Tonight I happened upon the picture below of an improvised holster on Pinterest. A Yaqui holster by Andy Langlois it ain’t but it looks like it actually might work.
Whomever said necessity was the mother of invention definitely must have had this in mind.
SayUncle links to a story in the New Republic in which Barack Obama says when asked if he has ever fired a gun, “Yes, in fact, up at Camp David, we do skeet shooting all the time.” To which Tam replies:
Yeah, he was busting clays with Mantei’s girlfriend.
Pics or it didn’t happen, Urkel.
Just like Joe Biden saying he isn’t going to give up his Beretta O/U, Obama saying this to suck up to hunters and skeet/trap shooters just doesn’t ring true. Like someone else commented, the White House Press Office would have released pictures of this a week or two before his press conference outlining his gun control plans.
Sen. Patrick Leahy, Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, has set January 30th as the date for a hearing on “gun violence” according to a posting on the committee’s website.
NOTICE OF COMMITTEE HEARING
The Senate Committee on the Judiciary has scheduled a hearing entitled “What Should America Do About Gun Violence?” for Wednesday, January 30, 2013 at 10:00 a.m., in Room 216 of the Hart Senate Office Building.
By order of the Chairman.
Witness List
Hearing before the
Senate Committee on the JudiciaryOn
“What Should America Do About Gun Violence?”
Wednesday, January 30, 2013
Hart Senate Office Building, Room 216
10:00 a.m.Captain Mark Kelly, USN (Ret.)
Americans for Responsible Solutions
Tucson, AZNicholas Johnson
Professor of Law
Fordham University School of Law
New York, NYJames Johnson
Chief of Police
Baltimore County Police Department
Chair, National Law Enforcement Partnership to Prevent Gun Violence
Towson, MDGayle Trotter
Attorney and Senior Fellow
Independent Women’s Forum
Washington, DCWayne LaPierre
Executive Vice President and Chief Executive Officer
National Rifle Association
Fairfax, VA
I learned of the hearing thanks to a post by Stranger at Extrano’s Alley. He thinks that with the exception of Wayne LaPierre all the participants are anti-gun.
The first four witnesses are anti’s. Mark Kelley is Gabrielle Giffords husband, and the titular head of an anti-gun group. Given that every restrictive gun law in history has driven violent crime rates sky high, it would be more accurate to say Kelley is head of a pro-crime group.
Chief Johnson is an anti-gun activists as is Trotter. The same comments apply to Johnson and Trotter that apply to Kelly.
I must respectfully disagree on part of his comments. Mark Kelly and Chief James Johnson are most definitely anti-gun activists. However, from what I know of Professor Johnson he is most definitely not an anti-gun activist. Professor Johnson is a co-author with Dave Kopel of the first law school casebook devoted to the Second Amendment – Firearms Law & the Second Amendment: Regulation, Rights, and Policy. Likewise, Gayle Trotter recently penned an article saying that gun control disarms women.
While this hearing seems to be an effort to push the Obama Administration’s gun control agenda, three of the five witnesses are on our side. This might not turn out as bad as some think it will.
The Firearms Policy Coalition is a joint effort by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Second Amendment Foundation, CalGuns Foundation, and the California Association of Federal Firearms Licensees. It is intended to be an agile, effective, and scalable vehicle for advocacy, education, and grassroots action to advance Second Amendment civil rights. From my perspective, I see the FPC as using the CalGuns model of agility and guerrilla activism and bringing it to the national scene.
They announced yesterday that five more groups have joined their effort. They are Florida Carry, Illinois Carry, Commonwealth Second Amendment, Hawaii Defense Foundation, and the Lone Star Shooting Association.
BELLEVUE, WA (January 25, 2013) – As the debate over new gun control laws continues to take top billing in state and national news, organizations representing gun owners and Second Amendment rights in five U.S. states have recently joined Firearms Policy Coalition, noted managing director Brandon Combs.
New FPC members include Commonwealth Second Amendment (of Massachusetts), Florida Carry, IllinoisCarry, Hawaii Defense Foundation, and Lone Star Shooting Association (of Texas).
“In the midst of one proposed gun ban after another, the addition of these outstanding organizations to our Coalition means that those working hard to secure our Second Amendment rights are coming together to tell President Obama and our state legislatures that enough is enough,” remarked CCRKBA founder Alan Gottlieb. “The millions of law-abiding American gun owners have had it with being scapegoated for the crimes of the evil and insane.”
