluation he slipped through are sealed. We hope, at least. They certainly dropped the ball on the gun show loophole."

So tell me again why you were blood dancing about Virginia Tech at the begining of this rag? It's fascinating to me how journalists have been singing the "gun show loophole" B.S. for decades, yet have not even done a google search. Here, I'll make it easy for you. Last thing:

"After all, if this bill prevails and Virginia returns to its frontier heritage of roughnecks with guns bellying up to the bar, the owners will be left to clean up the bloody mess."

Actually, they can belly up to the bar now, as long as they buy a coke! Didn't you read the bill?

Update: VA law allows one to consume alcohol while open carrying. That should make this law even more important to the anti's because it bars one from drinking while carrying. I know tht alcohol and guns don't mix, but I personally don't see the problem with having a beer or a glass of wine with my wife when I'm out at a restaurant.

Once and for all

In response to this garbage introduced last year which would re-authorize the deceptively named assault weapons ban, ironically named H.R. 1022, I have decided to post a few of the firearm myths that have been plaguing the internet for decades. This silly bill was introduced by Senator McCarthy (D-NY), who was later cornered by Tucker Carlson of MSNBC about the "barrel shroud" criteria in the bill. The senator grudgingly conceded she had no idea what it was, saying:

"I believe it is a shoulder thing that goes up."

In light of her ignorance of firearms and incompetence as an elected official, I will start with the barrel shroud. I reference Wikipedia in the attempt to use a neutral source. There is a wealth of information on various pro-gun websites. If you want real detailed information, I direct you to The Gun Zone.

H.R. 1022 defines a barrel shroud as:

(36) Barrel Shroud- The term `barrel shroud' means a shroud that is attached to, or partially or completely encircles, the barrel of a firearm so that the shroud protects the user of the firearm from heat generated by the barrel,..

So by definition stated in this bill it is a safety device to protect the user from burns. Perfect! What great criteria to ban something! Humor aside, banning a barrel shroud will do nothing to prevent crime. A barrel shroud looks militant because it started out as a means to protect machine gunners from burning themselves on a hot barrel. It also facilitated cooling of the barrel by providing holes for air and increasing the surface area. They are not used much on modern machine guns because they have been replaced by handguards with forward grips as well as quick change barrels. Pictures here. Banning a barrel shroud from regular semi-automatic weapons is just a witch hunt.

The next item covered will be the very misunderstood pistol grip. The pistol grip strikes fear into the heart of moonbats, liberals, and soccer moms nation wide. The fear is driven by this absurd idea that it enables one to "spray fire" from the hip. First thing to address is not one modern army "spray fires" or "fires from the hip." This technique, called the "beruit offhand" by Marines, is completely ineffective and will ensure that the shooter gets zapped by trained marksman firing from the shoulder. Machine gunnery has changed since WWI in that thousands of massed troops no longer blindly run into your field of fire waving their colors and blowing a bugle. Firing long bursts in combat can cover a road or hallway, but professional Warfighters don't spray rounds in a random sweeping motion if they want to cover their buddies with effective fire.

A pistol grip serves many functions. It allows a shooter to keep the weapon aimed with one hand while using the support hand for other functions like calling 911 on a cellphone. It gives a stronger grip to keep the weapon from being snatched out of the user's hand. A pistol grip sometimes holds the magazine to allow the user to recharge the weapon during a stressful event. This is called the "hand finds hand" concept which works great. The fire controls are ergonomically placed to be manipulated by the user with his or her hand on the grip.

Most rifles and shotguns have a pistol grip of sorts; it just depends on how prominent it is. They do not make a firearm any more deadly than any other and to ban a gun because it has one is beyond stupid.

Next up is a bayonet lug. Seriously. Have you ever heard of someone being murdered in the U.S. by someone with a bayonet mounted on a rifle? I didn't think so. There have been plenty of innocent civilians murdered by their own government with mounted bayonets, but in our society it just doesn't happen. So why would someone neeeeeed to have a bayonet lug? First, you can take need and shove it. Free men and women don't live their lives confined within what beaurocrats think they need. Just for fun, here is a more in depth answer. In the U.S. there is a fascination with the service rifle in use by our military, past and present. There are millions of shooters who are hard working, tax paying, law abiding folks who shoot in service rifle events across the country. Service rifles have bayonet lugs. To ban them is to ban the sport. It won't stop the first criminal so what exactly is the purpose? That's right, nothing. Moving on.

