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Weapons Of The Easter Rising

April 24, 2025 by 2 Comments

Today is the 109th anniversary of the Easter Rising which was an attempt at Irish independence. Begun on Easter Monday, April 24, 2016, Irish patriots seized important buildings around the city of Dublin. It was organized by the Irish Republican Brotherhood and included other groups such as the Irish Volunteers, the Irish Citizens Army, and Cumann na mBan (Irishwomen’s Council). As you may guess, the British Army suppressed this armed attempt sooner than later. Most of the leaders of the revolt that survived were executed the next month.

A few years ago I found a small book by a retired US Army Lt. Col. which went into great detail on the firearms used by all sides in the event. Kieran McMullen was a Field Artillery officer and has a number of books out on firearms and other weapons used in the conflicts in Ireland during the first half of the 20th Century.

The weapons covered in this book range from Enfield and Mauser rifles to Vickers machine guns to pikes. It is very comprehensive in that it details which firearm or weapon was used by which group and in what part of the city of Dublin.

If you have an interest in weapons of this era or just want to know more about the Easter Rising, I can heartily recommend this book. Insofar as I know, you will need to email Col. McMullen at kilmainhamtales.us@gmail.com to order the book. If I remember correctly, the book cost about $15. I also purchased his Weapons of the Irish Civil War and Weapons of the Burning of the Customs House.

As an aside, with three grandparents born in Ireland it is fitting that my birthday and the date of Easter Rising coincide.

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Del-Ton Closing Its Doors

April 23, 2025 by 0 Comments

Long-time AR maker Del-Ton, Inc. is closing its doors. Founded in 1998 in Fayetteville, NC during the middle of the Clinton assault-weapons ban, Del-Ton was a stalwart of the entry-level of the AR market. They later moved to Elizabethton which is about half-way between Fayetteville and Wilmington in Bladen County.

They have posted this announcement on their website:

Thank You For Your Support – Del-Ton is Closing.

As Del-Ton prepares to close its doors, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to the incredible people who have been part of our journey.

To our loyal customers: Your trust in our products and support of our mission has been the cornerstone of our success. Every purchase, every kind word, and every moment spent using our products has meant the world to us.

To our vendors and partners: Your collaboration, innovation, and shared commitment have been invaluable in helping us deliver quality and reliability to our customers.

To our dedicated employees: You are the heart and soul of Del-Ton. Your hard work, passion, and unwavering commitment have shaped our legacy and built a company we can all be proud of.

Together, we’ve achieved so much, and though this chapter is ending, the memories, partnerships, and friendships will remain. Thank you for being part of the Del-Ton story.

With heartfelt appreciation,

The Del-Ton Team .

The entry-level or low-end of the AR market has gotten increasingly competitive with makers like Palmetto State Armory and Anderson going head-to-head with Del-Ton. According to the 2022 AFMER manufacturing report posted on the ATF website, Palmetto made four times as many finished rifles as Del-Ton. Similarly, Anderson dominated in the unfinished lower market with almost 150,000 unfinished AR lowers to Del-Ton’s zero. If you are having to compete on price and not quality, the bigger manufacturers with their economies of scale will dominate.

I don’t know if this is the beginning of a realignment in the firearms industry or just the “Trump Slump”. Nonetheless, it is sad to see any firearms company go out of business.

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The Shot Heard Round The World Plus 250

April 19, 2025 by 6 Comments

April 19th marks the 250th anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord. General Gage’s attempt to seize and destroy the weapons and munitions of the militias was the spark that that sent the 13 colonies on their way to becoming the original 13 states of the United States of America.

In the video below which was produced by the White House in collaboration with Hillsdale College as part of their The Story of America series examines the battles in detail. The video features Wilfred McClay who holds the Victor Davis Hanson Chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale.

Sadly, both the current government of Massachusetts and the judges of the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals have failed to comprehend the lessons of Lexington and Concord. The 1st Circuit just upheld a challenge to the Massachusetts AWB finding that these weapons were “dangerous and unusual” and thus regulation comported with the Bruen decision. Frankly, it was a perversion of history but it fits their blindered narrative. That this egregious decision was released a mere two days before the 250th anniversary of the Battles of Lexington and Concord cannot have been just an accident of timing.

An interesting side note is that the author of the decision, Judge Gary Katzmann, had served as a law clerk to Justice Stephen Breyer when Breyer was a judge on the 1st Circuit Court of Appeals. The apple didn’t fall far from the tree.

The American Battlefield Trust has also produced a very good video on the battles that features reenactments of segments of the battles. It is worth a look as well.

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Movin’ On Up

April 18, 2025 by 5 Comments

Just over a year ago I reported on the promotion of Wayne and Susan LaPierre’s niece to the position of Director of Events for Advancement. That post prompted then-NRA spokesperson Billy McLaughlin to reach out and call that a false report. Then, as now, I stand by both the story and the sources. It is my understanding that Mrs. Sterner is no longer with the NRA nor is Tyler Schropp who promoted her.

However, that is not the point of this post. This morning a friend sent me a screenshot of McLaughlin’s LinkedIn page.

