Uncategorized

In Important News From Japan

March 16, 2011 by 1 Comment

With all the bad news about nuclear meltdown or potential meltdowns in Japan post-earthquake and and post-tsunami, comes some heartening news. The Japanese whisky industry seems to be OK.

Latest update from David Croll at Whisky Magazine Japan on the status of Japanese distilleries after the earthquakes…

Suntory: (15.3.2011)

Yamazaki Distillery

Hakushu Distillery

Awaiting response from PR department.

Nikka: (15.3.2011)

Due to ongoing transport problems and power cuts, Nikka have not yet been able to carry out a comprehensive assessment at the Miyagikyo Distillery. Initial reports suggest that there has been no major damage however and they have confirmed that distillery staff and their families are unharmed.

The Yoichi Distillery has been unaffected.

Venture Whisky: (15.3.2011)

Ichiro Akuto says

“The Chichibu Distillery staff and their families are all okay. There has been no damage at the distillery to either cask stocks or distilling equipment and just some minor damage to bottled stock. We appreciate the concern from overseas.”
Mercian: (16.3.2011)

Karuizawa Distillery

The Karuizawa Distillery was not damaged by the earthquake and the site has been operating (not distilling) since March 14th.

Kirin: (15.3.2011)

Fuji-Gotemba Distillery

Awaiting response from PR department.

Hombo Shuzo (16.3.2011)

Mars Distillery.

There have been many aftershocks in the Nagano area but so far the distillery, located in the Shinshu area, and the staff and their families, are all okay. After a break of 20 years, they are planning to produce whisky continuously from March 15th through to April 20th. They are grateful for everybody’s concern and interest.

The above comes courtesy of Mark Gillespie and WhiskyCast. While I’ve never tasted Japanese whisky, it is reputed to be very good and in the Scottish single malt style.

Uncategorized

A Serious Rebuttal To Colin Goddard

March 16, 2011 by

By now most people have heard the name Colin Goddard. Many people also know that he was one of the students shot by the deranged student at Virginia Tech. Many also know that he is now a paid staff member of the Brady Campaign with the title of Assistant Director of Federal Legislation.

The New York Daily News called Goddard a “walking, talking poster boy for gun control” while discussing his movie “Living for 32.” I didn’t realize until I read that article that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo’s sister, Maria Cuomo Cole, was both the producer and financier of Goddard’s movie.

Michael Bane is his Down Range Radio podcast last week provided a serious examination and rebuttal to Colin Goddard. Goddard is now touring the country promoting “sensible gun control”. As Michael notes, we seem in this country to confer special rights and status to those who are “victims”.

Goddard has said when the gunman came to his classroom that he and his fellow students “didn’t know what to do”. As Michael rightly points out, “Which sensible gun law protects you when you are cowering under your desk?”

While you can listen to the whole podcast on the embedded player below, the relevant part starts at the 32:06 mark and continues to the end. It is well worth a listen.

Uncategorized

Recall On Certain Remington .223 62-Grain HP Ammo

March 16, 2011 by

Remington has issued a product safety recall on certain lots of its .223 62-grain hollow point (match)ammunition. The full recall notice is below:

Product Safety Recall Notice
Warning

REMINGTON .223 62 GR (MATCH) HOLLOW POINT AMMUNITION WITH
LOT NOS. H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI

Remington has determined that four (4) Lot Numbers of its .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition may have been improperly loaded. The four (4) Lot Numbers are identified above. Improper loading may cause a malfunction of the cartridge when the firearm is fired resulting in higher than normal pressures. This malfunction may result in damage to the firearm, serious personal injury or death.

Do Not Use
REMINGTON .223 62 GR (MATCH) HOLLOW POINT AMMUNITION WITH
LOT NOS. H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI

To identify if you have one of these Lots of ammunition:

* If you have a case of .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition the Lot Number is stenciled on the outside of the case; and,
* If you have a box of .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition the Lot Number is stamped on the inside flap of the box.

If you have any of this .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition, as identified above, immediately discontinue use of this ammunition and contact Remington at the below telephone number. Remington will arrange for the return shipment of your ammunition and upon receipt will send you replacement ammunition at no cost to you. If you are unsure whether or not you have one or more of these Lots of ammunition or if you have mixed boxes of ammunition; please immediately discontinue the use of the ammunition and contact Remington at the below telephone number – we will replace this ammunition for you.