“There’s never been a more critical time for all of us fighting for the advancement of Second Amendment rights to work together,” observed Brent Carlton, president of Comm2A. “Our litigation efforts are critically important, but it’s equally important that gun owners be informed and take action every day to oppose those laws which infringe on their rights.” Continued Carlton, “FPC provides an opportunity for Massachusetts gun owners to have an impactful and far-reaching effect, both in terms of their own state’s laws as well as proud Americans who value their federal Constitutional rights.”
“This partnership brings Florida Carry to the forefront of the national public policy debate on private firearms ownership,” said Sean Caranna, Executive Director of Florida Carry, Inc. “As Florida’s largest and most active Second Amendment rights organization, we’re proud to be a part of this coalition and through it extend our grassroots efforts to combat gun control laws in Florida and everywhere.”
IllinoisCarry spokesperson Valinda Rowe added, “IllinoisCarry is pleased to join efforts with the Firearm Policy Coalition. Not only must we actively work toward beating back irrational gun control laws in our home state of Illinois but we must also work toward protecting and preserving our rights on a national level. This would be a daunting task if not for a nationwide coalition of Second Amendment groups like the FPC. We thank the FPC for creating this opportunity to work together, coast to coast across the nation. Together, we can stand up to those who would strip us of our Constitutional rights and insure the Second Amendment remains strong for many generations to come.”
“Over the past two decades, many states have used common sense and protected the civil liberties of their residents, such as through permit-less and accessible shall-issue firearm carry laws,” said Chris Baker, president of Hawaii Defense Foundation. “However, some states just can’t seem to grasp the plain meaning of the Constitution. To those states, we say this: we will fight hard together, we will fight smart together, and we will win together. That is exactly what we and the Firearms Policy Coalition will do.”
“While Texas residents may not face the same gun law challenges as those in Massachusetts, California, or Illinois, all Texans are Americans first and know that gun control laws anywhere are an affront to liberty everywhere,” commented Gary Burris, president of Lone Star Shooting Association. “We’re proud to join with FPC and work cooperatively to secure our fundamental rights so that law-abiding gun owners can exercise their rights across our great state and country, in Texas and in Toledo.”
“Firearms Policy Coalition has reached millions of Americans since launching in December and we’re looking forward to reaching millions more,” said FPC’s Combs. “The overwhelmingly positive reaction to our message of civil rights and the facts about gun control really drives home how much Americans value their freedom. These new FPC member organizations are key to ensuring that the Second Amendment means what it says.”
“While some power-hungry politicians want nothing more than to undermine the Second Amendment and important legal decisions like Heller and McDonald, we’re confident that the Constitution provides the best policy: the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not – and must not – be infringed.”
One of the administrators at The AK Forum, KrinkFreak, has been posting a series of letters to send to Congress. The letter below is the sixth in the series. I look it as a comprehensive, everything and the kitchen sink, sort of letter. This is the sort of letter you might send if you want to hit all the bills. However, you could cut it apart and make it multiple letters by only referring to a couple of letters at a time.
Dear Elected Official,
I am writing to express my concerns with
the recent onslaught of Gun Control legislation introduced in the House
and Senate chambers. The legislation introduced by some lawmakers
seriously infringes on my rights guaranteed under the Second Amendment
of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, I would like to address:H.R.
21, NRA Members’ Gun Safety Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. James Moran,
D-VA. This would require background checks for every gun purchase,
require background checks on gun shop employees, bar those on the
terrorist watch list from buying firearms, require gun owners to report
to police when their guns are lost or stolen, and establish minimum
standards for concealed carry permits.
* This is nothing more than a
legislation “blitz” effort by the anti-gun legislators to sway public
opinion against law-abiding gunowners and to infringe upon the Second
Amendment. These requirements are already addressed in existing laws.
Enforce the existing laws, don’t waste time creating new ones.H.R.
65, Child Gun Safety and Gun Access Prevention Act of 2013, Sponsor:
Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee, D-Texas. This would raise the age of Handgun
Eligibility to 21 and prohibit youth from possessing semi-automatic
weapons.
* Handgun Eligibility is already 21 years of age. Also,
youths already cannot legally own/purchase semi-automatic weapons, etc.
when under the age of 18. Enforce the existing laws, don’t waste time
creating new ones.
