Uncategorized

Uncategorized

For Illinois Residents – A Tax Alert

January 30, 2017 by

The power to tax is the power to destroy is an abridged quote from the great orator, lawyer, and politician Daniel Webster. Illinois politicians know this all too well and now are seeking to add a 5% tax to club membership dues. So if your local rifle and pistol club charges you $200 a year in dues, your actual cost will now be $210 with that extra $10 going to the State of Illinois.

Illinois Carry has issued an alert on SB009 which, due to an amendment, would impose this very tax. Senate Amendment 2 specifically includes gun clubs, hunting clubs, and fishing clubs by name as “amusements”.  I know that the Prairie State’s finances are none too solid but I think a tax on the right of association as it were is going too far.

From Illinois Carry:

Call to
Action – Oppose SB009 Revenue Various
(Tax on gun
clubs, ranges, and hunting clubs)
Contact
Your State Senators This Week!
In our first Call to Action of the
newly seated 100th General Assembly, we bring to your attention SB009
Revenue Various.
SB009
started as a simple question of creating new taxes, a question too easily
answered “yes” in this state.  It is now more than that.
 Much more. 
Senate Amendment 2 seeks to impose 5%
membership and service taxes:
> In addition to the amusement
tax on ranges already imposed by several municipalities
> In addition to the Cook County tax on firearms and ammunition
> In addition to the proposed fees covering the cost of serializing
ammunition under HB271
> In addition to the already costly training and license fees required to
carry a concealed firearm in Illinois
> In addition to the cost of hunting licenses
> In addition to current local, state and federal sales taxes on products
associated with membership and use of hunting and gun clubs, training, and
competition.
These new taxes were
not, of course, presented in a forthright way that would foster open debate.
 Instead, they were hidden in amendments to SB009 among a plethora of
other taxes, filed quickly and quietly on a bill positioned to move through the
Senate at a moment’s notice.
We must recognize that
the more the state taxes our ability to train, compete, and hunt the more it
discourages the very practices that foster safe firearm ownership.  The
more it encourages people to purchase products and services elsewhere.​
The truth will be SB009’s greatest obstacle.
 Spread some truth, and spread our rights.
Beginning Monday, 1/30/2017, please
contact your State Senators in their district offices. Politely explain that
SB009 is no longer as it seems. Let them know that while we can debate the
wisdom of burdening Illinois with additional taxes one thing is not debatable.
The State does not have proper authority to tax our Second Amendment rights.
Contact information for your State Senator can be found here.
Uncategorized

New SSA Regulation May Be Overturned

January 26, 2017 by

The recently adopted Social Security Administration regulation that would report some seniors and disability recipients as mentally deficient to the NICS system will come under review by Congress. That regulation deemed that anyone who required a trustee or custodian to manage their monies to be mentally deficient. The NRA reports that Congress will now review this regulation under the Congressional Review Act with the aim to overturn it.

This is good news and I would hope that they review the similar policy or regulation at the Department of Veterans Affairs.

From the NRA-ILA:

Fairfax, Va. – The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) today scored a victory when Congress agreed to review, and likely revoke, a final rule by the Obama administration that would blindly strip law-abiding Americans of their Second Amendment rights.

“Congress’s decision to review the Obama administration’s back-door gun grab is a significant step forward in protecting a fundamental constitutional right for law-abiding gun owners,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director, NRA-ILA. “The NRA has been fighting this unconstitutional government overreach since it was first discussed and we look forward to swift congressional action.”

Last year, the Social Security Administration finalized a proposed rule to ban certain recipients who use a representative payee from owning firearms. This ill-conceived action affected the most vulnerable in America and stripped them of their right to keep and bear arms without due process.

The NRA immediately opposed the Obama administration’s efforts when the proposal was first announced in summer of 2015. The NRA has fought every step of the way to ensure that social security recipients are not stripped of their rights without due process of law.

Today, we learned that Congress will review the Obama administration’s unconstitutional ban under the Congressional Review Act (CRA). CRA allows Congress to dispose of any actions an outgoing administration initiates in its last six months. This final rule falls under that time frame, and the review process is expected to move forward in the House and receive a vote as early as next week.

Imminent revocation of this egregious government action marks the culmination of the NRA’s diligent efforts on behalf of its members and law-abiding gun owners.

“This is a new era for freedom-loving Americans and the NRA is excited to begin work with our pro-Second Amendment president and Congress to ensure that law-abiding Americans’ constitutional rights are respected,” concluded Cox.