For any consumer questions or instructions on how to return of your .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition with one of the following Lot Numbers H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI, please contact the Remington Consumer Service Department at 1-800-243-9700, Prompt #4.

The only Remington .223 Remington 62 Gr Hollow Point (Match) Ammunition affected by this recall has one of the following Lot Numbers H03RAI, H04RDI, H16NAI OR H17NDI . No other Lots or ammunition is affected.

Uncategorized

Why I Don’t Live In Illinois

March 16, 2011 by 2 Comments

The Complementary Spouse’s mother lives in O’Fallon, Illinois and her father is buried there. O’Fallon is a pleasant little town about 20 miles east of St. Louis. It is also the home of Scott Air Force Base. I like going out to visit and enjoy the solid, mid-western atmosphere of the town and its people.

I couldn’t live there.

The guns laws of the State of Illinois and the impact on the politics of the state from Chicago would drive me nuts. Thanks to a story on the IllinoisCarry forum linked by Thirdpower at Days of our Trailers blog, I have another reason.

A good friend of mine received his AZ ccw application yesterday. He filled it out and then went to the Champaign police department this morning to get fingerprinted. He was denied because they said they will not do fingerprints for ccw apps from any state because IL is not a carry state. He informed them that he is aware that IL is not a carry state, that the AZ license is not honored here and that it is a felony to exercise the right to bear arms in IL.

He explained that he is wanting to get this AZ permit because it is honored in IN where he spends a great deal of time along with about 28 other states. They still would not print him.

He asked so you’re telling me that there are gang bangers on W Bradly right now carrying handguns that are not old enough to possess a handgun by federal law, do not have a FOID or even know what a FOID is and they’re committing crimes, killing people and raping women, meanwhile I a tax paying, law abiding citizen am standing here in the Champaign police department trying to do the right thing knowing full well that after I get these prints, fill out this application, pay $60 for app and $30 for the prints I still won’t be able to carry in IL but am still being denied just getting a set of fingerprints done?

The answer was YES. We do not do fingerprints for ccw apps because IL is not a carry state. They also told him that no law agency in IL will do this for the same reason. He explained that that was false because he knows dozens of people who have out of state ccw permits that required fingerprints.

Finally it was admitted that this was a decision that was made a couple years ago specifically within the Champaign police department and it was made by “the people upstairs”.

My friend is a bit frustrated as a citizen, as a tax payer and as a law abiding citizen who is just trying to do the right thing.

Another person on the IllinoisCarry forum followed up with the Champaign Police Department on their refusal to do fingerprinting for a person to obtain an out-of-state CCW permit. He spoke with a lady in their records department.

She acknowledged that CPD will not print for any CCW permits “because it’s illegal in IL”.

I pointed out that these were forms necessary for other states to conduct their business and why was it a problem for them to fill out print cards for other states.

“It’s an ethical issue,” she replied.

I asked who made that decision not to print “for ethical issues”. She didn’t have a name.

Ethical issue? I must live on another planet from the decision makers in this police department. I would consider it unethical to refuse to provide the fingerprinting services. Arrgh!

Uncategorized

Go Alan!

March 15, 2011 by 3 Comments

This time the Alan is Alan Gottlieb of the Second Amendment Foundation and the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms. He said he is willing to take Obama up on his offer to talk about firearms. He’d like to ask Obama about Project Gunrunner (aka Gunwalker) and Operation Fast and Furious.


BELLEVUE, WA – While other gun rights groups reportedly have declined to participate in a “new discussion” about firearms and crime with the Obama administration, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today it would be eager to talk with the White House, especially about the “Project Gunrunner” and “Fast and Furious” scandals, where federal agents helped facilitate gun sales to suspected gunrunners.

CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb acknowledged that his organization has not yet been asked to participate in the “new discussion” outlined by President Barack Obama in an Op-Ed article that appeared in a Tucson newspaper.

“However,” he said, “we would be delighted to sit down with the president and talk about how his administration has supplied guns to criminals.”

Gottlieb said it seems odd that neither CCRKBA nor its sister organization, the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF), had not been invited to the table despite the president’s desire to open a dialogue with gun rights advocates.

