The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether strict local and state gun control laws violate the Second Amendment, ensuring another high-profile battle over the rights of gun owners.You can start your background reading at Volokh Conspiracy.
The court said Wednesday it will review a lower court ruling that upheld a handgun ban in Chicago.
The Supreme Court last year struck down Washington D.C.’s gun ban, but the question remains whether states and local governments fall under the same requirements.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Supreme Court Takes 2nd Incorporation Case
New Book for Uncertain Times!
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
New Stephen Hunter Novel Coming!
-- Post From The Road
Monday, September 28, 2009
Sharp Things
Sunday, September 27, 2009
N-Frame Exorcisms
I've worn this holster for over a couple of years, not daily certainly, but on regular weekends out in the city, drawing from it enough for practice until I found it easy to use. The SERPA button is very lightly sprung, I'm guessing by known weights of single action trigger pulls it's probably just a little over a pound. Point being, it's light, and doesn't require must of a conscious effort to operate it, no tugging or strength of hand, so I never noticed any impediment to a natural, instinctive draw stroke.Because I'm not an LEO and don't have a specific need for a retention holster, I don't particularly like mechanical retention devices...it adds one more little thing that can break. For a regular carry holster I like some kind of tensioning screw I can adjust. For a field holster, I'm not adverse to a retention strap...I have one on the FA crossdraw I use for my packing Super Blackhawk .44.
The holster has not been exposed to any heat or conditions that would warp it. It's not dirty. I wasn't doing a one-handed reload where I might have inadvertently inserted the gun in the holster facing backwards (when you do that I understand the tension device in the holster can lock behind the front sight, locking the gun in the holster.) I don't pull up on the weapon at all before or while pressing the button. I drew exactly as I've drawn it hundreds of times, having bought a couple of these over the years.
The SERPA button just stuck.
Getting Ready for Halloween!
I cribbed these from Pole Dancing in the Dark:
1.When it appears that you have killed the monster, never check to see if it's really dead. It isn't.
2.Never read a book of demon summoning aloud, even as a joke.
3.Do not search the basement or attic, even if the power is out.
4.If your children speak to you in Latin or any other language that they should not know, shoot them immediately. Shooting them will save you much grief in the long run; however, it will take several rounds to kill them, so be prepared. This tip also applies to anyone who speaks with someone else's voice.
5.When you have the benefit of numbers, never pair off and go alone.
6.As a general rule, don't solve puzzles that open portals to Hell.
7.Never stand in, on, or above a grave, tomb, or crypt. This rule also applies to any other house of the dead.
8.If you are searching for something that caused a loud noise and find out that it was just the cat, get the hell out. Expeditiously.
9.If appliances start operating by themselves, do not check for short circuits. Again, get the hell out.
10.Do not take anything from the dead. No matter how much you like it, it's bound to disagree with you sooner or later.
11.If you find a town that looks deserted, there's probably a good reason for it. Don't stop and look around.
12.Don't fool with recombinant DNA technology unless you're sure you know what you're doing.
13.If you're running from the monster, expect to trip or fall down at least twice--more if you are of the female persuasion. Also note that despite the fact that you are running and the monster is merely shambling along, it's still moving fast enough to catch up with you.
14.If your companions suddenly begin to exhibit uncharacteristic behavior such as hissing, fascination with blood, glowing eyes, increasing hairiness, and so on, kill them immediately.
15.Stay away from certain geographical locations, some of which are listed here: Amityville, Elm Street, Haddonfield, Transylvania, Nilbog (you're in trouble if you recognize this one), anywhere in Texas where chainsaws are sold, the Bermuda Triangle, and any small town in Maine, Maryland, and Massachusetts.
16.If your car runs out of gas at night on a lonely road, do not go to the nearby deserted-looking house to use the telephone. If you think that it is strange you ran out of gas because you thought you had most of a tank, shoot yourself in the head. You are going to die anyway and most likely be eaten.
17.Beware of strangers bearing strange tools like chainsaws, staple guns, hedge trimmers, electric carving knives, combines, lawn mowers, butane torches, soldering irons, and ice picks.
18.If you discover that your house is built upon a cemetery, now is the time to move in with the in-laws. This rule also applies to previous inhabitants who went mad or committed suicide or died in some horrible fashion.
