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More On The Polymer Magazines For The Ruger Scout Rifle

November 18, 2011 by 2 Comments

Following up on their announcement on Tuesday that they were releasing polymer magazines for the Scout Rifle, Ruger has released this interview with the designer of the magazines.

While certainly the quality of the original Accuracy International magazines were not in question, they were not inexpensive. To put it in perspective, Ruger lists the MSRP for the steel 10-round mag as $70 while that for the polymer version is listed at $39.95. While neither is cheap, you can buy almost two of the polymer magazines for the price of the steel mag.

In this interview, Ruger engineer Dave Kangus explains how and why he developed the polymer magazines for the Scout Rifle.

To show how tough these new magazines are, Mark Gurney of Ruger does a bit of destructive testing of them. The torture test include running over the mag with a half ton truck and hitting it as if it were a baseball with an aluminum bat. They came through with flying colors.

The Scout Rifle is on my list of guns I want to buy. Having mags available at a lower cost is going to be a plus for me.

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NRA-ILA On Passage Of HR 822 By The House

November 17, 2011 by

The NRA-ILA released this statement on the passage of HR 822 yesterday. As Chris Cox notes, this moves us one step closer to improving self-defense laws in the U.S.

The U.S. House of Representatives has passed an important self-defense measure that would enable millions of Right-to-Carry permit holders across the country to carry concealed firearms while traveling outside their home states. H.R. 822, the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act, passed by a majority bipartisan vote of 272 to 154. All amendments aimed to weaken or damage the integrity of this bill were defeated.

“NRA has made the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act a priority because it enhances the fundamental right to self-defense guaranteed to all law-abiding people,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA’s Institute for Legislative Action. “People are not immune from crime when they cross state lines. That is why it is vital for them to be able to defend themselves and their loved ones should the need arise.”

H.R. 822, introduced in the U.S. House by Representatives Cliff Stearns (R-Fla.) and Heath Shuler (D-N.C.), allows any person with a valid state-issued concealed firearm permit to carry a concealed firearm in any state that issues concealed firearm permits, or that does not prohibit the carrying of concealed firearms for lawful purposes.

This bill does not affect existing state laws. State laws governing where concealed firearms may be carried would apply within each state’s borders. H.R. 822 does not create a federal licensing system or impose federal standards on state permits; rather, it requires the states to recognize each others’ carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses and carry permits held by armored car guards.

As of today, 49 states have laws in place that permit their citizens to carry a concealed firearm in some form. Only Illinois and the District of Columbia deny its residents the right to carry concealed firearms outside their homes or businesses for self-defense.

“We are grateful for the support of Speaker Boehner, Majority Leader Cantor, Majority Whip McCarthy, Judiciary Chairman Smith and primary sponsors Congressmen Stearns and Shuler for their steadfast support of H.R. 822. Thanks to the persistence of millions of American gun owners and NRA members, Congress has moved one step closer to improving crucial self-defense laws in this country,” concluded Cox.

I might note here that Heath Schuler is my Congressman. I haven’t always agreed with him but he has always been very good on Second Amendment issues.

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Citizen Committee On Passage Of HR 822 By The House

November 17, 2011 by

The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms released a statement late yesterday applauding the House for passing HR 822 – the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. As Alan Gottlieb notes, this fight is not about a state’s rights but about an individual’s rights.

CCRKBA LAUDS HOUSE PASSAGE OF NAT’L CONCEALED CARRY MEASURE
Wednesday, November 16th, 2011

BELLEVUE, WA – The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms lauded today’s 272-154 majority vote by the House of Representatives on passage of H.R. 822, the National Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011.

“We’re delighted at the outcome of this important legislation in the House,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “especially since the floor debate brought out all of the tired old cliché arguments. Congressional anti-gunners pulled out all the stops, but their rhetoric could not derail this common sense measure.

“As so many of the bill’s proponents wisely pointed out during the debate,” he continued, “citizens do not leave their self-defense rights at a state border. Those who would argue otherwise evidently have no interest in public safety.

“What was remarkable,” Gottlieb observed, “is how many self-defense opponents suddenly discovered the cause of states’ rights as an excuse to oppose this legislation. This measure is not about state’s rights, it’s about individual rights.”

The vote found seven Republicans voting against the measure and 43 Democrats supporting it.

“How the bill fares when it reaches the Senate remains to be seen,” Gottlieb noted, “but this recorded House vote will give the nation’s firearms owners a chance to see how their Congressional representative feels about their rights under the Second Amendment, and about the safety of their families when they travel across state lines.

“House members can give all the lip service they want to the Second Amendment,” he concluded, “but it is votes like this that separate the superficial from the sincere.”