“After all,” he observed, “it was SAF’s Supreme Court case, McDonald v. City of Chicago, that solidified the Second Amendment’s protection of an individual civil right that the president now seems to energetically embrace.

“If we were to be invited,” Gottlieb insisted, “it won’t be for a photo op. There are serious issues American gun owners want discussed, such as restoration of rights, national concealed carry reciprocity, cracking down on states like New Jersey, New York and California that routinely violate gun owners’ rights, lifting the administration’s ban on importation of historic WWII-era rifles, reining in the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, especially the Phoenix office and its ‘Fast and Furious’ operation, and the nomination of anti-gun rights Andrew Traver to head BATFE. That’s like putting an arsonist in charge of the U.S. Forest Service.

Gottlieb said the president’s timing for this new approach “seems suspiciously like an effort to deflect public attention away from the growing “Project Gunrunner” and “Fast and Furious” scandals, now that CBS, Fox News and other major news organizations have started probing the controversial operations.

“If Obama were really serious about opening a dialogue about firearms and crime,” he said, “it should not have taken him more than two years in the White House before claiming he wants to meet with gun rights advocates.”

Uncategorized

Say What?

March 15, 2011 by 5 Comments

With all the news of the damaged reactors and possible meltdowns in Japan in the aftermath of the earthquake and tsunami, comes this little tidbit courtesy of Ian Argent.

In addition to walking guns to Mexico, it is BATFE’s duty to test wine, gin, whiskey, and vodka for radioactivity. If it isn’t sufficiently radioactive, it can’t be legally sold in the United States.

This comes from a book entitled Physics and Technology for Future Presidents: An Introduction to the Essential Physics Every World Leader Needs to Know.

I guess we need to return to the drinks of Colonial America – rum and ale.

Uncategorized

Say It Ain’t So!

March 15, 2011 by 3 Comments

In news that will make any Glock fanboy happy, the GearScout blog is reporting rumors from IWA (the European equivalent of the SHOT Show) that the Swiss Army will be replacing their Pistole 75 (Sig 220) and Pistole 03 (SigPro 2022?) with Glock 17’s and 19’s.

I have no idea what this will mean for the Swiss armaments industry but they can’t be too happy if they are being replaced by the Austrian-made Glock.

The Pistole 75 and Pistole 03 are pictured below.

Swiss Pistole 75
Swiss Pistole 03

Uncategorized

FOID Card Release TRO Extended

March 15, 2011 by

As reported earlier in the month, the Illinois State Rifle Association went to court to prevent the release of FOID card holders names by the Illinois State Police. At the time they were granted a temporary restraining order preventing the release of that information. In a hearing held today, ISRA was able to get a court order extending the TRO “until further order of the court.”

The lawsuit filed on behalf of ISRA and its members on March 10, 2011, is moving forward with excellent results. After Attorney General Lisa Madigan announced that her office believes that release of FOID information to the public is proper under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act, the ISRA filed suit in Peoria (10th Judicial District) seeking a temporary restraining order preventing the release of names of FOID holders.

As previously reported, the temporary restraining order (TRO) was granted by judge Scott Shore, who then scheduled a status hearing for March 15th to set a date set for hearing arguments regarding the issuance of a preliminary injunction, since the TRO normally expires in ten days.

Prior to his court appearance on behalf of ISRA and the member plaintiffs, attorney Stanley Tucker was notified of a letter sent to Attorney General Lisa Madigan that was signed by 12 (a majority) of the Illinois congressional delegation. The non-partisan letter requested Lisa Madigan to rescind an attorney general directive issued to the Illinois State Police that sided with the FOIA request made by the Associated Press’ representative that the ISP release the names of FOID holders.

The latest court order extended the TRO indefinitely, until further order of court, and another “status” hearing was scheduled for April 14th. The defendants may file pleadings requesting additional relief, but for now the privacy of law-abiding firearm owners and the interest of public safety remain protected.

Uncategorized

IAC Model 97 Trench Gun

March 15, 2011 by 4 Comments

With the ATF discussing banning certain imported shotguns as not meeting the sporting suitability requirement, I have been thinking about what might be banned. Heading the list is, of course, the Saiga shotguns. Prices on Saiga 12’s have shot up from the upper $400 range to over $800 in recent weeks. Another shotgun that might make the list is the Norinco copy of the Winchester 1897 Trench Gun.