19. If there are supernatural elements going on around you, don't have sex. Especially if you are a blond.
20. If you are a blond, dye your hair! You have a much better chance of survival if you are a brunette, or redhead. (I guess we don't taste as good or something...)
21. Stay out of cornfields, woods and bodies of water. These are locations where no one will hear you if you scream, or if the do hear you, they will never find you in time.
22. Stay out of big old scary looking mansions, nothing good ever comes from your visit, no matter how considerate a houseguest you are.
23. Never back slowly down stairs, around corners, or through doorways. You have just been where you are coming from and you should know that the threat is not there.
24. If the phone goes dead just when you are about to call for help, don't waist time jiggling the receiver cradle and shouting "Hello" into the receiver. Giving away your position while masking the sounds of the opponents approach is NOT a good tactic.
25. For Heaven's sake, listen to us Moors residents when we tell you to "Keep to the roads, lads!"
26. Stay away from dusty old tomes with questionable fabric covers.
27. Never try to read aloud from books when they are written in some obscure dead language, even if you are a linguistics expert. There are reasons why certain languages are dead.
28. Never say, “It could be worse,” because it will get much worse.
29. Never turn your back on stuffed animals, dolls or clowns. They may seem innocent enough, but they are really demons laying in wait.
30. Do not try destroying same dolls, animals or clowns with fire, water, or exorcism, as this only pisses them off. Just resign yourself to the fact that your life is over.
31. Never invite a ghost or spirit to show itself. It may think that you want it to stay and will make itself at home…
32. Never go camping in the woods on Halloween.
33. Ignore the others who say it will be fun and never go to one of those creepy looking traveling funhouses on Halloween, either. Boo!
34. If the phone rings, don't bother answering it. Go curl up in a corner and resign yourself to the end. It's the killer and he is already in the house, or is outside watching you.
35. If you forget/drop/lose something while a monster is on the loose, it probably isn't the wisest idea to go looking for it later. This principle especially applies to cats.
36. Beware of people in masks. It might not actually be a mask...
37. Never investigate old broken down mansions, especially in Texas. In fact, it’s best to stay out of Texas, New Orleans or any sort of swamp like area all-together.
38. Don’t ever watch unfamiliar and bizarre videotapes.
39. Never let the little bitch out of the well.
40. Never trust computers with little girl avatars
41. Never stroll from room to room, searching for your boyfriend/girlfriend whilst simultaneously calling their name.
Example:
"Tommy? Are your in there? Tommy? Is that you?"
And...if this is happening immediately after sex, resign yourself to your fate immediately and dispatch yourself before the monster gets the chance.
42. Never be the only person at a supernatural outing (whether intentional or unintentional) wearing a red shirt.
43. Never have sex with the overtly horny camp counselor. She will inevitably die first, but you can count on being next in line
44. Donald Pleasance shows up, just recognize you're in a whole lot of great big trouble.
45. Never help a clown out of a drain hole - all clowns are evil!
46. Don't make fun of or play with dead things.
47. If you see a town that looks deserted except for children, do not try to 'help' them - they will eat you.
48. If you walk into the local abandoned-looking church to seek help or shelter, and you notice that the crucifix is mounted upside down, turn around and go back outside as quietly as possible.
49. Never have sex in the bunk beds of recently renovated summer camps.
50. Whenever you land on a distant planet and find some objects that look like eggs, leave them alone.
51. Do not allow crewmates back aboard the craft if and after you have found a hideous parasite attached to his/her body.
52. Be forewarned that a gun is only good for ALMOST killing the monster, never for COMPLETELY killing it. Be sure to have an extra weapon, preferably one with "flair" (a knife, a harpoon, a heavy box, razor confetti, pop tarts...)
53. Don't open the closed door, especially if you hear scratching, heavy breathing, or the voice of a dear relative whom you THOUGHT was dead.
54. Never bathe, especially when in the house alone.
55. If you are a female, never expose yourself. Easy women die fast.
56. Never camp or build homes on Indian burial grounds.
57. If the Toshiba suddenly says out of context, “I understand quantum theory, but what is this thing called love?”, get the hammer immediately. - wahsatchmo
58. Stuntman, if you beam down wearing a red shirt also wear a false beard. That way you can be paid to die again wearing a false mustache in the following episode.
