What Is It?

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Fun With Junk

The Fecal Slinging Primate has some great uses for those old wandering Tasco scopes.

Remember Me

The Reason Many Carry

"Arthur Buford is dead, and that's a sad thing.

Arthur had his whole life ahead of him. He was just a kid, after all - a 15-year-old freshman at John F. Kennedy High School.

What he didn't know, as he approached Damon Wells' house in southeast Cleveland on Saturday night, was that his whole life consisted of just a few more seconds. Arthur had a gun, which he and another youngster apparently thought would give them the power to take something from Wells, who was standing on the front porch.

Whatever Arthur's plan was, it unraveled. It didn't account for the possibility that the guy who looked like an easy mark would have permission from the state of Ohio to carry a concealed weapon, or that he would bother to arm himself just to walk to the neighborhood store and back.

Arthur's plan depended on catching Wells off-guard. But Wells wasn't off-guard. He had a plan of his own, against the day when someone like Arthur might come along.

Wells' plan was to avoid becoming a crime victim, and that's how Arthur ended up dying of several gunshot wounds to the chest. Wells hasn't given The Plain Dealer much more than monosyllables, and I don't blame him. What would he say? That he's sorry he was prepared? That he's sorry he defended himself?

Unless he's a man without a conscience, he probably finds it regrettable that it came down to a him-or-me situation. But it's clear that he's not a man devoid of the desire to go on living, so he's got to be glad that it turned out to be "him, not me." But you can't just come out and say that sort of thing without the sensitivity police coming after you, so the less said the better.

The real police, however, aren't planning to charge Wells with anything. They say the shooting was justified. It's just about impossible to argue that, but here come the arguments.

Arthur's relatives and friends are upset that the law isn't going after Wells.

They want someone to blame - other than Arthur. But they shouldn't be allowed to bully the police or the city administration into taking action against a guy who was minding his own business on his own porch when suddenly confronted by an armed teenager.
Then there's the conceptual side of the argument - the big-picture side that says citizens shouldn't be allowed to have guns and certainly shouldn't be allowed to walk around with them.

This kind of incident proves knee-jerk gun foes wrong, and they know it. "This is one of the few where they actually used it [a legally carried concealed weapon] to stop a crime," Toby Hoover of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence grudgingly told a Plain Dealer reporter.

But there are more than a few such cases. There are thousands every year, all over the country. And where are the statistics on gun crimes committed by holders of concealed-carry permits? Something tells me that if they happened at anything approaching the rate of the hundreds of thousands of crimes perpetrated against unarmed Americans every year, we'd be hearing more about them.

The fact is, the concealed-carry "threat" has turned out to be malarkey, just as it was in the many states that debated such laws long before Ohio.

Three of my last four columns have had to do with young people getting killed, and that's a sad thing. In two of those cases, a teenage boy was in the wrong place at the wrong time, doing wrong when someone shot him.

In the third, 32 college students were doing what they were supposed to do.

After I wrote about last week's outrage at Virginia Tech University, I got a series of sneering e-mails from a reader, along the lines of, "Next, you'll be suggesting that teachers should be armed."

I think I'll take him up on that.

Damon Wells is about the same age as the students killed at Virginia Tech. He's got his whole life still ahead of him, and because he was prepared, he'll actually get to live it - presuming he escapes thug-enforced street justice.

How different things might have been at Virginia Tech if Seung-Hui Cho hadn't had the only gun on campus."

Kevin O'Brien
Plain Dealer Columnist
kobrien@plaind.com

Bravo Mr. O'Brien, Bravo!

More.........

How NOT To Treat Your Revolver

Slow Motion Buckshot

Blogroll

I welcome Kenn Blanchard, also known as Black Man with a Gun to my blogroll. To quote Kenn,

I am one of the most audacious advocates of firearms ownership in the United States. I believe in the right of the law abiding to own firearms. What makes this an issue of contention is for those that do not hunt, collect, shoot recreationally, compete with or legally own their firearms. For them, guns not in the hands of law enforcement or the military are associated negatively.

As a former law enforcement trainer of American of African descent, I use this site to educate, enlighten and entertain all about inequalities in the practices of gun prohibition and the racism, ignorance and danger of not learning the truth.

Welcome, Kenn.

Barrel Shrouds

Black & Right

Thanks Bob Parks! It was a pleasure having rode that boat with you.

30 of 32

Courtesy of Oleg Volk

There She Is!

Miss America 1944, of Waynesburg Kentucky has a talent that has not been performed in a beauty pageant. She is quite handy with a snubby revolver. Venus Ramey followed her barking dog to a storage building on her farm in south-central Kentucky last week. There she found several trespassers, where thieves had stolen farm equipment previously.

Caught red handed by the first red headed Miss America, one man told her that he would just leave. Miss America wasn't having any of that. "I said, 'Oh, no you won't,' and I shot their tires so they couldn't leave," Ramey later said. "I didn't even think twice. I just went and did it. If they'd even dared come close to me, they'd be 6 feet under by now."

The 82 year old Miss America had to balance on her walker as she pulled out a .38 special snubby to ventilate the tires. A passing motorist then called 911.

Curtis Parrish of Ohio was charged with misdemeanor trespassing. Three other people were questioned but were not arrested. "I'm trying to live a quiet, peaceful life and stay out of trouble, and all it is, is one thing after another," Ramey said.

Carolyn McCarthy on Barrel Shrouds

Carolyn, if you are going to advocate banning something, at least have the common decency to learn what the hell it is you are banning! How about banning sphincter tomes as well?

Black & Right

Bob Parks on Virginia Tech

Dr Susanna Hupp on Virginia Tech

SW1911PD Range Report

A new lightweight 1911 was inevitable when Smith & Wesson began making their version of "old slabsides". In 2004, S&W first introduced the scandium alloy framed SW1911Sc. It weighed an overall 28-ounces, as opposed to the near 40-ounce weight of a standard Government Model. The pistol was an instant hit for a carry gun, and has proven to be durable and reliable. In 2006, Smith & Wesson showed they listened well to their customer base when they released the SW1911PD. The SW1911PD was essentially the same pistol, blacked out, with more discreet markings on the slide. When I found a used SW1911PD for sale at a good price, I quickly snapped it up.

Like the SW1911s before it, The SW1911PD has a serrated frontstrap, Novak sights, and a grip safety activated firing pin safety. The small parts are made of MIM, and the mainspring housing is checkered aluminum. From the factory, the pistol has a solid full length guide rod, and forward slide serrations, both of which I can live without. The external extractor on the SW1911 is not what John Moses Browning designed, (or rather, what the US Army requested), but Smith & Wesson had a lot of experience with external extractors on their double action auto loaders. Where external extractors fail on other 1911s, the S&W unit has a reputation for keeping on ticking.

To bring the pistol closer to my idea of a carry gun, I installed rubber S&W grips, a GI recoil set-up, and did a trigger job on it. Astute readers may notice a marking gone. With a Wilson magazine stuffed inside, I was ready to take the pistol to the range for reliability testing. I brought along 250 rounds of Winchester White Box 230 grain target ammo, as well as 50 rounds of Federal 230 grain HydraShoks. I also took a standard SW1911 to compare the scandium framed pistol to.

I had read how the scandium 1911s were more difficult to shoot, due to their lighter weight. I prepared myself for that, but I refuse to wear shooting gloves. Over the past three years, I had not read a single complaint regarding the frame being weak. That is a good thing, because I like to train with what I carry. If a pistol cannot stand up to the pounding I will give it in training, I really don't want to stake my life on it.

I started shooting with the SW1911PD, first, just making certain it was safe after my gunsmithing efforts, and then trying to make it jam. I limp wristed it. I shot it sideways. I rode my thumb on the slide. I shot it upside down. Not once did it fail to feed and shoot. The safeties functioned positively as advertised.

I shot all 300 rounds through the SW1911PD. It was a blast to shoot. It had a quick, certain return to sights, allowing for rapid recovery and follow-up shots. I found absolutely no difference in muzzle flip than what I am used to in a Government Model. Perhaps this is because I use a very strong isometric grip in a Chapman stance for my shooting. With my grip, the weight of the frame is simply not a factor in recoil.

I was, frankly, having a blast. Two shooters with Glocks were off to my right, and I was eating them up at 30 feet. I was punching holes in an index card taped to the chest of a silhouette target. There was a single ragged hole in that card. I was flying high. The SW1911PD was accurate. If I slowed down, it was a precision shooter. Then, I had a problem........I was out of ammo.

Damn. I went to the counter, and I bought another 100 rounds of 230 grain MagTech ammo. I decided I had better switch to the standard framed SW1911 immediately. I noted that the perceived recoil and muzzle flip was the same in my hands. I shot about 25 rounds through the standard SW1911 and I realized something else. The SW1911PD was actually easier for me to shoot! I could hold it up, with less effort, for a longer period of time. No wonder I had unknowingly blazed through my ammunition. My arms simply were not getting tired from holding the extra weight extended at arms length!

