Bob Mayne of the Handgun World Show has a nice video up that destroys the myth that all you have to do is point the shotgun in the general direction of the intruder and fire. He shoots his Remington 870 from 5 yards – a good inside the house distance – and gets a nice 3 inch group.
Bob has an excellent podcast that is one of my weekly listens. It is part of the Gun Rights Radio Network and you can find the show homepage here.
It’s good to have a story today that doesn’t deal with stupid politicians for once. IWI-US Inc. has started shipping their TAVOR SAR bullpup rifles to dealers across the United States. I know there was a good deal of excitement over this rifle at the SHOT Show and now they are heading out to dealers.
Harrisburg, PA (March 21, 2013) – IWI US, Inc., a subsidiary of Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), has commenced shipments of the long-awaited TAVOR® SAR bullpup rifles to their
distributors. Shipments have been carefully choreographed for product arrival to various distributors across the country at relatively the same time. IWI US continues to ramp up production and shipping in the coming weeks. An assortment of black and FDE TAVOR® SAR rifles in 16.5″ barrels and several black, left-hand rifles along with a small quantity of the TAVOR® SAR IDF model are among the initial product shipments.
The body of the TAVOR® SAR, specially designed for the US market, is crafted from high strength polymer, and will be offered in black or Flat Dark Earth colors. Features include full ambidextrous controls, removable 16.5″ or 18″ barrels, Cold Hammer Forged (CHF) CrMoV chrome-lined barrels with 1:7 twist, a full-length top-mounted integral Picatinny rail and another short rail forward at a 45° angle for mounting accessories. A stock left-hand model with 16.5″ barrel and an “IDF” model with integral MEPRO-21 reflex sight round out the product line. The TAVOR® SAR uses standard AR-15/M16 magazines and can be easily field-stripped into sub-assemblies for routine maintenance. The standard caliber is 5.56 NATO (.223REM), with conversion kits available in 9mm Luger Parabellum and 5.45X39mm. MSRP starts at $1,999.00.
About IWI US Inc.
IWI US, Inc. is a subsidiary of Israel Weapon Industries (IWI), which for many years has operated in the global
Defense and Law Enforcement markets. IWI US, Inc. was established in 2012 in order to offer the hig
hest
quality and most advanced products available
–
as well as to provide a high level of service and support
–
for
American consumers. Located in a 21,000 sq. ft. facility in Harrisburg, PA, IWI US has appointed a very
experienced team of senior managers
to oversee its operations in the US market. The IWI US line of products
includes several configurations of the TAVOR
®
SAR, and the UZI
®
PRO Pistol.
When Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) signed into law Colorado’s forthcoming ban on standard capacity magazines, he took a page from Presidents Bush and Obama and issued a signing statement with the bill. The signing statement notes that Gov. Hickenlooper consulted with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office on the bill and how it should be construed narrowly by law enforcement.
This is nothing but an attempt to push off some of the blowback he is receiving or will receive about this law on to the Republicans. No Republican legislator voted for this law and were adamant in their opposition to it. However, Colorado’s Attorney General, John Suthers, is a Republican. In my opinion, Attorney General Suthers should not provide any political cover to Gov. Hickenlooper and should tell him the law says what it says. It will only be when Colorado voters realize just how draconian this law really is that they will turn out the Democrats responsible for it.
Narrow enforcement of this law may make it tolerable over time. Strict enforcement of the law, despite the harm it will do, will turn this law into a 21st Century Intolerable Act and force its repeal. It will also make court challenges more likely to win especially if the “readily converted” provision makes many firearms unusable.
The signing statement is below:
STATEMENT OF GOVERNOR JOHN W. HICKENLOOPER
ISSUED MARCH 20, 2013 UPON THE SIGNING OF HB13-1224
In signing HB13-1224, we acknowledge that some have expressed concerns about the vagueness of the law’s definition of “large-capacity magazine.” By its terms, the law does make illegal any magazine manufactured or purchased after July 1, 2013, that is capable of accepting, or is designed to be readily converted to accept, more that 15 rounds of ammunition. Similar language is used in other states’ statutes limiting large-capacity magazines. We know that magazine manufacturers have produced and sell magazines that comply with these other state laws that limit large-capacity magazines and we are aware of no successful legal challenges to those laws. And when a Colorado-based magazine manufacturer came to us to share their concerns about the vagueness of the definition of “large-capacity magazine” contained in the original version of the bill, we worked with the bill’s sponsors to fine-tune the definition to make it more precise.
We also have heard concerns about the requirement in the law that a person who owns a large-capacity magazine prior to the law’s enactment may legally possess that magazine only as long as he or she “maintains continuous possession” of it. We do not believe a reasonable interpretation of the law means that a person must maintain continuous “physical” possession of these items. Responsible maintenance and handling of magazines obviously contemplates that gun owners may allow others to physically hold and handle them under appropriate circumstances. We are confident that law enforcement and the courts will interpret the statute so as to effectuate the lawful use and care of these devices.
