A Nurse with a Gun

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Misidentified Intruder Results In Grandson Shot

EAST PENNSBORO TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- A homeowner awakened early Tuesday morning by a burglar confronted the intruder and shot him, according to East Pennsboro Township police in Cumberland County. The homeowner learned later that the intruder was his 18-year-old grandson, a source told News 8.

Investigators said the shooting happened around 2:54 a.m. at a home along the first block of Victoria Way, Camp Hill, East Pennsboro Township. Police said the grandfather approached his grandson with a handgun and told him to leave. The grandson then fled into the attached garage. Police said the grandfather heard rustling and fired a single shot hitting his grandson in the hand or arm.

The grandson ran away and checked himself into Holy Spirit Hospital.

At this point, police said the shooting was justified. "(The homeowner) feared at that point, the burglar was hunkered down. He didn't know if he was taking a position to fire at the homeowner," said Lt. Mark Green.

The grandson has not yet been charged in the incident. News 8 was told that the grandfather is very upset. He did not wish to comment on the incident.


Rule Four. Go ahead. Click the link. Read it again. Identification of your target as well as identifying the target's intent is most important when you know you are shooting at a human. Getting a gun is not enough. Get training as well. Then shoot at threats, not noises. Gramps should buy a lottery ticket. He is a lucky man, in many ways.

T H U R S D A Y, M A R C H 1, 2 0 0 7

More:

BY TOM BOWMAN AND FRANK COZZOLI
Of The Patriot-News
An East Pennsboro Twp. man early yesterday shot an intruder who turned out to be his 18-year-old grandson, township police said.

The intruder, whom police had not charged or named as of press time, broke into the home in the first block of Victoria Way and apparently was stealing liquor, police said. The homeowner had no idea who it was when he fired his gun, police Lt. Mark Green said. "The house was dark, and he didn't turn the lights on."

Green said Holy Spirit Hospital notified authorities about 30 minutes after the shooting that a man had checked in with a gunshot wound. The man was then taken to Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center, and later was released into police custody. Police expect to file charges today, Green said.

"He's very upset," Green said about the grandfather. "You always want your family to be successful. You want the best for you kids -- and for your grandkids, you even want more."

The grandfather awoke in his second-floor bedroom to sounds coming from the living room area shortly before 3 a.m., Green said. He got his handgun, walked down the steps in the dark and saw light from a flashlight. He saw the intruder placing bottles of liquor in a bag and "told him to freeze. He told him he was under arrest. He was trying to get the guy to surrender," Green said.

The suspect did not say anything but ran into the garage and tried to hide, Green said. The homeowner, not knowing if the intruder was armed, fired one shot from a 9 mm pistol, hitting the intruder in the hand area, Green said. The suspect ran from the garage, leaving a trail of footprints and blood. The homeowner, who was not injured, did not pursue. Police followed the trail but lost it, Green said. Then hospital workers called to say they were treating a man with a gunshot wound.

"In a case like this, police are going to want to consult with us on whether the shooting was justified," Cumberland County District Attorney David Freed said. "It appears to be [justified], but the investigation is ongoing."

Reporter Irvin Kittrell III contributed to this article. TOM BOWMAN: 255-8271 or tbowman@patriot-news.com FRANK COZZOLI: 255-8454 or fcozzoli@patriot-news.com

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Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Armed America


Bashir, his Bushmaster CAR-15 and Cisco

Go to Armed America to see more armed Americans in their homes.

Armed America
Portraits of Gun Owners in their Homes
Kyle Cassidy


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Monday, February 26, 2007

Priceless

Sunday, February 25, 2007

Separating Potatos from Poachers

Forget Jim Zumbo, David Petzal, Ted Nugent, et al. They are small potatoes. Not one of them are important at this time. small potatos
Your congressman's vote against HB 1022 is important.

This website will help get a letter to your congressman for you. As gun owners, we must rise up against HB 1022 and defeat it. This is some of the most restrictive anti-gun legislation ever proposed.

Yes, Carolyn McCarthy is a broken record, but we cannot assume this bill will die in committee. If your Representative is on the House Judiciary Committee, you have an excellent chance to help kill this bill right now by contacting your Representative and letting him know of your opposition to the bill. If your congressman is not on the Judiciary Committee, write them anyway. No excuses.

It's time to separate potatoes from poachers. If you fail to contact your congressman, you have nothing to bitch about. Nothing.

Congressional Email Directory

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AWB2 Sample Letters

[Date]



[Recipient's Name and Address]





Dear [Senator or Representative],

I am writing regarding an upcoming matter that is of the utmost importance to me and the many other gun owners in our state...the 2007 “Assault Weapons” Ban, HB 1022. As was stated in a DOJ study on the effects of the ban released in 1999, a significant impact on gun related crime as a result of the ban was not seen nor expected, given the fact that “assault weapons” were only very rarely used in crime.

Targeting a certain group of firearms based on cosmetic and ergonomic features that have no impact whatsoever on the weapons’ lethality simply does not make sense to me.

As there has been no substantive evidence presented that it has had any significant effect on reducing crime, and as it represents a serious infringement on Second Amendment rights that has produced no worthwhile public safety benefit, I respectfully urge you to oppose any effort to renew the ban.

I would appreciate a reply from you to learn your position on this very important issue.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Date]



[Recipient's Name and Address]





Dear [Senator or Representative],

I am writing to make you aware that the "assault weapons ban" is again coming up for consideration as HB 1022. This legislation never reduced crime, and only affected law-abiding citizens.

Any citizen who wants to purchase any rifle has to pass the instant background check. The background check prevents criminals from buying these firearms, therefore the law will only affect a law-abiding citizen.

Please oppose a renewal of the ban. I will not vote for, or support, any candidate that votes for a renewal, or attempts to get a renewal to the floor for a vote.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]
--------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Date]



[Recipient's Name and Address]





Dear [Senator or Representative],

I am writing to remind you that an "Assault Weapons Ban" bill, HB 1022, is coming up for consideration. A provision of this law restricts magazine capacity to 10 rounds.

In my area, statistics show a better than 60% chance of encountering multiple attackers. In over 50% of encounters with my local sheriff deputies, the criminals are wearing body armor. Gang members use a term "vesting up" to refer to the practice of wearing body armor while perpetrating criminal offenses.

A normal citizen that encounters multiple attackers, or attackers wearing body armor, will need more than 10 rounds. This restriction may well be endangering the lives of law-abiding citizens.

I respectfully request that you oppose any renewal to this law. I will not vote for, or monetarily support, anyone that restricts my ability to defend my family or myself.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Date]



[Recipient's Name and Address]





Dear Chairman [Name],

As you know, HB 1022, what some people call the "New Assault Weapons Ban" is up for consideration. This will be a decisive issue for your party, and your ability to get candidates elected.

In 1994, a similar bill was passed by a Democrat majority House of Representative and Senate. Two months later, for the first time in nearly 50 years, the Republicans won a majority in the House and also the Senate. These two circumstances are linked. Gun owners took the democrats out of control and put the Republicans in. In every election since, gun owners have made the difference in the majority. We plan to do the same thing in 2007

Millions of gun owners will be watching this issue. We are in every precinct, in every county, in every state of the country. That is a dense saturation of votes.

However your party stands on this issue, will determine how those millions of gun owners will vote.

I, like millions of others, will not vote for a party that stood against my Constitutional rights. Letting the ban sunset is in your best interest.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Date]



[Recipient's Name and Address]





Dear Chairman [Name],

As you know, the Republicans won the majority in the Congress in 1994, two months after the passage of the first so-called "Assault Weapons Ban". It is America's gun owners who have made the difference in every election since 1994. It is America's gun owners that will make a difference in 2008.

Will your party support or oppose a renewal of HB 1022, the "New Assault Weapons Ban", knowing it will be political suicide to support it?

Millions of gun owners, including myself, all across the nation will be watching this issue, and this issue will be the determining factor in how those millions of gun owners will vote.



Sincerely,



[Your Name]
---------------------------------------------------------------------------

Feel free to cut and paste. No excuses. No excuses at all. Fire at will.

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Thoughts on Ted & Zumbo......

What the heck is an upgrade?