I only have 375 rounds through this pistol thus far, but it is showing great potential as a carry gun. I have little doubt that the reduced weight on my belt will result in less fatigue at the end of the day. I would have absolutely no hesitation about recommending this pistol to a woman as a carry gun, assuming she is familiar with the 1911 platform, and uses an isometric grip. I look forward to passing the 1000 round mark and putting the pistol into service as a carry piece.


Then, I wondered how it would compare to my Colt Compact.

Update: The first internet report on a SW1911PD frame cracking that I have come upon is here.

Virginia Tech: Solidarity

Like many people, over the past two days gun owners across America have witnessed with horror, the murders that occurred at Virginia Tech. We, too, feel the sense of loss, the utter emptiness, after an abhorrent event of such wickedness. We feel the anger rising up within our very souls at the evil that brings about such acts of malevolence. Gun owners see another wickedness, however, a pervasive and insidious wickedness.

Because the criminal carried a gun, many will equate the gun itself with the evil that played out on Virginia Tech's campus. That is understandable, I suppose, if one is looking for answers and only has the media as a reference source. A few people will believe murder sprung from Cho Seung-Hui because he was Korean. They may not verbalize this, except in whispers to their racist friends. They will believe it, nonetheless. Others will claim Cho Seung-Hui embarked on a murderous rampage because he felt the humiliation of poverty. That was the excuse he penned himself, after all. However nationality and depleted bank accounts do not cause people to go on bloody rampages. Guns do not either.

In the coming months, the events at Virginia Tech will no doubt be used by many for the advancement of political agendas. Gun rights will be assaulted by misguided legislation designed to protect the citizenry. Gun owners may begin to feel assaulted as well. Just as others will use the tragedy at Virginia Tech for the advancement of agendas, gun owners must stand resolute in their constitutional rights. Indeed, we must stand resolute in the rights of those who died at Virginia Tech, rights to self preservation that were stripped away in a Machiavellian move towards a Socialist society.

Gun owners are not "against" the people who had their lives violently stripped away at Virginia Tech. We are not. We are in solidarity with them. We are no more like Cho Seung-Hui because he bought a Glock than Song Hye Kyo is like him because she is Korean. Gun owners are in solidarity with the victims of violent crime everywhere, and that includes those at Virginia Tech. As a gun owner, I would never seek to harm these young students, but rather to arm them so they stand a chance against a heinous killer like Cho Seung-Hui.

Guns do not make people evil. Guns do not emit some malevolent force that impregnates the brain of those who touch them. Guns are not magic, and they are not evil. They are, however, tools that can be effectively used to protect people from evil. They are tools that can be used to protect people from the same kind of evil that stalked through Norris Hall on April 16, 2007. Gun owners do not just want to preserve the right to keep and bear arms for themselves, but rather, for everyone. Everyone like those who awoke to their last day on April 16, 2007. We are in solidarity with them. It is my belief that because they did not want to die helplessly at the hand of unmitigated evil, that they were in their last moments in solidarity with us. Protection from an unjust death is the very basis of the rights that gun owners cherish. The right to keep and bear arms is not about guns. It is not about militias. It is not about Rose O'Donnell. The right to keep and bear arms is about effective protection from a violent, unjustified death at the hands of a killer.

When faced with violent evil, often all it takes is one brave soul to make a difference. There were several brave people who died at Virginia Tech's massacre. Bravery alone is often not enough to resist armed evil. Bravery combined with training and a firearm is much more effective against armed evil than bravery alone. Gun control takes away the means to do what a person knows he must when confronted with a murderer. As a result, the murderer prevails until armed men arrive. Gun advocates simply desire that the means to resist a violent death be available to all law abiding citizens. The choice of whether a person decides to take up the means is a personal decision. The abolition of the right to self preservation is not.

Virginia HB 1572, proposed by Del. Todd Gilbert, R-Shenandoah County, on behalf of the Virginia Citizens Defense League died in the subcommittee stage in 2006. Virgina Tech spokesman Larry Hincker gave Virginia Tech's position on that bill afterwards, stating "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus." Virginia HB 1572 would have restored the ability of effective self defense to the students and faculty who died on April 16, 2007. That is the dirty little secret that the mainstream media will hide over the following months of debate.

It is my sincere hope that from the carnage at Virginia Tech, a mature comprehension of the importance of the second amendment for the average citizen will arise among young people in this nation. Like Suzanna Hupp learned in Killeen, Texas, a person cannot run from evil. Evil will come unannounced, and a man cannot stand up against it if he is not prepared to do so. Governments cannot legislate away tools a murderer may use to gain superiority. Evil will follow a man until he faces it, and criminals will find tools, just as they have done throughout history. Gaston Glock did not invent murder. He developed an effective means of dealing with evil.

Gun owners must not let the emotional arguments of their gun control adversaries distort the Virginia Tech massacre into what it is not. Lives were not lost at Virginia Tech because an evil man was armed, but rather because a just and law abiding man was not.

More......A Human Right

An interview with Suzanna Hupp

Timely Wisdom From Col. Cooper

"Weapons are the tools of power. In the hands of the state, they can be the tools of decency or the tools of oppression, depending on the righteousness that state. In the hands of criminals, they are the tools of evil. In the hands of the free and decent citizen, they should be the tools of liberty. Weapons compound man's power to achieve whatever purpose he may have. They amplify the capabilities of both the good man and the bad, and to exactly the same degree., having no will of their own. Thus, we must regard them as servants, not masters--and good servants of good men. Without them, man is diminished, and his opportunities to fulfill his destiny are lessened. An unarmed man can only flee from evil, and evil is not overcome by fleeing from it."

Virginia Tech Massacre

I am speechless. Lawdog is not. He said it better than I could.
Thank you sir.

Marko's thoughts.
Thanks Marko.

Michael Bane.
Thank you Michael.

Firearms Safety

SW1911PD Build-Up

One of the few detriments to the full size 1911 as a carry gun is the weight. Years ago, Colt introduced their aluminum framed Lightweight Commander and few if any manufacturers produced a lightweight 1911 afterwards. Then Smith & Wesson began making forays into the lightweight revolver world, using an alloy of scandium and aluminum. The result was a very strong, light gun frame. When S&W began to make 1911s, it was inevitable they would produce a lightweight framed version in the alloy. The first was the SW1911Sc, followed by the SW1911PD.

I bought my SW1911PD at Dave's pawn shop for $650. I liked the idea of a lighter carry gun, and even the Government Model size, but I wanted some details altered from what Smith & Wesson put out. The first item to go was the full length guide rod, in favor of an Ed Brown GI set-up. The cocobolo grips were swapped for S&W rubber panels, and a trigger job was in order. It is difficult to obtain Chip McCormick's trigger, which has become a favorite of mine, so I installed a trigger from Fusion Firearms. The quality and appearance is the same.

I stoned the hammer hooks to 0.020, and I replaced the sear spring with a Nowlin unit. I jammed a Wilson 47D magazine into the pistol. To be honest, the pistol needed no alteration. It has a good factory trigger. I just liked the idea of a blacked out 1911 for a carry gun, and thus, I decided to take it the extra distance. I lubricated and reassembled the gun, and I placed it in my range bag.

What The Hell Is Happening In Jena?