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Wayne LaPierre Looks Ahead To The 2012 Elections

November 17, 2011 by

Wayne LaPierre and President Obama’s re-election advisors agree on one thing – the so-called battleground states will be key to Obama winning re-election in 2012. These states have large gun-owning and hunting populations but, for the most part, went to Obama in 2008. LaPierre notes that if gun-owners can generate just 2-3% more votes against Obama in those states, he’s toast. I agree. I would also add that it is up to the Republicans to nominate someone other than the wishy-washy on guns Mitt Romney.

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Four NC Democrats – It Is Good Enough For Them But Not For You

November 17, 2011 by 1 Comment

Section 22 of North Carolina Session Law 2011-268 – House Bill 650 provides universal reciprocity to any out-of-state concealed carry permit by the State of North Carolina. This was passed by the General Assembly on June 17th and signed by Gov. Bev Perdue on June 23rd. It goes into effect on December 1st.

Just as the Mecklenburg Declaration predated the Declaration of Independence so, too, does HB 650 predate HR 822 – the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011. By approving universal reciprocity, the North Carolina General Assembly has granted the law-abiding citizens of other states who have gone through their state’s concealed carry permit process the right to carry in the Tar Heel State.

So why do four Congressmen from North Carolina want to deny North Carolinians the same rights and privileges that we have granted visitors from other states?

That is essentially what Rep. David Price (D-NC-4), Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-NC-1), Rep. Mel Watt (D-NC-12), and Rep. Brad Miller (D-NC-13) are saying with their votes against HR 822. They think it is OK if someone from New York or Massachusetts or California comes to North Carolina and carries concealed with their state’s permit but we North Carolinians, rude country bumpkins that we are, should not be allowed to carry there because it might upset the anti-gun regimes in those states.

Sean pointed the hypocrisy of the Mayor of Carrboro objecting to HR 822 while North Carolina had granted universal reciprocity a few weeks ago. It is obvious that these four are of the same sort. 

Oh, they will disagree with this characterization but it is what it is – a kowtow to gun prohibitionists like Mayor Bloomberg. Fortunately, three other NC Democrats – Shuler, Kissell, and McIntyre – not only voted for HR 822 but were co-sponsors. So too were all the Republicans in the North Carolina delegation. I plan on sending each one of those nine a nice thank you note.

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Blah, Blah, Blah….Waaa!

November 17, 2011 by 5 Comments

Mayor Bloomberg and his Illegal Mayors are not happy. They want you to know that. That is why they have released this whining press release bemoaning the fact that the House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed HR 822 today.

“Ten months after a disturbed man carried a concealed weapon to shoot Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others, six fatally, the House voted today to gut state laws on who can carry concealed, loaded guns in public. This was an absolutely embarrassing display of putting special interests and fund raising ahead of public safety.

“A majority of the House ignored the advice of police, prosecutors, domestic violence experts, faith leaders and more than 600 mayors who made clear that this measure will put police and communities at greater risk. Many members also cast aside their usual respect for the authority of states to decide how to protect public safety in their communities.

“With unemployment over nine percent and Congress taking no action to create jobs, it is astonishing that catering to the Washington gun lobby is the top priority for House Republicans. The vast majority of actual gun-owning Americans oppose this bill: 82 percent of them want states, not Washington, to decide who can carry concealed, loaded guns in public.

“We applaud the Democratic leadership, particularly Chairman Conyers, for waging a principled fight against this bill, and offer thanks to Republican members who stood up for police and public safety, including Representatives Peter King, Michael Grimm, Bob Turner, Dan Lungren, Robert Dold and others.

“The debate now moves to the Senate, which had the sense to reject this measure in 2009. We urge them to do so again.”

In their call to states rights, Mayors Michael Bloomberg of New York and Thomas Menino of Boston remind me of a certain Alabama governor who famously said in his inaugural speech “and I say segregation now, segregation tomorrow, segregation forever.” You just need to replace the word segregation with gun control and you have essentially the same argument that George Wallace made in 1963. Wallace repudiated his words late in his life saying they were one of his life’s biggest regrets. I doubt Bloomberg and Menino will ever repudiate their anti-gun rights bigotry.

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HR 822 Passes The House 272 to 154

November 16, 2011 by 13 Comments

This afternoon at approximately 5:50pm, the House of Representatives passed HR 822 – the National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 – on a vote of 272 aye, 154 nay, and 7 not voting.

The ayes were comprised of 229 Republicans and 43 Democrats. Meanwhile the noes were comprised of 147 Democrats and 7 Republicans.

