Uncategorized

One Way To Reduce The Size Of The Board

March 3, 2026 by 0 Comments

I thought we might have been done with resignations from the NRA Board of Directors.

Oh, thee of little faith!

As of today, the NRA Board of Directors now stands at 70 members thanks to the resignation of Dwight Van Horn.

From the memo sent out by NRA Secretary John Frazer:

We received a resignation notice from Board member Dwight Van Horn this morning.  Please join me in thanking Dwight for his long service to the NRA.

This leaves the current Board at 70 members. 

In addition, Dwight’s term would have expired in 2028, and therefore creates an additional vacancy to be filled in the mail ballot election.  Members will now vote for the following seats:

  • Twenty-five three-year terms that expire in 2029
  • Six two-year terms that expire in 2028
  • Four one-year terms that expire in 2027

Finally, this means there will be only two candidates in the 76th Director election in Houston.

Given there are now only 37 candidates vying for 36 seats, can you imagine being the person who loses in the 76th Director election?

What this also means is that with virtually everyone getting elected it becomes even more important that the best of the bunch get elected to 3-year terms. Ballots must be received by the end of March so if you haven’t mailed your ballot, do it now!

As a reminder, here are my endorsements including a write-in for Charles Rowe of Wadsworth, Ohio. Chuck has done great work on rationalizing the competition rules and is a CPA to boot. We need both of those skills on the board. I admit I know next to nothing about the competition rules and frankly am glad someone is willing to get into the weeds of the rules. He stands a chance if people take the time to write him in.

Mark Vaughan, our 1st VP, also should get your vote. I didn’t originally endorse him because I thought he was a given to get elected. I corrected that error in my update.

One final note. Two people on the ballot – Jay Wallace and Eb Wilkinson – are also trustees of the NRA Foundation. If elected, they will have to decide where their loyalties and fiduciary duties lie. Eb, while on the ballot, resigned in December 2025 but has not removed himself from this year’s ballot.

Uncategorized

The Real Family Business Is Politics

February 27, 2026 by 3 Comments

The leading Democrat candidate for the 11th Congressional seat in North Carolina is Jamie Ager. He calls himself a farmer and entrepreneur. He runs the family business called Hickory Nut Gap Farms which raises “sustainable meat”. If he wins the primary, he will face Rep. Chuck Edwards (R-NC11).

The Democrat Congressional Campaign Committee will be funneling a lot of money into his race under their Red to Blue campaign. GRNC-PVF has rated Jamie Ager a zero-star candidate.

Ager calls himself a 4th-generation farmer. While that may be true on the face of it, Ager should also call himself a 3rd-generation politician.

Currently, his brother Eric holds the District 114 seat in the North Carolina House of Representatives. He has served two terms in the General Assembly. Eric Ager succeeded his father John who held essentially the same district in Buncombe County from 2014 through 2022. Eric voted against SB 50 – Freedom to Carry NC. Ager also voted against H193 when it passed and voted to sustain Gov. Josh Stein’s veto. That bill allowed private schools to arm teachers and staff as well as allowed concealed carry holders to carry on church property that also had a school when school was not in session. Unsurprisingly, Eric Ager is a zero-star candidate in the GRNC-PVF evaluations based upon his voting record.

As mentioned above, Jamie and Eric’s father John served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 2014 through 2022. He ran for the NC State Senate in 2024 and lost to Warren Daniel. In that race, Ager was rated zero-stars in GRNC’s Remember in November evaluation and his voting record was a mere 13 (out of 100). When he was running for the State House in 2018, Ager came out in favor of “common-sense gun control laws” including universal background checks, an assault weapon ban, red flag laws, waiting periods, and “ending the gun show loophole.” (sic) Ager met his wife Annie Clarke when he was a student at Williams College and she was a student at Vassar according to his bio. The farm that Jamie Ager now runs was handed down over the generations from Annie Clarke’s parents and grandparents.

Finally, you have the political patriarch of the family – James McClure Clarke. Jamie Clarke served two terms in the North Carolina House of Representatives starting in 1976 followed by one term in the North Carolina Senate. Then in 1982 he was elected to the US House of Representatives to represent the 11th District of NC. He was defeated in 1984 but came back in 1986 to win two more terms in Congress. He was defeated in 1990 by Rep. Charles Taylor (R-NC11) who went on to serve six terms in Congress. Clarke served as president of the Farmers Federation Cooperative succeeding his father-in-law James McClure, a Presbyterian minister, who had founded the organization.