"he is truly sorry. ya hafta be a real putz to ignore that. I have personally promised to kill him if he wavers. with a blackrifle."
"anyone who so foolishly is ignoring the clear & obvious apology & upgrade here, plz dont bother posting. go to some hippie turd chewing bubba drunka$$ website & grovel there plz. here we demand upgrade. whattaconcept. Jeff, Ward, Mike, zap all a$$holes the hell out of my campfire plz. no punks allowed."
Ted Nugent

What's an upgrade?
Is this an upgrade?

Ted Nugent does not represent me.
I'm not sure who he thinks he is, but I didn't vote for him.

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Saturday, February 24, 2007

Pawn Shop Circuit: Chinese Copies

Dave waved me over to the gun case with a smile this morning, as I ambled into his pawn shop. Without my asking, he pulled out a Norinco 1911 and inquired "Whatcha think?" This was a Government sized Norinco 1911A1 with rubber grips. The grips had a "Ranger" medallion. The gun had no import markings.

The Norinco is a Chinese copy of the classic GI M1911A1. The steel is good enough that Clark's Custom will use them for a 460 Rowland conversion. The Norinco slides are known for dulling blades used to cut sight dovetails. They are accepted as a good in-spec base gun, a diamond in the rough, by renowned gunsmiths. They can often be shot as is by those who simply want a GI style 1911. Norinco 1911s are forged, no MIM, with spring steel extractors, just as John Moses intended. They are no longer importable after Bill Clinton's presidency.

Dave was wanting $350 for the Norinco, and I thought about it a bit. I looked the pistol over, and noted the roughness of many of the parts. The mainspring housing looked like the serrations were cut with a grinding wheel. There were mill marks present in places that I am used to being smooth. Overall, the pistol had a third world look to it, kind of cool.

I handed it back to Dave. For $300, I might bite, but I have a bunch of 1911s. Perhaps I will kick myself in the future, but I really don't need another project gun. I would keep the Norinco as it was, perhaps swapping out the rubber grips for double diamonds. Bottom line was I did not need the gun, and it did not insprire me. I handed it back to Dave.

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Friday, February 23, 2007

The Martialist

An exerpt:

"This issue is so serious because it quite literally concerns life and death -- specifically, the lives and deaths of American citizens trying to protect their families and themselves from crime. Any attack on your firearms rights reduces or eliminates by force of law your right, your opportunity, and your ability to own and employ a firearm, the most useful tool for personal defense yet invented. Any statements that facilitate these attacks -- any lies, arguments, or quotes used by the firearms prohibitionists to attack your gun rights -- are therefore no less than an indirect attempt to decrease the value of your life. A man who presumes to tell you that you cannot own a firearm is not just pissing on the United States Constitution and the Second Amendment; he is presuming to tell you how much your life is worth. He is saying he sees no reason to make it easier for you to defend that life, or the lives of your family. He is declaring his supremacy over you by presuming to judge your life and its value. If there is a more tyrannical worldview, I don't know what it might be.

Whenever your firearms rights are attacked, therefore, you have no choice but to see that attack, ideologically, as an attempt to devalue your life. You are fully within your rights to speak out, loudly and persistently, in opposition to such presumption. You are also correct to be outraged that anyone would presume to tell you what your life is worth."

The Martialist

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Jim Zumbo Finally Gets It

From Ted Nugent's forum after several false starts:
"Thank you all for letting me speak. Yes, I know the 2nd Amendment has nothing to do with hunting and hunting guns, and yes, I promise you I am now dedicated to educate all shooters that we must all stick together regardless of our gun choices, and also tolerate the firearms others may choose to use if they are dissimilar to ours. I will do everything I can, within my power as a journalist and public speaker, to protect the 2nd Amendment and America’s gun owners." Jim Zumbo
Mr. Zumbo later agreed that "respect" would be a better word choice than "tolerate".

Denny Hansen has offered to allow Zumbo to attend one of his AR courses which focus on the defensive and tactical use of the AR. It appears Zumbo has accepted. All that is well and good, but it is largely irrelevant. Who cares if Jim Zumbo ever touches an AR? I, frankly, don't give a damn.

From the outset, this blogswarm was about an influential figure in the gun owning community who advocated division in the gun owning ranks. Rather than dividing, the gun owning community came together. Zumbo found himself ostracized. Shunned. Divorced.

What is relevant is Mr. Zumbo seems to have come to the understanding that the second amendment has nothing to do with hunting. He seems to have reached the conclusion that all free men should be allowed to own any firearm they damned well please. That is what is relevant. I, personally, can now accept his apology. It is up to him to decide what he wants to do now. It matters little to me, as long as he doesn't endanger our rights again. Godspeed Mr. Zumbo. I hope you find redemption.

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Who's Next?

David E. Petzal, that's who.

Petzal is another MSM gun writer who has failed to understand the new world of blogging, and the internet's ability to arm the shooting community proletariat against elitist gun rag bullshit. He now supports Jim Zumbo. What does he think of the the 2nd amendment? In 1994, as a writer for Field & Stream, he urged hunters to support the "assault weapon" ban in the vain hope that their guns would be spared. To wit:
"Gun owners -- all gun owners -- pay a heavy price for having to defend the availability of these weapons. The American public -- and the gun-owning public; especially the gun-owning public -- would be better off without the hardcore military arms, which puts the average sportsman in a real dilemma. An Uzi or an AKM or an AK-47 should be no more generally available than a Claymore mine or a block of C4 explosive." David E. Petzal 1994



I think LCDR Jim Dodd, USN (Ret.)said it better than I could.....
"Mr. Petzal,

You told us you would ban assault weapons the last time around, and I expect your editors deflected the storm of replies (maybe the shower of written, snail mail replies in those days).

Mr. Zumbo was buried by a blogswarm, you can be the next old and lame MSM type to learn bloggin 101 as my friend says.

I did a career in the military making the world safe, and keeping you free to say what you want. I don't have to like what you say, and I don't.

You are an elitist, and a poor writer who must depend on name calling because your position is bereft of logic.

Say "hello" to Sarah on the way out.

LCDR Jim Dodd, USN (Ret.)"


Thank you for your service Commander Dodd. Get a clue burrito and eat it Petzal. Stay tuned indeed.

David Codrea weighs in.

E-mail addresses for Field & Stream

amanda.gastelum@time4.com
amanda.mcnally@time4.com
ashley.rosenfeld@time4.com
elizabeth.burnham@time4.com
fsletters@time4.com
kristen.baumgarten@time4.com
webmaster@fieldandstream.com

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Thursday, February 22, 2007

Rape Prevention - Two Options

1911 Mainspring Housing on Ebay

Colt 1911 1911A1 Prewar Arched Mainspring Box Parts
Winning bid: US $127.50

I was going to sneak in a snipe on this one, but I have a feeling someone somewhere is very happy.

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NRA Publications Suspends Ties to Jim Zumbo



NRA Publications Suspends Ties to Jim Zumbo

(FAIRFAX, VA) – The following statement was issued by the National Rifle Association of America.

Comments expressed by outdoor writer Jim Zumbo reflect neither the opinions of the National Rifle Association and America’s gun owners, nor are they an accurate portrayal of facts in regard to semi-automatic firearms lawfully owned by millions of citizens. Therefore, NRA Publications has suspended its professional ties with Mr. Zumbo.

The ensuing wave of grassroots response in support of the Second Amendment is a clear indication that America’s gun owners will act swiftly and decisively to counter falsehoods or misrepresentations perpetuated by any member of the media – whether it is one of the major networks or a fellow gun owner.

That depth of feeling and the unanimity of the response from the nation’s firearms owners sends a message to the new Congress. It says that millions of people understand the issue of semi-autos and will resist with an immense singular political will any attempts to create a new ban on semi-automatic firearms.

At the root of this grassroots response is the basic truth that ‘gun control merely makes the innocent pay the price for the guilty’ and our folks fully understand that their rights are at stake. It says that for the enemies of the Second Amendment there is no chance that the kind of divide and conquer propaganda strategy which preceded the 1994 ban on semi-auto firearms will ever succeed again.