· On Thursday, August 31, 2006, a small group of black students asked if they could sit under a tree on the traditionally white side of the Jena High School square.
· The students were informed by the Vice Principal that they could sit wherever they pleased.
· The following day, September 1, 2006, three nooses were found hanging from the tree in question. Two of the nooses were black and one was gold: the Jena High School colors.
· On Tuesday night, September 5, 2006, a group of black parents convened at the L&A Missionary Baptist Church in Jena to discuss their response to what they considered a hate crime and an act of intimidation.
· When black students staged an impromptu protest under the tree on Wednesday, September 6, 2006, a school assembly was hastily convened. Flanked by police officers, District Attorney Reed Walters warned black students that additional unrest would be treated as a criminal matter. According to multiple witnesses, Walters warned the black student protestors that, "I can make your lives disappear with a stroke of my pen." This was widely interpreted as a reference to the filing of charges carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
· On Thursday, September 7th, police officers patrolled the halls of Jena High School and on Friday, September 8 th, the school was placed on full lockdown. Most students, black and white, either stayed home, or were picked up by parents shortly after the lockdown was imposed. The Jena Times suggested that black parents were to blame for the unrest at the school because their September 5th gathering had attracted media attention.
· Principal Scott Windham recommended to an expulsion hearing committee that the three white boys responsible for hanging the nooses in the tree should be expelled from school.
· On Thursday September 7, 2006, asserting that the noose were merely a silly prank inspired by a hanging scene in the television min-series 'Lonesome Dove', the committee opted for a few days of in-school suspension. The names of the three students were not released to the public for reasons of confidentiality.
· According to press accounts, on September 10, 2006, several dozen black parents attempted to address a meeting of the school board but were refused an opportunity to speak.
· At a second September meeting of the school board, September 18, 2006, a representative of the black families was allowed to give a five-minute statement, but school board refused to discuss the "noose issue" because the matter had been fully addressed and resolved.
· Although few major disciplinary issues emerged during the fall semester at Jena High School, there is strong evidence that several black male students remained unusually agitated throughout the semester and that disciplinary referrals on these students spiked sharply.
· On Thursday, November 30, 2006, the academic wing of the Jena High School was largely destroyed by a massive fire. Officials strongly suspect arson.
· Throughout the following weekend, Jena was engulfed by a wave of racially tinged violence.
· In one incident, a black student was assaulted by a white adult as he entered a predominantly white party held at the Fair Barn (a large metal building reserved for social events). After being struck in the face without warning, the young black student was assaulted by white students wielding beer bottles and was punched and kicked before adults broke up the fight. It has been reported that the white assailant who threw the first punch was subsequently charged with simple battery (a misdemeanor), but there is no documentary evidence that anyone was charged.
· In a second major incident, a white high school graduate who had been involved in the assault the night before pulled a pump action shotgun on three black high school students as they exited the Gotta-Go, a local convenience store. After a brief struggle for possession of the firearm, the black students exited the scene with the weapon.
· The Jena Times has reported that, in light of these racially-tinged incidents, several high school teachers begged school administrators to postpone the resumption of classes until the wave of hysteria had dissipated. This request was ignored and classes resumed the morning of Monday, December 4, 2006.
· Shortly after the lunch hour of Monday, December 4, 2006, a fight between a white student and a black student reportedly ended with the white student being knocked to the floor. Several black students reportedly attacked the white student as he lay unconscious. Because the incident took place in a crowded area and was over in a matter of seconds eye witness accounts vary widely. Written statements from students closest to the scene (in space and time) suggest that the incident was sparked by an angry exchange in the gymnasium moments before in which the black student assaulted at the Fair Barn was taunted for having his "ass whipped".
· The victim of the attack is close friends of the boys who have admitted to hanging the nooses in September of 2006.
· Within an hour of the fight, six black students were arrested and charged with aggravated battery. According to The Jena Times, at least a dozen teachers subsequently threatened a "sick-out" if discipline was not restored to the school. According to the Alexandria Town Talk, District Attorney Reed Walters responded to the teacher's threat by upping the charges on the six boys to attempted second degree murder and conspiracy to commit second degree murder, charges carrying a maximum sentence of life in prison.
· On the basis of the charges filed by the District Attorney's office, all six black students have been expelled for the remainder of the school year and, according to The Jena Times, several teachers quickly demanded that the accused boys be barred from the school for life.
· On December 13, 2006, District Attorney, Reed Walters published a statement in The Jena Times in which the young men arrested in the school fight incident were characterized as criminals who had been terrorizing both the school and the community. The sloppy wording of the statement and an introduction associating the tirade with the "recent two incidents at Jena High School" created the impression that those accused of involvement in the fight were also suspected of setting the school fire.
· The Louisiana Rules of Professional Conduct 3.6(a) state that: "A lawyer who is participating or has participated in the investigation or litigation of a matter shall not make an extrajudicial statement that the lawyer knows or reasonably should know will be disseminated by means of public communication and will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicative proceeding in the matter."
· At a January 29 2007 school board meeting, called to consider the possibility of reversing the decision to expel the students, District Attorney Reed Walters, appeared as the school district's legal counsel. Although it is standard practice in Louisiana for district attorneys to represent the local school board, there is strong evidence that the disciplinary investigation undertaken by the school and the criminal investigation of the December 4 fight are virtually indistinguishable. This heightens the impression that the charges filed by DA Reed Walters reflect the understandable hysteria engulfing both the student body and the school faculty in the wake of the school fire and a weekend of racial violence.

More

Pawn Shop Circuit: Buy A Gun Day

When Smith & Wesson first announced their scandium framed 1911, I knew I wanted one of the lightweight carry guns. The high initial price was prohibitive though. Dave first put this pistol on his shelf in November. He marked it $750, and I waited. Finally, in January, he marked it down. It came with the box, all the papers, two magazines, and even the S&W bushing wrench. I placed it on layaway. National Buy A Gun Day is a day set aside by gun bloggers to purchase and encourage others to purchase a firearm. Consider it a consultation on tax day.

Today, I had waited long enough to finally get my SW1911PD out of lay away at Dave's pawn shop. I only owed $136 more of the $650 purchase price, so I drove over to pony up. Dave had a Taurus revolver, a S&W double action pistol, and a couple of black plastic fantastics on the shelf. I handed him my paperwork, and he left to remove my SW1911PD from the safe. It was as nice as it had been when I first saw it. I began to fill out a 4473.

While Dave was ringing up the sale, I noticed a black leather holster on the rack with the rifles. I asked if it was for sale. "Of course, Xav, what's it worth to you?" asked Dave as he handed it to me.

It was a Galco canted holster for a pistol with a square triggerguard. "Not much", I replied honestly.

Dave made the NICS call, took my money, and brought me my receipt. Then he took the holster off the rack, and placed it on top of my things, saying "Take it. You buy enough guns here." Good guy, that Dave.

Illinois State Police Recommendations

Tam has done a superb job answering the Illinois State Police recommendations for women's self defense. I guess we should all listen to their recommendations. After all, they are profeshinulls. They recommend:

Articles common to your handbag that make useful defense weapons.

nail file
rat tail comb
teasing brush
pens and pencils
keys
anything rigid

Ok, I can go along with that "anything rigid" idea.........

The ISP goes further to recommend:

Concentrate on these areas only when combating an assailant.

groin
eyes
ears
nose
throat

I would add COM will do just fine, thank you.

Woodpecker Rescue

Right after WWII, Smith & WessBAM!............What the hell was that?
I went outside to find a red headed woodpecker quivering on the pavers, outside the huge picture windows that overlook the tropical garden jungle in my backyard. He had apparently flown straight into the window at high speed and stunned himself.

Cats were afoot, so I wrapped him in my jacket, and took him inside to recover in a dog carrier. He seemed to be doing well after an hour or so, so we ushered our grey coon cat inside, and delivered the bird back to the garden. My daughter did the honors, and with a flourish, she opened the carrier door. In a blur, the bird was airborne and back in the trees, another disaster averted.

(Thank you for the ID Denise & John, it was a male Melanerpes carolinus)

Gunman Takes Hostages at a Gun Range?

TAMPA -- A Tampa man killed himself early Friday, leaving unhurt the three remaining hostages he held at gunpoint during a 10-hour standoff.

At a 3:30 a.m. news conference, Hillsborough Sheriff David Gee announced that Jeffrey Lane Dudney, 43, had shot himself inside Shooting Sports Inc., an indoor range and gun shop at 7811 N Dale Mabry Highway. Two other hostages had been released during the night.

Deputies closed the highway Thursday evening, causing a traffic nightmare, but the six-lane road was open for the Friday morning commute. Gee said he would not release the hostages' names until the investigation ended.

Here is how events unfolded, according to the sheriff:

At 4:45 p.m. Thursday, a range employee called 9-1-1 to report that Dudney, of 2210 Belle Chase Circle, was robbing the store.
Deputies reported hearing shots fired when they responded minutes later, but it turned out that patrons unaware of the robbery were still practicing in the range. Meanwhile, two customers had fled out the front door while others confronted Dudney.

Somehow, he ended up with five hostages: the woman who manages the range, a male employee and three male customers. Dudney had planned to steal a gun and flee Tampa, Gee said.

Tampa police arrested Dudney on April 6 on three counts of attempted first-degree murder. Police said he hit another car while driving under the influence and fled. When the unhurt passengers of the car he hit followed and confronted him, he threatened them with a .38 caliber pistol. He fired at their car as they tried to flee, shattering the rear window and injuring two passengers with shards of glass.

Jail records show Dudney was free on $150,500 bond. Soon, an army of law-enforcement officers had descended on Dale Mabry. Because Dudney had threatened to kill hostages if he saw even one police car, deputies closed the six-lane highway between Waters Avenue and Lambright Street.

About 200 deputies, Tampa police, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms agents and Federal Bureau of Investigation agents surrounded the building and diverted the river of traffic. Every few minutes, for the next 10 hours, Dudney threatened to kill the hostages one by one. Periodically, he would order four hostages to lie prone and bring the fifth to the door as a human shield.

"He was very agitated, very amped up," the sheriff said. The building made the tactical situation more difficult, Gee said. "It was basically a fortress. From a tactical standpoint it was probably the most difficult. The doors were welded and the windows were tinted. He could see out, but we couldn't see in."

At one point during the night, Dudney asked for medication in exchange for a hostage. A robot brought the information that deputies retrieved from his car and provided it to him. Hostage John Murray of Seffner was released. Negotiations continued, sheriff's officials said, and about 1:30 a.m. Dudney released a second hostage, Timothy Bechard of Tampa.

Officials said Dudney's demeanor moved from calm and cooperative to agitated and angry while making threats to shoot hostages. About 3 a.m. Dudney fired a single gunshot to his head, killing himself. The three remaining hostages walked out of the business. They were William "Chris" Perez, Mark G. Little and Margaret Flesche, all of Tampa. Little and Flesche were employees of the business.

Hattip to Sharp as a Marble

For Want of a Nail.........

