Month: May 2013

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Armed Citizens Project Trains And Arms First Class In Houston

May 8, 2013 by 1 Comment

I had a chance to sit down and discuss the Armed Citizens Project with Kyle Coplen while at the NRA Annual Meeting. My initial concerns were about their choice of shotgun and training of recipients. Earlier reports had them planning to give out single shot break action shotguns. Kyle said that they had switched to pump action shotguns in 12 and 20 gauge and that everyone who received a shotgun would have to go through a training class.

If I remember correctly, he said their first purchases were the IAC Hawk 12 gauge due to cost. However, their intention is to standardize on one model of shotgun that is made in the United States such as the Maverick 88 from Mossberg. The Armed Citizens Project was hoping that manufacturers would work with them to obtain shotguns at a discount.

Thus, it is with great interest that I read in the release below that they have just finished their first class and first gifts of shotguns to 10 families in Houston, Texas.


Houston – May 6, 2013 – The Armed Citizen Project officially began to arm the citizens of the Oak Forest neighborhood in Houston last night. Ten residents from the neighborhood, which is the third largest subdivision in Harris County, were just the first to complete the safety and tactical course and will later be armed with either a 20- or 12-gauge shotgun. The organization hopes to place as many as 100 shotguns in the neighborhood.

The four-hour training session took place at the Arms Room in League City, TX. There, these citizens were given safety, tactical, and legal training as well as range time in order to practice using their weapon.

The nonprofit group, launched by University of Houston student Kyle Coplen, is funded by private donations made through its website. It’s dedicated to empowering citizens and deterring crime by providing free training and shotguns to residents in moderate- to high-crime areas.

“I want the criminals to be looking at it like they’re playing Russian roulette with their lives,” says the 29-year-old public administration graduate student. “If they decide to break into a home, they have no idea whether it’s one that’s armed or one that’s not.”

The group will continue to arm the neighborhood for the next few weeks. Classes are limited to ten persons at a time in order to ensure that each individual is thoroughly trained in the responsible use of the firearm.

I like what they are doing for the residents of poor neighborhoods beset by crime. I know they have plans to expand to New York and Chicago among other places.

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Free Guns!

May 8, 2013 by

Aaron at the Weapon-Blog has released his list of gun give-away contests for this month.

Included among the pistols are a couple of 1911s, a Springfield XD-S, a Glock 19, a HK P30, and a Colt 1873 SAA. Meanwhile in the long gun categories are at least 4 ARs, an AK, and several bolt action rifles. They also have the Mossberg 500 Bantam Tactical shotgun in 20 gauge. I had a chance to examine this shotgun closely at the NRA Annual Meeting and it is on my definite buy list for the Complementary Spouse.

If you do enter any of these contests, please take a few moments and thank Aaron for putting together this list on a monthly basis.

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April Marks The 35th Record Setting Month

May 7, 2013 by

The National Shooting Sports Foundation has released its adjusted NICS data for the month of April. The trend of increases over the same month in the previous year remains unbroken at a record 35 months.

The April 2013 NSSF-adjusted National Instant Criminal Background Check
System (NICS) figure of 1,185,231 is an increase of 27.2 percent over
the NSSF-adjusted NICS figure of 931,660 in April 2012. For comparison,
the unadjusted April 2013 NICS figure of 1,702,455 reflects a 20.2
percent increase from the unadjusted NICS figure of 1,416,074 in April
2012.

While the NICS checks are indicative of trends in firearm sales, they are not a perfect correlation as the NICS System is also used by states such as Kentucky and Iowa for their concealed carry background checks on both new applicants and current holders.

I know from speaking with several manufacturers in Houston at the NRA Annual Meeting that firearms are headed out the door as soon as they are made. I didn’t hear any manufacturer say they were building up inventory.

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HiViz Sights Chooses Wyoming

May 7, 2013 by 1 Comment

At the beginning of April, HiViz Shooting Systems of Fort Collins, Colorado announced that they would be leaving Colorado due to the passage of the new gun control laws. They have now settled on where they will be relocating. It is to Laramie, Wyoming which is about a hour’s drive from their old location. As their release below notes, this will allow their current employees to commute to the new plant while they decide on whether to relocate or not.

From their release:

Fort Collins, CO- HiViz Shooting Systems President and CEO Phillip Howe is pleased to announce that Laramie, Wyoming has been selected as the new home for HiViz Shooting Systems.Mr. Howe said the move will be structured over a period of time to ensure uninterrupted service to the HiViz customer base. Building plans are being developed with the city of Laramie and state of Wyoming and construction could begin as soon as the summer of 2013.