I oppose dynastic politics. We have seen too many instances of it on both sides of the political aisle. It could be the Kennedys, the Dingells, the Bushes, or, in this case, the Clarkes and Agers. There should be no inherent right to an electoral office based upon family or name.

Uncategorized

Help Elect Pro-Gun Candidates

February 27, 2026 by 1 Comment

The Grass Roots North Carolina-Political Victory Fund is raffling off a Springfield Armory Kuna with a Holosun red dot sight and 1,000 rounds of 9mm ammunition. The proceeds go to help fund the GRNC-PVF election efforts on behalf of pro-gun candidates in North Carolina.

If you buy a ticket or tickets before the polls close on March 3rd at 7pm, you will get double the chances to win. I should note that while I’ve bought tickets I am not eligible to win.

The Primary Election is just days away, and the stakes for the Second Amendment in North Carolina couldn’t be higher.

Right now, Grass Roots North Carolina is at 90% of our fundraising goal to defend our pro-gun champions and elect new, solid constitutionalists to the General Assembly. We are in the “red zone,” and we need your help to push us across the goal line before the polls open.

To ensure our Political Victory Fund (PVF) has every resource necessary for this final stretch, we are launching a limited-time Kuna Raffle BOGO.

THE “PRIMARY PUSH” BOGO

From now until the polls close on Tuesday, March 3rd at 7:00 PM EST, every raffle ticket you purchase will be doubled.

Buy 1, Get 1 FREE. Buy 5, Get 5 FREE.

There is no limit. This is your chance to maximize your impact on the election while dramatically increasing your chances to win a Kuna.

CLICK HERE TO GET YOUR BOGO RAFFLE TICKETS

Every dollar raised goes directly toward the final push—get-out-the-vote efforts, mailers, and alerts—to ensure that anti-gun activists don’t gain a foothold in Raleigh.

Don’t wait until it’s too late. Let’s finish this fight and secure a pro-2A future for North Carolina

Uncategorized

Who NOT To Give Your VOTE

February 27, 2026 by 0 Comments

Everytown for Gun Safety has released their first round of endorsements for the NC and Texas primaries. You can be assured that everyone on this list is a true believer in gun control.

“There’s no better way to launch our 2026 elections work than by endorsing our first round of volunteers-turned-candidates,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “The pipeline of gun safety advocates to elected officials is one of our movement’s greatest strengths, and we’re ready to keep building that power this November.”

Here is their list of endorsees.

North Carolina

  • Woodson Bradley, State Senator, District 42
  • Claire Kempner, State Representative, District 09
  • Allison Dahle, State Representative, District 11
  • Marcia Morey, State Representative, District 30
  • Maria Cervania, State Representative, District 41
  • Tracy Clark, State Representative, District 57
  • Amanda Cook, State Representative, District 60
  • Beth Helfrich, State Representative, District 98
  • Judy Justice, New Hanover County Commission

Texas

  • Ron Reynolds, State Representative, District 27
  • Pooja Sethi, State Representative, District 47
  • Suleman Lalani, State Representative, District 76
  • Katie O’Brien Duzan, State Representative, District 94
  • Cassandra Garcia Hernandez, State Representative, District 115
  • Stefanie Bord, State Representative, District 126
  • Ann Johnson, State Representative, District 134
  • Tyler Smith, State Representative, District 138

I do recognize some of the NC politicians such as Representatives Allison Dahle and Marcia Morey. They have never met a gun control bill that they didn’t support.

Uncategorized

GRNC-PVF Recommendations For March Primary

February 27, 2026 by 0 Comments

The North Carolina primary is on this coming Tuesday and early in-person voting ends tomorrow, Saturday, February 28th, at 3pm. As a reminder, GRNC-PVF does not issue endorsements. They make recommendations based strictly on a candidate’s position on gun rights. In essence, they are not saying we “like” Candidate X and all he or she stands for but rather they are better on gun rights than Candidate Y.

Below are GRNC-PVF’s recommendations for the March primary.

GRNC-PVF CANDIDATE RECOMMENDATIONS

 FEDERAL RACES 

 US SENATE (R)

Don Brown (survey: 100%, GRNC ****) is a fine candidate and might be worth a protest vote, but the only candidate that stands any chance at all of beating anti-gun former Governor Roy Cooper is Michael Whatley (survey: 100%, ****). In this seven-way race, GRNC-PVF recommends MICHAEL WHATLEY.