H.R. 133, Citizens Protection Act, Sponsor:
Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky. This would repeal the Gun-Free School Zones
Act of 1990, which makes illegal the possession of a gun on school
grounds or within 1,000 feet of a school.
* This legislation is one
of the few coming out Congress that makes sense. Repealing this law
would allow school teachers and administrators the ability to legally
carry firearms to protect students from criminal and mentally ill
persons that want to harm our children.H.R. 321, Firearm Safety
and Public Health Research Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn Maloney,
D-N.Y. This would amend the continuing resolution to add money for
research into gun violence.
* Will this taxpayer money be used to
research why video games depicting gun violence, blood, gore, etc. are
specifically targeted towards are children? Will this taxpayer money be
used to research why Hollywood glorifies gun violence, blood, gore,
etc. in the movies specifically targeted towards the American people?H.R.
141, The Gun Show Loophole Closing Act, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn McCarthy,
D-N.Y. This would require criminal background checks on all firearm
transactions at gun shows.
* Is the Federal Government going to
fund/provide free FBI NICS Background Checks for law-abiding citizens to
utilize when legally selling their firearm to another individual? Or
is this another example of the Federal Government forcing the America
people to purchase something as in the case of the Affordable Care Act?H.R. 137, Fix Gun Checks Act of 2013, Sponsor: Rep. Carolyn
McCarthy, D-N.Y. This would require background checks for every gun
sale, make sure that those barred from buying firearms are listed in the
National Instant Criminal Background Check System.
* FBI NICS checks
are already required for the legal purchase of firearms at gun stores
that have Federal Firearms Licenses. Are you going to finally address
the issue of requiring the Mental Health Care agencies and law
enforcement agencies to identify persons with mental disorders, as well
as persons that are the subject of Protection Orders and convictions of
Domestic Violence to be identified in the NICS database? If so, I
applaud the effort.S. 22, A Bill to Establish Background Checks
Procedures for Gun Shows, Sponsor: Sen. Frank Lautenberg, D-N.J. This
would ensure that those who buy guns at gun shows undergo background
checks.
* Is the Federal Government going to fund/provide free FBI
NICS Background Checks for law-abiding citizens to utilize when legally
selling their firearm to another individual? Or is this another example
of the Federal Government forcing the America people to purchase
something as in the case of the Affordable Care Act?S.150,
Assault Weapons Ban of 2013, Sponsor: Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-CA. This bill
would stop the sale, manufacture and importation of 158 specifically
named military-style firearms and ammunition magazines that hold more
than 10 rounds. It would also ban an additional group of assault weapons
that accept detachable ammunition magazines and have at least one
military characteristic.
* This is nothing more than an assault on
law-abiding American citizen’s right to own guns under the Second
Amendment. Senator Feinstein’s measure would exempt weapons used by
government officials, law enforcement and retired law enforcement
personnel. Is this a precursor to effectively disarming the American
people and paving the way for wholesale government tyranny?In
summary, as a law-abiding American citizen I am deeply concerned and
fearful of what our elected officials are trying to legislate in
Congress. I recommend that all elected officials read and refresh their
memory on the content of the U.S. Constitution, specifically the Bill
of Rights. I encourage you to focus your legislative efforts on
addressing the problems plaguing the mental health system, not the
Second Amendment.As my elected official, as a law-abiding
citizen, I expect your support in protecting my Second Amendment rights.
If you cannot support me, I cannot support you in future elections.Respectfully,
YOUR NAME
Here are a couple of the links where you can find the names and addresses of your state’s US Senators. First, by state, from the US Senate’s webpage.
Click on the senator’s name to be linked to their home page. From there
you can find their fax numbers. Second, the NRA-ILA has a “write your
reps” address locator. It can be found here. Either way, write them, call them, AND fax them.
As I said, I will be posting more letters. I have a handful that have been sent to me by readers and I need to get those up. If you have a letter that you like, please send it to me at jpr9954 AT gmail DOT com.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) introduced S.150 – the Assault Weapons (sic) Ban of 2013 – to much hoopla yesterday. She may have even pulled a David Gregory when she used 10 firearms prohibited by the District of Columbia in her presentation. While the bill as it stands may not even get enough Democrat votes to pass the Senate, I have the feeling that it will be used as a negotiating tool.