The executive summary of the report lists a number of characteristics that ATF in its wisdom says makes a shotgun “unsuitable” for “sporting purposes”.

Following this review, the working group determined that certain shotgun features are not particularly suitable or readily adaptable for sporting purposes. These features include:

(1) Folding, telescoping, or collapsible stocks;
(2) bayonet lugs;
(3) flash suppressors;
(4) magazines over 5 rounds, or a drum magazine;
(5) grenade-launcher mounts;
(6) integrated rail systems (other than on top of the receiver or barrel);
(7) light enhancing devices;
(8) excessive weight (greater than 10 pounds for 12 gauge or smaller);
(9) excessive bulk (greater than 3 inches in width and/or greater than 4 inches in depth);
(10) forward pistol grips or other protruding parts designed or used for gripping the shotgun with the shooter’s extended hand.

Although the features listed above do not represent an exhaustive list of possible shotgun features, designs or characteristics, the working group determined that shotguns with any one of these features are most appropriate for military or law enforcement use. Therefore, shotguns containing any of these features are not particularly suitable for nor readily adaptable to generally recognized sporting purposes such as hunting, trap, sporting clay, and skeet shooting.

Frankly, I find this utter bullshit but not surprising coming from the bureaucratic mindset of the BATFE Headquarters staff. This made me realize that there was no time like the present if I wanted one of the shotguns that fell under that criteria.

The Saiga is OK but would take quite a bit to upgrade from stock. I understand your average 3-gun competitor has about $1,000 worth of gunsmithing and upgrades in their Saigas. So the Saiga was out for now. What pushed me towards the IAC Model 97 was that years ago I had and sold a Winchester 1897 12 gauge with a full choke. Also, I believe Michael Bane had mentioned recently in one of his podcasts that Evil Roy – Gene Pearcy – had won the Wild Bunch match at Winter Range using the Model 97 Trench Gun. With all this in mind, I ordered the IAC Model 97 Trench Shotgun from a local dealer who gave me a nice discount.

I picked up the shotgun this past Friday. It comes in the box as seen below. I find it amusing that either the Chinese or the importer felt the need to drape the box in the Stars and Stripes.

I haven’t had time to go to the range and shoot the Model 97 yet, so I am going to just post a few pictures and some quick impressions of it.

The shotgun feels solid in the hand. Nothing seemed loose and nothing rattled (other than the sling mounts) if you shake the shotgun. Racking the slide a number of times I found it fairly smooth. The trigger is a bit heavy but not tremendously so. In copying the Winchester 1897, the Chinese left off the trigger disconnect just like the original. Thus, it retains the ability to slam fire.

The finish on the Model 97 is so-so. The bluing is uneven in places as can been seen in the picture below. Notice the light spot just behind the bead sight. The size of the light spot is about that of a finger or thumb print. I’m guessing it is a result of improper surface prep before bluing.

 

The stock is American Walnut. The quality of the wood was OK and the finish was not bad. You can see the grain in the picture below. There was either a knot or patch in the grip area (see dark spot just above the reflection of the camera flash) but it seemed solid.

 

Finally, as you can by the receiver, the metal parts of the Model 97 are covered in some sort of grease or metal preservative. This will need to be cleaned off and a light coat of oil applied instead before taking it out. If you look closely, Norinco included the U.S. Ordnance bomb on the receiver.

The wood to metal fit is acceptable. There are no real gaps and the quality is higher than what I’ve seen on Russian-made shotguns like the Baikal.

Comparing this gun to close-ups of the real Winchester 1897, it is obvious that the gunmakers at Winchester cleaned up the tooling marks on the breach bolt and carrier a heck of a lot better than Norinco. If you look at the picture below you can see the tooling marks.

Is the IAC Model 97 Trench Gun equivalent to the “real” Winchester 1897 Trench Gun? Absolutely not. However, mine cost $385 and the Winchester will cost in the $2,000 range or more if you can find one. For knocking about and plinking, I think my IAC Model 97 will do just fine. Probably the only things I might add to it are a 1″ GI leather sling and maybe a reproduction Enfield M-1917 bayonet.