It is our hope that Mr. Zumbo will use his energy and talent to help preserve our Second Amendment, America’s First Freedom, by ensuring that no one else falls prey to the tragic demonization of gun owners.

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Wednesday, February 21, 2007

Pawn Shop Circuit: Slow Movers

Neil's shop was first on my list after work today. His handgun shelves were bare. Not a one. He had sold the Ruger Redhawk, and the Ruger MKII. I did not prod him to find out if he had lowered his prices. He was busy examining a guitar, so I quickly scanned the long guns and moved on.

I was hoping that Kenny would have the nickel S&W Model 38 out of hock that he had told me about. Sadly, it was not on his shelves. The hardchromed Hi Power was still there, along with a Heritage Arms revolver, and the S&W Model 65-5. They were all priced a bit high.

Dave had locked his shop up by the time I arrived at his door. I guess I'm going to have to start getting off work earlier.

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Tom Gresham's Thoughts on the "Zumbo Effect"

Tipping Point -- Suicide on the Web

"......When Tom Diaz, of the Violence Policy Center, was on Gun Talk, I forced him to admit that he would like to ban all guns. What about the police, I asked. Once we get all the other guns, he said, the police won't need their guns, either.

A ban on black guns, or "Saturday Night Specials," or 50-caliber rifles, is a ban on all our guns. There is no such thing as a bad gun or a good gun. We can't throw babies off the back of the sled, thinking it will keep the wolves away from us......."


More

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Tuesday, February 20, 2007

The MSM Takes Notice of Zumbo's Folly

The MSM takes notice of Zumbo's folly, and gets it wrong as usual......
The Blog Heard 'Round The Industry
Jim Zumbo angers firearm enthusiasts
by Jim Shepherd
February 20, 2007


Jim Zumbo, Hunting Editor for Outdoor Life magazine, angered firearms enthusiasts across the country with a weekend blog posting. His blog has now been suspended and sponsors are severing ties with Zumbo in spite of his apology.

This article is provided by Jim Shepherd in association with the "Outdoor Wire," a feed service specializing in the outdoor industry.

Legendary hunting writer Jim Zumbo has incurred the wrath of thousands of shooting enthusiasts with a weekend posting on his now-suspended blog for Outdoor Life magazine.

In the posting, Zumbo said "assault rifles" (or "terrorist" rifles as he went on to refer to them) had "no place" among "our hunting community." Adding that in his "humble opinion, these things have no place in hunting" because "We don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious concern."

Zumbo went on to say "game departments should ban them from the praries (sic) and woods."

That kicked off a firestorm among owners of so-called "black rifles". Within hours, internet sites had reproduced the offending blog, kicking off thousands of angry emails and internet postings.

Subsequently, in what may one day be classified as the worst apology ever written (aptly titled "I was wrong, BIG TIME") Zumbo attempted to soothe readers, attributing his remarks to being tired following a long day of hunting coyotes in extreme weather conditions.

He went on to recount his 40 years of NRA membership and the United States Sportsmen's Alliance, an organization, which, he wrote, "actively fights anti-hunters and animal rights groups for hunter's rights." He also told readers he had plans to go hunting with an AR-style rifle to give them a try.

At that point, however, there was little, if anything, that would assuage an angry horde of electronically mobilized AR fans. They considered Zumbo's remarks as being tantamount to a sellout, with Zumbo offering up "black rifles" as a sacrificial lamb for anti-gun forces.

In an appearance on Tom Gresham's national radio show "Gun Talk" Sunday afternoon, Zumbo attempted to apologize, but listeners didn't seem to be buying his verbal apology. If anything, any attempt to assuage them only fanned the flames of outrage.

Over the course of the afternoon and evening, various executives associated with Zumbo posted their own comments on his blog site, attempting to deflect the anger at directed at Zumbo away from their companies.

It didn't work.

Instead, they found themselves under attack with angry feedback calling for everything from a boycott of all Remington products (a pair of Remington execs were mentioned as having been with Zumbo on his now ill-fated hunting trip) to cancellation of Outdoor Life magazine subscriptions and campaigns against all companies with connections to Zumbo.

Yesterday morning, responding to an onslaught of negative publicity, Remington CEO and President Tommy Millner released a statement severing "all sponsorship ties with Mr. Zumbo, effective immediately."

Zumbo was entitled to his opinion, Millner wrote, but the inflammatory comments were solely his and did not reflect the views of Remington.

"Remington has spent tens of millions of dollars defending our Second Amendment rights to privately own and possess firearms, " wrote Millner, "and we will continue to vigorously fight to protect these rights. As hunters and shooters of all interest levels, we should strive to utilize this unfortunate occurrence to unite as a whole in support of our Second Amendment rights."

In conclusion, Millner expressed regret at the termination of a long-standing relationship with a "well-respected writer and life-long hunter."

Outdoor Life announced they were discontinuing the "Hunting With Zumbo" blog "for the time being" due to the "controversy surrounding Jim Zumbo's latest postings."

Their notice went on to remind readers "Outdoor Life has always been, and will always be, a steadfast supporter of our Second Amendment rights which do not make distinctions based on the looks of the firearms we choose to own, shoot and take hunting."

Yesterday, anyone who didn't comment risked being lumped in with anti-gun forces. Any voices calling for reason and tolerance found themselves shouted down. And those writers professing support for Mr. Zumbo privately certainly weren't willing to go on the record with that support.

Additionally, Cabela's has not yet dropped their sponsorship of the Jim Zumbo Outdoors television show, Cabela's Frank Ross is being quoted as having said their legal department is "currently reviewing contractual obligations and commitments regarding our sponsorship of the Jim Zumbo Outdoors television show. "

"Jim's comments are as unfortunate as they are inappropriate," said National Shooting Sports Foundation president Doug Painter. "No one should divide firearms into good-gun, bad-gun categories."

Zumbo's ill-considered blog may not have been intended to create good-gun, bad-gun categories, but it has certainly raised firebrand rhetoric to an art form. Rather than hunters being supported by recreational and competitive shooting enthusiasts, they have now become "Fudds" to shooters who feel they have been labeled "terrorists" by a "hard-core hunter."

It's truly not a pretty picture, but may observers say it accurately reflects a widening gap between "traditional" and "non-traditional" shooting enthusiasts.

With Congress reconsidering the Assault Weapon Ban and Connecticut and New Jersey considering legislation that would limit handgun purchases to one per month, this latest schism is already being used as further evidence of the "need" to regulate firearms -all firearms - more stringently.


Your interpretation is incorrect Mr. Shepard.

There is no "widening gap between "traditional" and "non-traditional" shooting enthusiasts".

There is a closing of ranks.

This is not a schism.

This is solidarity.

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Tam's Take on Zumbo

Monday, February 19, 2007

Remington Severs Sponsorship Ties with Jim Zumbo


Remington to Sever Sponsorship Ties with Jim Zumbo

Madison, North Carolina – "As a result of comments made by Mr. Jim Zumbo in recent postings on his blog site, Remington Arms Company, Inc., has severed all sponsorship ties with Mr. Zumbo effective immediately. While Mr. Zumbo is entitled to his opinions and has the constitutional right to freely express those opinions, these comments are solely his, and do not reflect the views of Remington.

“Remington has spent tens of millions of dollars defending our Second Amendment rights to privately own and possess firearms and we will continue to vigorously fight to protect these rights,” commented Tommy Millner, Remington’s CEO and President. “As hunters and shooters of all interest levels, we should strive to utilize this unfortunate occurrence to unite as a whole in support of our Second Amendment rights.”

We regret having to terminate our long-standing relationship with Mr. Zumbo, who is a well-respected writer and life-long hunter."


Now go buy something with Remington's label on it!

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Statement from Outdoor Life



Statement from Outdoor Life
"Due to the controversy surrounding Jim Zumbo’s recent postings, Outdoor Life has decided to discontinue the “Hunting With Zumbo” blog for the time being. Outdoor Life has always been, and will always be, a steadfast supporter of our Second Amendment rights, which do not make distinctions based on the looks of the firearms we choose to own, shoot and take hunting. Please direct any comments you have to OLletters@time4.com."


Taking away the words does not erase them. I'm not sure Outdoor Life gets the picture......