US HOUSE

Note: Redistricting means that US House District 1 is more competitive for Republicans, potentially giving them a pickup. But it also means that other Republican districts are not as secure. YOU MUST VOTE ALL RACES.

District 1 (R): In this re-districted race, the Cook Partisan Index is now R+1, giving Republicans a potential pickup. Although they are several worthy candidates to challenge Democrat incumbent Don Davis (votes: 50%, 0-star), gun voters should go with the candidate with an established pro-gun voting record and bill sponsorship, which Bobby Hanig has demonstrated in both the NC House and Senate. GRNC-PVF recommends BOBBY HANIG (survey: 98%, votes: 100%) over Laurie Buckhout (survey: 96%, ****), Eric Rouse survey 100%, ****), and Ashley-Nicole Russell (survey: NR, 0).

District 3 (R): In this R+10 district, incumbent Greg Murphy (survey: 94%, votes: 92%, ****) has no primary opponent.

District 5 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent VIRGINIA FOXX (survey: 100%, votes: 93%, ****) over challengers Steve Girard (survey: 88%, ***), Joseph (Joey) Osborne (survey: NR, 0-star), and Roman H. (Chad) Williams II (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 6 (R): In this R+9 district, incumbent Addison McDowell (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) has no primary opponent.

District 7 (R): In this R+7 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent DAVID ROUZER (votes: 93%, ****) over David Buzzard (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 8 (R): In this R+10 district, incumbent Mark Harris (survey: 98%, votes: 100%, ****) has no primary opponent.

District 9 (R): In this R+8 district, incumbent Richard Hudson (survey: 100%, votes: 93%, ****) has no primary opponent.

District 10 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent PAT HARRIGAN (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Matthew Sin (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 11 (R): This district was diluted to R+5 in redistricting. GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent CHUCK EDWARDS (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Adam R. Smith (survey: 97%, ****).

District 12 (R): In this D+24 district, the Republican candidate will face longtime Democrat incumbent Alma Adams. GRNC-PVF recommends ADDUL ALI (survey: 96%, ****) over Jack Codiga (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 13 (R): In this R+8 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent BRAD KNOTT (survey 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Sid Sharma (survey: 99%, ****).

District 14: GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent TIM MOORE (survey: 93%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Kate Barr (survey: NR, 0-star). Incidentally, Barr has been caught in a video on “X” clearly saying she is not a Republican, but instead a “progressive” (read that leftist).

STATE RACES 

NC JUDICIAL RACES

[Note: Because judges generally cannot answer surveys, GRNC-PVF recommendations are typically based on other factors such as interviews, or local knowledge.]

NC Supreme Court Associate Justice Seat 1(R): Sarah Stevens (survey: 75%, votes 100%, ****), formerly of the NC House, has no primary opponent and will face leftist Democrat Anita Earls.

NC Court of Appeals Seat 1 (R): GRNC-PVF recommends MICHAEL BYRNE over Matt Smith.

NC SENATE

District 01 (R): In this open seat for an R+6 district, GRNC-PVF recommends COLE JOHNSON (survey: 100%, ****) over Dave Forsythe (survey: NR, 0-star), Jay Lane (survey: NR, 0-star), and Jerry Tillett (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 9 (R): In this R+12 district, GRNC-PVF continues to recommend BRENT JACKSON (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, **** over William W. Barbour (survey: 100%, ****) due to Jackson’s perfect voting record.

District 10 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent BENTON SAWREY (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Caitlin Marsh (survey: 83%, ***).