S.150 has 17 original co-sponsors and has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Sen Blumenthal, Richard [D-CT] – 1/24/2013
Sen Boxer, Barbara [D-CA] – 1/24/2013
Sen Cardin, Benjamin L. [D-MD] – 1/24/2013
Sen Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] – 1/24/2013
Sen Durbin, Richard [D-IL] – 1/24/2013
Sen Gillibrand, Kirsten E. [D-NY] – 1/24/2013
Sen Lautenberg, Frank R. [D-NJ] – 1/24/2013
Sen Levin, Carl [D-MI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Menendez, Robert [D-NJ] – 1/24/2013
Sen Mikulski, Barbara A. [D-MD] – 1/24/2013
Sen Murphy, Christopher S. [D-CT] – 1/24/2013
Sen Reed, Jack [D-RI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Rockefeller, John D., IV [D-WV] – 1/24/2013
Sen Schatz, Brian [D-HI] – 1/24/2013
Sen Schumer, Charles E. [D-NY] – 1/24/2013
Sen Warren, Elizabeth [D-MA] – 1/24/2013
Sen Whitehouse, Sheldon [D-RI] – 1/24/2013
While there are no Republican co-sponsors to this bill, the Washington Post reported today that Sen. Mark Kirk (R-IL) is working with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) on other gun control measures.
The full text of S.150 is not yet up on the Library of Congress’ Thomas server. However, a full text copy have been loaded on Scribd and can be found here. Appendix A lists a large number of single-shot, double-barreled, pump, bolt-action, and some semi-automatic rifles and shotguns that would be expressly exempted from the provision of S.150.
To be frank, Appendix A reads as if some staffer sat down with old copies of Gun Digest and started copying names. For example, it exempts the Ithaca Model 87 pump shotgun but makes no mention of the Model 37. The Model 37 was renamed the Model 87 for a brief period of time and then reverted back to the original name of Model 37.
A summary of the provisions of S.150 can be found here. While grandfathered firearms were not put under the National Firearms Act as previously speculated, it still contains onerous provisions. It contains a safe storage requirement for grandfathered firearms and forbids the sale or transfer of grandfathered magazines. Grandfathered firearms would be allowed to be sold but must go through a FFL and a NICS check.
If you haven’t written to your congressman or senator, start now. Even if you live in California or one of the states of her fellow-traveler co-sponsors, write anyway. Don’t let anyone say they didn’t get letters, emails, and faxes in opposition.
As Leon Trotsky, one of the fathers of the Communist Revolution, said to his Menshevik opponents, and it could just as readily be applied to Feinstein, her bill, and its backers, “You are pitiful, isolated individuals! You are bankrupts. Your role is
played out. Go where you belong from now on—into the dustbin of
history!”
I know I shouldn’t be surprised when I hear nonsense about guns coming out of Rep. Carolyn McCarthy’s mouth. I really shouldn’t. That said, I’m just shaking my head over this little tidbit. It leaves you wondering just how someone like this could ever have been elected much less re-elected numerous times.
To read the transcript of this little interview, go to Breitbart.
Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) is all about lists. In addition to her list of firearms with ugly (to her) cosmetics, she has thoughtfully provided a list of those people and organizations who don’t support your constitutional rights. One might go so far as to refer to it as an “enemies list”.
In addition to the usual politicians and gun control groups, Feinstein lists a number of religious, medical, education, and other non-profits supporting her Assault Weapons (sic) Ban of 2013. I would say it provides a convenient list of the groups who won’t be getting my charitable donations.
I would add one caveat. Many of the groups listed are national umbrella organizations whose endorsement is for themselves only and not for their member organizations. For example, Catholic Charities USA is listed as an endorser of Feinstein’s bill. As I give substantial donations to my diocesan Catholic Social Services and have been a member of its board of directors in the past, I sought clarification on this endorsement from the executive director of the diocesan organization. He informed me that this endorsement only covers Catholic Charities USA and not the many diocesan Catholic
Charities or Catholic Social Services who are constituent members. I’m sure that this may be the same for a number of the other organizations listed.
Below is the complete list of those people and organizations who have lent their name in support of Feinstein’s bill.