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Sunday, February 18, 2007

Witness Helped Ogden Officer Engage the Trolley Square Shooter



Barrett Dodds risked his life helping Ogden Officer Ken Hammond engage the gunman from his higher vantage point in the Trolley Square massacre. Here is his testimony.

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My Favorite M&P

I like the Smith & Wesson Military and Police revolver. Click to enlargeThis revolver, however, has been in production for over a hundred years. In the past century, there were inevitable changes to the gun, some good, some bad, some neither. Within those subtle variations of America's most ubiquitous handgun, I have found my preference.

My preference among the M&Ps for the purpose of pure shooting enjoyment is the pre-Depression revolver. These M&Ps have a smooth trigger, a mushroom shaped ejector knob, and Circassian walnut grips without medallions. There are no "Made in USA" or "Marcos Registradas" markings. The topstrap is rounded, with a round notch for the rear sight. It has a side swing hammer block safety. The bluing and tolerances in these guns exceed that of present day Performance Center revolvers. These were hand built pieces fabricated by master craftsmen.

Thus, when I found this M&P on a gun show table, I had to buy it. Click to enlargeIt checked out good, locking up tight with no endshake and a minimal cylinder gap. I haggled the price from $225 to $165, and took my prize home. It is serial number 3690XX. That is significant. Heat treatment of the .38 Special cylinders began at serial number 316648. This revolver is safe to use with modern ammunition. I'm estimating it's date of birth to be about 1917.

It was with anticipation that I took this new revolver to the range today. I shot it after running ammo through a couple of my 1911s. I do not think I did the old double action gal justice. I think she can certainly shoot better than she did by my hand today. Nevertheless, she kept all six shots on an index card at 10 yards. That is not too shabby for a ninety year old gun!

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Jim Zumbo Apologizes


Jim Zumbo apologizes:
I was wrong, BIG TIME
"Someone once said that to err is human. I just erred, and made without question, the biggest blunder in my 42 years of writing hunting articles.

My blog inflamed legions of people I love most..... hunters and shooters. Obviously, when I wrote that blog, I activated my mouth before engaging my brain.

Let me explain the circumstances surrounding that blog. I was hunting coyotes, and after the hunt was over and being beat up by 60 mph winds all day, I was discussing hunting with one of the young guides. I was tired and exhausted, and I should have gone to bed early. When the guide told me that there was a "huge" following of hunters who use AR 15's and similar weapons to hunt prairies dogs, I was amazed. At that point I wrote the blog, and never thought it through.

Now then, you might not believe what I have to say, but I hope you do. How is it that Zumbo, who has been hunting for more than 50 years, is totally ignorant about these types of guns. I don't know. I shot one once at a target last year, and thought it was cool, but I never considered using one for hunting. I had absolutely no idea how vast the numbers of folks are who use them.

I never intended to be devisive [sic], and I certainly believe in United we Stand, Divided we Fall. I've been an NRA member for 40 years, have attended 8 national NRA conventions in the last 10 years, and I'm an advisory board member for the United States Sportsmen's Alliance which actively fights anti-hunters and animal rights groups for hunter's rights.

What really bothers me are some of the unpatriotic comments leveled at me. I fly the flag 365 days a year in my front yard. Last year, through an essay contest, I hosted a soldier wounded in Iraq to a free hunt in Botswana. This year, through another essay contest, I'm taking two more soldiers on a free moose and elk hunt.

When I started blogging, I was told to write my thoughts, expressing my own opinion. The offensive blog I wrote was MY opinion, and no one else's. None of the companies that I deal with share that opinion, nor were they aware of what I had written until this firestorm started.

Believe it or not, I'm your best friend if you're a hunter or shooter, though it might not seem that way. I simply screwed up. And, to show that I'm sincere about this, I just talked to Ted Nugent, who everyone knows, and is a Board member of the NRA. Ted is extremely active with charities concerning our wounded military, and though he's known as a bowhunter, Ted has no problem with AR 15's and similar firearms. My sincerity stems from the fact that Ted and I are planning a hunt using AR 15's. I intend to learn all I can about them, and again, I'm sorry for inserting my foot in my mouth."



Yep, you are right Zumbo. That was about the biggest mistake you ever made in your gun writing career. You turned your back on your gun owning brethren, and went straight into the gun grabbing Brady camp to save your own hide. When you saw that you were condemned and thousands of people were writing the corporations that send your fat ass on canned hunts, you suddenly had a change of heart.

Too damned late. You have shown unequivocally who you are. You cannot drop enough names, attend enough conferences or pay enough dues to the NRA to change your words. These were your words. They were spoken when you thought you were unopposed, and you thought your Elmer Fudd readership would fawn over your elder gun writer wisdom. Wake up Zumbo! It's a new world! The internet ain't a damned gun rag!

When you said "I'll go so far as to call them 'terrorist' rifles", you called every American serviceman a terrorist. Now I don't care if you fly a thousand flags in your yard, paint your whole damned house red, white and blue, and take the entire 82nd Airborne to a free hunt in Botswana, you cannot change that. Those are your words, and they reflect your thoughts and character.

I'll give you credit for responding to your own personal blogswarm promptly, but that will not reestablish your credibility. Hopefully it will create a vacancy at Outdoor Life that can be filled by a young gun writer who cherishes the 2nd amendment, and the individual liberties this country was founded on.

Note: Anonymous commentors to this blog article may want to look at this article where Jim Zumbo susequently, finally "gets it". A canned apology such as the one in this blog article, that fails to recognize the issue at hand, only makes the problem greater. Supporting his canned apology that fails to recognize the problem only demonstrates you fail to recognize the problem as well.

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Remington Responds


ALL - Jim Zumbo in NO WAY speaks for Remington! His opinions are his own. We at Remington take our 2nd Ammendment Rights extremely seriously and ourselves market and manufacturer a AR based 308 rifle. Remington Arms supports the lawful use of all firearms by thier owners in whatever legal manner they choice. We are Remington feel that it is the diversity of our tastes and uses of fireaems that should also be the binding element that assists us all in defending the rights granted to us by our fore fathers.

Rest assured that remington not only does not support jim's view, we totally disagree! I have no explaination for his perspective.

I proudly own AR's and support everyones right to do so!

What makes me sick is how quickly people on the internet have called to boycott remington. All Jim said was he was hunting with our people! This is normal course in our industry. How else do people think we field test? with writers.

Remington has spent tens of millions of dollars to defend your rights and how quickly the thanks is threat and boycott! Please feel Free to post that remington does not agree with Zumbo in any way shape or form and we will assess our relationship with him accordingly.

Tommy Millner
CEO and President

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Outdoor Life Responds


"As a point of clarification about this blog, it is important for everyone to realize that the opinions expressed here are Jim’s and not necessarily those of Outdoor Life.

I’ve been friends with Jim for many years and have shared countless great times with him talking about both hunting and guns. While I totally support Jim’s right to express his point of view—this is his blog after all—I don’t happen to agree with him on this matter.

His position that AR- and AK-style rifles don’t have a place among our “sporting arms” is not one that I personally, or Outdoor Life as a magazine, happens to share.

In the six years that I’ve worked at Outdoor Life we have never wavered in our support of our Second Amendment rights, which don’t, and shouldn’t, make a distinction about the cosmetic look of the guns that we choose take to our local gun clubs or into hunting camp.

That said, I don’t expect every other hunter and sportsman out there to have a set of opinions that moves in lockstep with mine. So while I don’t share Jim’s view on this, I also know that he is still the same wonderfully talented and good-natured person he was before this post went up. For those of you who have followed him for all or part of his more than thirty years at Outdoor Life, I would ask you to bear that in mind before damning him with personal attacks."

John B. Snow
Executive Editor
Outdoor Life


So......The Executive Editor of Outdoor Life does not agree with Jim Zumbo's opinion, but he supports his right to voice it. Meanwhile, the same Executive Editor asks that people Jim Zumbo is damning shut the hell up. Is that about right Mr. Snow?

Here's a thought for you. Fire the stupid son of a bitch. Then you might regain some credibility.

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The 15 Yard Pistol Challenge


The 15 yard pistol challenge is going on at The High Road.
Join us!