"Do you want to get shot?" an enraged former employee demanded, as Alan Steinberg sat behind his desk in Gordon Advisors PC accounting firm in Troy, Michigan. Steinberg recognized his adversary as Anthony LaCalamita III, a recently fired auditor. For a moment, he thought LaCalamita was holding a toy gun. "Do you want to get shot?" LaCalamita again asked, ordering Steinberg to sit back down. LaCalamita then racked a 00 buckshot round into his Remington 870's chamber, shouldered the gun and aimed it at his target. Steinberg threw up his left arm, trying to push away the barrel. LaCalamita fired. Steinberg dropped to the floor, his hip shattered by buckshot. It was just after 10 a.m. on April 9, 2007.

Horrified workers cowered under their desks as LaCalamita stormed from that bloody office and down a long hallway, passing their offices and cubicles. Not one employee drew a concealed weapon. The murderer to be made eye contact with former coworkers as they scampered away. Within seconds, he reached his ultimate destination, Paul Riva's office. Madeline Kafoury, a receptionist and mother of four and grandmother of five, met him at the doorway. LaCalamita shot Kafoury in the abdomen, blasting buckshot through her body, shredding vital organs, taking her life. He then turned to an unarmed Paul Riva. "Good-bye, Paul," he then said coldly. He shot Riva in the chest.

Alan Steinberg was able to give police his account of what happened on Monday, but Riva has remained unconscious and is on life support. Madeline Kafoury died. A shackled and quiet LaCalamita was arraigned Wednesday on one count of first-degree murder, two counts of intent to commit murder, three counts of possessing a firearm in the commission of a felony, and one count of fleeing and eluding police. The gruesome account of LaCalamita's rampage through Suite 200 of the Troy Michigan firm, based on affidavits from Steinberg and other witnesses, was read aloud in 52-4 District Court. LaCalamita is a man with a history of suicide attempts and psychosis, which allegedly became murderous revenge over his job termination. He went to Gordon Advisors searching for the specific managers who had fired him the week before, according to law enforcement officials. A not guilty plea was entered for LaCalamita by the judge.

Police say his actions were calculated and organized. From the purchase of a Remington 870 12 gauge shotgun at 3:40 p.m. Friday, to the shooting itself, he was in total control of his behavior. He fled the scene, leading police on a chase north on I-75 past Saginaw and into Bay County, where he was subsequently taken into custody. "Goal-directed," Oakland County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Novy said, describing LaCalamita's actions. "You will hear that phrase throughout these proceedings." Novy said that because LaCalamita's actions seemed premeditated, it would be difficult for him to use his bipolar disorder as a defense. Good. That should not be a defense for murder anyway. Many people suffer with bipolar disorder, yet refrain from murder. Mental disease should never be an excuse for criminal actions.

Gun control advocates are now pointing out that LaCalamita was denied a permit to buy a handgun, based on his psychiatric history, claiming that he was then forced to resort to a shotgun. They are appear to be shocked that a shotgun will do just as bloody a job as a handgun, if not more so. Guess what........So will a baseball bat. Gun control advocates fail to understand that it is not the tool that kills, but the person weilding it. No gun law prevented Anthony LaCalamita from committing murder. No sign on the front door of Gordon Advisors PC accounting firm prevented him from taking a shotgun inside. A handgun in Alan Steinberg's hand and a bit of training under his belt could have saved lives. Madeline Kafoury and Paul Riva were not shot because a failed system allowed Anthony LaCalamita III to buy a shotgun. They were shot because Alan Steinberg did not have an effective means of self defense. That is the truth that the gun control nuts want to keep hidden.

Blog Update

Regular readers will note the new addition of labels to my posts. Also, quoted text will appear with a grey background. Hopefully this will eliminate some confusion.

Also, last night I had to finally accept a Google Account to maintain this blog. Ever since, I have had hell logging on to make a post. If posting becomes less frequent, that is why. I simply cannot waste thirty minutes trying to log on to Google's screwed up system. On the plus side, pictures are uploading quicker.

Blog Roll Addition

Signs that the Bush administration has made this a not-so-kinder and gentler nation is evidenced by the recent arrest of NASA astronaut Navy Captain Lisa Nowak for attempted kidnap and murder. No administration has ever produced killer astronauts with the possible exception of Herbert Hoover's, but I'm not totally sure about that.

Anyway, so the story is this Capt. Nowak drove halfway across the country to Florida, wearing a diaper so she wouldn't have to stop(!), with the intention of kidnapping and possibly killing this other skinny chick who had been eyeballing this hunky astronaut fly-boy that Nowak apparently had the hots for. Talk about "Days of Our Lives!" Anyway, she wasn't successful and got arrested, charged with multiple felonies, and then released wearing some kind of GPS tracking thing. You think that's weird? What comes next makes that seem tame.

Just two days later back in Florida, famous celebrity Anna Nicole Smith, America's premier space cadet, is suddenly found dead in her hotel room. Capt. Nowak is nowhere to be seen, and the connection is simply too obvious to overlook. Speculation is that the gravity of Ms. Smith's enormous breasts possibly pulling in astronauts from the nearby space center simply made her too much of a threat in Capt. Nowak's mind, and you can figure out the rest.

What turns a decorated female astronaut into a killer? What makes a traveling killer astronaut wear diapers? What makes a diaper-wearing female killer astronaut kill other women who attract astronauts? The questions are nearly endless, but the fact remains: a space cadet is dead, the world waits for answers, and astronaut Nowak, wherever she is, isn't talking.

Welcome to my blog roll Peace Moonbeam! Damn, that's some funny stuff!

Uncle Sam's Shooting Gallery: 100 Years

Camp Perry has been the host of the NRA sponsored National Rifle Matches since 1907. These are considered by many to be the "World Series of the Shooting Sports", drawing shooters of all types to compete in many different types of competition.

Back in 1940, this article in "Popular Science" declared:

TRAVELING in planes, trains, buses, private cars, trucks, and even on foot, more than 10,000 eager men, women, and youngsters from all corners of the nation will head toward the shores of Lake Erie in mid-August for the largest sporting event in the world. The lure that draws this myriad of bankers, housewives, G-men, clerks, police, shopkeepers, and citizens from practically every other walk of life, is the annual National Rifle Matches sponsored jointly by the U. S. War Department and the National Rifle Association.

In this mammoth gunpowder rodeo, millions of rounds of ammunition will be fired from pistols, .30 caliber rifles, and smallbore guns. Police will school themselves in getting the jump on criminals. Hundreds of beginners will learn how to shoot and how to handle guns safely. Marksmanship records will be assaulted, historic trophies won, and national champions crowned. And at the end of the three-week bullet jubilee, a new group of straight-shooting citizens will scatter to their homes to add to the defensive power of the nation and to the worldwide reputation of the United States as a country of crack shots.

The shooting starts August 18 at the Army’s Camp Perry, a few miles from the lake town of Port Clinton, Ohio. Nowhere else in the world, experts state, is there a rifle and pistol range that can compare with it. Here, stretched out side by side for two and a half miles, are target ranges of every size from 1,000 yards for .30 caliber rifle competition to twenty-five yards for pistol events. And around the fringe of the ranges is a far-flung city of tents to house the extensive Army personnel required to run the matches, and also to accommodate practically all the contestants and visitors.

For the matches are open to any citizen of the United States, and the Army will put up any American who wants to compete. Tents, beds, and bedding are supplied without charge, while a mammoth cafeteria serves meals at low prices. For the rifle or pistol fan who would like to bring his family, the “Squaw Camp,” a part of the reservation next to the bathing beach, is set aside. Here a man and his wife can have a floored, screened tent, with electricity, for $1.50 a day. Bringing junior along adds just fifteen cents a day to the tent cost.

And you don’t even have to own a gun, for the Army will issue you a .30 caliber rifle, or a .45 caliber pistol, and furnish all the ammunition you’ll need for match firing. If you’ve never fired a rifle, a competent Army instructor will show you how.

In addition to the vanguard of individual contestants, the Perry meet will attract civilian rifle and pistol teams from every state in the union, plus teams representing the National Guard, metropolitan police forces, the U. S. Army, Coast Guard, and Marine Corps, the Customs Service, the White House police, G-men, and other state and Federal agencies. Last year, almost 5,000 persons competed, firing a total of more than 3,000,000 shots.

Step out on the range when the matches get under way and you’ll see a sight that you’ll never forget. With the roar of service rifles in your ears, you will gape at a two-mile line of fire. Crack marksmen, lying prone, are battering bullseyes 1,000 yards away. Down the line, under the watchful eyes of soldiers and officers, civilians are getting their first chance at firing the new Garand semiautomatic rifle recently adopted by the Army.

Group by group, all along the firing line, the nation’s greatest shots, together with the dubs and rank tyros, are standing, sitting, kneeling, and lying prone, shooting rifles, pistols, and revolvers at various ranges, in timed-fire, rapid-fire, and slow-fire matches. Playing a sharpshooter’s swing tune, bullets whistle through the air and zing into the targets, or occasionally kick up a spatter as they miss the target and plow into the waters of Lake Erie beyond the butts.

Strolling down back of the firing line, or sighting along the pits behind the targets, you’ll marvel at the horde of Army officers and men needed to conduct all phases of the competition. You’ll note target spotters, range officers, scorers, checkers, computers, and messengers. In the pits, the trench back of the butts, you’ll watch enlisted men haul targets down from their racks in the line of fire, for checking, repair, and replacement.