District 12 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent JIM BURGIN (survey: NR, votes: 100%, bill sponsorship: 85%, ***) over Tim McNeill (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 17 (R): In this D+15 district, GRNC-PVF recommends SHIRLEY JOHNSON (survey: 95%, ****) over Sarah Al-Baghdadi (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 18 (R): In this D+0 tossup district, the winner stands a chance of unseating anti-gun incumbent Democrat Terrence Everitt (votes: 4%, 0). GRNC-PVF recommends CHRIS STOCK (survey: 99%, ****) over Cheryl Caulfield (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 21 (R): In this R+10 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent TOM MCINNIS (survey: 96%, votes: 100%) over Ray Daly (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 26 (R): In this R+9 district, the hotly contested Republican primary is between incumbent Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (survey: 99%, votes: 100%, bill support: 55%, ***) and Rockingham County Sheriff Sam Page (survey: 94%, ****). Berger has been problematic at times, tanking constitutional carry in the last session by saying that the Senate had passed the purchase permit repeal and therefore didn’t “need” to take up another gun bill. That said, Berger has a long history of passing pro-gun legislation through the chamber he controls, albeit on a schedule that might not suit gun rights advocates. Page, on the other hand, is a largely unknown quantity, despite having submitted a reasonable but not exceptional 94% GRNC survey. With reservations and understanding that some may disagree, GRNC-PVF continues to recommend PHIL BERGER.

District 30 (R): In this R+22 district, voters face a tough choice between two pro-gun candidates, both of whom have 100% voting records and a history of sponsoring pro-gun legislation. In the interest of rewarding support for the Second Amendment by incumbents, GRNC-PVF recommends STEVE JARVIS (survey: 97%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over Eddie Gallimore (survey: 98%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****).

District 34 (R): In this R+2 district, recently appointed Chris Measmer (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) faces former NC House member Kevin Crutchfield (survey: 90%, votes: 100%, ****). GRNC-PVF recommends CHRIS MEASMER.

NC HOUSE

District 1 (R): In this R+13 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent EDWARD C. GOODWIN (survey: 93%, votes: 100 %, bill support: 100%, ****) over John C. Spruill (GRNC survey: 100%, ****) due to priority of voting record over survey scores.

District 4 (R): In this R+10 district, incumbent Jimmy Dixon has spoken out against constitutional carry, saying he will not vote to override Governor Josh Stein’s veto. GRNC-PVF recommends MARCELLA BARBOUR (survey: 100%, ****) over Jimmy Dixon (survey: 100%, votes: 97%, ****).

District 6 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent JOE PIKE (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger W. H. (Bill) Morris (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 16 (R): In this R+18 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent CARSON SMITH (survey: 84%, votes: 100%, bill support 100%, ****) over challenger Joshua Patti (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 17 (R): In this R+10 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent FRANK ILER (survey: 91%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Nia Moore (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 26 (R): In this R+4 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent DONNA MCDOWELL WHITE (survey: 88%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Margie Beth Riedel (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 28 (R): In this R+4 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent LARRY STRICKLAND (survey: 99%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Eric Bowles, Sr. (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 32 (R): In this D+2 district and race for an open seat, challenger Pamela M. Ayscue (survey: NR, 0-star) is one of several phony “Republicans” – Democrats disguising themselves as Republicans to primary conservatives. GRNC-PVF strongly recommends former NC House Rep. FRANK SOSSAMON (votes: 100%, ****). 

District 35 (R): In this R+0 district, challenger Michele Joyner-Dinwiddie (survey: 96%, ****) is one of several phony “Republicans” – Democrats disguising themselves as Republicans to primary conservatives. In all likelihood, she lied on her GRNC survey to further camouflage her leftist positions. By contrast, incumbent Rep. Mike Schietzelt is an established gun rights leader. GRNC-PVF strongly recommends MIKE SCHIETZELT (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****).

District 43 (R): In this R+4 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent DIANE WHEATLEY (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Clarence Goins, Jr. (survey: 96%, ****).

District 51 (R): In this R+11 seat left open by retiring John Sauls, both Charles M. Taylor (survey: 100%, ****) and Sherry Lynn Womack (survey: 100%, ****) submitted perfect 100% GRNC surveys. Based on local information, GRNC-PVF recommends SHERRY LYNN WOMACK.

District 55 (R): In this R+11 seat left open by retiring Mark Hollo, all three candidates submitted 4-star GRNC surveys but have no Second Amendment platform on their sites. They are Clancy Baucom (survey: 100%, ****), Richard T. Miller (survey: 96%, ****), and John Powell (survey: 99%, ****). Based solely on survey scores, GRNC-PVF recommends CLANCY BAUCOM.

District 65 (R): In this R+16 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent L. REECE PRYTLE JR (survey: 97%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challengers Joseph A. Gibson III (survey: 96%, ****) and Seth Woodall (survey: 100%, ****).

District 78 (R): In this R+24 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent NEAL JACKSON (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Mark Dutton (survey: 100%, ****).