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A New Gun Control Advocate

Who would have thought Jim Zumbo, Hunting Editor of Outdoor Life magazine would pen an anti-gun rant worthy of Sarah Brady or Rosie O'Donnell's blessing?

Assault Rifles For Hunters?
"As I write this, I'm hunting coyotes in southeastern Wyoming with Eddie Stevenson, PR Manager for Remington Arms, Greg Dennison, who is senior research engineer for Remington, and several writers. We're testing Remington's brand new .17 cal Spitfire bullet on coyotes.

I must be living in a vacuum. The guides on our hunt tell me that the use of AR and AK rifles have a rapidly growing following among hunters, especially prairie dog hunters. I had no clue. Only once in my life have I ever seen anyone using one of these firearms.

I call them "assault" rifles, which may upset some people. Excuse me, maybe I'm a traditionalist, but I see no place for these weapons among our hunting fraternity. I'll go so far as to call them "terrorist" rifles. They tell me that some companies are producing assault rifles that are "tackdrivers."

Sorry, folks, in my humble opinion, these things have no place in hunting. We don't need to be lumped into the group of people who terrorize the world with them, which is an obvious concern. I've always been comfortable with the statement that hunters don't use assault rifles. We've always been proud of our "sporting firearms."

This really has me concerned. As hunters, we don't need the image of walking around the woods carrying one of these weapons. To most of the public, an assault rifle is a terrifying thing. Let's divorce ourselves from them. I say game departments should ban them from the praries and woods."


As long as you can keep your high powered bolt action sniper rifles you'll be happy, right Jimbo? You make me want to puke.

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Saturday, February 17, 2007

Remington Rand First Shots

Click to enlarge
I took the Remington Rand M1911A1 out to the range today, with the original HS barrel installed. I shot it at 7, 15, and 21 feet, using 230 grain Winchester hardball. It performed flawlessly through two hundred rounds of ammo.

Two stations down from me, a young man was teaching his girlfriend to shoot a Glock. It made me wonder........They were all over the page, but it was likely not the pistol's fault. I started to rent a Glock pistol to compare the Remington to, but I will save that challenge for another day.

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Parkerizing, Truth vs Tales

Parkerizing is a an electrochemical conversion coating, often found on military firearms as protection from corrosion. It is easily recognized by it's dull, black to grey appearance. It has, over the years, served the military well. It is a very durable, corrosion resistant finish. Parkerizing in civilian use, however, is often viewed as an inferior finish to blue. I often hear complaints that Parkerizing rusts, that it does not protect squat. I found this curious, and I began to investigate.

Sistema and GI pistols are often seen with Parkerized finishes that have lasted decades and which appear to have a slicker surface than modern Parkerized guns. At first, I thought that a different process might have been used, but I was wrong. The process was the same.

Then, I considered just what Parkerizing is. Parkerizing is an incomplete finish. The manganese, iron or zinc phosphating of Parkerizing is only a vehicle to contain the real protection for the firearm. What is that real protection? Grease. That's right.....Decomposed dinosaur products. Petroleum. Grease. All over the world, military firearms are packed in cosmoline. Then they are wrapped in kraft paper, placed in crates and stored in warehouses of armories. The temperatures in these places can reach extremes. During this storage period, the cosmoline soaks into the porous Parkerizing, thoroughly impregnating it with the best water/corrosion repellent yet devised.

Today, quite a few handguns wear the phosphate finish known as Parkerizing. These guns, however, are not treated the same way as military weapons. These guns are meticulously cleaned after each use by their owners, with products such as Gun Scrubber and brake cleaner. These products strip the oils and grease from the Parkerizing, assuming there was any to begin with. When a new Parkerized Springfield GI45 or old roll mark (Parkerized) Colt M1991A1 reaches its first owner, the finish is practically devoid of oil. It is dry. For many of these pistols, the only grease their finishes will absorb is off the hands of their owners. It is no wonder they rust. Without the grease in the Parkerizing, the coating will absorb sweat and humidity instead. The result is rust.

Several years ago, in 2003, I purchased a new Parkerized Springfield GI45.
I modified it to more closely approximate a M1911A1, but I also did something else. I disassembled the pistol, coated each part completely with Vaseline petroleum jelly, and I placed them all on a pizza pan. I then placed them in the oven at 350 degrees for half a day. The result was the pores of the Parkerizing opened up to accept the heavy lubricant. Once cooled, and totally impregnated with grease, the Parkerizing leeched grease for a month afterwards. Honestly, it was pretty nasty. I was halfway expecting that, which is why I used clean, clear Vaseline instead of black moly grease. When the leeching process ceased, however, I found that I had achieved that same durable finish that protected my Sistemas and the many old GI guns I have held.

I disassembled my Parkerized Springfield Mil-Spec and put it through the heated grease impregnating process as well. To this day, neither pistol has shown the slightest bit of corrosion, despite being ridden hard and holstered wet with sweat, in Louisiana humidity. Meanwhile, I listen to other shooters complain about the ineffectiveness of Parkerizing in the same environment. Remember........it aint the Park that protects, it's the grease that it contains that prevents corrosion. If you want the protection, you gotta accept the grease.

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Friday, February 16, 2007

20/20 Gun Myths

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Beetle Bailey



Thank you Mort!

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Thursday, February 15, 2007

HS Barrel


I have maintained contact with the gentleman who sold a Remington Rand that I subsequently purchased at a gun show a few weeks back. The only flaw in the pistol was a post war Colt barrel. Today, I recieved a package with the correct, original High Standard barrel in it. This puts my Remington Rand back at 100% original. Karma is good.

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Wednesday, February 14, 2007

The Khyber Pass Martini-Henri Pistol

The Kyber Pass is a place of legend, part mythical, part truth, and all shrouded in dangerous reality. It is a 33 mile route through the Hindu Kush mountain range, joining the northern frontier of Pakistan with Afghanistan. It has historically been the wildest of places. There is a flourishing arms industry in this corner of the world. The local craftsmen there are well known for crafting arms of war, from historical spears and arrows to modern day AK-47's, grenades, landmines and RPGs, smelted from bomb schrapnel and other scrap metal. In effect, they recycle the artifacts of war, for more war. Years ago, a younger Xavier traveled in this armpit of the world.

One of the most prolifically copied designs is that of the Martini-Henry rifle. It is a simple design, from the British Empire. The forgers even try to copy the original stampings from the Martini-Henry rifles, but they often screw that up, with backwards letters that resemble Cyrillic script. Most of these guns are rifles, and are relics of centuries of war.

Thus, when I spotted an unusual pistol at a gun show, I was intrigued. It was obviously a version of a Martini-Henry rifle, but whether it was an altered original, an altered forgery, or a brainchild of it's own design was debatable.

The action was that of a Martini-Henry, with the lever reformed to fit around a hand checkered wooden grip. Click to enlargeThe barrel was octagon in shape, with a brass sight, probably made from a coin, and a sling swivel underneath. The other sling swivel resided on the butt of the grip. This was a single shot pistol, no doubt made to be slung on a piece of rope or rawhide for carry over the rocky terrain of the area. It was like nothing I had seen before, at least on this side of the world. The story that I listened to as I purchased this pistol was that it had hung on a wall in the United States, observed by the seller for approximately 30 years. When that owner died, the seller purchased it from his widow for an undisclosed sum. He then kept it for approximately ten years. That would date the pistol to at least 1970, if the tale was to be believed. From my conversation, I saw no reason to dispute it. I purchased the Kyber Pass Pistol for $125.

The surface of the firearm is embellished with a series of small triangular shaped stampings, lined up around the border, hand stamped into the surface. Click to enlargeI recall seeing these types of markings on other metal work of the Kyber Pass region. There are no remnants of British markings, save for a "30" beside the extractor retaining screw on the left side. I highly suspect, due to the lack of British markings, and the lack of a sling swivel in the triggerguard, or even a hole to contain one, that this pistol was forged entirely at the Kyber Pass. The embellishments were probably added to decorate a sidearm for a chieftain of some mountain clan. It was possibly carried as a defensive sidearm concealed beneath a tribesman's cloak, but I suspect it was more likely a badge of authority in a region that respects no authority. It is, in effect, the ultimate suicide special, and an extreme curio and relic.