Officials estimate that fifteen Army men are required for each ten contestants in order to run the matches in the smooth, efficient, and safe manner for which the meet is famed. An indication of how Army supervision makes for safety is found in the fact that only two casualties have coccurred in twenty-one years of match firing at Camp Perry.

Down at the left of the range, you’ll witness one of the most interesting phases of the Perry matches—the National Police School, where representatives from police departments in all sections of the country are schooled in the latest methods of police science, and sent back home as qualified instructors to their fellow officers in the home forces. Subjects studied in the full-week course include disarming an attacker, shooting at rapidly disappearing targets, using tear gas and the Thompson submachine gun, hand-to-hand fighting, and the fundamentals of jujutsu.

Here at the Police School is the famous “Hogan’s Alley,” a curious group of backless building fronts representing the dilapidated frame structures lining one side of the main street of Bucktown Gulch, Ariz., as it appeared in 1879. By means of a series of hand levers and attached cables, silhouette figures are popped suddenly into the window or door openings of “Bud Peagler’s Pool Parlor,” or the “Wa-hiawa Cafe,” while police try to drill them with pistol bullets before they disappear two seconds later.

Nearby is a replica of the rear of an automobile. Traveling on an overhead trolley, it speeds away as police fire at it in attempts to “blow” a rear tire. Similar in operation is a running-man target, which crosses the officers’ line of fire at an angle from left to right.

The value of this police training is dramatically revealed by the experience of the Detroit, Mich., police who have sent representatives ,to the school for years. When they first started, an average of four policemen lost their lives for every criminal killed in Detroit. Today, the average is one policeman to every eleven criminals.

At the opposite end of the range from the Police School, you run across hundreds of youngsters from eight to eighteen, some of whom will shoot it out for the junior championship of the nation, and some of whom are barely big enough to hoist a rifle to their shoulders. A U. S. Marine is assigned to each of these neophytes to give him expert instruction in the rudiments of rifle shooting and gun handling. Before the youngster comes out from under the wing of his leatherneck guide, he will have learned not only how to shoot a gun and handle it safely, but also how to clean it, take it apart, and put it back together again.

Truly a giant training ground for the development of the art of shooting, in all its phases from the instruction of future sharpshooters to the rewarding of record-breaking feats of marksmanship, the annual Camp Perry meet has had much to do with the establishment of shooting as one of the most popular American sports. And now, with national defense of primary importance, Perry’s influence may prove to have been of even greater value than that of a clean, wholesome sport in building up the armed might of the United States.

My, how things have changed! Or have they?

USS Missouri

Things My Wife Drags Home

Some would say I am a fortunate man. I have a wife who collects old C&R guns. That may seem like a blessing, until one realizes she is into shabby chic, British Colonial style, when it comes to her armament. She seems to know every old Mauser purveyor at the gun shows on a first name basis before I have the show scoped out for Smith & Wessons and Colts. I am lucky if she has not already made a purchase by the time I find her again.

My dear wife shoots her firearms, but just as important to her is how it accents the ambiance of the interior she is decorating. Clean unblemished stocks will not do for this lady. She prefers the ravages of war to be displayed in full effect across the grain of her Enfields. She is often amazed as I bring the price of a Turkish relic to less than a hundred dollars simply by telling the dealer what I will pay. My wife thinks I am a genius when it comes to gun bargaining.

Unfortunately, she also brings home other eclectic items. The latest was an old Corona typewriter. I could have said "What are you going to do with that?" I knew, however, that she would explain it would rest on her desk next to the 1940s telephone that does not work, and which is too heavy to cradle on her shoulder anyway.

"Cell phones are for communicating, this one is for looking at," she had informed me. Truthfully, I am simply thankful that she has met her goals in taxidermy acquisitions. After a Russian boar, a dusty pheasant, and an American Bison, she brought home the "Ugly Thing" last year. That was a horned, flat headed creature that continues to molt on my desk any time the wicker inlaid ceiling fans are activated.

The windfall of her eccentricity is I never have to hide my old guns from my wife. She may not understand why I search for finer examples, but she has never questioned the historical significance of guns like crushed Victory Models. Indeed, she revels in my descriptions of my old guns. She enjoys the history etched onto their surfaces by years of carry. There is danger in this, however.

When I showed her my Smith & Wesson .38 Double Action 4th Model, that I had spontaneously purchased at a gun show in January, she took it from my hands, telling me that an anniversary gift would be unnecessary this year. She's a slick one, that woman. She knows the eleventh and thirtieth are years for steel and pearl. One is past, the other is yet to be. Still, she has never questioned my purchase of a gun I will not shoot, just as I have never questioned her purchase of a keyboard she will never peck at, or a telephone she will never speak on. She has her idiosyncrasies, and I have my own. I also have the combination to my safe.

Damn Tam!

If that girl can dance as well as she writes, then it's time to shake out the sawdust and clear the floor!

Pawn Shop Circuit: One Down

"Where have you been?" asked Neil as I walked in his pawn shop today.
"Been busy with work" I replied.
"Well I tried to save a pistol for you, but a guy offered me $800, and you know....I gotta pay the light bill."
"What was it?" I asked.
"A Colt 45 with a long sight on top. The guy that brought it in kept saying it was worth more, that his father had bought it at a custom shop in Shreveport. Wadcutter gun, he called it."

That figured. It had been a week or two since I hit a pawn shop. Eventhough I had little use for a gnat fart gun, a Clark 1911 at a great price would have been nice. I took a look at Neil's gun shelf, as if to see what was not there. Neil had sold the nicer of the two Ruger MKIIs. The 50th Anniversary Model remained, still priced at $175.

I'm going to have to find the time to visit Dave and Kenny tomorrow.

Virginia CCW Records Closed

Christian Trejbal's misguided publication of an open record, a list of the identities of more than 135,000 Virginians licensed to carry a concealed handgun, has resulted in the record being closed.

Acting on the advice of Attorney General Bob McDonnell, the Virginia State Police will no longer release the information under the state's open records law.

More

Is ABC Biased?

Scanning over the comments in my last post, it seems that many consider ABC News to be biased in their reporting. That may be so. The NRA is wanting to give oversight of the facts and numbers submitted, and then, there is this John Stossel piece from January 23, 2003, on 20/20.

Armed Citizen Expose' on 20/20

Gun ban groups often claim that private citizens rarely, if ever, use guns in self-defense. ABC News’ "20/20" is now putting that claim to the test, asking viewers to submit their own real-life "Armed Citizen" stories. ABC’s website asks:

"Have you ever defended yourself from a crime in your home, in your business, or in public by using a gun? Perhaps you warded off a potential attacker by simply showing a gun?"

If you’ve personally used a gun in a legitimate act of self-protection against a criminal attacker, we encourage you to tell your story to ABC News. To tell your story, go here and complete ABC's web form.

To ensure that the NRA knows how many responses ABC gets, please send them a copy of your story by e-mailing armedcitizen@nrahq.org. You can also call NRA Public Affairs at (703) 267-1193.

Top Cops Favor Concealed Carry

Los Angeles, CA. A growing number of Sheriff's and Police Officials have joined the debate over Concealed Weapon Permits (CCW) as shown in an eight minute Full Disclosure NetworkT Video News Blog featuring high ranking sheriffs and police officials of the Western United States. The video is available FREE, 24/7, on demand as a public service.

Featured in the video are Sheriff Joe Arpaio (Maricopa County AZ), LAPD Chief William Bratton, Police Lt. Don Meredith (Glendale, Calif.) L. A. County Sheriff Leroy Baca, Orange County Sheriff Mike Carona, L. A. County Sheriff Captain Ray Leyva, L. A. County Captain Ken Masse (ret), and L. A. County Sheriff Sergeant Paul Jernigan offering their strong opinions, pro and con on the need to issue CCW (concealed carry weapon) permits.

Sheriffs Sergeant Paul Jernigan stressed the need for citizens to defend themselves in times of civil unrest, citing the L. A. riots of 1992 where police and sheriffs were unable to protect citizens and their businesses. Arizona Sheriff Joe Arpaio goes one step further announcing his new policy, making it mandatory for all his Deputies to carry concealed weapons off duty, instructing them to use if necessary.

Some of these law enforcement officials make compelling arguments in favor of issuing more CCWs and emphasizing the need to have a "right to carry" state policies. Others, defended the need to strictly control, with penalties, citizen access to fire arms.

The Video News Blog provides a striking contrast in between attitudes in Arizona and California law enforcement policies regarding Concealed Weapon Permits (CCWs).

It is illegal to carry a concealed weapon in California without a permit. Permits are issued by the local Sheriff or Police Chief. The criteria for obtaining a CCW permit is based upon the local official law enforcement official's own policy. In most of the United States "right to carry" laws have been enacted.

Full Disclosure Network's™ regular cable and Internet television programs are featured on 40 cable television systems and video streamed on the Internet. Channels and airtimes are listed by community from the website.

The Full Disclosure™ is billed as "the news behind the news". In 2002 host Leslie Dutton was presented with a local public affairs Emmy by the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences for the series entitled "L.A.'s Ward Against Terrorism". Dutton has been conducting interviews for the past thirteen years with local, state and national law enforcement officials in order to inform the public on critical police policies and procedures.

