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See Something; Say Something

March 9, 2023 by 3 Comments

This past weekend I helped to staff the Grass Roots North Carolina booth at the Asheville Gun Show. Soon after setting up and the show opening, a couple in their 60s stopped by and started asking questions about GRNC. They were interested in our organization, what it did, and if we did anything about educating on gun safety. They then said they were with a gun safety organization for kids called Be Smart. After they left, I knew something didn’t seem right so I googled “Be Smart”. Turns out they are a project of Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety.

Now I was really suspicious about what they were doing at a gun show of all places. Shortly thereafter, another one of their members stopped by and started asking questions on how to purchase a handgun and then a long gun. I educated him on North Carolina and Federal law regarding both handgun and long gun purchases. In NC, to purchase a handgun, either from a dealer or a private individual, you must either have the Jim Crow-era pistol purchase permit or a NC Concealed Handgun Permit. I also said if he were to purchase a long gun from one of the dealers, he would have a NICS check. This lack of knowledge of NC gun laws really raised the warning flags for me. He left a couple of pieces of their literature with me.

While their card does acknowledge their affiliation with Everytown, you need a magnifying glass to read it. The disclaimer is in gray, ultra-tiny print at the bottom of the card. It is almost like they are trying to hide something.

Later that morning, I went by their booth and saw Project Childsafe gun locks. I asked how they obtained them and was told they got them from the sheriff’s department. Having donated to Project Childsafe in the past, I knew it was a project of NSSF and the gun industry. Given Bloomberg’s billions, that really irritated me so I tweeted about it.

That tweet has been seen over 12,000 times and was retweeted another 29 times. I also contacted NSSF and Project Childsafe to alert them that gun locks that they had bought for distribution by authorized groups was being handed out by Be Smart. I got a nice reply back from NSSF Communications Director Bill Brassard thanking me for alerting them to this. I thought that was the end of it.

I was pleasantly surprised when I saw a tweet from NSSF VP and General Counsel Larry Keane with a link to a story about it. The story on the NSSF news page is entitled, “Bloomberg-Backed Gun Control Swipes Project ChildSafe Kits to Pass Off as Their Own.” My initial tweet which included a picture of the locks provided the basis for their story and they credited me for it. The article by Matt Manda then gave some of the history of Project Childsafe including praise for it by politicians including then-VP Joe Biden.

This is not the first time that the anti-gun, anti-rights forces have been caught relabeling Project Childsafe gun locks and handing them out. Journalist Beth Bauman called them out on it last year. My guess we will see more of it in the future.

I did one other thing. I made sure the gun show promoter was aware of just who Be Smart was and their affiliation with Everytown. I found out they had gotten a free booth at the show by claiming they were “a local group promoting kid’s safety”. Guess who is not going to be allowed back to the gun show.

So, if you see an anti-gun organization handing out gun locks, stop and see how it is labeled. If it says “Project Childsafe” on it, call them out on it. As the saying goes, “See Something; Say Something.”

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Happy .308 Day

March 8, 2023 by

Today is March 8th or 308 Day!

Derived from the .300 Savage, the .308 Winchester was introduced as a commercial cartridge in 1952. It predated the similar but not exactly the same 7.62×51 NATO round by two years. The US Army’s Frankford Arsenal had been tasked with experimenting with a standard Cal. 30 bullet into a .300 Savage case. A change in powder had resulted in the .30-06 having excess pressure issues. This experiment eventually became the T-65 or .30 Light Rifle.

When Winchester introduced the .308 Winchester commercially in 1952, they offered it in their Models 70, 88, and 100 rifles. It has grown to become one of the most popular cartridges ever for hunting, law enforcement, and military (in 7.62×51). For hunting, it is suitable and has been used for most North American game animals as well as plains game in Africa.

By JHobbs – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=47849722

Winchester offers loadings for the cartridge in everything from 120 grain up to 180 grain bullets. Chuck Hawks states it has been loaded with everything from 100 to 200 grain bullets with the 150, 165, and 180 grain bullets being the most common. No longer just a Winchester product, virtually every ammunition manufacturer, both here and abroad, now offer one or more loads of the .308 cartridge.

Michael Dickerson, writing for Outdoor Life, said the .308 Winchester will probably never die. Its military roots helped it succeed much like its military predecessor the .30-06 Springfield.

There’s a certain poetic symmetry in this because the .308 Win. is, for all practical purposes, a shortened .30-06. The .30-06 can launch bullets a little faster, but the 308 Winchester can do just about everything the .30-06 can do in the field, using less powder and producing less recoil, while conveying the benefits of a cartridge that fits in a short action. It is, in some ways, a more efficient cartridge, and that’s just one of many attributes that helped make the .308 so popular.