In considering the language of HB13-1224, we have consulted with the Office of the Attorney General and we concur with its advice that the large-capacity magazine ban should be construed narrowly to ensure compliance with the requirements of the Second Amendment and the Due Process Clause of the 14th Amendment. We have signed HB13-1224 into law based on the understanding that it will be interpreted and applied narrowly and consistently with these important constitutional provisions.
To this end, today we are directing the Colorado Department of Public Safety to consult with the Office of the Attorney General and others, as necessary, with respect to the interpretation of HB13-1224’s large-capacity magazine ban, and then to draft and issue, to law enforcement agencies in the State of Colorado, technical guidance on how the law should be interpreted and enforced. This work should be done by July 1, 2013, the law’s effective date.
North Carolina HB 17 went before the House Judiciary A Committee yesterday. That bill would provide for the confidentiality of pistol purchase permit and concealed handgun permit data. It would have also legalized concealed carry by non-drinking patrons in restaurants and eating establishments. The Judiciary A Committee saw fit to pass a substitute amendment which dropped restaurant carry. Word coming to Grass Roots North Carolina is that this change was at the behest of Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg) who may have higher aspirations in 2014.
GRNC is asking that people contact both Speaker Tillis and their own representative to ask that restaurant carry be restored to HB 17.
Restaurant carry is down but not out …
The North Carolina House Judiciary A Subcommittee today stripped restaurant carry out of House Bill 17, leaving only the language which would remove concealed handgun and handgun purchase permits from public record, before passing the bill out of committee. What remains now moves to the floor.
Both bill sponsor Representative Justin Burr (R-Montgomery, Stanly, GRNC ****) and Judiciary subcommittee chair Rep. John Blust (R-Guilford, ****) made it clear that the Proposed Committee Substitute used for the deed was not of their making, but rather from “higher up” — the “higher up” in question being Speaker Thom Tillis (R-Mecklenburg, ****) himself. Said Tillis by email: “We have delivered legislation to the Senate [in the last session] and we look forward to the Senate responding in kind this session.”
While Tillis is correct in noting that during the 2011-2012 session, the House under his leadership passed HB 111 for restaurant carry, only to have it stalled by Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger (R-Guilford, Rockingham, ****), numerous House members have complained about the lack of movement in potentially contentious legislation, further speculating it may be related to Tillis’ aspirations to the U.S. Senate.
Representatives from Tillis’ office deny this, of course, noting they have already moved contentious legislation and allowing that they might move restaurant carry if either the Senate says they too will act on the bill, or if it is received from the Senate. Below you will see our recommendation that you contact both your House representative and Speaker Tillis to tell them to move restaurant carry, but please understand the Speaker has not dismissed the idea, so do not treat him as an opponent (yet).
SB 342: “Amend Gun Laws”
Meanwhile, restaurant carry lives in the Senate. Introduced by Judiciary Co-Chair Senator Buck Newton (R-, Johnston, Nash, Wilson, ****) and sponsored Dan Soucek; and Jeff Tarte; (primary) and Tom Apodaca; Andrew C. Brock; Warren Daniel; Ronald J. Rabin; and Shirley B. Randleman (cosponsors), the bill encompasses not only the restaurant carry language drafted by GRNC and Rep. Mark Hilton in the last session, but also a “cleanup” of the parks carry language currently being tortured by municipalities to ban guns in whole parks. Given that the Senate stalled restaurant carry in HB 111 last year, the fact that Judiciary Co-Chair Newton and Rules Chair Tom Apodaca have signed on as sponsors bodes well for the bill. See below for recommendations on action.
IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUIRED!
NC House:
Contact Speaker Thom Tillis at 919-733-3451 and Thom.Tillis@ncleg.net. Once again, Tillis is not yet a lost cause, so BE POLITE.
Contact your NC House representative: Tell them to contact Speaker Tillis and remind him that gun owners help put him in his position for the purpose of LEADING on this issue. Have them ask him to return restaurant carry to HB 17. To find your House rep, CLICK HERE or go to: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx Once there enter your address into the text box for NC House.
NC Senate:
Contact your NC Senator: Tell them to encourage Senate President Pro Tem Phil Berger to give SB 342 a prompt committee hearing, rather than waiting until the last minute. To find your Senate rep, CLICK HERE or go to: http://www.ncga.state.nc.us/representation/WhoRepresentsMe.aspx Once there enter your address into the text box for NC Senate.
DELIVER THIS MESSAGE
NC House:
Dear Speaker Tillis:
While I appreciate that the North Carolina House, under your leadership, moved House Bill 111 for restaurant carry in the previous session, only to see it die in the Senate, I also expect you to realize that gun owners played a huge role in making North Carolina the only battleground state to repel the Obama political machine and elect conservative, pro-gun leaders.