Forum thread on this pistol
More on Kyber Pass Martini-Henry rifles.

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H.R. 1022....Here We Go Again!

HR 1022 IH


110th CONGRESS

1st Session

H. R. 1022
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.


IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES


February 13, 2007

Mrs. MCCARTHY of New York introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


A BILL
To reauthorize the assault weapons ban, and for other purposes.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,


SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the `Assault Weapons Ban and Law Enforcement Protection Act of 2007'.


SEC. 2. REINSTATEMENT FOR 10 YEARS OF REPEALED CRIMINAL PROVISIONS RELATING TO ASSAULT WEAPONS AND LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICES.

(a) Reinstatement of Provisions Wholly Repealed- Paragraphs (30) and (31) of section 921(a), subsections (v) and (w) and Appendix A of section 922, and the last 2 sentences of section 923(i) of title 18, United States Code, as in effect just before the repeal made by section 110105(2) of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994, are hereby enacted into law.

(b) Reinstatement of Provisions Partially Repealed- Section 924 of title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in subsection (a)(1), by striking subparagraph (B) and inserting the following:

`(B) knowingly violates subsection (a)(4), (f), (k), (r), (v), or (w) of section 922;'; and

(2) in subsection (c)(1)(B), by striking clause (i) and inserting the following:

`(i) is a short-barreled rifle, short-barreled shotgun, or semiautomatic assault weapon, the person shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not less than 10 years; or'.


SEC. 3. DEFINITIONS.

(a) In General- Section 921(a)(30) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended to read as follows:

`(30) The term `semiautomatic assault weapon' means any of the following:

`(A) The following rifles or copies or duplicates thereof:

`(i) AK, AKM, AKS, AK-47, AK-74, ARM, MAK90, Misr, NHM 90, NHM 91, SA 85, SA 93, VEPR;

`(ii) AR-10;

`(iii) AR-15, Bushmaster XM15, Armalite M15, or Olympic Arms PCR;

`(iv) AR70;

`(v) Calico Liberty;

`(vi) Dragunov SVD Sniper Rifle or Dragunov SVU;

`(vii) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR, or FNC;

`(viii) Hi-Point Carbine;

`(ix) HK-91, HK-93, HK-94, or HK-PSG-1;

`(x) Kel-Tec Sub Rifle;

`(xi) M1 Carbine;

`(xii) Saiga;

`(xiii) SAR-8, SAR-4800;

`(xiv) SKS with detachable magazine;

`(xv) SLG 95;

`(xvi) SLR 95 or 96;

`(xvii) Steyr AUG;

`(xviii) Sturm, Ruger Mini-14;

`(xix) Tavor;

`(xx) Thompson 1927, Thompson M1, or Thompson 1927 Commando; or

`(xxi) Uzi, Galil and Uzi Sporter, Galil Sporter, or Galil Sniper Rifle (Galatz).

`(B) The following pistols or copies or duplicates thereof:

`(i) Calico M-110;

`(ii) MAC-10, MAC-11, or MPA3;

`(iii) Olympic Arms OA;

`(iv) TEC-9, TEC-DC9, TEC-22 Scorpion, or AB-10; or

`(v) Uzi.

`(C) The following shotguns or copies or duplicates thereof:

`(i) Armscor 30 BG;

`(ii) SPAS 12 or LAW 12;

`(iii) Striker 12; or

`(iv) Streetsweeper.

`(D) A semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine, and that has--

`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;

`(ii) a threaded barrel;

`(iii) a pistol grip;

`(iv) a forward grip; or

`(v) a barrel shroud.

`(E)(i) Except as provided in clause (ii), a semiautomatic rifle that has a fixed magazine with the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.

`(ii) Clause (i) shall not apply to an attached tubular device designed to accept, and capable of operating only with, .22 caliber rimfire ammunition.

`(F) A semiautomatic pistol that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and has--

`(i) a second pistol grip;

`(ii) a threaded barrel;

`(iii) a barrel shroud; or

`(iv) the capacity to accept a detachable magazine at a location outside of the pistol grip.

`(G) A semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine that has the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds.

`(H) A semiautomatic shotgun that has--

`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;

`(ii) a pistol grip;

`(iii) the ability to accept a detachable magazine; or

`(iv) a fixed magazine capacity of more than 5 rounds.

`(I) A shotgun with a revolving cylinder.

`(J) A frame or receiver that is identical to, or based substantially on the frame or receiver of, a firearm described in any of subparagraphs (A) through (I) or (L).

`(K) A conversion kit.

`(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. In making the determination, there shall be a rebuttable presumption that a firearm procured for use by the United States military or any Federal law enforcement agency is not particularly suitable for sporting purposes, and a firearm shall not be determined to be particularly suitable for sporting purposes solely because the firearm is suitable for use in a sporting event.'.

(b) Related Definitions- Section 921(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(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, but does not include a slide that encloses the barrel, and does not include an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel.

`(37) Conversion Kit- The term `conversion kit' means any part or combination of parts designed and intended for use in converting a firearm into a semiautomatic assault weapon, and any combination of parts from which a semiautomatic assault weapon can be assembled if the parts are in the possession or under the control of a person.

`(38) Detachable Magazine- The term `detachable magazine' means an ammunition feeding device that can readily be inserted into a firearm.

`(39) Fixed Magazine- The term `fixed magazine' means an ammunition feeding device contained in, or permanently attached to, a firearm.

`(40) Folding or Telescoping Stock- The term `folding or telescoping stock' means a stock that folds, telescopes, or otherwise operates to reduce the length, size, or any other dimension, or otherwise enhances the concealability, of a firearm.

`(41) Forward Grip- The term `forward grip' means a grip located forward of the trigger that functions as a pistol grip.

`(42) Pistol Grip- The term `pistol grip' means a grip, a thumbhole stock, or any other characteristic that can function as a grip.

`(43) Threaded Barrel- The term `threaded barrel' means a feature or characteristic that is designed in such a manner to allow for the attachment of a firearm as defined in section 5845(a) of the National Firearms Act (26 U.S.C. 5845(a)).'.


SEC. 4. GRANDFATHER PROVISION.

Section 922(v)(2) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--

(1) by inserting `(A)' after `(2)'; and

(2) by adding after and below the end the following:

`(B) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm the possession or transfer of which would (but for this subparagraph) be unlawful by reason of this subsection, and which is otherwise lawfully possessed on the date of the enactment of this subparagraph.'.


SEC. 5. REPEAL OF CERTAIN EXEMPTIONS.

Section 922(v)(3) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `(3)' and all that follows through the 1st sentence and inserting the following:

`(3) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to any firearm that--

`(A) is manually operated by bolt, pump, level, or slide action;

`(B) has been rendered permanently inoperable; or

`(C) is an antique firearm.'.


SEC. 6. REQUIRING BACKGROUND CHECKS FOR THE TRANSFER OF LAWFULLY POSSESSED SEMIAUTOMATIC ASSAULT WEAPONS.

Section 922(v) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(5) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer a semiautomatic assault weapon to which paragraph (1) does not apply, except through--

`(A) a licensed dealer, and for purposes of subsection (t) in the case of such a transfer, the weapon shall be considered to be transferred from the business inventory of the licensed dealer and the dealer shall be considered to be the transferor; or

`(B) a State or local law enforcement agency if the transfer is made in accordance with the procedures provided for in subsection (t) of this section and section 923(g).

`(6) The Attorney General shall establish and maintain, in a timely manner, a record of the make, model, and date of manufacture of any semiautomatic assault weapon which the Attorney General is made aware has been used in relation to a crime under Federal or State law, and the nature and circumstances of the crime involved, including the outcome of relevant criminal investigations and proceedings. The Attorney General shall annually submit the record to the Congress and make the record available to the general public.'.


SEC. 7. STRENGTHENING THE BAN ON THE POSSESSION OR TRANSFER OF A LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.

(a) Ban on Transfer of Semiautomatic Assault Weapon With Large Capacity Ammunition Feeding Device-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922 of title 18, United States Code, is amended by inserting after subsection (y) the following:

`(z) It shall be unlawful for any person to transfer any assault weapon with a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.