Flash suppressor. Extremely misunderstood. A flash suppressor or flash hider as it is erroneously called, does not hide the muzzle flash at all. It only re-directs the flash. There are many reasons. It can help maintain the shooters night vision by directing the flash off to the sides instead of up into the shooters line of sight. The A2 birdcage flash suppressor on the M16 and many AR15's are closed on the bottom to keep the muzzle blast from kicking up dust and debris which could inhibit the shooters field of view. Sometimes they are used to keep the muzzle from rising while firing by venting gasses up. Flash suppressors will not help a madman intent on murdering people, but they are found on service rifles, which as we covered above are used by millions of non-violent people who like to shoot competitively.

If one really wants to limit muzzle flash, then register and buy a sound suppressor with the ATF. Or buy ammunition that lessens flash by using specially made propellant. Either way, legislating flash suppressors makes no sense.

Speaking of sound suppressors, many of them mount to the firearm by threading onto the barrel. So naturally this bill lists a threaded barrel as criteria to make a firearm an "assault weapon." Sound suppressors are a safety item that limits the hearing damage caused by the report of the shot. I don't have one yet, which is unfortunate, because I have severe hearing loss in my left ear due to over two decades of shooting rifles. In some European countries, suppressors are not even regulated. That's because it's a non-issue. In the U.S. they are legal as long as you pay a large tax and register them with the ATF which regulates them using the National Firearm Act (NFA).

Lawmakers and hollywood have managed to brand suppressors as something that only assassins would use, which is foolish, especially considering that gun ranges across the country are being shut down due to "noise pollution." Why would the mere mortal masses in the U.S. neeeeeed a sound suppressor? Once again, take need and shove it. If that isn't enough, then consider what would happen to a homeowner if they fire a gun at an intruder in their house. That's right; it would be the last thing either of them hear. Owning a piece of metal does not make someone violent. Banning something entirely useful to the citizens makes them a tyrant and a fool.

(iv) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at a location outside of the pistol grip. This is one of the criteria for a pistol to be an "assault weapon." What jackass conjured up this turd? This has absolutely nothing to do with public safety and everything to do with an ignorant senator looking at a picture of a pistol and trying to find a militant feature to ban. Anyone who argues otherwise shouldn't be allowed to drive a car. Really.

Other things H.R. 1022 tries to ban:
Obsolete firearms like the "street sweeper." Sounds menacing doesn't it? But, but, if it's obsolete than what reason would it be added into this legislation? It looks menacing. That's it. It has nothing to do with public safety. Why should it not be included in this shit bill? Because many good citizens collect things like firearms, to include neat guns like the street sweeper.

(L) A semiautomatic rifle or shotgun originally designed for military or law enforcement use, or a firearm based on the design of such a firearm, that is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, as determined by the Attorney General. Because Attorney Generals are such experts with firearms, no doubt. They are such upstanding individuals that they can burn the citizens of this country to death in a church without remorse and then imprison the handful of survivors. Great plan! Virtually all rifles and shotguns were designed for military use, so that doesn't make sense. And you can also take "sporting purposes" and shove that too. Firearms have lots of non sporting purposes that can be used by the free citizens of this great country.

The last thing I will talk about is how "assault weapon" is misleading. Any object used to harm a person is an "assault weapon" so the term is moot. Automatic weapons are already regulated by the ATF through the NFA. Semi-automatic firearms, which are the target of this ban, fire one cartridge for every trigger pull; they just look similar to automatic weapons. The use of automatic weapons and their potential are wildly overstated. Standard shoulder fired rifles that are select fire, that is, they are capable of semi-auto and automatic fire, are not effective at "mowing down" crowds of people. They are designed to place multiple rounds into one target at close range on automatic fire, and place single aimed rounds into a target at distance.

That's what I've got. I'll post more sometime. I hope this helps some misguided journalist in the future.

Fobus Ankle Holster Review

OK, so I've never had an ankle holster before so I don't have anything to compare this one to, but maybe that has an advantage as I don't have any favorites. To tell you the truth, I thought I wouldn't like it and just drop it in the bottomless box of holsters. I have bought quite a few Fobus holsters over the years and have nothing but praise for them. Most of their paddle holsters start at $25.00, so for $50.00 you can have a gun holster and magazine holster that will last for many years. That is exactly how many of my carry guns have started out.