We elected you to lead; now we expect you to deliver. Now is not the time to dither about which chamber should be the first to move what is a top priority for North Carolina gun voters, but instead to lead decisively and by example. That means returning restaurant carry to House Bill 17.
I will spare you the facts about concealed handgun permit-holders being model law-abiding citizens: You already know them. Instead, my message is this: Please move restaurant carry.
I will be monitoring your actions via Grass Roots North Carolina legislative alerts.
Sheriff Jim Wilson is not only funny and wry but is also savvy enough to understand the other side. The quote of the day deals with our civil rights opponents.
IF YOU THINK THE ANTI-GUN POLITICIANS HAVE GIVEN UP, you are lucky that stupidity isn’t punishable by death. Get ready for the flank attack, the ambush, and dirty politics, as usual!!!
The gun prohibitionists are self-righteous yet never let righteousness get in the way of using whatever means necessary to get their ends.
Magpul Industries released a statement today on Facebook after Gov. John Hickenlooper had signed HB 1224 into law along with two other gun control measures. I must say I am a little shocked at the number of magazines that they have already shipped under the Boulder Airlift as well as the number they plan to ship before the July 1st implementation date of the new law.
All I can say to the anti-gunners – good luck trying to enforce that loser of a law. Sheriff John Cooke of Weld County was correct – it is unenforceable.
With the signing of the HB 1224, we want to reassure Colorado residents, now officially in occupied territory, that the “Boulder Airlift” will continue until we can no longer legally ship to CO residents at the approach of the July 1 deadline, so long as demand continues.
We are looking at additional ways to give Coloradans the opportunity to buy the magazines they need prior to the enactment date, as although we’ve been swamped with tens of thousands of orders, our shipping department limitations have only allowed us to get a few hundred thousand magazines out to CO residents…a small portion of our monthly production. We’ll continue to support the Airlift as long as demand exists, and up to the active date of the legislation, and we’ve allocated a little over a million magazines for the effort up to that point, give or take.
Customers in the rest of the country should rest assured that the airlift only takes a small portion of our production, and magazines and other products are continuing to ship to the rest of the nation. Our transition to a new home will occur in a phased and orderly a manner to allow us to continue to serve our customers during the move, as well as to allow an orderly transition for affected employees. We are actively working on those plans.
I had read that Colorado Senate President John Morse (D-Colorado Springs) was arrogant but I never quite got it until I saw him in the video below. It is after the signing ceremony at which Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) signed three gun control bills including the new magazine ban.
Morse starts out by saying, “Zero, the number of guns these bills take from law abiding citizens.” While he is technically correct, the readily converted provision of HB 1224 would make the part of the semi-automatic firearm that holds the ammunition banned rendering it useless.
After seeing the parades of big-city police chiefs testifying at gun control hearings, it is refreshing to see a police chief that not only believes in his citizen’s right to self-defense but is doing something to encourage it.
Thrall (TX) Police Chief Whitney Whitworth says he wants residents in his small Texas town to be able to protect themselves. He freely acknowledges that the police can’t always be there. So, to promote self-defense in his town, he is offering free Texas Concealed Handgun License classes to town residents. Chief Whitworth is a Texas certified CHL instructor and is offering the classes on his own time.
Now that is what I call a civic-minded police chief!
Today, in a move that guarantees that Colorado will lose at least 200 jobs, Governor John Hickenlooper (D-CO) signed three gun control bills. Among these bills was HB 1224 which bans magazines with a capacity greater than 15 rounds or that could be readily converted to hold more than 15 rounds.
Lawmakers and guests applauded as Hickenlooper signed the bills. The governor looked solemn.
The bills thrust Colorado into the national spotlight as a potential test of how far the country might be willing to go on new restrictions after the horror of mass shootings at a Newtown, Conn., elementary school and Aurora movie theater.
“I am happy the governor is signing common-sense legislation that reduces gun violence in our communities by keeping guns out of the hands of criminals, domestic violence offenders and the seriously mentally ill,” said Democratic Rep. Rhonda Fields, who represents the district where an assailant opened fire July 20 during a midnight showing of “Dark Knight Rises.”
Whether it was meant to be symbolic or not, the signing comes eight months to the day after the shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, CO.
UPDATE: Michael Bane issued a warning to gun owners who either live in Denver and its adjacent towns or in Boulder. On today’s Downrange Radio podcast, Michael, citing private conversations with his friends in law enforcement, warned that police in Denver and Boulder will be enforcing the Colorado Magazine Ban to the letter of the law. Listen to his podcast for more info. Frankly, it would make me very hesitant to visit the Denver/Boulder area.
Now that Gov. John Hickenlooper (D-CO) has signed Colorado HB 1224 which now bans magazines with a capacity – or the ability to be readily converted – of over 15 rounds, the gun prohibitionists at Mayor Bloomberg’s Illegal Mayors are crowing. I guess they feel they got their money’s worth.
Would that these gun prohibitionists cared so much about the lives and jobs of the employees of Magpul and their suppliers that will be leaving Colorado.
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