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“Gravity Violence”

March 24, 2021 by 4 Comments

The gun prohibitionists like to conflate suicide death by firearm as “gun violence.” Suicide, whatever the instrument, is sad occurrence and can be devastating to those left behind. Today on the Senate floor, Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY) was railing about “gun violence” (sic) and was inflating the numbers as usual. Emily Miller pointed out the hypocrisy of Facebook in not forcing posts of Schumer’s speech to give attribution for these numbers.

My friend Tim Glance of Old Grouch’s Military Surplus fame pointed out the absurdity of referring to suicide by firearm as “gun violence” since no other means used to kill oneself is characterized that way.

Do the same people that label suicides “gun violence” also label people jumping off bridges or buildings as “gravity violence”?

Is overdosing “pharmaceutical violence”?

Is hanging yourself “cordage violence”?

Since it’s not you can see right away the dishonesty in the narrative.

As Tim noted to me in a message when I asked permission to quote him, asking if all suicide is violence shuts down those who are argue that suicide by firearm is “gun violence.”

If you are thinking of ending your life, please get help. There are a lot of good groups out there like Walk The Talk America, the American Society for Suicide Prevention, and Forefront Suicide Prevention. There is also the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 800-273-8255.

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Newspeak Comment Of The Day

March 24, 2021 by 1 Comment

Newspeak was the fictional language of Oceania in the dystopian novel 1984. In a parody of what is now required to get past the Facebook censors and others of their woke ilk, Paula Bolyard came up with this.

But now, some prominent scientists and researchers are calling into question both the wet market theory and the notion that the China virus transnational, post-racial, non-sectarian virus accidentally escaped from a lab in W&*%n, a city in no particular geographic region.

She was talking about the origins of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that originated in Wuhan, China. Her post on PJ Media pointed out that a group of scientists at MIT are now taking exception to the approved narrative that the virus originated in the Wuhan wet market. Rather, they are not ruling out that the virus escaped from the Chinese government-run Wuhan Institute of Virology.

In other news, I’m on the waiting list for the shot to protect against the transnational, post-racial, non-sectarian virus.

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Kudos To Browning Customer Service

March 24, 2021 by 4 Comments

I have a Browning A-Bolt rifle that I bought many years ago second-hand at a gun show. It came equipped with the Browning BOSS muzzle brake system. The intent of the system is to be able to tune your rifle to different loads by controlling the barrel vibrations. It is supposed to improve accuracy.

I stumbled across the fact that Browning made an accessory, the BOSS-CR, that provides the same tuning ability minus the muzzle brake. Without much thought about there being different models, I bid and won an online auction for one. It’s coming in the mail.

There was only one little problem. The Browning BOSS-CR is specific to the rifle model and caliber. I started to notice that when looking at the labels of others for sale online. I naively thought if it worked for a .30-06, it surely would do OK for something of a smaller caliber. Who cares if it was the blued model and your barrel is stainless.

Just to be sure, I sent a note to Browning Customer Service asking about it. A day later I got a reply back that indeed I should use the model specific to my rifle model and caliber. But being the great company that they are, they didn’t leave it at that. The reply continued to say, “we would be happy to send you the correct one at no charge. All we will need is a good shipping address and whether the rifle is matte blued, gloss blued, or stainless.”

There are two morals to this story. First and foremost, Browning has great customer service. Second, before bidding on something online, do your research! It will save you from having extra gun parts lying around for a firearm you don’t own.

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Is That Like Double Secret Probation?

March 23, 2021 by 1 Comment

Not wasting any time in not letting a tragedy go to waste, there have been renewed calls for more gun control after the murders in Boulder, Colorado. The usual suspects have weighed in as has President Biden.

President Biden is calling on the Senate to pass both so-called universal background checks and an assault weapons (sic).

President Biden on Tuesday implored the Senate to pass new gun control measures in the wake of a mass shooting that left 10 dead in Boulder, Colorado, this week.

Biden said he didn’t “want to wait another minute, let alone an hour,” to act on gun violence.

He urged the House and Senate to ban “assault weapons,” as he said he did as a senator.

“I got that done as a senator. It brought down mass shootings, we can do it again,” Biden said. “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again.”…

The president also called on the Senate to pass two House bills that closed loopholes on background checks, including the Charleston loophole.

“These are bills that received votes with both Republicans and Democrats in the House. This is not and should not be a partisan issue. This is an American issue that will save lives, American lives. And we have to act. We should also ban assault weapons in the process,” Biden said. 

So if I understand Biden and the gun control cabal correctly, if only there was a ban on high capacity magazines and guns with cosmetics they don’t like as well as a background check on every gun transfer then we would not have another mass murder?

Sounds great until you take into account two facts that completely blow away their arguments.

Fact 1: Colorado has background checks on all firearms transfers, both public and private.

Fact 2: Colorado passed a 15-round limit on magazines back in 2013. Now it is my understanding that the Colorado Supreme Court may have invalidated that ban.

We don’t know yet how the murderer obtained the firearm at this time. Even with a ban in place, an angry, paranoid person such as this murderer is reputed to be would not let violating a gun control law stand in the way of something doing something heinous.