There was only one amendment adopted prior to passage and it was Amendment No. 10 proposed by Rep. Dave Reichert (R-WA). This amendment would order the General Accounting Office to study “the ability of state and local law enforcement authorities to verify the validity of out-of-state concealed firearms permits.” It was adopted on a voice vote. All the other amendments were either withdrawn or failed.

The Republicans who voted no were Rep. Justin Amash (R-MI), Rep. Robert Dold (R-IL), Rep. Michael Grimm (R-NY), Rep. Peter King (R-NY), Rep. Dan Lungren (R-CA), Rep. Robert Turner (R-NY), and Rep. Robert Woodall (R-GA). Of these Republicans, Dold holds the suburban Chicago seat formerly held by anti-gunners Rahm Emanuel and Mark Kirk. Grimm, King, and Turner all represent districts either in or adjoining New York City so I think you can see the fine hand of Mayor Bloomberg at work there. Finally, I can’t explain Woodall’s vote other than a fit of pique at having his amendment defeated and I have no clue about Amash or Lungren.

The full list of the Ayes and Noes can be found here. If your Representative voted Aye, send them a note thanking them. If not, ask them why the heck not!

Now it is on to the Senate where it may or may not pass.

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Rep. Renee Ellmers Speaking In Favor Of HR 822

November 16, 2011 by

Rep. Renee Ellmers (R-NC-2) spoke on the House of Representatives floor this afternoon in support of HR 822. She is both a co-sponsor of the bill and a North Carolina Concealed Handgun Permit holder. In her speech, she held up her CHP while saying she and the thousands of other North Carolinians who hold a CHP are honest, law-abiding individuals seeking to protect themselves and their families.

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Unintended Irony

November 16, 2011 by 1 Comment

Yesterday, the Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a hearing on Sen. Chuck Schumer’s bill, S. 436 – Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011. One of the witnesses was Heather Anderson of the Washington State Patrol. Her written testimony spoke to Washington State’s submissions for inclusion in the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS).

In what can only be called an unintended ironic statement she said,

The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has determined that Washington State does not meet the requirements of the NIAA for firearm restoration of rights and a relief program. ATF considers Washington’s relief law too permissive in some areas and too restrictive in others. This does not allow Washington to participate in NIAA requests for grant funding. The legislature has not updated state law to match federal requirements. There is continued effort by multiple agencies to accomplish this in the future.

What makes this so ironic is that ATF has not processed ANY request for restoration of firearms rights since October 1992. And the reason that they haven’t is because Sen. Chuck Schumer always inserts a clause in the appropriations language to deny them the funds to process these applications for the restoration of firearms rights.

While 18 USC 925(c) does provide for judicial review of applications for the restoration of firearms rights, the Supreme Court ruled in U.S. v. Bean that the courts cannot perform judicial review until such time as an application is rejected by ATF. If ATF is denied the money to process these applications, there can be no denial. In other words, the consummate Catch-22 situation.

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Quote Of The Day

November 16, 2011 by

The Senate Judiciary Committee’s Subcommittee on Crime and Terrorism held a hearing yesterday on one of Mayor Bloomberg’s pet projects. The bill, S. 436, the Fix Gun Checks Act of 2011, was introduced in the Senate by Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-NY). The witnesses were what might be expected from in the Democrat controlled Senate with one exception.

Attorney David Kopel appeared to testify before the subcommittee in opposition to the bill. He correctly tore the bill to pieces. His conclusion is the quote of the day.

S. 436 violates the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms, the Fifth Amendment guarantee of due of law, the Fifth Amendment guarantee of equal protection of the law, and the Tenth Amendment’s reservation of state authority over purely intrastate activities. S. 436 further violates the Tenth Amendment by imposing on the vast majority of states an extremely repressive system of restrictions on law-abiding gun owners which those states have already rejected.

Ever since 1776, Congress has recognized that a national gun registry would be a dangerous violation of the right to keep and bear arms. S. 436 creates such a registry.

S. 436 has no legitimate constitutional basis of authority, because S. 436 attempts to twists Congress’s real power to regulate interstate commerce into the power to regulate what is not interstate and not commercial.

S. 436 treats arrests as if they were convictions.

S. 436 takes the current gun ban for the criminally insane and applies it to non-dangerous people who have been ordered to get counseling for mental problems that have absolutely nothing to do with dangerousness—including stuttering, lack of sexual desire, and nicotine dependence.

Whatever good intentions might lie behind S. 436, the actual bill as drafted is grotesquely overbroad, and a Pandora’s Box of the dangerous consequences that are the inevitable result of making it a felony for law-abiding Americans to possess and use firearms.