Law Enforcement
International Association of Campus Law Enforcement Administrators
International Association of Chiefs of Police
Major Cities Chiefs Association
Police Executive Research Forum
Police Foundation
Women in Federal Law Enforcement
Chaska (Minn.) Police Chief Scott Knight, former chairman of the Firearms Committee, International Association of Chiefs of Police
Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca
Los Angeles Police Chief Charlie Beck
San Diego Police Chief Bill LansdowneLocalities
U.S. Conference of Mayors
Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors
Ventura County Board of Supervisors
Oakland Unified School District Superintendent Anthony Smith
Boston City CouncilCalifornia mayors
Chula Vista Mayor Cheryl Cox
Long Beach Mayor Bob Foster
Los Angeles Mayor Antonio R. Villaraigosa
Oakland Mayor Jean Quan
Petaluma Mayor David Glass
Pleasant Hill Mayor Michael Harris
Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson
San Diego Mayor Bob Filner
San Francisco Mayor Edwin M. Lee
San Jose Mayor Chuck Reed
Santa Ana Mayor Miguel Pulido
Santa Cruz Mayor Hilary Bryant
Saratoga Mayor Jill Hunter
Tiburon Mayor Emmett O’DonnellCalifornia cities
Calabasas, Calif.
Lemon Grove, Calif.
Los Angeles
Stockton, Calif.
Ventura, Calif.
West Hollywood, Calif.Gun safety (sic)
Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
Coalition to Stop Gun Violence
Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence
Mayors Against Illegal Guns
Violence Policy Center
Washington CeaseFireEducation and child welfare
20 Children
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Federation of Teachers
Boys & Girls Clubs of America
Child Welfare League of America
Children’s Defense Fund
Every Child Matters
Moms Rising
National Association of Social Workers
National PTA
National Education Association
San Diego Unified School DistrictReligious
African Methodist Episcopal Church
Alliance of Baptists
American Baptist Churches of the South
American Baptist Home Mission Societies
American Friends Service Committee
Baptist Peace Fellowship of North America
Camp Brotherhood
Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Health Association
Catholic Health Initiatives
Catholics in Alliance for the Common Good
Catholics United
Church of the Brethren
Church Women United, Inc.
Conference of Major Superiors of Men
Disciples Home Missions, Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)
Dominican Sisters of Peace
FaithsAgainstGunViolence.org
Franciscan Action Network
Friends Committee on National Legislation
Health Ministries Association
Heeding God’s Call
Hindu American Foundation
Interfaith Alliance of Idaho
Islamic Society of North America
Jewish Council for Public Affairs
Jewish Reconstructionist Movement
Leadership Conference of Women Religious
Mennonite Central Committee, Washington Office
National Advocacy Center of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd
National Council of Churches
National Episcopal Health Ministries
NETWORK, A National Catholic Social Justice Lobby
Pax Christi USA
PICO Network Lifelines to Healing
Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) Office of Public Witness
Progressive National Baptist Convention
Rabbinical Assembly
Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism
San Francisco Interfaith Council
Sikh Council on Religion and Education, USA
Sisters of Mercy of the Americas
Sojourners
Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations
United Church of Christ
United Methodist Church
United Methodist Women
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development
United Synagogue of Conservative Judaism
Washington National Cathedral
Women of Reform JudaismHealth care
American Academy of Pediatrics
American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists
American College of Surgeons
American Public Health Association
Doctors for America
National Association of School NursesOther
Alliance for Business Leadership
American Bar Association
Black American Political Association of California
Grandmothers for Peace International
National Parks Conservation Association
Sierra Club
TASH
Washington Office on Latin America
I know the SHOT Show was over last week but I just came across this report from day three by Michael Bane and Ed Head. They discuss AR pistols, Nightforce scopes, the Ruger Bearcat Shopkeeper revolver in .22LR, and the growth in reloading sales. Ed Head was saying that the manufacturers he spoke with had a 50 to 80% increase in sales. With the ammo shortage, reloading is coming back strongly as an option as well as practicing with .22s.
I just stumbled across this video by Jimmy Kimmel of the reaction (or overreaction) to a burst of cool weather in Southern California.
I feel really bad for them having to suffer those cold temperatures.
However, it might toughen them up a bit so that they could come to my part of the sunny South where the current temperature is 23º with an expected overnight low of 18º. We are expecting snow and sleet for most of tomorrow.
H/T Tiger McKee
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