One last thing. I’m not a conspiracy theorist but sometimes life feels like a Matt Bracken novel where the killer is merely a pawn for more government control.

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New NRA Special Meeting Scheduled

March 18, 2021 by 5 Comments

A Special Meeting of the NRA Board of Directors has been scheduled for Dallas, TX for March 28th. As the Complementary Spouse pointed out to me, it is exactly 14 days after the previously scheduled meeting and is the length of time that the CDC formerly recommended for quarantine after COVID exposure. While I doubt that was the actual reason for the original cancellation, they are sticking with appearances.

March 18, 2021

                               OFFICIAL NOTICE: SPECIAL MEETING OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS

TO: Board of Directors and Executive Council

The NRA President has requested a special meeting of the Board of Directors to take place on Sunday, March 28, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. in Dallas, Texas. The  purpose of the meeting is to provide a legal briefing to the Board regarding the NRA’s plan of reorganization and other pending matters.

The NRA Board of Directors and Executive Council will meet at the Sheraton Dallas Hotel, 400 North Olive Street, Dallas, Texas 75201, (214) 922-8000. The date, time and location of all meetings are on the attached schedule of meetings and meals.

Please notice the change in wording from the first Special Meeting notice:

The sole purpose of the meeting is to provide a briefing to the Board regarding the NRA’s reorganization plan and the legal matters overseen by the Special Litigation Committee, and to take any necessary action directly related to those matters.

Any mention of the Special Litigation Committee is deleted. Moreover, it does not have a mention of “any necessary action.”

Speculation is that an 1129 Reorganization Plan will be presented to the Board. These reorganization plans be presented by the debtor (NRA), the unsecured creditors committee, or a trustee if one is appointed. However, the bankruptcy judge, as I understand it, cannot present a reorganization plan and must only rule on the merits of those presented.

By presenting an 1129 reorganization plan, it is speculated that Brewer, Attorneys and Counselors, will have their fingers all over it and will use it to keep themselves attached to the NRA like barnacles on a rock. A friend pointed out to me today that in the course of proceedings that the bankruptcy judge could not only disallow Brewer to serve as a special counsel but cut off all payments to him given his role in draining the NRA’s finances through legal billings. We can only hope!

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Smith and Wesson Virtual Event

March 16, 2021 by

Smith & Wesson just held a 15-minute virtual event. It was to showcase the company and to introduce their new M&P 9 Shield Plus. With the extended magazine, it will hold 13 +1 rounds. There is also a Performance Center version which features fiber optic sights, has cuts for red dot optics, and has lightening cuts in the slide.

I haven’t seen it side by side with the Sig P-365 or the Springfield Hellcat but it is obvious that is what they are targeting with this new introduction.

The 15-minute video of the event is below. I thought it was well done. It told the history of the company, how they dealt with both the pandemic and the increased demand for firearms, how they are working to train new shooters, and then ends with the introduction of the new pistol. You will need to scroll to almost the end before the actual event starts.

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Sunday Hunting Approved For Certain NC Gamelands

March 15, 2021 by

The North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission adopted a proposal that would allow Sunday hunting on certain public gamelands. The NC General Assembly had amended the law that had prohibited hunting on Sunday in 2017. As part of that amendment, the NCWRC was given the power to regulate hunting with a firearm on state-managed gamelands per NCGS § 103-2.(a1). In their meeting on February 25th, they did just that (among other things).

45 gamelands that allowed hunting Monday through Saturday were changed to all seven days a week. Another six 3-day per week gamelands were changed to four days a week. That would be Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday.

These changes did come with restrictions. First, these changes only apply to the taking of mammals and upland game birds. Hunting migratory birds is still prohibited on Sunday statewide. The other changes were required to be consistent with NCGS § 103-2.(a1). They were:

  • Hunting with a firearm between 9:30am and 12:30pm is prohibited;
  • The use of a firearm to take deer that are run or chased by dogs is prohibited; and
  • There is no hunting with a firearm within 500 yards of a place of religious worship.

The justification for approving these changes were both state law and public input.

Based on seven in-person public meetings, two virtual public meetings, three
focus group meetings with stakeholders, an Agency staff retreat, discussions with
landowning partners, biological staff, and commissioners, and a follow up meeting with
stakeholders, the following criteria were used to helped evaluate the feasibility of Sunday
hunting on game lands: rural game lands that are not heavily used by non-hunters,
proximity to other game lands and public lands where hunting is prohibited, value to
unique properties that are important to user groups, avoid game lands where past conflict
has been a pattern. Given the results of the public input process, staff recommend that
Sunday hunting be allowed at the above game lands

The 3-day a week to 4-day a week gamelands are:

  • Bullard and Branch Hunting Preserve
  • Columbus County
  • Mitchell River
  • Perkins
  • Robeson
  • Sampson

The 6-day a week to every day of the week gamelands are:

  • Alcoa
  • Alligator River
  • Angola Bay
  • Bachelor Bay
  • Brinkleyville
  • Buffalo Cove
  • Cape Fear River Wetlands
  • Carteret County
  • Chatham
  • Chowan
  • Cold Mountain
  • Croatan
  • Currituck Banks
  • Dare
  • Elk Knob
  • Embro
  • Goose Creek
  • Gull Rock
  • Harris
  • Hyco
  • Juniper Creek
  • Lee
  • Light Ground Pocosin
  • Linwood
  • Lower Fishing Creek
  • Mayo
  • Nantahala
  • Needmore
  • New Lake
  • North River
  • Northwest River Marsh
  • Pee Dee River
  • Pisgah
  • Pond Mountain
  • Sandy Creek
  • Shocco Creek
  • South Mountains
  • Sutton Lake
  • Three Top Mountain
  • Thurmond Chatham
  • Tillery
  • Toxaway
  • Uwharrie
  • Van Swamp
  • William H. Silver

The Commission did vote to prohibit Sunday hunting for black bear on gamelands in the Coastal Bear Management Unit. They reasoned that they were already at their target population objective and more hunting pressure would have a negative impact.

Looking at the list above, the four US National Forests in North Carolina – Croatan, Nantahala, Pisgah, and Uwharrie – are all part of these 7-day hunting parcels. They comprise over 1.2 million acres of land that is now available to hunt every day of the week during an open season. That’s a lot of hunting land that just opened for Sunday hunting.

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An Honest To God Straw Purchase Prosecution

March 14, 2021 by 6 Comments

Those of us in the gun rights community know that straw purchases are often used by prohibited persons to get around background checks. A person with a clean record, often female, is used to fill out the Form 4473 and to make the purchase with money provided by the prohibited person. This person, the straw purchaser, has just broken federal law by lying on the Form 4473 when they said they were the actual purchaser in response to Question 21.a. That is a violation of 18 USC 922a6. Violating that statute carries a sentence of up to 10 years.

If you look at the prosecution statistics for lying on the Form 4473, you find that it is not often prosecuted. In FY 2013-FY 2017 or the second Obama term, there were a total of 533 prosecutions for this offense. They made up only 1.4% of all prosecutions for violating federal firearms laws. Being a felon in possession made up the overwhelming majority of prosecutions. It appears the Trump Administration made it more a priority as prosecutions increased to 2.6% in the first year of that administration. The database from Syracuse University did not specify how many people were actually convicted nor what sentences were given.

Bearing this in mind, it was interesting to receive a press release from the BATFE Chicago Field Division on just such an arrest and indictment. Usually these releases talk about either a reward for information on a gun store burglary or the conviction of violent criminal/gang member/drug dealer on a multitude of charges.

A woman has been indicted on federal firearm charges for allegedly straw purchasing handguns in a Chicago suburb on behalf of another individual.

On three occasions in 2019 and 2020, DIAMOND SMITH purchased a total of seven handguns, including two semi-automatic pistols, from a licensed firearms dealer in Oak Forest, Ill., and falsely certified on federal forms that she was the actual buyer, according to an indictment returned in U.S. District Court in Chicago.  In reality, Smith purchased the guns on behalf of another individual, the charges allege.

Smith, 28, of Chicago, is charged with three counts of making false statements in connection with the acquisition of a firearm….

“Straw purchasers too often play a grave role in enabling the unlawful possession of guns and the violence that can follow,” said U.S. Attorney Lausch. “Our office is committed to working with our law enforcement partners to stop the flow of guns to individuals who cannot legally purchase them.”

After reading the actual indictment, the firearms purchased by Smith were all semi-auto pistols. There were four Glocks, a Walther, a Taurus, and a Smith & Wesson. Notably, one was listed as a “Glock G42 .390 caliber pistol.” I can’t say I’m surprised that no one caught that little error.

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NRA Special Meeting…Canceled

March 13, 2021 by 1 Comment

Stephen Gutowski of the Washington Free Beacon is reporting on Twitter that the NRA Special Board Meeting scheduled for Sunday has been canceled.

While airlines and hotels have been pretty fair about cancellations due to COVID, there are undoubtedly some board members who had already left for Texas and those expenses will need to be reimbursed.

It would be cynical to think the meeting cancellation had anything to do with the attempt by the NY Attorney General’s Office to depose Judge Phillip Journey. A hearing on that is set for Monday in US Bankruptcy Court. However, it will be by WebEx.

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Wayne And DiFi Have A Symbiotic Relationship

March 12, 2021 by 3 Comments

I know this will either sound like heresy or cynicism but what would Wayne LaPierre and Dianne Feinstein do without one another?

Think about it.

Now that Feinstein has reintroduced her perennial assault weapons ban bill, Wayne will be able to send out hundreds of thousands emails and fund raising letters saying he needs the money to fight “Feinstein’s gun grabbing.”

Conversely, Feinstein will be able to use Wayne and the NRA as her personal whipping boys calling them “obstructionist insurrectionists” to both fund raise and to seek support for her bill.

Behind closed doors where no one can see either of them together, I would not be surprised to find out that they have a cordial relationship. Both are Beltway insiders who have been in DC for long, long time. Wayne became Executive VP in 1991 and Feinstein was first elected a year later in 1992.

Of course, that is just speculation but it is hard to see one existing without the other.