Dinosaurs

The 1911 is my preferred handgun. I shoot it better than any other handgun. I like it's simplicity. I like it's adaptability. I like the caliber it shoots. It puts a big hole right where I want it to.

The 1911 carries concealed very well. It has aftermarket parts support that is only rivaled by a small block Chevy. The 1911 style pistol has a combat heritage that no other production pistol can match.

Some say a 1911 is overpriced. Others say a 1911 is unreliable. Most young shooters call it an obsolete dinosaur. I did once as well. Then I shot John Moses' creation. I was pleased, very pleased. Years later, I am not surprised that many modern marvels of ordnance have left my possession to find other homes, their place being filled by yet another example of a handgun design almost a century old.

Day By Day

Adventures of The Myspace Ninja

Well I went on another patrol that was somewhat interesting. I apologize for not updating all of you. I got a lot on my plate as of late (a new Shakeys buffet opened up and I have to up the patrols!) with the war on terror, the war on drugs, and the war on crime. As a CCWer it is my duty to continue the fight no matter what the odds and no matter what I may face. You all know what I am talking about.

Anyways I was on patrol at the local mall when the following incident happened. I was in the parking lot sitting in my pickup truck listening to my police scanner. I noticed a car driving by playing rap music. I immediately took notice of the perpetrators in the car as they stopped to let a young woman get out at the curb. 2 Black males, one with a Kobe Bryant basketball jersey, the other was wearing a Ricky Williams jersey and a baseball hat. I could not see anything else as they were in the car but I had my CCW senses going crazy. I figured they were packing Lorcins and probably Hi-points. The female was waiting at the entrance to the mall smoking a cigarette. It probably had marijuana knowing how these young punks are.

So I decided to enter the mall. I figured I would check it out to make sure that the local sheeple are ok as it was my duty as a sheepdog. I chamber checked my six Glocks and proceeded to leave the vehicle. I was ready for almost anything. I knew that if the need arose I could double-time it out to my truck and get my Barrett .50 up and running in case I needed to make some tactical shots at terrorists who were using cover. I also had a nice Bushmaster with all the tactical accessories in the trunk and my 870 to back that up. Don't worry I have all my bases covered.

So I was in the mall and I decided to head straight to the food court. I needed to eat something so that I could maintain my hyper awareness. I got myself a slice of pizza, a value meal from A&W Root-beer, and a milkshake from the ice cream parlor in the mall. As I sipped my peanut-butter and chocolate malt I was headed over to the pretzel stand on the other end of the mall. As I was walking there I noticed a jihadi pretending to sell cellular phone accessories. I was watching him using those sunglasses that have mirrors in the lenses. I was pretending to look at Zippos in another booth. He reached underneath the kiosk and I was on him.

I drew a Glock 22 on him and aimed at his head. "Drop it Johnny Jihad! CCWer on the premises. You don't want to try it. I am tactically trained and have over 10 hours of intense training!"

"Please sir! Please don't shoot! I was just going to get some…"

"Shut up terrorist scum! I don't want to hear it." I pulled out my cell phone and called up the local LEOs. I told them that they should send Department of Homeland Security agents to apprehend the dangerous terrorist. I pulled out a flexicuff and cuffed him. Mall security approached me and I flashed them my CCW badge. That visibly relaxed them and I told them I would continue my patrol. I asked them if they were armed and they said no. Stupid democrats must own the mall. I told them to be careful and to make sure that this Al Qaeda member here did not get away. I was going to hit the street again.

I made my way back into my routine patrol and started walking. I passed the Gap, the local freak shop (Hot Topic) and the cd store. When I noticed the gangsta thugs form the parking lot looking at rap cds. I decided that I would watch them and switched my awareness level from condition yellow to orange. They were probably planning their next liquor store hold up or gang robbery. But little did they know that a CCWer was onto them. I parked myself behind the country music racks and watched them. I was fumbling for a candy bar out of my pocket (I might need that quick energy boost) when I saw one of them put his hands into his wallet. It was time for me to act!!!

I jumped out from behind the counter drawing a Glock 22 out from my waistline. I leveled it at his COM. I told him to take his hands slowly out of his pockets and put them over his head. He feigned a look of shock. I didn't fall for it as I knew I was right and that this thug probably had some cheap pocket pistol and he was getting ready to pull it.

He slowly pulled out his hands and I saw that they were empty. I slowly made my way towards him. I called out and told the kid working the counter to have mall security and have them page any other CCWers over the intercom. I wanted backup quick!!! And then to have mall security contact law enforcement. Luckily another CCWer was over in the food court enjoying some Chinese food. He rushed over here as quickly as possible. He had his gun drawn and assumed a tactical pose. His Sig 228 covered the bad guy while I cuffed him. My arms were tired from keeping my Glock trained on him while I waited for my CCWer brothers and sisters to come and back me up. I moved into bad breath distance so that I could cuff the gangsta thug lowlife democrat.

Suddenly he spun around and tried to sucker punch me. Little did he know that I had taken a weekend seminar at the local gun range on close quarter's battle. I moved as quickly as my 350 lb. frame would allow me to move and I threw a palm strike like my CQB (Close Quarters Combat) instructor taught us in the weekend seminar. I never realized that it would save my life. His swing hit me in the belly but luckily he was not strong enough to harm me. My palm strike caught him in the nose and he went down like the football size burrito I ate last night, QUICKLY!

I quickly flexicuffed him and ordered the other CCWer to secure the scene. I drew and continued to do OODA loops. I was observing the area and going to check the scene. I figured I would check the stock room in the back and make sure no democratic constituents AKA thugs were hiding to jump some employee and make off with the nights till. The door to the backroom was locked. I called out to the employee by the register. I said I needed his key to the backroom. A look of puzzlement crossed his face. I pulled the CCW badge I wear on my chain out (it's like the one Denzel Washington had in "Training Day") and told him "CCWer. I am ordering you to open this door so I can secure the scene. Got it kid?!?!" using my drill instructor voice. I learned to talk like that from my CCW instructor.

The kid said something about not shooting him and handed me a key. I unlocked the door and told him to stand back as I may have to go tactical and I didn't want him to get hurt.

I kicked the door open and entered the room. I saw no one and noticed that the emergency exit was open. I tactically made my way to the exit and started to slice the pie (it's a technical term Navy SEALs use, I read about it in a book). I heard the police sirens outside and there were a lot of them. My backup was here! But still I could not rest as a CCWer I have taken it upon myself to make sure that the neighborhood is secure.

I told the kid to call 911 on the phone and to inform LE that a CCWer was on the scene and to be careful. I don't want to get shot by some cop with a few hours of firearms training.

I made my way down the hall with my pistol at a low ready incase some punk kid or mall ninja jumps around the corner. I don't want to shoot an innocent person. It would not stand with my Republican values and my Christian beliefs. I continued on until I came out of the hallway to the door that leads back into the regular part of the mall where everyone is allowed.

I decided that I would have to holster my Glock because it might scare the sheeple. I don't understand why a well trained sheepdog like me scares them but nonetheless it terrifies them. I walked out and entered condition yellow but was ready to jump into condition orange at any given moment. (I once entered condition orange 37 times in an hour!!!) I started walking on watching the people around me and being ready for anything. The weight of the six Glock .40 caliber pistols was reassuring. I knew that whatever happened I should be able to deal with it. I started walking back towards my truck when I saw something frightening. A whole gang of illegal immigrants were running towards the exit. I figured they thought Immigration was coming due to all the sirens and lights outside. My backup (the local PD) came rolling in hard. Anyways I watched them run out the door and started to follow them. They hopped into a nice BMW truck. The youngest of them, a little boy of about 4, was getting put into a high chair when I rushed in behind them. The gang leader (a woman of about 34) started screaming when she saw me and my Glock. All the little gang members (they looked like kids but I figured this illegal immigrant was having them shoplift and then selling the items for profit cause that is what gangs do) started screaming and crying. I called the LEOs over and they looked at me. The older more experienced one started frowning when he saw me. I figure it was because I had made more paperwork for him. As a CCWer I did not have to do paperwork just protect the community and the country.

"I caught this illegal immigrant gang. They started running when they saw me. She probably thought my CCW badge was one for INS and my NRA hat was a LE symbol. Anyways the perps our in custody so it all worked out well. I caught them trying to exit into their personal vehicle. I was going to move in and affect an arrest when you boys got here. You all can have the credit for this. I need to get back to my patrol."

His dumbfounded stare disappeared. It was replaced by rage, or was that jealousy? "What the hell is wrong with you? Do you realize how much trouble you caused? I should arrest you. We will protect the people of this little community. You can go home and think about life. Ask yourself "Why do I need six guns? Am I normal? Should I consider thinking about what happens when I go on patrol? How many innocent people get hurt? What about their rights? Who…" he was in mid sentence when I cut him off.