According to his LinkedIn page, McLaughlin left the NRA soon after he reached out to me to work for his own company and then to be the Chief Marketing Officer for Israel Campus Coalition. He is now the White House Director of Digital Content. That is quite a promotion!

I don’t know the circumstances of his leaving the NRA nor if he was pushed to respond to me by the Old Guard. I am glad to see he has landed on his feet. Hopefully, he puts in a good word now and then for the NRA. We will need it. As Stephen Gutowski points out, President Trump can be fickle and could come around to the NRA again.

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Coming Changes To The Blog

April 16, 2025 by 15 Comments

With my election to the NRA Board of Directors there will be some changes that must come to the blog.

I will now have the fiduciary duties of care, loyalty, and obedience. I have written extensively on this blog in the past about fiduciary duties and how certain segments of the Board blithely ignored them. I will not be one of those directors.

If you are a party in a lawsuit against the NRA, I cannot respond to you as you are an adverse party and all communications should be between the respective parties’ attorneys. This is upon the advice of outside legal counsel.

Letters, emails, and other confidential information from the NRA that may have been leaked to me in the past will need to stay confidential. However, this does not mean that information that is in the public domain such as filings with regulators and court documents cannot be shared. I can still share my opinion on this but I will probably be doing less of it.

There is still a world of things going on with regard to the Second Amendment, gun rights, wildlife conservation, and other things that I find of interest to write on.

One final note. This is a private blog and not a public forum. I have comment moderation enabled to cut down on the spam. Please do not force me to disable all comments with comments to which I am obligated not to respond.

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Counteract Everytown Protestors At General Assembly

April 16, 2025 by 0 Comments

Everytown and their affiliated organizations will be having a news conference and their “Annual Advocacy Day” in Raleigh at 11am. They are targeting S50/H5 which would make North Carolina the 30th state to allow permitless concealed carry. They are calling it “dangerous legislation” and, of course, are predicting that blood will run in the streets if the law is passed. In other words, the same old same old.

As a counter to this protest, Grass Roots North Carolina is requesting that people should contact House Rules Committee Republicans starting at 10am and continue through noon. H5 is sitting in Rules Committee having passed out of the House Judiciary 2 Committee.

Here is the GRNC Alert with suggested wording for calls and emails.

COUNTERACT “EVERYTOWN’S”
ANTI-GUN PROTEST 

GRNC has been alerted to the fact that Everytown for Gun Safety —an anti-gun group that has been funded in large part by far left politician and financier, Michael Bloomberg—is planning a protest this Wednesday (4/16/2025) outside the General Assembly, in Raleigh. Although it may be obvious that groups like this tend to operate with rent-a-mobs who don’t represent the true grass roots, it’s important that we remind our representatives of this, lest they wonder and take pause at any critical moments. 

You see, currently, H5 (“NC Constitutional Carry Act”) and S50 (“Freedom to Carry NC”) are in the General Assembly’s House Rules Committee, so let’s make sure Republicans in that committee understand where North Carolina’s actual Grass Roots voters stand on these pro-Second Amendment bills. 

Use Strategic Timing to Contact Key Republicans 
Below, see how you can contact key members of the House Rules Committee with strategic timing. You can reassure them that any shrill anti-gun protestor they may see, or hear, are just that, and the committee members can remain comfortable in the knowledge that the voters who actually sent them to Raleigh are strongly in favor of the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently under debate. We’ll be phoning and emailing the members between 10:00 AM and noon on Wednesday (4/16), because Everytown’s protest begins at 11:00 AM, hence the “strategic” portion of this. See more below.  
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!

PHONE COMMITTEEE CHAIR & VICE-CHAIRS:  Wednesday, between 10:00 AM and noon (or as soon as you can after that), telephone the Chair and the Vice-Chairs of the House Rules Committee. Find their phone numbers in the chart below. Deliver the following, friendly message: 

 “I am calling to voice my full support for the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently before the House Rules Committee. I want to be clear that, contrary to what you might see outside today, I am not a paid member of a protest group funded by a wealthy anti-gun crusader from New York. I am a real North Carolina voter, and I voted to send Republicans to Raleigh to enact pro-gun legislation. As these bills are debated, please know that you have my full support on House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50. Thank you!” 

EMAIL KEY COMMITTEE MEMBERS:  Anytime between now and Wednesday at 12:00 noon (or as soon as you can after that), email all of the key members of the House Rules Committee, and encourage them to support the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills. Below, you’ll find a copy-paste email list, and a copy-paste message you can use to easily send the message.  