“Wyoming has long been an ideal location for the outdoor products industries, including the shooting sports manufacturing arm of the industry,” said Bob Jensen, CEO of the Wyoming Business Council. “We welcome Mr. Howe and the HiViz family to our state and we look forward to having HiViz products being produced in Wyoming.”

According to Howe, HiViz selected Laramie not only because of its strong support of the shooting sports manufacturing and supply chain industries, but also because of its close proximity to the present HiViz facility in Fort Collins, Colo., providing current employees the opportunity of a short commute while evaluating relocation.

The company also considered Wyoming’s tax advantages for the business and its employees, the various resources available through the University of Wyoming and a favorable location with a beautiful view of the Snowy Range mountains to the west.

“We are very excited about this announcement and what it means not only for Laramie and Wyoming, but for HiViz as well,” said Laramie Economic Development Corporation (LEDC) chair Megan Overmann Goetz. “LEDC and our partners at the Business Council have been working with Phil and his team on the best solution. We are happy that solution is having HiViz in Laramie conducting business in one of our LEDC business parks.”

“The decision to relocate the company was difficult and choosing the proper location was essential to our continued growth within the industry,” said Howe. “The fine people with the Wyoming Business Council and the LEDC worked diligently to accommodate our needs and make us feel welcome. We look forward to settling into our new home in the firearm friendly state of Wyoming.”

The relocation is rooted in Colorado’s recent tightening of its gun control laws, and the company announced April 1, 2013 that it would pursue a new location more supportive of its products and customers.

HiViz Shooting Systems manufactures light-gathering sights, recoil pads and accessories for the shooting industry. For more information, contact Jeff Maust, Marketing Director at (970) 484-8242 orjlmaust@frii.com.

 In contrast with Colorado where Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) had no trouble screwing both gun owners and those in the gun industry, the governor of Wyoming welcomed HiViz with open arms.

“We are happy to welcome HiViz to Wyoming. Our culture and people make Wyoming a great fit for the company. I thank Phil Howe and all of the employees of HiViz for choosing Wyoming as their next home,” Governor Mead said. “I believe this state has so much to offer all citizens and businesses, but moving is never easy. I want to assure HiViz and its customers that we will work diligently to make sure this transition is a smooth one.”

“I believe the great companies of Wyoming can attest to Wyoming’s climate for growth that should benefit HiViz,” Governor Mead said. “We have the most business friendly tax structure in the country and we combine that with an unparalleled quality of life.”

Now the question becomes where will Magpul end up. It could very well be Wyoming as well. That was what was suggested to me by Chris Wiggins of Pueblo, Colorado based Shooter Ready Radio whom I met at the NRA Meeting. He noted that at least one of their suppliers has moved to Wyoming. Of course, until Magpul reveals their decision, this is only informed speculation.

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Life In The Ivory Tower

May 6, 2013 by 7 Comments

The Faculty Senate at the university where I teach as an adjunct instructor is all bent out of shape by HB 937 which is being considered by the North Carolina House of Representatives. Section 2 of the bill would allow concealed carry holders and employees who live on campus to lock their handguns in their cars while on campus. Currently, North Carolina law makes it a felony to have a firearm on any university or community college campus.

The Faculty Senate wants to adopt a resolution supporting the continuance of the school as an official gun-free zone. Their resolution below makes it clear that they think it will make the university safer. As anyone who has attended any institution of higher learning will attest, professors live in their own (imaginary) world.

Resolution to Support the Prohibition against Possession of Firearms on Campus

Whereas, North Carolina State code § 14‑269.2, “Weapons on campus or other educational property” prohibits the possession of firearms on campus, and

Whereas, the North Carolina Legislature has introduced House Bill 937 that would allow individuals with concealed-carry permits to bring guns onto UNC and other college and university campuses, thus removing the prohibition against the possession of firearms on campus, and

Whereas, in 2010, the Western Carolina University (WCU) Faculty Senate passed a Resolution for Campaign to Keep Guns Off Campus (April 7, 2010; passed by electronic vote: 26 Yes, 1 No, 0 Abstaining), and

Whereas, on April 29, 2013, UNC President Thomas Ross released a statement noting his concerns with HB 937 and encouraging the General Assembly “..to remove the provision that would allow guns to be brought onto UNC and other college and university campuses” (See President Ross’ statement* below.)