"Listen bro. I am a CCW permit holder. I might not have the same badge but I have the same duty. I took an oath similar to the one you took about protecting the country from all enemies foreign and domestic. I do whatever I can to ensure that people are safe. I could never stand idly by when I see someone getting hurt. I won't stand for it. Edmund Burke said "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing," and I took that to heart. I will never stand by when I see common criminals and terrorists walking the streets. I think about everyone everyday when I strap my Glocks on. Just like you do. I think about the fact that I may have to take a life. That the person I kill maybe a mothers son, a daughters father, a democrats constituent, and that they are a criminal. Do you got that? Now I am off to finish my patrol."

"Your crazy and should not have a gun!!! I am going to call my chief and see if we can get your permit revoked!!! You're freaking nuts!!!"

"MOLON LABE!!! MOLON !!! That's Greek for come and get them. I am a free man and will never give them up. From my COLD DEAD HANDS!!! Myself and other CCWers are like the Spartans and you democrats are like the Persians. Go watch 300; maybe you will learn some goddamn history!!!"

And with that I walked off. I made my way back to my truck and started her up. I needed some food to recharge myself. I called up a few CCWers and asked them to meet me at the local burrito shop. I was going to meet 3 others there.

I drove there used my defensive driving skills to make sure that I was tactically able to escape should a jihadi try to bomb the car in front of me or if some gangbangers rolled up along side me looking for a fight. When I got there I saw some of my CCW brothers. I chamber checked my Glocks. I noticed that all of them was chamberchecking their gun before getting out of their trucks. I realized that our CCW instructor prepared us well for the harsh world we would encounter on the street.

We got out and first thing I did was make my way over to Billy Bob. He is a good ol' boy from the town south of me. He is 5'4" and 325 lbs. of CCW tacticalness. He carries a few different guns and loves knives. He took four different level 3 knife fighting classes from different instructors and has the largest knife fighting DVD collection I have ever seen. He and his brother could have been the inspiration for the movie "The Hunted" with Tommy Lee Jones. They were amazing when it came to anything knife related. They once simulated an entire Steven Seagal knife fight scene when we were over cleaning our CCW guns and talking about guns.

His brother, Ricky Bobby, was 6'3" and 160 lbs soaking wet. He carried 4 Colt 1911A1 pistols. He wore a Keltec pistol around his neck. He had a necklace made for it from Comp-Tac. He was also pretty handy with the knife as well but not nearly as proficient as his brother. HE often duct-taped a Sebenza to his back and covered up the pommel with his long mullet. It was rumored that he pretended to disarm and took out a whole platoon of Iraqi insurgent suicide bombers during a CCW training exercise using the knife taped to his back.

And finally there was Cleetus. He was 5'11" and a small 300 lbs. He was an army Green Beret sniper. I believed him because he told me after showing me his rifle. He was very proficient with a Remington 700. When I asked him about some of his missions he told me that if he revealed anything to me he would be revealing classified information. I figured I would not risk national security and international stability to satisfy my own curiosity. He wore camo everywhere and today was no exception. He often carried an HK USPc like he did on some of his special operations.

We went inside and started to eat. Everyone getting their 3 burritos except little Ricky Bobby. A few horchatas and some fried ice cream for dessert. It was nice to slip into condition white. Well we took turns. One of us would constantly be alert and in condition yellow so that the others could relax. It is like that when you start to look at warriors like us. Someone must always be vigilant. I used to joke that we should have one of us stand sentry when the other went to the restroom.

But we finished up and were planning on whose house would host the next party we had in honor of "24" when Billy Bob, who was in condition yellow, noticed the van outside. Inside was a bunch of gangbangers. I heard him call out a warning. He said "Threat at my eleven o clock!" And he drew his pistols. He started firing and we all were back into action.

We started laying down suppressive fire and we regrouped behind the overturned tables. We had started to coordinate our tactics. We did this after watching a few episodes of "The Shield" where the Strike team performed a few raids on houses. I realized we should so I scheduled some time for tactical movement in teams. We slowly made our way towards the van and cleared it. Gunfire was erupting all around us. Billy Bob caught one in the chest but luckily his bullet proof vest stopped it. I started returning fire and I tagged one of the gangstas. He fell over and I started scanning for threats.

We were like a highly trained military unit. Rounds were flying everywhere but the threats were being eliminated. Ricky Bobby double-tapped one of them and dropped him in the street. The Lorcin in his hand fell to the ground. I started scanning for more threats and did a tactical reload. I was going to pull out one of my Glock 23s but felt that I should reload everything to utmost capacity while I had the chance. All of us started moving in tactical pairs and covering the entire street.

"Anyone got commo?!" Cleetus yelled out.

"I got backup on the phone. They are coming soon. The dispatcher said the sheriff's office is sending the cavalry ASAP. We just need to hold the fort down for a few minutes!" Ricky Bobby called out.

A quick burst of gunfire from around of the corners sent us diving for cover. I raised my Glock 22 and started moving up. I figured if some sheeple was trapped there I could never forgive myself if I didn't help them. I saw the illegal immigrant thug start reloading his gun. It was a Glock. He probably stole it off the body of a cop he murdered. I started trading fire with him and I caught him in the shoulder. I then made my move and used the Mozambique drill.

"You won't be voting democrat again!!! Stupid moronic liberal criminal!!!" I yelled as I ran to cover. My brother CCWers covered me as I took cover behind a fire hydrant. I dropped the mag on my Glock and saw that I had only 7 shots left. I figured it would be a good time to recharge the magazine so I dropped it out. Gunfire started erupting around me and I had not refreshed my gun. Time for a New York style reload.

I pulled a Glock 23 and started scanning the area. I heard bursts of gunfire from behind me and I heard rounds ricocheting off of the cars trunk. There was a gunman behind a Honda Civic 4 car down. He was gangsta firing at me with his Hi-Point turned sideways. Suddenly his gun jammed and I made my move.

I tactically crouched and huddled down and advanced on him while my fellow CCWers kept firing on him and scanning for other threats. I rushed up on him and found him fiddling with his pistol. His gun had a FTE and I yelled "Drop it homey! CCWer HERE!" and I pulled out my CCW badge, "You don't want to try it homey. I have over 10 hours of intense CCW training!"

"I sorry man! Please no shoot me!" the little Illegal Immigrant Democrat constituent gangbanger whined.

I kicked the pistol out of his hand and called out "Threat Neutralized! Tango is secure!" like we did when we play Xbox Live and at out local airsoft matches.

The air was filled with the smell of gunpowder. Brass lay everywhere in the parking lot. Cars had bullet holes in them and the enemy dead was littered everywhere. The democratic party would probably lose this counties election due to the loss of hteir constituents. In the distance police sirens were screaming. Just like the cops to get here after a CCWer has saved the day and lives of innocent people everywhere. Children are now free to walk the streets. Rest assured America, that there are armed people like me everyday who walk the streets and that we are protecting the United States from the terrorist threat, from the threat of illegal immigrants, from the gangs that run the streets, from the sex offenders, the murderers, the pimps, the rapists, and most importantly the democrats who would ursurp our freedom for the Communists.

Well I am off for another patrol. I just wanted to share a recent experience and hope that you all can learn from my example. Stay safe and watch your 6. There are badguys everywhere!

Vote Republican and write your senators about the new Assault Weapons Ban!

No Indictment For Jamie Buck

A Butler County grand jury refused to indict Jamie Buck for killing Millard Brandenburg today. "I am satisfied with the grand jury's decision that this was a justified homicide," said Butler County Prosecutor Robin Piper. "A person in America is entitled to defend himself in his home."

Scooter

Nancy Pelosi, maybe the greatest U.S. foreign policy strategist since Jimmy Carter, to meet with Syrian's President Bashar Assad. While nobody exactly knows what this elderly liberal Jewish lady politician is hoping to accomplish by meeting with one of the world's most prolific dictators and premier all-around Jew killer/hater, surely only good things can come of this.

OK Scooter........Blogrolled!

Revolver Cylinder on Ebay

No kidding, this is a real listing!

COLT ? 22 Magnum Cylinder , BLUED .It is 22 Magnum & Fits my COLT Frontier Scout "62 and Steel Framed COLT New Frontier 22 Single Action Colts . It also fit in both of my COLT Buntline 9 &1/2 inch barreled Single Action Scouts AND My 61 Scout Kansas Centennial. I have FIRED this cylinder in ALL of these Guns !!!!!

This 22 Magnum Cylinder was tagged New 22 Magnum Colt in a batch of stuff that I bought from a Closed Gun Shop's GunSmith's Inventory.

I have Checked the Indexing in my own New Frontier , Frontier Scout "62 and both of my 9& 1/2 inch Barrel Buntlines and my 61 Kansas Centennial with a 22 extra long Cleaning Rod and they lined up Perfectly. Then I went and shot them with 22 Mag Ammo a few times to make sure!!! I AM NOT a Gunsmith ,just a Collector and NOT an Expert. Colt Cylinders are NOT MARKED with the COLT NAME so Whether or not this is a Colt Manufactured Cylinder or One that was made up by one of the Major Wholesale Gun Parts Suppliers when the COLT 22 Magnum Cylinders ran out , I do not know , BUT it fits and WORKS WELL in my 5 Colts that I shot them in. There were some Aftermarket Cylinders made to fit Colts and I assume that since this fits and works well in my Colts that it is either a Colt or one that was made to use in COLTS. I DO NOT State that this is definitley a Colt Manufactured Cylinder as in Colts that I have Bought NEW (old stock never sold ) I have come across at least 3 DIFFERENT Desiegns!!!! The deseign differences are - Fluted, Non-fluted and 3 different variations in the shell shrouding on the back of the Cylinder ! THIS ONE IS THE RIGHT SIZE AND DOES WORK AND WORKS GOOD in my 5 Colts!!!