District 79 (R): In this R+12 district, RINO Jimmy Dixon (Duplin, Wayne), who has said he will not support the override vote on permitless carry, recruited a candidate to run against the most pro-gun member of the NC General Assembly, Keith Kidwell, who has sponsored numerous pro-gun bills including permitless carry. GRNC-PVF STRONGLY recommends KEITH KIDWELL (survey: 99%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Darren Armstrong (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 80 (R): In this R+23 district, Joseph Byrne (survey: 100%, ****) seeks to unseat incumbent Sam Watford (survey 79%, votes: 76% with 100% recent, ***). Watford had a somewhat checkered past, causing GRNC-PVF to oppose him in previous races. That said, however, after a “meeting of the minds,” Watford has voted pro-gun each time it was presented. In the interest of rewarding legislators who “see the light,” GRNC-PVF recommends SAM WATFORD.

District 81 (R): In this R+20 district and, challenger Pamela Zanni (survey: NR, 0-star) is one of several phony “Republicans” – Democrats disguising themselves as Republicans to primary conservatives. GRNC-PVF strongly recommends incumbent LARRY W. POTTS (survey: 97%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****).

District 89 (R): In this R+23 district and, challenger Lisa Deaton Koperski (survey: NR, 0-star) is one of several phony “Republicans” – Democrats disguising themselves as Republicans to primary conservatives. GRNC-PVF strongly recommends incumbent MITCH SETZER (survey: 98%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****).

District 90 (R): In this R+26 race for the open seat left by Sarah Stevens as she runs for NC Supreme Court, GRNC-PVF recommends PAUL BARKER (survey: 98%, ****) over A.J. Daoud (survey: 88%, ***) and Dan Kiger (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 95 (R): In this R+13 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent RICHARD (TODD) CARVER (votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Mike Kubiniec (survey: 90%, ****).

District 105 (R): In this R+0 tossup district, there is a clear choice which might not be obvious. Incumbent Tricia Ann Cotham switched parties from Democrat to Republican in the last session after “walking” (not voting) on the purchase permit repeal override of then-Gov. Roy Cooper’s veto caused her to get death threats from her own “party of inclusion.” Prior to the switch, she had a 0% voting record, but has been voting pro-gun since changing parties. Challenger Kelly VanHorn (survey: NR, 0-star) is one of the phony “Republicans” – Democrats who registered as Republicans to primary incumbents. GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent TRICIA COTHAM (votes: 71%, 0-star).

District 110 (R): In this R+14 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent KELLY E. HASTINGS (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) over challenger Caroline Eason (survey: NR, 0-star).

District 113 (R): In this R+15 district pro-gun voters face a conundrum. Former NC House Rep. Mike Hager (survey: 95%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****) resigned his seat in 2016 but is now challenging incumbent Republican Jake Johnson (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, bill support: 100%, ****). With some regret because Hager is a good candidate, we find we must follow our reward structure for pro-gun incumbents. GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent JAKE JOHNSON.  

District 117 (R): In this R+6 district, GRNC-PVF strongly recommends incumbent JENNIFER CAPPS BALKCOM (survey: 100%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Christopher Lamar Wilson (survey: NR, 0-star). Wilson is one of the phony “Republicans” – Democrats who registered as Republicans to primary incumbents.

District 118 (R): In this R+9 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent MARK PLESS (votes: 94%, ****) over challenger James M. (Jimmy) Rogers (survey: NR, 0-star). Given that Pless dropped a vote, if Rogers had chosen to return GRNC’s survey, our recommendation might have been different.

District 119 (R): In this R+3 district, GRNC-PVF recommends incumbent MIKE CLAMPITT (survey: 99%, votes: 100%, ****) over challenger Anna Ferguson (survey: NR, 0-star).

NC COUNTY SHERIFF

GRNC-PVF normally does not cover sheriff’s races because they are too numerous and often subject to local factors. In this case, we have a sheriff candidate who supports constitutional carry versus one who failed to answer GRNC’s survey.

Person County: GRNC-PVF recommends challenger TODD DUNN (survey: 100%, ****) over incumbent Jason (Skeet) Wilborn (survey: NR, 0-star).


This message supporting the above-named candidates was authorized and paid for solely by the Grass Roots North Carolina Political Victory Fund. Not authorized by any candidate or candidate committee.