Looking at my own collection of .308/7.62×51 rifles, they range from a Ruger Gunsite Scout Rifle to a FAL from Imbel parts mated with a DSA upper. Probably one day I’ll add a PTR-91 to the mix as I have 100 plus G-3 magazines purchased when they were dirt cheap. CMMG had experimented at one time with using G-3/HK-91 mags in an AR-10 but they unfortunately couldn’t solve the feed lip issues. Nonetheless, if anyone tries it again, I’m prepared!

Finally, the SAAMI spec drawing for the .308 Winchester is below.

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Congratulations To Paul Erhardt And The Outdoor Wires

March 3, 2023 by 1 Comment

Paul Erhardt starts today as the Managing Editor of the Outdoor Wire Digital Network. This is the network of newsletters that Jim Shepherd founded which includes, among others, the Shooting Wire, the Tactical Wire, and the Outdoor Wire. Paul had called me on Wednesday to give me a head’s up but I waited until it was officially announced to offer my public congratulations.

Jim Shepherd had this to say regarding the move:

Speaking of business, a bit of internal business to announce. I’m pleased to tell you we’re expanding our crew. Over the years you’ve read features from Paul Erhardt. You’ll be reading more of them going forward, because Paul’s joining the Outdoor Wire Digital Network as our Managing Editor. It’s a new position for us -and him – but reflects our commitment to continue our growth and maturing as a business.

We’re making other changes going forward this year, all part of keeping our twenty-year plus promise to you.

We’ll keep you posted.

This is a great move for Paul and a great move for the Outdoor Wire Digital Network. For OWDN, they are getting a seasoned professional who has served as marketing director for companies such as Apex Tactical and Sig Sauer as well as Director of Public Relations for NSSF. They are also getting someone who will take a lot of the day to day work load off of Jim Shepherd. For Paul, he is returning to the writing and editing that he loves as well as the opportunity for future advancement. I have no doubt that this is a win-win move for all involved.

Again, I want to offer my hearty congratulations to Paul, Jim, and the Outdoor Wire Digital Network.

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A Precursor To Selling The NRA HQ Building?

February 28, 2023 by 6 Comments

A good friend was sent a listing for leased office space in the NRA headquarters building by a commercial real estate broker. The broker suggested that it was the precursor to selling the building. That confused me a bit so I did some more digging.

I found the leased space listing on at least five websites serving the commercial real estate market in the Metro DC area. It was on Loopnet.com, Propertyshark.com, Cityfeet.com, and CommercialCafe.com in addition to CommercialSearch.com. The listings in all five were virtually identical.

From CommercialEdge:

There is currently one space available at 11250 Waples Mill Road. The building’s general use is office. The space listed for lease is described as general office. Current availability totals 8,977 square feet. Of this, minimum divisible area is 8,977 square feet. The listed lease rate is $30.00/SF/YR.

The space is on the 3rd floor. According to the FAQ, this is the only space available for lease in the NRA headquarters building. All five of the listings note that the building was updated in 2022 and emphasize its location. However, none of the listings nor any of the photos indicate that it is the NRA headquarters building. The big red NRA letters are on the other side of the building.

I reached out to a commercial real estate broker with a large firm here in North Carolina for his opinion. Lee was aware of the listings above. He took note that it was the only space available for lease in the building. Given that, he said, having a full occupancy makes a building more attractive to buyers. Or as he put it, “Lease it up first to then sell.” I mentioned the building’s condition and he said the tenants will make them fix the roof before they’d lease it. I imagine a seller would do the same or use it to really whittle down the price.

As can be seen in the photo below of the ceiling of the building’s atrium, there is still damage left from the leaking roof. While the powers that be assert they have fixed the roof, I think that is questionable. The photo below was taken within the past month or so (update based on metadata – May 2022)

I submitted a resolution at the 2022 Meeting of Members to address the issue of the headquarters building’s condition. I was told an independent inspection would be a waste of money by director Ron Schmeits and the problem was being addressed. The resolution went down to defeat as might be expected. I asked for an independent inspection because I frankly didn’t trust the majority of the board to do more than pay lip service to it. Obviously, I was correct.