Keep in mind that ALL MANUFACTURERS still say that the Cylinder should be checked by a Proffessional Gunsmith for proper Indexing or Timing ( cylinder holes lining up with the Barrel hole ) . If this cylinder does not time correctly in your Colt 22 you might need a new hand ( the arm that catches in the Ratchet on the back of the Cylinder and Turns it ) as yours might be worn. It is a SIMPLE proceedure for ANY Gunsmith.

By Purchasing this 22 magnum Cylinder you agree to have it installed by a PROFESSIONAL GUNSMITH and to hold me HARMLESS for any Malfunctions ,your screw-ups or ANY FIREARMS LIABILITY ISSUES WHATSOEVER !!! CONSIDER THIS A LEGAL AGREEMENT ADDENDUM to the PURCHASING CONTRACT!!

ADDED March 26th : THIS ITEM IS FOR SALE LOCALLY AT ONE OF THE LOCAL GUN SHOPS,so... IF YOU WANT IT BETTER HIT BUY IT NOW !!! SO I RESERVE THE RIGHT TO PULL THE AUCTION AT ANY TIME I RECEIVE MONEY FOR IT LOCALLY!!! If you BUY IT NOW BEFORE I SELL IT THOUGH IT IS YOURS!!! I AM REALLLLLY GETTING TIRED OF EBAYERS WAITING UNTILL THE LAST MINUTE TO BID !!!I ALSO AM NO LONGER RE_LISTING ITEMS THAT DON'T SELL AFTER THE 2nd Time!!! IT COSTS WAY TOO MUCH IN EBAY LISTING FEES!!! NO OFFENCE BUT THERE ARE LOTS OF GUYS OUT THERE WHO NEED TO GROW A PAIR!!!! AND PLEASE , IF YOU DOUBT MY INTEGRITY LOOK AT MY FEEDBACK RATING!!! 99.4% !!!! BETTER than MOST!!!!! WHAT I SAY IS TRUTH SO PLEASE DON'T EMAIL ME TO ASK QUESTIONS THAT ARE ALREADY ANSWERED IN THE LISTING!!! My RIGHT HAND IS PARALYSED Due to Neck and Shoulder Injury , IT HURTS ALL THE TIME AND TYPING IS A ROYAL B--CH !!! AND ,.... I am a BIT CRANKY and The DARVOCET FREES UP MY INHIBITIONS ABOUT MY TRUE INNER FEELINGS !! WHAT A GREAT EXCUSE TO MOUTH OFF!!!! Kenn

ps.... I AM AN A--H-LE

I have a few othe 22 Magnum Cylinders Available from the parts that I bought from a Gun shop's Gunsmith , including Colts 22 Magnum ,EAA Big Frame Bounty Hunter 22 Magnum -NEW also and the Box for the Gun, 22 Magnum Cylinder for German and Italian Colt Clones (they WILL NOT FIT COLTS!! )and two New 22 Mag Cylinders for RG 66 Single actions ,BOTH NEW one Chromed and one Blued and one Very GOOD used 22 Mag for RG 66 also.

I can be contactacted by eBay's email ,my email [REDACTED] and if not there leave your number and times to contact and I will call you back.Or you can email me your # and I can call you back as I have Flat rate Long distance & will save you long distance charges.

As Per EBAY rules I cannot ship outside the USA.

PPS: THE GUY WHO CALLED ON TUESDAY AND TALKED TO MY WIFE AND SAID HE EMAILED ME HIS PHONE NUMBER AND HAD A QUESTION AND DID NOT LEAVE HIS PHONE NUMBER with my WIFE ...... DUDE YOUR EMAIL DID NOT GO THROUGH!!!! I DO NOT HAVE YOUR PHONE NUMBER SO CALL AGAIN AND LEAVE YOUR NUMBER TO WHOEVER ANSWERS THE PHONE , MAKE THEM WRITE IT DOWN AND REPEAT IT TO YOU AS OTHER PEOPLE ARE MORE UNRELIABLE THAN I AM ( and THAT BOGGLES THE MIND !!! ) OR THE ANSWERING CALL NOTES THINGEE if you DO NOT GET ME!!! I DO NOT HAVE CALLER ID BECAUSE I AM NOT PARANOID EXCEPT ABOUT THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, THE ALBUQUERQUE PD AND CITY GOVERNMENT , NEW MEXICO CHILD ABUSE AND DOMESTIC ABUSE LAWS and the fact that they REALLY WANT me IN JAIL because I KNOW THE LAWS am a NATURAL SOVERIEGN MAN and NOT a CORPORATE PERSON, and FAMILY ABUSE LIKE RACISM GOES BOTH WAYS ( ei... 6ft 1 inch MEN can be Attacked by their own 17 year old 6ft 3inch son and have the right to DEFEND theirselves AND THAT AIN'T CHILD ABUSE , that I regularly have to remind Cops that I KNOW MY RIGHTS and IF ILLEGALLY ARRESTED I WILL FILE AGAINST THEIR BOND AND THE PROSECUTERS BOND for VIOLATING THEIR BREAKING THEIR OATH TO UPHOLD THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA ( HA HA) and THEIR OATHS TO UPHOLD THE LAWS ( AS THE GUYS IN THE REPUBLIC OF TEXAS DID AND WON !!! ) ,THE FACT THAT IN NEW MEXICO AND ABQ AND ARIZONA THEY HAVE LAWS ON THE BOOKS THAT VIOLATE THE CONSTITUTION OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA, and REGULARLY DO BECAUSE MOST OF THE PUBLIC DO NOT KNOW THIER RIGHTS , But I DIGRESS!! AIN'T PERCOCET GREAT !!!! I RAIL AND RAIL BEFORE I KNOW WHAT I HAVE DONE BUT IT USUALLY SEEMS TO BE RIGHTEOUS!!!! HOPE IT WAS GOOD FOR YOU ,BECAUSE IT WAS GOOD FOR ME AND NOW I FEEL LIKE A SANDWHICH !!!! OTHERS WOULD HAVE A CIGARRETTE !!! WHEW I NEED SOME REST!!! SIDECARKENN

Question & Answer

Q: Hi, Just a question: Can one shoot .22 Mag rounds through a Scout .22 LR barrel ?? Thanks, Gerry Mar-26-07
A: I do it ALL THE TIME!!! While the 22long rifle ,22long and 22 short are ACTUALLY .22 of an inch ,which is either 22Hundredths OR 220 THOUSANDTHS of an inch the 22 MAGNUM is ACTUALLY .223 OR 223 THOUSANDTHS of an inch!! That is a mere 3 Thousandths of an inch BIGGER!!! That AIN'T MUCH !!! Keep in mind that ALL 22 lead is REALLY SOFT and MALLABLE!! I used to impress my freinds by BITING 22 Bullets in have with my TEETH!!ALL BULLETS HAVE TO CONFORM TO THE RIFLING OF BARREL!! That is why they use LEAD!! IT IS SOFT AND MALLABLE !! If you have ever done any re-loading or shot Black Powder Cap & Ball Pistols you will note that the lead Bullet itself is MOSTtimes BIGGER than the stated diamiter of the round. For instance 45s might be .457 as a box of Swaged Lead Pistol Balls from Buffalo Bullet Company that are sitting in front of me right now are stated on the Box .THAT IS 7 THOUSANDTHS OF AN INCH BIGGER!! AND HARD LEAD AT THAT!!! My Warren brand Pistol balls for my .36 caliber Colts are actually .375 .That is 15 THOUSANDTHS BIGGER!! All Rifled barrels CUT INTO the Lead !! Some a LITTLE ,SOME A LOT !! Three Thousands in a short barrel like a Hand gun should NOT cause any problem in MY OPINION!! I HAVE NEVER HAD ANY PROBLEM WITH IT!The local Gunsmith at Charlies Sporting Goods told me that when 22 Magnums are shot out of barrels bored to .22 it just seats the bullet BETTER in the Rifling and makes them MORE ACCURATE!!! That said I AM SURE I WILL GET A BUNCH OF KNOW IT ALLS EMAILING ME AND DISAGREEING &WITH MADE UP HORROR STORIES!Half the People you talk to will agree and half will disagree with me!!! That said I AM NOT A GUNSMITH AND MY ADVISE IF TAKEN IS NOT FROM A PROFFESSIONAL SO DON'T LISTEN TO ME AS I DON'T KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT ANDIF YOU BUY THIS CYLINDER AND SHOOT IT IN YOUR GUN YOU DO IT AT YOUR OWN RISK!!Don't you like the way I straddle the Fence!I should run for Governor or BETTER YET PRESIDENT!Then EVERYBODY would be REQUIRED to OWN A GUN!!

Heh!