Uncategorized

Bill Ruger Wouldn’t Approve

February 25, 2026 by 2 Comments

I get a weekly newsletter from Sturm, Ruger that highlights new firearms, Ruger events, and other firearm related news. In the newsletter received yesterday, they highlighted the availability of short-barreled versions of the Ruger PC Carbine, the Ruger 10/22, and the Ruger American Rifle Gen II.

The Ruger newsletter leads to the all4shooters.com website which goes into more detail on all four models. A common feature on all four models is a threaded barrel to take a suppressor.

The PC Carbine will be in 9mm and have a 6.5″ barrel. Meanwhile, the 10/22 will be offered with barrels in both 8″ and 10″. Finally, the Ruger American Gen II will featured a 12.5″ barrel and will be chambered in .338 ARC. Prices ranges from $649 for the 8″ 10/22 to $1099 for the PC Carbine.

You can thank the One Big Beautiful Bill for eliminating the $200 tax on SBRs. Now we need to win one or all of the lawsuits challenging the registration requirements.

One last comment. If Bill Ruger didn’t think you “needed” a mag with over a 10 round capacity, he sure wouldn’t have thought you should have Ruger SBR.

Uncategorized

A Taxpayer Acknowledgement

February 25, 2026 by 0 Comments

So-called “land acknowledgements” have been proclaimed by everyone from Billie Eilish to the University of Washington. Likewise, if you live in a blue city or near one, you are inundated with self-flagellating statements regarding everything from Civil War monuments to slavery to whatever is the next liberal cause. You, your parents, and your grandparents were not alive during those times but you are to feel guilty nonetheless.

I live outside of Asheville where the City Council had the Vance Monument torn down at the cost of well over $100,00. Zeb Vance was the governor of NC during the Civil War and later was a US Senator as well as a post-Reconstruction governor of NC. Given the monument was an obelisk and not a statue, all that might have been needed was a new plaque on it. The new plaque could have read “to the memory of the victims of human bondage” or something similar. But, hey, it was only taxpayer dollars funding its removal.

What I have never seen or heard is a “taxpayer acknowledgement.” That is, until now. Kudos to the gentleman from Toronto and his reminder to council that virtually all the revenue spent by them came from the pockets of the taxpayers.

My humble suggestion to residents living in blue cities and counties is that at the next budget hearing that they repeat a version of the Torontonian’s statement. Modify it to suit your city or county but remind the so-called powers that be who funds their salaries and assorted follies.

Uncategorized

RAND Ends “Gun Policy” Research

February 23, 2026 by 1 Comment

The Trace reported on February 19th that the RAND Corporation will be discontinuing two of its major research projects dealing with “gun violence” and “gun policy”. They are the Gun Policy in America project and the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research.

From The Trace:

The RAND Corporation is sunsetting two major gun violence research initiatives as funding has shrunk under the Trump administration. Experts lamented the closures as a significant loss for policymakers, advocates, and researchers who have relied on the think tank’s work to prevent shootings.

The Gun Policy in America project, an initiative that evaluated how researchers conducted their studies and what they found, concluded with a final update to its Science of Gun Policy report on January 29, Andrew Morral, a RAND senior behavioral scientist who co-led the project, told The Trace. The project provided what experts called the most sweeping and reliable synthesis of evidence on the effectiveness of various gun laws, from background checks on gun sales to assault weapons bans. 

Another RAND initiative, the National Collaborative on Gun Violence Research, which has poured at least $24 million into gun violence research since 2018, is also ending. In November, the collaborative awarded grants to three post-doctoral researchers examining Extreme Risk Protection Order laws, or red flag laws, which allow courts to temporarily disarm people deemed dangerous. The awards were likely the initiative’s last, said Morral, who also directs the collaborative.

It appears that without government funding and add-on funding from certain non-profit trusts that the RAND Corporation is having to lay-off almost 200 staffers. While they self-funded the gun policy research, those funds are now needed to supplement research in other areas.

My response?

Uncategorized

My Kind Of Prez!

February 16, 2026 by 1 Comment

The Trace is saluting presidents who signed gun control bills including FDR (NFA), LBJ (GCA’68), Clinton (Brady plus AWB), and Biden (Bipartisan Safer Communities Act) on this Presidents Day.

They have their preferences and I have mine.

Not only did Teddy Roosevelt carry a handgun but it was one given to him by John Moses Browning himself! How cool is that!