The board has authorized a search committee to explore a move to Texas. They may even vote on finalizing a move at the board meeting after the conclusion of the NRA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis. Selling the Virginia headquarters building would certainly fit into that move. However, the question remains how they can afford to fix the building, buy or lease a new one in Texas, move everything, and do it given the state of their finances. Even if they can sell the building, the monies realized would only pay off the existing over-extended line of credit. Unlike the gun control lobby, there is no sugar daddy billionaire waiting in the wings to rescue the NRA.

UPDATE: I was told by Frank Tait that the Board of Directors voted in January 2020 to sell the Headquarters Building. If memory serves me correctly, that meeting was before the Covid-19 pandemic hit its stride and everything shut down. (Correction – the vote to sell was not the HQ building but adjacent 2-story brick office buildings located at 11244 Waples Mill Rd. They are also owned by the NRA. Their combined assessment is $2 million. Frank reports it has now been taken off the market. The HQ is 11250 Waples Mill Rd.)

The normal thing to do when trying to sell a house – or a building in this case – is to spiff it up and get it in top-notch shape in order to receive the best offer. While I grant you that the pandemic shut-down was in full force, building maintenance workers and contractors were considered essential employees. Unfortunately, maintenance of the Headquarters Building was obviously put off and damage resulted. This is mismanagement at its worst because it is letting a valuable asset erode in value.

UPDATE II: I was wrong on the date of the atrium photo. Checking the meta-data on the original, it was taken in May 2022. A friend who visited the NRA HQ on business within the last two weeks assures me that while the atrium is closed, the damage to the ceiling has been repaired. It was also noted that the roof is in much better shape.

It has been brought up that the building has had a number of outside leasees. That is not denied. However, it was the ad that in the professional opinion of a commercial real estate broker was to be considered a precursor to a sale. I confirmed this with another broker with whom I have a trusted working relationship.

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Everytown Confuses NC with NY

February 23, 2023 by 1 Comment

Bloomberg’s Everytown sent out an email this morning with comments from Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action on the repeal of the pistol purchase permits. Beyond the fact that it is the usual pearl-clutching drivel, it is amusing how they refer to the North Carolina legislative body that passed the repeal.

From the email:

The North Carolina chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action released the following statement after the North Carolina Assembly followed the Senate and voted to advance HB50 — a dangerous piece of legislation that would repeal the state’s background check requirement which has been on the books in North Carolina since 1919, and which requires a person to obtain a permit before they can legally buy a handgun. The permitting system also provides local sheriffs with authority to deny permits to people who would pose a threat to public safety with a handgun.

New York’s lower house is called the Assembly. North Carolina’s is the House of Representatives. The only “assembly” in North Carolina is the General Assembly which is the term for the combined bodies of the House and Senate.

A real grassroots organization would have been aware of the difference. As it is, Everytown is an astroturf organization that is run top down and not bottom up.

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NC House Passes Pistol Purchase Permit Repeal

February 23, 2023 by

The North Carolina House of Representatives passed HB50 yesterday on a straight party-line vote. The vote was 67 aye, 48 nay, and 5 excused. No Democrat voted for the the repeal of the pistol purchase permit.

This now goes to the Senate which has passed the repeal as part of an omnibus bill.

When this bill finally is sent to Gov. Roy Cooper (D-NC) for signature, you can expect a veto. The difference between last session and this session is that the rules have changed. Under the new rule of the House, the Speaker can call for an override vote at any time. This means all he has to do is make sure every Republican is there and 1-2 Democrats are absent.

I don’t know the timeline yet for when HB50 and SB51 will be reconciled.

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Firearms Business Conference – Zero Tolerance Inspections

February 21, 2023 by

I wrote last week that Montgomery Community College was holding a Firearm Business Conference. I had planned to attend virtually using Zoom. Due to some technical difficulties, I wasn’t able to catch everything. However, all sessions were recorded and now are up on YouTube.

One session that really caught my eye was on the zero tolerance inspection policy demanded by the Biden Administration. It was taught by Judy Ladeaux of NSSF. Prior to joining NSSF, she was the Director of Industry Operations in the ATF’s Columbus Field Division.

One interesting topic that came up around the 10 minute mark of the video below was where a state-issued CCW permit substitutes for a NICS check. As she made clear, a purchaser may still be in possession of a revoked CCW permit while being a prohibited person. That can very well be caught during the compliance inspection. While it will not be considered “willful” and result in a revocation of your FFL, it will still be a black mark. She said she had suggested to many FFLs while still with ATF that they could require a NICS check on all sales regardless of a CCW.

