Gun Rights Activism Summits

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Via email from SAF:

Your special invitation.
The Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms are pleased to host a series of FREE grassroots training sessions run by Glen Caroline. Glen has joined SAF and CCRKBA as their Director of External Affairs.  Most recently, he worked for NRA for 29 years, primarily as NRA’s Managing Director of Grassroots Programs & Campaign Field Operations.
The Gun Rights Activism Summits will all be hosted on Zoom.

The first summit is titled “Grassroots Activism in the COVID Environment” and will discuss steps you can take now to enhance your defense of the Second Amendment in our current times.

There will be three recurring training sessions.  The content will be the same, but we want to give our members the flexibility to choose the one that best fits their individual schedules.  The sessions are FREE and will last roughly one hour. 
You must pre-register.

Register Now

Tuesday
7PM EST
May 26th

Register now!

Wednesday
7PM CST
May 27th

Register now!

Thursday
7PM PST
May 28th

Register now!

Quote of the day—Clayton Cramer

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The ability to create something like full-automatic fire using a bump stock and a semi-automatic rifle means that all semi-automatic makers have to worry that some enterprising plaintiff’s attorney might try to create a new theory of liability that could create liability for lawfully producing a constitutionally-protected product. Would you make and sell semi-automatic rifles, even a .22, with this threat hanging over you? If production of a legally compliant semi-automatic AR-15 can create liability, what about your Ruger 10/22? If this type of manipulation of judicial system can prevail, is any semi-automatic firearm safe?

Clayton Cramer
May 11, 2020
A New Lawsuit Shows Some are After All of Your Semi-Automatic Rifles
[Good point.—Joe]

Gun control is misogynistic

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Via a tweet from sacrebleu14 / SA Hinchcliffe @sacrebleu141

Image

Unemployment fraud

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There are a very large number of people being affected by unemployment fraud. My company HR department is almost overwhelmed. Usually they get about two or three a month. There have been something like 500 so far this month. I know three people affected by this.

You can save yourself some hassle if you create an account with a secure password on the Washington State Employment Security Department website.

https://www.esd.wa.gov/

You will need your SSN, mailing address, date of birth and an email address.

What’s happening is that people get this information from public (or illegal) sources and create an account in your name then have the unemployment checks sent to them. It takes a cycle or two before your employer and Washington State get it figured out and you might get hassled in the process. Prevent this by creating your account and just “Look up your past wages” rather than apply for unemployment. It’s just the creation of the account that is the important part.

I suspect this is not restricted to Washington state.

Quote of the day—Gabriella Hoffman

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Criminals will use whatever tool is at their disposal—be it a 3-D printed AR-15, handgun, or knife—to inflict pain onto their victims. Unfortunately for gun controllers, none of their beloved laws or bills have deterred criminals from committing ghastly acts. In fact, they have invited more crime.

It’s time for our opponents finally to get serious about tackling criminal misuse of firearms, not scapegoat 3D printed firearms.

Gabriella Hoffman
May 15, 2020
The Truth About 3-D Printed Guns and Criminal Gun Usage
[If it were about crime the anti-gun people might be persuaded by the truth. But the truth about guns and crime is irrelevant to the motivation of most anti-gun politicians. Power flows from the barrel of a gun and they want that power removed from the hands of those who might oppose their accumulation of power.—Joe]

Quote of the day—OliveBucket

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3D printing is the end of gun control. The so-called progressives are acting like there’s a debate about it. The debate is over. The guns are downloadable. The files are in the public domain. You cannot take them back. You can adjust your politics to this reality. You will not ask me to adjust mine.

OliveBucket
May 15, 2020
Comment to WHAT ARE GHOST GUNS? SENATE DEMS INTRODUCE BILL REGULATING UNTRACEABLE 3D-PRINTED WEAPONS
[I have nothing to add.—Joe]

Craft Holster review

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I was given a free holster by Craft Holsters on the condition I review it on my blog. I received it several weeks ago but I was extremely busy at work (new invention disclosure came out of it and was sent to the patent attorneys just yesterday). I had looked at it some but didn’t actually try using it until yesterday.