While consulting google-the-wise one day, I came across a Fobus ankle holster for $39.95 on Magills.com. Not a bad price considering others start out at twice that price. I bought the one for a Glock 26 and have been sporting it around to find out how I like it. Here's the holster with my Glock:

The little pistol snaps into the holster pretty tight and I don't see it inadvertently coming out in a scuffle. The instructions say to practice with an unloaded gun until the user is "thoroughly competent and proficient in its safe use." There are lots of other warnings listed to avoid the legal minefield that is our rule of law.

Also of note is that the instructions say "do not use the trigger shoes or the grip adapters!" I'm not sure about the shoes but the grip adapters probably include the ones from Pierce Grip which I have for this Glock. It is obvious that the instructions are for all of their holsters considering it talks about the paddle and roto holsters as well.

This thing takes only seconds to strap onto your ankle using the velcro strap. Cinch it down pretty tight, not too tight, and you may have to re-adjust once you holster the pistol. It takes some pressure to get the gun snapped in and when you do this is what you've got:

For all of its small size I think the Glock 26 is pretty big to wear on the ankle. My wife's Kahr PM9 would be better suited for this role, but I often carry a Glock 17 which makes the Glock 26 the choice for a BUG. Virginia law is kinda murky when it comes to more than one gun but I don't read anything that would make me think that it's illegal. Two is one and one is none.

This would be where you re-adjust to make sure that the holster won't spin around your ankle when you walk. Also note that I have half boots on. This helps keep the holster up higher. I don't know how this holster will work wearing regular tennis shoes but I'll check that out when I have time. I think if I wear this over regular 9" boots it would be even more comfortable than it is now. If you wear white socks they will turn black around where the padding from the holster sits and it doesn't take but a couple of hours for this to take place.

Here is a picture of the Glock with the Pierce Grip installed:

I think I will carry with the flush magazine installed to keep it a low profile. This definitely will not be my regular mode of carry anyways, I use a DeSantis Nemesis pocket holster for this gun day-to-day with the Pierce Grip magazine in the gun. My spare magazine is usually the standard flush fit mag, but sometimes I will have a full sized Glock 17 mag as a back up.

I initially though about buying this holster for my little Taurus 85 but the Glock 26 made more sense. The Glock is way more accurate, holds more rounds, has better sights, is a better backup for the Glock 17, and is just as small. The full sized and subcompact Glock team is just good-to-go. I bet police officers around the country carry a pair of Glocks for just that reason. I really wish I still had my Glock 20 so I could go out and get a Glock 29 to match. It makes it way easier to have spare mags that are compatible with both guns.

Last part of all of this is how well it conceals and how comfortable it is. Here is the gun concealed by my pant leg:

Nothing exciting there. It is very comfortable and it stays put all day. A slow 20 yard sprint doesn't make it move and that's about as far as I run these days. Maybe I'll pick a fight with my brothers to see if that makes the gun move, or not.

Wearing this in public is no problem. Nobody screamed "HE'S GOT A GUN!!" and ran off flailing their arms so that's a good thing. I'm wearing Levi 560 jeans with a slight taper in the leg and I think a boot cut or straight leg would be even better. This definitely won't work with my 5.11's unless I went up a size larger.

Sliding the pant leg down over the gun and holster feels a little tight but I can pull it back up over the gun and draw with no problem. I will have to do some draw and shoot drills and get those results posted here later. Maybe I'll pick up a shot timer to get some really good data.

Well that's all I have. When I get more time I will do more testing.

Update: The ankle holster has been serving well. I was wrong about the half boot helping to hold the holster up. The bottom edge of the holster slides in between the top edge of the boot and my ankle which produces a small but painful bruise after a few hours of wear. New Balance hiking shoes have been working better and the Glock 26 rides comfortably all day. I still think the pistol is a tad large for ankle carry.

One thing to avoid is smacking the pistol against the rocker panel of your vehicle when your getting in. You get used to it after a few hard bumps. It doesn't matter whether you wear a sock or not from a comfort standpoint, the holster stays put regardless.

Drawing is better than I anticipated. I would still recommend straight leg jeans over any with a taper, but I have no problems with the draw either way. You have to draw with a sense of purpose as the holster holds the pistol very tight. Re-holstering can feel like the gun doesn't fit but you just have to give it a good push.

Overall I'm very impressed. The price was good and I don't think I can wear it out in my lifetime. I know I can get the pistol out in a hurry and I know it won't come out when I don't want it to.

Try one, you won't be disappointed.