The NRA thanks congressmen Sam Johnson (R-TX), Ralph Abraham (R-LA) and Steve Scalise (R-LA) for their work on this effort. It would also like to thank Speaker Paul Ryan (R-WI) and leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) for their leadership on this issue.

Uncategorized

Something To Remember

January 26, 2017 by 2 Comments

Sometimes those of us who live in what I affectionately call free states forget that there still is a vibrant gun culture in states with draconian gun laws like New York, or Massachusetts or California. While it is all too easy to just say that gun owners should move out of those states, family or work obligations often make this impossible.

The vibrancy of the gun culture “behind enemy lines” can be shown in this report about a gun show held this past weekend at the Westchester County Center in White Plains, New York.

The Westchester County Council had voted to ban gun shows on county-owned property but County Executive Rob Astorino (R-Westchester) vetoed it. As such, the gun show went on.

At 8:30 a.m., the line to enter Saturday’s gun and knife show was already wrapped around the side of the Westchester County Center. By 3 p.m., the steady-moving line was just as long.

County Executive Rob Astorino said attendance numbers from the first day of the show were expected to break the anticipated two-day total. Astorino vetoed legislation Thursday that moved to ban gun shows on county-owned property.

“I tried to look at this issue not in the emotional way, as some people wanted me to do it,” he said. “There was no justification to ban a gun show based on the facts and based on the law.”

This was the first time in four years that a gun show had been held at the center. The last one was scheduled in early 2013 but was cancelled due to reaction to the Newtown school murders.

H/T Stephen Wenger

Uncategorized

Olympic Arms To Close Its Doors

January 26, 2017 by 1 Comment

Olympic Arms, one of the earliest makers of AR-15 clones, has announced that it is closing its door at the end of February. Long before there was a Stag or Daniel Defense there was Olympic Arms. According to their website’s serial number history, they began making their ARs in 1979.

I don’t know if this a general trend or merely an older company that was eclipsed by the younger, more innovative companies. I would tend to think it is the latter and not the former.

I do remember my friend Milo being all excited when he got his Olympic Arms AR-15. I had an email from his describing how he and his son John carefully broke it in. I’m guessing this was during the early years of the Clinton assault weapon (sic) ban.

Here is the announcement from the Olympic Arms website:

After more than 40 years of business, it is with great sorrow that we announce that February 28th, 2017 will be the last day of operation for Olympic Arms, Inc.
The Schuetz family would like to express their heartfelt thanks to all their friends, associates, and partners that have been a part of the Olympic Arms experience. Most of all we would like to thank our loyal customers and patrons who have been with us all this time.
In the course of closing, we are announcing the following changes in policy effective immediately:
  1. All sales are final.
  2. No refunds or returns will be accepted after 1-25-2017.
  3. On-line Shopping Cart will be active and effective while supplies last.
  4. All Warranty service ceases 1-25-2017. Warranty work and repairs currently in-house will be serviced and returned.
  5. New orders will only be taken for inventory currently in stock, or that can be built from remaining inventory.
  6. All inventory will be liquidated.
  7. ALL SALES will cease at close of business 28 February, 2017
 Thank you for your patronage.
Uncategorized

A Humorous Look At Etiquette For SHOT Show Attendees.

January 25, 2017 by

Shawn from We Like Shooting.com and Sara of Kitfox Design Group have collaborated to produce a humorous video on etiquette for attendees at the SHOT Show. It looks at stuff like spreading germs, producing noxious gases, those infernal rolling milk crates, slow walkers, and other stuff.

The only thing I might partially disagree with is “patch whores”. The old Boy Scout in me loves patch collecting and I actually do have a couple of patch displays from past NRA and SHOT Shows. I would agree with them on those who are greedy about it and take piles of patches. They are just greedy.

It’s fun to think of the SHOT Show as one big gun show where you get to handle all the new cool stuff and a fun time is had by all. However, the SHOT Show is about business. It is about selling product and getting orders that could range into the millions of dollars. Even media is there on business whether it is about getting a new sponsor for their podcast or a freelancer arranging the evaluation of a new product that will lead to multiple story placements.

So with that in mind, enjoy this video from Shawn and Sara.

H/T Ben Langlotz

Uncategorized

I’m Amused

January 24, 2017 by 2 Comments

Jane Jetson haircut?