Now I realize that the .32 ACP FN 1900 is not exactly a “big stick” but TR did have the Winchester 1895 in .405 if a “big stick” was needed.

Uncategorized

When Biathlon Rifles Really Could Be Used For “Military Patrol” (Repost)

February 16, 2026 by 3 Comments

With the Winter Olympics currently being held in Italy and with more biathlon events still to be held, I thought what better time to repost this. Long before it was called the biathlon, the event was called Military Patrol and the competitors used center-fire rifles. This was originally posted on Feb. 14, 2014.

Long before biathlon competitors used .22 rifles with exotic stocks made by Anschutz or Izhmash and with bolt assemblies reminiscent of Formula One shifters, there were Mausers, Mosin-Nagants, and Winchester Model 70s. Indeed the first Olympic biathlon held in 1924 in Chamonix, France was called “military patrol”.

Olympic biathlon competition as a medal sport would return until the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympic Games. The competitors in these games would also use bolt action rifles in center-fire calibers. They would fire 20 shots – 5 each at 200m, 250m, 150m, and 100m – with the first three series being fired prone with the last series being fired standing. Indeed, it wasn’t until 1978 that the governing body changed the course of fire to 50m with a .22 LR rifle. The 1980 Lake Placid Olympics were the first to feature the new rules.

The military is where many of the competitors got their start. The US Army had the Modern Winter Biathlon Training Center at Ft. Richardson, Alaska and the early US teams were filled with men who had trained there in the Army. Even today, the US Army National Guard maintains a biathlon training center at Camp Ethan Allen

So it should not be surprising that many of the biathlon rifles from the earlier era were derived from the standard military rifles of the various countries. Given the history of winter warfare and ski troops in Scandinavia and the former Soviet Union these rifles are concentrated in those countries. The American competitors, by contrast, are reported to have used the Winchester Model 70 in .243 Winchester and .308 Winchester.

The Swedes developed the CG-62 biathlon rifle from their Mausers in 6.5×55. The CG, of course, stands for Carl Gustav which was the primary manufacturer of the Swedish Army’s rifles. Before this rifle they used cut down and modified M96 Mausers. Examples of the CG-62 are shown below with the bottom picture being a variant of the AG-42 Ljungmann turned into a biathlon rifle. You can read more about the history of these Swedish rifles on these threads.

With both Finland and the Soviet Union having tons and tons of Mosin Nagants on hand, it is not surprising that they became the base rifle for their biathlon rifles.

The Finns developed the M-N M28-57 for their biathlon rifle. Chambered in the usual 7.62x54R cartridge, it appears to be a cut down version of the M28-30 with micrometer sights added. The latter rifle was used extensively by the Civil Guards in rifle competitions. The M28-57 can be seen below.

The Finns later adopted a Sako Forester (L579), cut for stripper clips,with a heavy barrel and micrometer sights for biathlon. While I can’t find a picture of this rifle, it is my understanding it was chambered in .243 Winchester.

The Soviets took their adaptation of the Mosin Nagant for biathlon competition even a step further by developing a new round for it. While similar to the Finnish rifle, the Soviet Vostok was chambered in both the usual 7.62x54R and the 6.5x54R. The latter is a necked down version of the 7.62x54R.

Pictures of the rifle and 6.5x54R cartridge can be seen below.

Finally, we have that other Scandinavian biathlon power – Norway. To the best of my knowledge, Norwegian athletes used a modified Mauser M59. The unmodified version can be seen below. These rifles were made by Kongsberg Våpenhistoriske Forening (Kongsberg Small Arms Factory). According to their website, they made a limited number of these just for biathletes. While the M59 was originally chambered in .30-06, later versions were chambered in both 7.62×51 and 6.5×55. It would be my guess that the biathlon team used the 6.5×55 round.

Another view of the rifles used can be seen in this picture from the 1962 Norwegian Biathlon championships. It definitely looks similar to the M59 above. The Digitalt Museum has a whole series of photos from that event here.

Germany, both East and West, were solid competitors in biathlon. Unfortunately, the only thing I can find is a stamp from the DDR (East German) showing a biathlete shooting. Other than being a bolt action rifle with target sights, who knows. I wouldn’t be surprised if they used the Vostok or Mosin Nagant variant used by the Soviets.

I am sure that there may be other purpose-built center-fire biathlon rifles out there but I think I’ve covered quite a few of them.