I ordered the holster for a STI 1911 5”. I was thinking this would work with my STI DVC Limited. It didn’t. The magazine release button would catch on the holster. Pushing the leather aside and putting the gun the rest of the way into the holster wasn’t really an option. The magazine release button received a lot of pressure and would release the magazine while the gun was in the holster. I concluded this was a bug and not a feature.

I tried my Gun Blog 45 in the holster. The rear sight would catch on the holster as it was inserted. Okay, well, the Gun Blog 45 isn’t really a 1911 anyway.

I borrowed a true 1911. This combination worked. Pictures:

image

20200514_19433720200514_194355

The angle is a little more than I am used to with my usual holster but it worked just fine for me.

I am a little concerned about the mouth of the holster and the potential for collapse. This is not an inside the waistband holster so it doesn’t get much pressure on it. But it was much more flexible than I am used to.

It could be that if the holster was intended for a true 1911 the fit would be more snug. Craft Holsters sent me a “break-in kit” so I’m pretty sure they expected it would be a snug fit. But with the given holster and gun tested the gun would fall out when the holster was turned upside down. It was a little more snug when on my belt but it expect that after some wear if I were to do a forward roll the gun would fall out. And possibly even just running and jumping would jeopardize control of the gun. But, again, this holster was intended for a different style of 1911. A true 1911 holster might have eliminated this complaint.

On a positive note, the price is $59. This is about half what I would normally pay for an IWB holster for my STI. Also, it is nice looking and comfortable.


Quote of the day—Tribune Content Agency

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The decline occurred despite a spike in gun sales that month.

The number of mass shooting incidents, killings and firearm injuries all dropped as states and cities took aggressive measures to contain the virus.

Tribune Content Agency
May 10, 2020
Mass shootings in US plunge during pandemic closures
[It was only six weeks earlier the anti-gun rights groups were “concerned” about the spike in gun sales:

Gun control advocates are concerned about a large number of new owners lacking the usual access to training on how to store and handle their weapon properly.

In fact, they wanted gun stores and ranges completely closed during this pandemic*.

So, once again, their “concerns” and/or predictions have been found to be not only false, but 180 degrees out of phase with reality. One could claim they are delusional. But, the truth is, they just lie all the time. It’s part of their culture.—Joe]

* Actually for all time, but they don’t usually admit to that.

Quote of the day—thatgunguyfl

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80% lowers/receivers, etc.., are NOT FIREARMS. That’s the whole point. Chunks of Unfinished metal are worthless until someone turns them into a finished product. Where does this stupidity end? If I possess a ton of scrap aluminum or steel, should I have to register it as a car and forced to purchase insurance? The ignorance of some of you only help the lying media fool the American public.

thatgunguyfl
May 12, 2020
Posted on Reddit in response to ATF or Congress should act to declare ‘ghost guns’ firearms requiring background checks
[The people who advocate for the making “ghost guns” illegal, or “declaring them firearms” must not be aware of the existence of “shop class” in high school. And as such they are doing the equivalent of expecting someone who fails to observe the laws regarding violent crime to dutifully obey them in regards to engaging in an activity which harms no one.

And when you see this you wonder how they made it to the directorship of a government agency without knowing laws are not supposed to be made by government bureaucrats:

Thomas Brandon, the former acting director of the ATF who retired last spring, said he recommended to his bosses at the Department of Justice that they reclassify certain ghost gun kits as firearms because of the ease in putting them together.

I suppose I just need to remind myself, and others, of what Henry Kissinger said.—Joe]

This didn’t age well

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From yesterday (apparently in the morning):

Brzozowski teased an upcoming campaign announcement during the forum. She says a big endorsement is coming that will raise her campaign’s visibility. She also says generic polls show Democrats doing better than Republicans in Congressional races.