Not going to take fashion tips from some former Monsanto PR-hack?

I have no clue what the Demanding Mommy herself Shannon Watts had to say about Dana Loesch but it must have been catty. I know they go at each other on Twitter all the time.

Dana’s response on NRA TV to Grant Stinchfield amused me no end.

Jane Jetson haircut, bwahahahahaha! I wonder if Watts has a dog named Astro…

UPDATE: Thanks to Todd Vandermyde, I now know the backstory. You can read about it here. I’m still laughing about the Jane Jetson haircut.

Uncategorized

SHOT Show Through Foreign Eyes

January 24, 2017 by 3 Comments

Sometimes it is better to look at something familiar through different eyes. Polenar Tactical is a group of shooters from Slovenia who produce some pretty cool videos on YouTube and Full 30 which have  found a following here in the United States.

Zigo, Samo, and Manca (she’s the cute one) are first time visitors to both the US and the SHOT Show. This video is a record of their journey from Slovenia to Las Vegas and their experiences at Industry Day at the Range. You will see some other familiar faces such as Ian and Karl from Forgotten Weapons as they traverse the range.

There are only two comments I would make. If you ever start to feel jaded and bored by the SHOT Show experience just watch this video to recapture some of that newbie enthusiasm. The other comment is that I think the first English adjective learned by young Europeans must be “fucking” as it is used a lot in this video. Tender ears be warned.

Uncategorized

Quote Of The Day

January 23, 2017 by 3 Comments

The Quote of the Day comes from the White House website that has been revamped with the change of administrations. The Trump Administration explicitly considers citizen self-defense as part of law enforcement.


Supporting law enforcement means supporting our citizens’ ability to protect themselves. We will uphold Americans’ Second Amendment rights at every level of our judicial system.

What a change a few days make.

Uncategorized

#2A Selfies

January 22, 2017 by 3 Comments

Among the many things President Trump is known for include his use of social media and his use of his three oldest children as advisors. A number of weeks back I remember Mr. Trump telling 60 Minutes that he had 28 million followers of Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram.

This got me to thinking about how we in the gun culture at the grassroots could use this to advance our Second Amendment rights. Mr. Trump owes us in the gun culture for our support throughout the general election campaign in return for his promises of supporting the Second Amendment. I’d wager, though I haven’t seen any hard statistics, that Mr. Trump’s pro-gun stance helped him eke out wins in the states of Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania.

My idea is to use social media and in particular Twitter and Instagram to communicate our grassroots message to Mr. Trump and his kids. For it to be effective, it has to go viral.

Simplicity is the key. While I have a whole list of things I want, picking 2-3 is more effective. It is also more readable in a picture which I have found out by experimentation. See the difference below. The first is my laundry list and the second is the top things I want.

Large List
Highlighted List

Shadows or not, I think the second picture is more effective as it shows that a person is standing behind it and has a limited list.

All you need to participate is a phone with a camera, a Twitter account, and/or an Instagram account. I would urge you to do both. The photo doesn’t need to look professional and indeed I think it is better if it didn’t. Post the picture with this hashtag –  #2ASelfie.

Your post needs to include your selfie, the hashtag, and the following addresses:

For Twitter:

  • @potus
  • @whitehouse
  • @realdonaldtrump
  • @donaldjtrumpjr
  • @erictrump
  • @ivankatrump
  • @(fill in your Representative’s Twitter handle)
For Instagram:
  • @whitehouse
  • @realdonaldtrump
  • @donaldjtrumpjr
  • @erictrump
  • @ivankatrump
  • @(fill in your Representative’s Instagram name)
Remember that Twitter has an 140 character limit. Instagram, to the best of my knowledge, doesn’t have a character limit.

Forward this post to your friends and family who support the Second Amendment. Unlike the stuff that comes out of Bloomberg’s Everytown or the Brady Campaign, this really is a grassroots effort. Again, we need this to go viral. If it goes viral, it will have more of an impact than any Change.org petition.

Uncategorized

SHOT Show Day Three – Gunblast.com

January 22, 2017 by

The highlights of Jeff Quinn’s third day at the SHOT Show include the Sig Sauer P320 X version, Rob Pincus’ Avidity P10, and a unique barreled rifle from the Italian firm Sabatti. I will say I learned something about rifling as I had never heard of multi-radial rifling which sounds quite intriguing as it helps increase velocity and reduce bullet drop at longer ranges.