(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(8) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(z) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 10 years, or both.'.

(b) Certification Requirement-

(1) IN GENERAL- Section 922(w) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--

(A) in paragraph (3)--

(i) by adding `or' at the end of subparagraph (B); and

(ii) by striking subparagraph (C) and redesignating subparagraph (D) as subparagraph (C); and

(B) by striking paragraph (4) and inserting the following:

`(4) It shall be unlawful for a licensed manufacturer, licensed importer, or licensed dealer who transfers a large capacity ammunition feeding device that was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection, to fail to certify to the Attorney General before the end of the 60-day period that begins with the date of the transfer, in accordance with regulations prescribed by the Attorney General, that the device was manufactured on or before the date of the enactment of this subsection.'.

(2) PENALTIES- Section 924(a) of such title, as amended by subsection (a)(2) of this section, is amended by adding at the end the following:

`(9) Whoever knowingly violates section 922(w)(4) shall be fined under this title, imprisoned not more than 5 years, or both.'.


SEC. 8. UNLAWFUL WEAPONS TRANSFERS TO JUVENILES.

Section 922(x) of title 18, United States Code, is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1)--

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or

`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'; and

(2) in paragraph (2)--

(A) in subparagraph (B), by striking the period and inserting a semicolon; and

(B) by adding at the end the following:

`(C) a semiautomatic assault weapon; or

`(D) a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.


SEC. 9. BAN ON IMPORTATION OF LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION FEEDING DEVICE.

(a) In General- Section 922(w) of title 18, United States Code, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended--

(1) in paragraph (1), by striking `(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2)' and inserting `(1)(A) Except as provided in subparagraph (B)';

(2) in paragraph (2), by striking `(2) Paragraph (1)' and inserting `(B) Subparagraph (A)'; and

(3) by inserting before paragraph (3) the following:

`(2) It shall be unlawful for any person to import or bring into the United States a large capacity ammunition feeding device.'.

(b) Conforming Amendment- Section 921(a)(31)(A) of such title, as added by section 2(a) of this Act, is amended by striking `manufactured after the date of enactment of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994'.


Get ready to fight!

Tuesday, February 13, 2007

Registered Magnum Box on Ebay

Ray Nagin Found in Contempt of Court

News Flash from the NRA:
The National Rifle Association (NRA) and law abiding gun owners have won yet another victory this morning against New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and former police chief Warren Riley.

Judge Carl J. Barbier, presiding over the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana, granted NRA's motion for contempt against New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin and Warren Riley for "failure to provide initial disclosures and to compel answers to discovery" during NRA's injunction against the City for their illegal gun confiscation of law abiding citizens following Hurricane Katrina in 2006.

"Once more, Mayor Ray Nagin and former police chief Warren Riley are held accountable for considering themselves above the law," said Chris W. Cox, NRA's chief lobbyist. "These men have had to be dragged, kicking and screaming, every step of the way in this process to return the lawfully owned firearms to their own citizens, and Judge Barbier rightly found them in contempt of court for their complete lack of respect for the rule of law."

Furthermore, Judge Barbier concluded the delaying tactics by the City's attorney, Joseph Vincent DiRosa, Jr, to be "wholly unprofessional and shall not be condoned". Mr. DiRosa admitted in Court that he had "no good reason" to explain his actions and has been ordered to pay partial legal fees to NRA's attorneys for their wasted time and money.

"Ray Nagin, Warren Riley and their attorney refused to provide vital information to the U.S. District Court for their unconstitutional acts in their city's time of great need," concluded Cox. "On behalf of the lawful gun owners of New Orleans, NRA is pleased with this outcome, we thank Judge Barbier for his swift decision and we will continue to press for the full return of all the city's confiscated firearms."

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The Trolley Square Massacre

The Crushed Victory

Ever since I read of the destroyed Victory Models in John Henwood's book, I have wanted one. These were often sold at gunshows with the spurious story that they were run over by a tank. It seems a lot of tanks were running over Victory Models in WWII! The truth is, these revolvers were destroyed by our own government. The contract between the US government and Smith & Wesson for the Victory Model revolvers specified that the government would not sell the guns as surplus when the war was over. This protected Smith & Wesson from struggling in a gun market flooded with their own revolvers, as had happened after WWI with the M1917.

Thus, as excess Victory Models were removed from service, most were destroyed rather than sold. Comparatively few Victory Models reached the general public as functional guns. Government agents oversaw the destruction of most of these arms. An ordnance officer was required to be present as a steam powered hammer crushed each of these perfectly serviceable revolvers in three places; on the barrel, the cylinder, and the triggerguard. The remains were then sold as scrap metal.

Several enterprising firms purchased the scrap in bulk, and resold them as gun parts. The crushed Victory Models were usually priced under ten dollars each in 1980, and even included the grips, and lanyard loop. Either would cost over ten bucks today.

When I saw this stripped crushed Victory on a table at a recent gun show, I wanted it for two reasons.....First, the historical aspect, but secondly it is a US Navy rollmarked version, and it will help me avoid counterfeit US Navy Victory Models in the future. I asked the seller what he wanted for it, and I was relieved to not hear the old tank running over the gun story. The seller simply said twenty bucks. I handed it back to him with the comment that I could find one with a cylinder and grips for that amount. I turned to leave, and he asked "How much will you give me?" I told him it was worth ten bucks to me to be able to place it in a display of M&P revolvers. He thought a minute, and considered that he had gotten everything off the revolver he wanted, and agreed to my price. Call me crazy.

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Monday, February 12, 2007

Rapist's Worst Nightmare

Sunday, February 11, 2007

Gun Show: Two M&Ps

There wasn't much traffic at the gun show when I went back this afternoon. It was a pretty day, but the combination of lack of advertising and other festivities in town effectively killed the traffic. You could actually walk the aisles and see other people from several tables over.

I barely missed one grandmotherly type lady as she removed a Colt 1908 Hammerless from her purse. I saw that it had one broken grip, and then I saw the dealer hand her a one hundred dollar bill.

Then, I spotted something on one of the tables I have been looking for. It was a mangled frame from a Victory Model. One of these has been on my list since John Henwood's book on the M&P reminded me of them. I held it up and asked the seller what he wanted. He said twenty bucks. He had to be kidding. There was nothing useful left on it. I offered him a ten, and he agreed. I stuck my new Victory Model in my pocket, and moved on.

I watched the crowds for those with guns to sell, but I found nothing but a Llama 9mm, a scandium Smith J frame and some big honking Ruger. The granny with the old Colt had come and gone. I located the .38DA topbreak I had seen yesterday for $140. The dealer, an estate dealer, now had a sign on the table saying it was "Make A Deal Sunday". Good. I picked up the revolver, and again offered a hundred dollars, the same as yesterday. The dealer again countered with $120. I looked at the worn extractor star, and put the blood pitted revolver back down. I then moved across the room to a table in the corner.

This seller had two Pre-Depression era Smith & Wesson M&P revolvers, both in .38 Special. One was priced at $225, the other wore a hopeful $250 price tag. I picked up the less expensive gun, opened the cylinder, and checked the bore. It was decent. All the numbers matched. The revolver actually had very little actual wear, although the bluing had deteriorated. These are some of my favorite revolvers. Were they made to this standard today, they would cost more than Performance Center guns.

The seller told me these M&Ps were from his own collection, and encouraged me to make an offer. There would be no tax in a private sale. It was the last hour of the show. I ventured $150. He countered $175. We settled on $165. I took out my money and paid the gentleman, contented with my purchase.

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Saturday, February 10, 2007

Gun Show: Martinis & Valentines

I got to the gun show early this morning, and I met Lester and Howard in the parking lot. Lester, a retired Deputy Sheriff, had purchased the find of the show last time. It was a weathered three and a half inch Model 27-2 for $265. Lester was still on cloud nine over that find. He and Howard were hoping for a repeat performance.

The show was not well advertised this time around. The promoter was hoping for traffic from the Mardi Gras parade. Unfortunately, parade spectators were already camped out along the streets, marking territory with police tape.