One has to wonder if she is relying on the same pollsters who projected a 98% chance of a Hillary win in 2016 the day before the election. Because, today:

The first question I wanted answered was, “How many was that?”

The answer is, “Three.” “Two.” And only one of those was a flip. So, nice, but not that big of a deal.

Quote of the day—Nylah Burton

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I believe that for many Black people, especially those living in predominantly white areas, firearms might prove necessary. And not just for defense, but for food sustainability, which will become more important as the climate crisis worsens. In fact, home birth, natural medicine, farming, hunting, and fishing, are all skills I believe Black people should turn to as we prepare for the seismic shift that political upheaval and environmental collapse may bring.

America is a gun country, and it’ll destroy itself before it lays down its arms. With the storm that’s already here and with the storms that have yet to come, the idea of my people laying down ours first terrifies me.

Nylah Burton
May 12, 2020
As A Black Woman In This Country, I Feel I Need To Bear Arms
[I tend to disagree with many of her assertions and the process by which she arrives at her conclusions. I am, however, quite content with the conclusions reached.

I would like to encourage her and others to proceed with the proposed independent mindset and skillsets. I expect this will result in many of their beliefs being revised. I’m good with that.—Joe]

We live in interesting times

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This could get interesting:

Mexico’s foreign minister on Monday posted a video online detailing a diplomatic note to the U.S. embassy requesting answers about a gun-running sting under the Obama presidency, keeping a spotlight on the controversial issue.

In the video, Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard cited former U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder as saying Mexican authorities knew about the 2009-2011 scheme known as ‘Fast and Furious.’

…

The current Mexican government has zeroed in on the program to highlight possible corruption under previous Mexican administrations amid a debate over how much they knew about the U.S. operation.

If the current administration has access to such records it could be useful in the prosecutions of corrupt politicians on both sides of the border.

Dear FBI, We urge you to disobey the law

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A bunch of U.S. Senate Democrats wrote a letter to the FBI and ATF :

We write to urge you to take appropriate steps to promote public safety and responsible firearm ownership in the wake of surging gun sales across the country.1 According to recent news reports, gun shops and ammunition dealers have experienced a massive uptick in purchases, particularly from first-time buyers experiencing coronavirus-related anxiety. We are concerned that this surge is overwhelming the National Instant Criminal Background System (NICS), and that federal firearms licensees (FFLs) need new guidance to effectively handle it.

…

We fear that a drastic increase in gun sales in response to the coronavirus pandemic could overwhelm NICS and allow prohibited individuals to obtain firearms through “default proceeds.”

…

Under current regulations, all incomplete background check records must be deleted from NICS within 90 days. Because the pandemic and recovery may last longer than 90 days, the FBI should issue an emergency directive to maintain all background-check information related to transactions with an “open” status for 90 days beyond the current state of emergency as the president proclaimed under the National Emergencies Act.

They are urging a government agency to ignore the law.

It’s nice of them to make it clear they believe the law does not apply to them. This should make a conviction easier.

Quote of the day—Joan Skiba

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Why is the Second Amendment the single go-to amendment for the assault weapon-toting people concerned that gun regulations take away their constitutional rights? Why not take a moment to read a bit from the Ninth Amendment advocating for my constitutional right provided by our government for “…obtaining happiness and safety”? I am finding it difficult to feel any sense of safety knowing someone could be packing heat at my grocery store, movie theater or local bars. Any answer for me?

Joan Skiba
May 11, 2020
All amendments matter, not just the 2nd Amendment

[Sure, I have an answer for you Joan. You apparently are getting your delusions confused with reality. In the reality shared with nearly everyone else the full text of the Ninth Amendment is:

The enumeration in the Constitution, of certain rights, shall not be construed to deny or disparage others retained by the people.