Therefore, the WCU Faculty Senate resolves to:

  1. Restate its support for the 2010 WCU Faculty Senate resolution against guns on campus, and
  2.  Show support for President Ross’ April 29, 2013 statement in opposition to House Bill 937 in which he expressed serious concerns as indicated below*, and
  3. Encourage the NC General Assembly to remove the provision in HB 937 that would allow firearms on campus.

*April 29, 2013 Statement Released by University of North Carolina President Ross:

“We have an obligation to provide a safe environment for our students and employees, and every UNC campus has a trained police force charged with promoting the safety of all people who come onto our campuses. All UNC Chancellors and Chiefs of Police believe allowing guns on campus would increase the risk to public safety and hamper our ability to protect not only our students, staff ,and faculty, but also campus visitors, including parents, siblings of students, and summer camp participants. Vehicle break-ins are one of the leading crimes on college campuses, and even guns brought lawfully onto campus, as contemplated by this bill, could fall into the wrong hands and result in serious injury or death.

“In addition, a number of UNC campuses house early college high schools, middle schools, or summer camps for younger children. The presence of these young people further heightens our concerns about the safety risks that come with guns getting into the wrong hands. Moreover, when responding to an armed robbery or active shooter incident, our officers would often be hard pressed to distinguish between a criminal suspect and well-intentioned bystanders with weapons drawn, particularly in the heat of the moment. The potential for tragedy far outweighs any potential benefit or convenience to concealed-carry permit holders. We encourage the General Assembly to remove the provision that would allow guns to be brought onto UNC and other college and university campuses.”

There is no word yet if my fellow faculty members will stomp their feet and hold their breath until blue in the face if the General Assembly just ignores this resolution and passes the bill intact.

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That’s A Lot Of People For A Fringe Organization

May 6, 2013 by

Sebastian has the stats up on the 2013 Annual Meeting.

For a “fringe organization” to increase the number of attendees by 12,488 from the previous year and to set an all-time record attendance of 86,228 says something. I.e., that we are not the lunatic fringe that some in the media, Congress, and the Obama Administration would like to portray us as. We are the mainstream whether they like it or not.

Comparing the exhibition space of the George Brown Convention Center in Houston to St. Louis’ America’s Center Convention Complex, the Houston venue was 27% larger. In fact, while all of it was open to attendees, not all of it was used by the exhibitors. Because of the larger space, it didn’t feel quite as crowded as the annual meeting in St. Louis. I should say, that it didn’t seem as crowded as St. Louis on Friday. Saturday is another story and it was wall to wall people in every aisle, on the sidewalks, and in the rest of the Convention Center.

I tried to buy my commemorative Annual Meeting pin at the NRA Store on Saturday afternoon around 4pm. I was out of luck as they had sold out by noon! By contrast, in St. Louis, Pittsburgh, and Charlotte, you could still have found the pin on Sunday afternoon when the store closed. This is as good an indicator as any of the increased attendance. Fortunately for me, they found a handful more and I got one on Sunday morning before leaving for the airport.

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Random Thoughts About The NRA Annual Meeting

May 6, 2013 by 2 Comments

I made it home this evening from Houston about 6:30. I came home to heavy rain and flash flood alerts as opposed to the clear but cool weather we had in Houston. To put this in perspective, we’ll probably have half the annual rainfall of San Diego in one day.

Like everything in Texas, the George Brown Convention Center was bigger than past venues for the Annual Meeting. I heard that it was about 10% larger than the America’s Center in St. Louis. That would explain why on Friday it didn’t seem as crowded. That changed on Saturday when it was packed even with the extra space. From everything I’ve heard, the number of attendees will probably set a record.

Houston is a big city! It is especially big when you are driving hither, thither, and yon and getting lost more than once in the process.

While the big companies get most of the attention, it is fun to cruise the outer aisles of the convention center as that is where you find the small companies. The little guys often have some of the more interesting items.

Speaking of big companies, I was impressed that the Ruger’s CEO, Mike Fifer, not only worked their booth but could be seen out and about on the floor of the convention center walking about without any assistants or other marketing staff.

I finally got to meet the people who run God’A Grip. They had stayed in the same motel that we did in Pittsburgh and I never knew what they made. I got to try their Sorbothane cheek pad and pistol grips. The grip additions gave me a tighter grip on the test pistol than either skater’s tape or checkering. I’ll be buying some of their grips. This is one of those small companies on the outer rows that I mentioned earlier.