At the gun show, I found quite a few attractive Smith & Wesson revolvers. One that grabbed my attention was a three inch Model 37 Airweight for $325. Across the board, the j frames seem to be rising in price. There was a snubnosed pre-Model 10, in immaculate condition. That was on my gottagetit list. Unfortunately it wore a $495 price tag. That was too high for me (but it did sell later in the day). Several pre-war Smith & Wesson M&Ps were available for $225. A .38 DA Smith & Wesson topbreak was tagged at $140. It had a good deal of blood pitting, so I offered $100 even. The seller countered $120, pointing out the unbroken grips and stating it could still be used. I walked away.

I am always open to another 1911, and there was a good variety at this show. Kimbers were everywhere, as were Springfield Armory guns, all new in the box. One dealer had some very good prices on NIB Colt 1911s, with blued NRM Government Models priced at $675, and stainless Commanders for $689. Prices on other models of Colt 1911s were equally attractive. I kind of feel as though I should buy one as a hedge against future price hikes, but I am more interested in the unusual 1911. I have enough of them that I have 'smithed.

I ran into Wesley and Cussin' Bob, both members of the Flat Creek Debate Society at the show. Then as I was chatting with another old friend, I noticed something unusual behind a table. I asked the dealer, Joel, if I could examine the bizarre handgun. It appeared to be a Martini-Henry rifle that was converted to a handgun. It had an octagon barrel, and it was decorated with stamped triangles all over the metal surfaces. These were weapons of the British Empire throughout it's colonies. It is difficult to speculate whether this gun was fabricated in Nepal, the Congo, or Afghanistan. The triangular stamps were a tantalizing clue. The action still worked, even though it was horribly grungy.

I asked the seller how much he wanted for it, and he said $200. I told him I could give him $100 cash, right now. He countered $150, and we discussed how these things were hard to evaluate. This was extreme Curio & Relic. We settled on $125 for the gun. My wife collects C&R guns, as well as African and tribal art. Valentine's Day is coming up fast. I can hardly wait to see her face!

I put the pistol in a paper sack, and left the show with a satisfied feeling, ready to try again tomorrow.

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Doormat


Nice!
A doormat for those who refuse to be a doormat!

Available from......of all places.......Target.

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Friday, February 09, 2007

Idiots With Guns #68

Idiots with guns. Just read the article.

Man says he mistook snorkeler for nutria
By Rebecca Nolan
The Register-Guard
Published: Friday, February 9, 2007

REEDSPORT - A man charged with shooting a Smith River snorkeler in the head told detectives he mistook the swimmer for a nutria, the Douglas County Sheriff's Office said.

William Roderick, 60, of Reedsport was arraigned Thursday in Douglas County Circuit Court on charges including second-degree assault, being a felon in possession of a firearm, and possession of methamphetamine and marijuana. He was being held in the Douglas County Jail in Roseburg on $700,000 bail. Roderick is accused of shooting 44-year-old John W. Chessman of Marcola once in the head as he snorkeled about 2 p.m. Tuesday. Chessman remained in serious condition Thursday in the cardiac intensive care unit at Oregon Health & Science University Hospital in Portland.

Roderick told detectives he was taking care of a house on Lower Smith River Road when he saw what he believed to be a nutria swimming in the river, sheriff's spokesman Dwes Hutson said. He grabbed a .22-caliber rifle and shot at what he thought was a large, water-dwelling rodent from a deck, he told detectives. He soon realized the rodent was in fact a man and ran to the river to help pull Chessman from the water. Chessman was conscious and able to speak after the shooting, Hutson said.

Witnesses drove Chessman to the Lower Smith River scale shack near Highway 101. From there, an ambulance took him to Lower Umpqua Hospital in Reedsport. He was later transferred to OHSU. Roderick led detectives to the gun, which he had thrown into the river after the shooting, Hutson said. He was convicted of felony drug possession in 1987 and therefore should not have had a gun in his possession, according to state court records.

We need some damned laws to keep guns out of the hands of drug crazed felons!!!!!...... wait a minute.....

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Gun Show: Borelight & Bucks

A gun show is opening across town in the morning. I plan to go. The selection of firearms on the pawn shop circuit has slowed down over the past few months. I don't have anything in particular that I am looking for, but I look forward to a show and the chance to run into old friends there. I always review my Gun Show Rules and Gun Show Strategies. If the gun show isn't going to be fun, I do something else instead.

A lot of times, gun show novices want to know what I carry to a gun show to give me and edge. First, I put several reference books in the car. I put some business cards in my pocket. I stash cash in several places other than my wallet. I carry a bore light, a small screwdriver, and a pocket loupe. This time around, I will be carrying a set of stag grips as trade fodder, and perhaps a gun or two.

In the morning, I will eat a good breakfast, put on some comfortable clothes and shoes and go have a good time.

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Thursday, February 08, 2007

Blonde, Not Stupid

Wednesday, February 07, 2007

3 inch Smiths Available at CDNN

CDNN has three inch S&W revolvers, both Model 64s and 65s available. The Model 64 is $339, the Model 65 is $349. Both are stainless, both have round butts.

WARNING: The second link is a whopping big 20MB PDF file of the CDNN catalog.

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Alarm Bells

Wow.......This thing is wrong on so many levels......
Jawa Ion Blaster Star Wars Movie Prop Replica on ebay.
Buy It now Price: US $349.00

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J.M.Browning Petition

There is a petition afoot to get John Moses Browning recognized with a United States postage stamp and national holiday.
If you call yourself a gunny, sign it!

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Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Pawn Shop Circuit: Waiting Game

I swung into Neil's pawnshop today. He still had the overpriced Ruger MKII 50th anniversary gun in his case, along with the Ruger Redhawk. He had nothing new to show me.

So, I drove over to Kenny's place. Kenny still had the hard chrome Hi Power up for grabs, and he had brought a S&W Model 65-5 out from hock. It had a Hogue monogrip, and the four inch barrel was not pinned. All in all, it wasn't a bad gun at all, it was in good shape, but it just did not trip my trigger. Kenny was asking $279 for it. That was a fair price, and I guess it will make someone a nice house or truck gun. It just did not inspire me to buy it. Kenny still had not brought out the promised nickel Model 38. I did not want to ask about it, for fear of appearing too interested.

Over at Dave's shop, there was no changes in his used gun selection. I started to drop another hundred on my layaway, but I decided to hold off until after the gun show this weekend.

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Monday, February 05, 2007

Future Collectible Handguns

I was asked today what I thought the collectible handguns of the future would be. This is really a speculatory question, with the unasked question being which guns do I expect to increase in market value.

First, remember that condition is king in gun collecting. Ruger MKIIsHere are my speculations:

Colt revolvers: No longer made, a rare snake when they were. All are escalating at this time, but especially the Pythons and Diamondbacks.

Blued and pinned S&W revolvers: These are also no longer made, and even the modern reproductions are far beneath the older guns in quality. The nickel brethern are collectible too.

Both of these are already collected, and are thus not the sleepers asked for though........In the sleeper category, I believe these will prove fruitful:

Ruger MKII auto pistols: These are great fun, accurate, reliable, and represent a nostalgic time for many people. They are the Ruger auto pistol zenith, and no longer made. Expect these to escalate just like the K-22 Outdoorsman did. Condition will be everything. High Standard auto pistols will be a close second, and perhaps the MKI as well.

Glocks: People collect weird stuff, and Glocks do have a following. I expect the first generation Glocks to become collectible. They are significant guns, and they remain shootable.

Sistema Colt 1911s: The supply has dried up, it's a genuine GI 1911, long ignored just as the M1911A1 was when it was plentiful.

S&W Victory Models: I expect these to reach M1911A1 prices, especially the US Property marked ones.

All imported C&R handguns: I expect there to finally be restrictions on importing handguns that effectively kills the C&R trade. Expect Walther P1s, Makarovs, Tokarevs, and a host of other interesting, good quality military surplus weapons to skyrocket.

The coming changes in our government's leadership will potentially bring about changes for gun owners. Many are already ordering Bushmasters as a hedge against another assault weapon ban. Some of the other trends I believe, are more predictable.

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