 PLEASE CONTRIBUTE TO GRNC: Help us fight gun control while we promote Second Amendment principles. Please CLICK HERE to contribute. Bear in mind that GRNC is an all-volunteer organization, so you can be sure your donations are put to the best possible use. Any amount helps, and any amount is appreciated.
CONTACT INFO   Phone Number List: 
Representative Phone Number  John R. Bell, IV (Chair)  (919) 715-3017  Tricia Ann Cotham  (919) 733-5886  Brenden H. Jones  (919) 733-5821  Erin Paré  (919) 733-2962

Copy-Paste Email List: 

John.Bell@ncleg.gov; Tricia.Cotham@ncleg.gov; Brenden.Jones@ncleg.gov; Erin.Pare@ncleg.gov; William.Brisson@ncleg.gov; Ted.Davis@ncleg.gov; Jimmy.Dixon@ncleg.gov; Blair.Eddins@ncleg.gov; Karl.Gillespie@ncleg.gov; Kyle.Hall@ncleg.gov; Neal.Jackson@ncleg.gov; Charles.Miller@ncleg.gov; Ray.Pickett@ncleg.gov; Reece.Pyrtle@ncleg.gov; Sarah.Stevens@ncleg.gov; John.Torbett@ncleg.gov; Steve.Tyson@ncleg.gov; Donna.White@ncleg.gov

DELIVER THIS MESSAGE

 Suggested Subject: Genuine NC Voters Support ‘Constitutional Carry’   

Dear House Rules Committee Member: 

I am writing to voice my full support for the ‘Constitutional Carry’ bills currently before the House Rules Committee, and I’m encouraging you to do whatever is in your legislative power to advance ‘Constitutional Carry’ in our state. 

I want to be clear that, contrary to what you might see outside today, I am not a paid member of a likely-rented protest group, like Everytown for Gun “Safety,” which is funded by an anti-gun, out-of-state billionaire. I am an actual North Carolina pro-gun voter, who purposely sent Republicans like you to Raleigh to enact pro-gun legislation. As these bills are debated, please know that you have my full support, and the support of all NC gun voters on House Bill 5 and Senate Bill 50. 

All that to say, if you notice a lot of anti-gun noise coming from outside today, ignore it. It’s not from genuine grass roots voters, and you have the full support of the real grass roots voters, like me, who are monitoring your actions on this important matter through legislative alerts from Grass Roots North Carolina. 

Respectfully,  

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For 76th Director

April 15, 2025 by 1 Comment

The reformers aka NRA 2.0 have coalesced on supporting Charles Hiltunen III for the 76th Director. As Frank Tait notes in his Substack post, he is fully supporting Charlie for the 76th Director. He asks that anyone considering supporting him to please support Charlie.

As I’ve said earlier here and elsewhere, I am disappointed that Frank Tait didn’t make the cut. He would have been a valuable addition to the Board based upon his experience with non-profit boards, finance, and audit. As he finished 32nd in the race, two more resignations or deaths put him on the Board.

Charlie is an attorney, lobbyist, instructor, and shooting coach. In addition, he is the President of the Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association and is the Chair-elect of the Crossroads Council BSA. He touches all the bases and I think he should be elected as the 76th Director. That he, Frank, and Todd Vandermyde didn’t make the cut greatly surprised me.

We don’t know who will be his primary opponent but I suspect it will either be Tom King or Ron Schmeits.

As a reminder, anyone who is a NRA member attending the Annual Meeting in Atlanta is eligible to vote for the 76th Director. I understand voting is in Room 403 on the 4th Floor of Building B of the Georgia World Congress Center which is where you pick up your credentials for the Meeting of Members. Voting closes at the conclusion of the Meeting of Members.

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Copycatting 2A Scholarship

April 12, 2025 by 1 Comment

Building a body of legal scholarship that recognized the Second Amendment as an individual right was a goal that began over 50 years ago. This is what was known as the Standard Model. Early law review works include Of Arms and the Law by Dave Hardy and John Stompoly (1974 – Chicago-Kent Law Review), Handgun prohibition and the original meaning of the Second Amendment by Don Kates (1983 – Michigan Law Review), and The Embarrassing Second Amendment by Sanford Levinson (1989 – Yale Law Journal). Of course there were many more before the landmark DC v. Heller. The key was that they provided a body of scholarship that could be used to combat the idea that the Second Amendment only was a collective right.

As with all good things, copycats will take them, pervert them, and use them for their own nefarious purposes.

Submissions have opened for our third annual Everytown Law writing competition! If you are a law student interested in ways of utilizing litigation and the law to advance gun violence prevention, this is for you! Accepting submissions now through June 20: etwn.us/3Tq4vWD

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— Everytown for Gun Safety (@everytown.bsky.social) April 11, 2025 at 6:42 PM

Thus Everytown Law is trying to make up a body of legal scholarship that is supportive of gun control by giving monetary awards to law students. Winners have included papers that support bans on carry on public transport, attempts to find ways to pierce the PLCAA, finding supposed historical precedent for control of gunmaking, and support for red flag laws. The winners have come from prestigious law schools including Stanford, Yale, and Duke among others.

The gun control industry has already captured much of “Big Law” and now is trying to do the same with law schools and law students. I have written about such a program at the University of Minnesota Law School that is working with that state’s anti-gun Attorney General Keith Ellison on gun control laws. You have the Duke Center for Firearms Law at Duke Law School which is trying to provide the gun control industry with scholarly research to make a case for more regulation.

As an antidote for this is the Firearms Research Center at the University of Wyoming College of Law. The Center is directed by 2A scholar George Mocsary. Firearms historian Ashley Hlebinsky is the executive director and legal scholar David Kopel is a Senior Fellow.

As with everything coming out of the gun control industry it bears keeping an eye on.