Listening to her you really get a feeling for just how nit-picky that Industry Operations Inspectors have been forced to become. While the goal is to make every firearm traceable – including your Polymer 80 type frames – the absurdity of it is that it only goes to the original purchaser in most cases. Firearms can change hands privately in most states without another background check. There is nothing requiring the seller to even get the buyer’s name, address, etc. Now I think you and I might think that would be a good idea to cover our asses but it usually isn’t required unless you live in an Un-Free State.

The last 10 minutes of the session are spent on the things that will get your FFL yanked by ATF and especially the “five deadly sins”.

For those of us who are not dealers, this is good background information. For those that hold a FFL, I would study this video and watch it multiple times. It could be that your livelihood depends upon it.

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Jason Ouimet Leaving NRA-ILA

February 21, 2023 by 4 Comments

Jason Ouimet, Director of the NRA-Institute for Legislative Affairs, is leaving to join Shumaker Advisors. Stephen Gutowski reported it in The Reload and shortly thereafter it was posted on Twitter.

Ouimet replaced long-time ILA Executive Director Chris Cox in 2019.

As to why Ouimet is leaving now just 6 to 7 weeks before the NRA Annual Meeting, nothing is being said publicly. If I hear anything, I’ll post it.

Shumaker Advisors is a division of the law firm Shumaker, Loop, and Kendrick. They have offices in Florida, North Carolina, Ohio, and DC. Interestingly, Ryan Walker, Shumaker’s Senior VP of Federal Affairs, is a fellow Kent State grad.

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Brownells’ Second Annual 2A Day

February 20, 2023 by

Wednesday, February 22nd, George Washington’s actual birthday, will be the Second Annual 2A Day sponsored by Brownells. As part of the celebration they will be donating $22,222 to the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America, and the Iowa Firearms Coalition. Interestingly, a large gun rights organization for whom the CEO of Brownells once served as President is not on that list. Just saying.

More on 2A Day from Brownells below:

Brownells Invites Americans to Celebrate Second Annual 2A Day, 2-22-23

 GRINNELL, Iowa (February 13, 2023) — Brownells invites freedom loving people all across the United States to celebrate, advocate and join in the rights and liberties guaranteed under the Second Amendment of the Bill of Rights during the second annual 2A Day on 2-22-23

Smith & Wesson is the co-presenting sponsor for 2A Day 2023. Other sponsors include CCI, Federal, Fiocchi, Henry Repeating Arms, SIG Sauer, Remington and Winchester. 

2A Day offers three ways for participants to engage with their uniquely American Second Amendment rights.

CELEBRATE

Brownells is partnering with ranges –both in Iowa and across the country – to host 2A Day range sessions, with free range time and limited free ammo for celebrants.

To find a participating range nearby, visit the Brownells 2A Day web page. Those interested should contact the range of their choice to ensure they have a time and lane in which to shoot.

Brownells encourages 2A Day supporters unable to attend a participating range to shoot at a range near them, or to work on building a gun at home. All are encouraged to post photos and short videos of their own 2A Day celebrations on social media with the hashtag #2ADay.

Brownells employees will have a chance to shoot on 2A Day at the Iowa range location.

ADVOCATE

Brownells encourages all gun owners to advocate for the 2nd Amendment by contacting their state and federal lawmakers and urging them to support gun rights. The Brownells 2A Day web page will include links showing how to find and contact legislators, and how to communicate effectively with them.

JOIN

On 2A Day, Brownells encourages Second Amendment supporters to join both a national and a state-level organization promoting gun rights.

The 2A Day page will link to both the Second Amendment Foundation and Gun Owners of America as national organizations.

For state-level organizations, the 2A Day page will link directly to the Iowa Firearms Coalition, and also offer a clickable map of the United States with a link to an organization in each state.

In the spirit of joining, Brownells will donate $22,222 to the Second Amendment Foundation, Gun Owners of America and the Iowa Firearms Coalition.

To learn more, visit the Brownells 2A Day page.

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Liberty Doll Gets It On NC’s Pistol Purchase Permits

February 19, 2023 by 1 Comment

YouTuber Liberty Doll released a new video a couple of days ago about North Carolina’s pistol purchase permit and the drive to repeal that law. I am really happy to see someone with her following – approximately 250,000 subscribers – pick up on the efforts to pass SB 41 in the face of Democrat opposition.

There are only two clarifications that I would make after watching her video. First, only handguns currently require a purchase permit with an exemption from the requirement for those that hold NC Concealed Handgun Permits. Second, on church carry, it only applies to non-public K-12 schools that are also places of worship.

I’m not sure where Liberty Doll is located but I am glad she has joined the fight to rid North Carolina of these laws.