Now, Madison did propose an amendment which contains those words:

That Government is instituted and ought to be exercised for the benefit of the people; which consists in the enjoyment of life and liberty, with the right of acquiring and using property, and generally of pursuing and obtaining happiness and safety.

But it was not part of the Bill of Rights in our reality. And, it had nothing to do with the government providing it.

Joan, please check with your mental health providers and see if your meds need to be adjusted.—Joe]

I suppose this could work

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Interesting:

Could Wallowa County join Idaho?

Give the Gem State a seacoast and a border with California?

That could be the outcome if efforts succeed by a group called Move Oregon’s Border in some of the 20 counties where the group has filed requests to collect signatures on petitions.

The deadline to gather signatures in the targeted Oregon counties is early August for them to go before voters in November. Wallowa County Clerk Sandy Lathrop received the petition in April and, after conferring with the county’s legal counsel Lathrop notified MOB President Mike McCarter on Tuesday, May 5, that the group may begin collecting signatures in the county.

Only 242 signatures are needed to get it on the November ballot.

If successful this would amuse me to no end. I could see it catching on and all but the dense urban areas joining an adjoining state with a much greater affinity for freedom. The economic and political implications would be quite interesting.

Quote of the day—Mike

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I swear to God, if you’ve never felt the government’s jackboots on your neck, it’s because you’ve never stood up for yourself.

Never give an inch, Joe. Never.

Mike
May 20, 2020
[Via email. Mike also informed me:

Looks like things are heating up in Canada with a gun prohibition that covers every ar-15 model they could think of. This will also include 12 gauge shotguns. Why, you ask? Because barrel lengths are important to determine if a firearm is to be considered Non-restricted, Restricted, or Prohibited, according to the law. This new set of regulations prohibits any firearm with a bore diameter of over 20mm, which is 0.787″. As a 12 gauge bore can range from 18.5mm (0.728″) to 20.3mm (0.799″), that can cover a lot of shotguns. Worse, is that if your shotguns have screw-in chokes, those chokes cannot be considered part of the barrel when measuring firearm barrels for importation purposes; and since you must cut the bore to a larger internal diameter to have the threads with which to screw in the threads in the first place, you would be unable to import it; and if you already own such a shotgun, you will then be possession of  a prohibited weapon. Imagine if your 28″ barrelled over/under has now been deemed a machinegun, by government decree.

Writing a law which defines something not a machine into something that now is a machine gun sounds familiar from somewhere…

Why aren’t these politicians being tarred and feathered?—Joe]

Email from a firearms instructor in Canada

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I intended to post this several weeks ago but I forgot about until I got another email today:

I’d like to say that I feel your work in regards to firearms rights and the Boomer shoot in particular is right on the money. As an instructor for the firearms courses, I love introducing people to firearms, and watching them overcoming the unknown, and for some, scary thing that firearms have been demonized to be. But I cannot stress enough how hard you must fight to keep your rights, because you have a dragon by the tail. Any slip of your grip on the beast is another inch towards destruction.

If I could borrow some of your time, I’d like to tell you of another experience of mine that will underline how things will go for America if truly well-meaning, but historically and factually ignorant people, are suckered into voting against their own interests.

In 2017, there was a hold and secure at my son’s school… https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/leslieville-hold-and-secure-1.4312966

It was not supposed to be discussed, but the rumour making the rounds, supposedly from an officer who spoke before being told to shut up, was that someone wrote a letter to the school saying that they were going to come and shoot the place up. The school took it seriously, which is at least something to their credit, but that’s about all the credit I’m willing to extend to them.

Of course, everyone had to scramble to find alternate care for the kiddies and so on, and 2 weeks later there was a meeting called for the parents to come in and get an update on the case and an explanation of what was done by the school and police, and when.

The meeting was presented by the principal, a couple of staff who have some kind of paper-shuffling jobs with the word “safety” in the title, the detective assigned to the case and 3 officers, one of whom teaches the teachers and staff what to do in an emergency, as resources for the parents to direct their questions to.