I talked to the people at PTR Industries. Their workforce had more than doubled in the past year due to demand for their PTR-91 rifles. Despite this, Connecticut doesn’t consider those “good” jobs and they’ll be leaving. The guy I spoke to was a production worker and didn’t know where they’d be moving.

The media room was over twice the size of the St. Louis one which, in turn, was larger than the one in Pittsburgh. There were plenty of times when the media filled every table and every spot. I saw a lot of foreign press and even was interviewed by a reporter for a Norwegian newspaper.

Finally, the best thing about the NRA Annual Meeting is not the guns and gear, it is the people. This includes both the attendees and the bloggers I got to meet. I made new friends, renewed old acquaintances, and had a great time with “my tribe”.

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Would They Prefer The Term “The Late Unpleasantness”?

May 5, 2013 by 1 Comment



The editors of the New York Daily News are all bent out of shape by the new president of the National Rifle Association, Jim Porter. It seems that they take exception to his use a Southern euphemism for the American Civil War.


Elected on the eve of the NRA’s annual convention, set to start Friday in Houston, James Porter
takes over as its president with a long record of Second Amendment
absolutism, conspiracy theory looniness and racial repulsiveness.

What they term racial repulsiveness is Mr. Porter’s use of the euphemism – the War of North Aggression. Given that Mr. Porter is from Alabama, it is one of those tongue in cheek expressions often used as an alternative name for the Civil War just like War Between the States and, the even more genteel, The Late Unpleasantness”.

I guess the editors of the Daily News forget their city’s own little bit of racial repulsiveness during the Civil War – the Draft Riots of 1863.

Initially intended to express anger at the draft, the protests turned into an ugly race riot, with the white rioters, chiefly Irish immigrants, attacking blacks wherever they could be found. At least 100 black people were estimated to have been killed. The conditions in the city were such that Major General John E. Wool, commander of the Department of the East, stated on July 16, “Martial law ought to be proclaimed, but I have not a sufficient force to enforce it.” The military did not reach the city until after the first day of rioting, when mobs had already ransacked or destroyed numerous public buildings, two Protestant churches, the homes of various abolitionists or sympathizers, many black homes, and the Colored Orphan Asylum at 44th Street and Fifth Avenue, which was burned to the ground.

As to that conspiracy theory looniness, they are speaking of the UN’s Arms Trade Treaty in which Mr. Porter’s comments have been spot on.

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“Large” Group Of Protesters

May 4, 2013 by 2 Comments

A group of anti-NRA protesters has gathered in the park across from George Brown Convention Center. Unlike some proposed protests in the past, it has actually come to be.

I’ll have pictures up of all 5 or 6 of them up later today along with the larger number of press taking pictures of them.

I will say that they are being ignored by most people attending the convention.

UPDATE: The number of protesters has multiplied to about 15. There are still as many press and onlookers as there are protesters.


Of course the purpose of this protest isn’t to engage in a discussion with the average NRA member or even the general public. The purposes is to get media attention and it seems that Bloomberg News is attempting to give them that with an article entitled, “Gun Violence Victims Add Emotional Edge to NRA Pep Rally.”

 Erica Lafferty is in a place she never thought she’d be: the National Rifle Association’s annual conference in Houston.

As the nation’s biggest gun lobby gathers inside a convention center to celebrate the defeat of a federal push to expand background checks, the 27-year-old Connecticut resident is at a park across the street. Protesters, some with wavering voices, are quietly reading the names of victims of gun violence, including the 26 killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School on Dec. 14.


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Supreme Court Grants Illinois 30-Day Extension

May 3, 2013 by 10 Comments

The United States Supreme Court has granted Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s request for a 30-day extension in which to file a writ of certiorari in the joint carry cases of Shepard v. Madigan and Moore v. Madigan.

The application was granted by Justice Kagan.

From the court’s order:

Title:
Lisa Madigan, et al., Applicants
v.
Michael Moore, et al.
Docketed: May 1, 2013
Lower Ct: United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
  Case Nos.: (12-1269, 12-1788)

~~~Date~~~  ~~~~~~~Proceedings  and  Orders~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Apr 26 2013 Application (12A1053) to extend the time to file a
petition for a writ of certiorari from May 23, 2013 to June 24, 2013,
submitted to Justice Kagan.
May 2 2013 Application (12A1053) granted by Justice Kagan extending the time to file until June 24, 2013.