Joe, I swear to God, in a nearly 2 hour meeting with at least 150 ‘adults’ concerned for their kid’s safety, not a single adult question was asked. Most of the questions by the ‘adults’ centred along the lines of being not being tweeted IMMEDIATELY after any action of the police was completed. Seriously! They wanted to be tweeted after each classroom/broom closet/office was searched for gun-toting nut-bars. This was the important thing to them, not their teacher’s ability to keep their kids safe.

Towards the end of the meeting, I managed to get the microphone and I said that I understand that the detective couldn’t reveal what was actually in the letter, but since the rumour was a potential school shooting, I said that I wanted a meeting with the officer responsible for teaching what the teachers/staff should do in such a situation, so that I could judge if it was an actual solution, or just security theatre, like at the airport.

The officer said that uh, yeah, sure, he would be glad to set up a meeting to explain what is taught, so we had a better understanding of things. At that point, as the mic was passed to others for their ‘questions’, the officer caught my eye and signalled to me that we should talk in the hall after the meeting.

At the end, I went up and introduced myself to the officer, and he asked me to chat with him in the hallway with the other two officers, so I knew what was coming. So the conversation went like this:

Officer: Sir, I’ve asked you out into the hall here to…

Me, holding up hand: You want to avoid having me scare the sheep, is that it?

Officer (relieved): Yeah.

Me: Look, all I want to know is if you have some kind of training that the teachers can use to save our kids if there actually is a shooting. Do you tell them to barricade the door, throw stuff, how to make a fist and punch, weapons training, anything?

Officer: Well, what you’re talking about is called ‘Force on Force’, and is part of my powerpoint presentation for York school board (the school board outside of the Toronto District School Board, which controls my son’s school), but I can’t teach that portion in the T.D.S.B.

Me:!…

Me: Uh, ok, and how do we get THAT ball rolling?!

Officer (looking me straight in the eye): Well sir, there would need to be a Sandy Hook level event for that conversation to start.

Me, processing my disbelief: So, you’re telling me that not only must children die, but they must die in high enough numbers to force a discussion on whether the school board can think about training teachers to save our kids’ lives?!

Officer: Yup.

That, Joe, is where hatred, fear, and ignorance of firearms leads people. People so captured by anti-gun ideology that they would rather let our kids die than act as adults and face the hard truth that violence must sometimes be used to save the innocent from the criminal.

When will this hippy-dippy, hug-a-thug nightmare end? Perhaps this virus situation will shake things up, because I’ve had an incredible upswing in people interested in courses, suddenly. Which I am not allowed to teach. :p

If you’ve read this far, my sincere thanks for your time. I just needed to get this off my chest, and send a warning to our brothers and sisters south of the border, not to give an inch, because there’s always another control freak ready to screw you over (for your own good, of course!)…

Walking across the crater

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For our first year anniversary (wedding pictures here) last February we went to Kailua-Kona Hawaii. It was the first time in Hawaii for me. I wanted to wait until their stupid gun laws allowed me to carry but Barb did such an awesome job bargain shopping that travel, lodging (in a nice condo), and meals for the week came in at under $1000 (IIRC) that I decided it was worth sacrificing my principles.

It wasn’t quite what I expected. I expected numerous huge beaches. I expected jungle like forests. I expected flowing lava and blobs of red hot rocks flying through the air. I was wrong.

That doesn’t mean we didn’t see and do some really neat things. We did. The high point for me was walking across a volcanic crater. This crater:

BingEyeView

Continue reading →

Don’t let this happen here

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Another one from the archives. This was in a mailing from the NRA:

TearsBorisJohnson1997_0915

Yes. It’s the same Boris Johnson.

Gun cartoon of the day

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I’m still cleaning and rearranging my bookcase. This is via “Gun News Clips”, published by CCRKBA in November 1996. Edited by James Kielland:

StopGunViolence