59. No need to open a strange bag or parcel because you think it may contain a bomb. It will.
60. When the hero says it is too quiet the monster has found you. (A.M.Swallow)
Frank James on Concealed Carry
Handguns, by definition, are a compromise....and in many instances they are a poor compromise.The question is in what areas do you personally compromise?
In my view and for self-defense, the most important element in the equation is instant accessibility in a lethal force situation. Anything less and the gun is virtually worthless. You can't go "Kings X" and take a time-out while you retrieve your self-defense blaster from its child-proof storage container in the closet of your bedroom. You HAVE TO HAVE IT IMMEDIATELY when you are 'blind-sided' by the aggressor whether you are on the street, or coming out of the bathroom of your home.
Critical Issues of Zombies...
If schlock horror cinema has taught me nothing, and it hasn’t, it’s that the slow and the dull-witted, the unimaginative and the zombie fodder extras are all going down in the first 15 minutes of the opening reel. So while the rest of you are trapped in your barricaded offices and boarded-up homes reading this on your flickering fading Internet connections I shall be long gone, laughing my rich piratical pirate laugh as I drive out of the dust-choked city in my commandeered six wheel paramilitary vehicle, plowing through hordes of the dusty Undead, sparing nary a backward glance as the Religious Maniac tumbles from her precarious perch at the back of the vehicle into the clutches of the Zombie Horde (possibly pushed out by the Evil Hot Chick as a rationing measure after stronger than anticipated overnight demand for Hamburger In A Can – a little extreme admittedly but, you know, her Evil is only matched by her Hotness). Bring on the Zoms!
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Udall Endorses Shooting Ranges in Colorado
WASHINGTON — Taking advantage of National Hunting and Fishing Day, Sen. Mark Udall will announce proposed legislation today that would funnel more federal dollars to help states build public shooting ranges.
Public target ranges are in short supply across the West, and informal ranges that pop up in their stead can create safety hazards.
Friday, September 25, 2009
Carry Gun Redux
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Is There an Echo in Here?
In our thought-experiment, we are going to shoot a bad guy (BG) who is posing a deadly threat towards us. We will assume he is reasonably motivated and doesn’t just quit upon seeing our gun. We will assume that our first shot is a mortal wound to the heart (thus subsequent shots are largely irrelevant). We will assume that there are no spinal hits or effective head shots (which, regardless of caliber, would be instantly incapacitating and so pointless to consider).I used to talk a lot about 9mm vs .45...my rationale for carrying a 9mm was the follow-up shots...lotsa bullets delivered in the same timeframe as a few shots. Now I pretty much agree with M.D. Creekwood at the Survivalist Blog:
Common wisdom is that properly adrenalized and motivated individuals can continue to function for up to 15 seconds with a fatally damaged heart. We will also assume that the shooters can both shoot 3 rounds per second (0.33 splits) and their reload times are 3 seconds.
In our first case, we will assume the BG drops in just 5 seconds. In this instance Shooter #1 (1911) will shoot 7 rounds. Shooter #2 will shoot 16.
Personally I think the whole stopping power debate is a load of crap and a waste of time. Get a reliable weapon and learn to shoot. Simple...Key point — when you leave the house, HAVE A GUN WITH YOU! Every time; every day.
Style Points
Libya's "Brotherly Leader" Moammar Khadafy will be invading midtown Manhattan this week surrounded by a gang of fetching "gun girls.". Hey, works for me!
The dictator's pistol-packin' posse of 40 to 50 women bodyguards -- sometimes called his "Amazon Guard" -- will be part of his massive 150-member traveling traveling entourage for the UN General Assembly session, U.S. officials said.
Along with live weapons, the guards will bring their bad-girl reputation
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Disaster Prep
A Kinder, Gentler Deer Hunting
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Racing the Snow...
Monday, September 21, 2009
Summertime, And the Livin' is Easy...
Sunday, September 20, 2009
Nippy Up Here...
Saturday, September 19, 2009
The Saturday Funnies
The economy is so bad that I got a pre-declined credit card in the mail.
It’s so bad, I ordered a burger at McDonalds and the kid behind the counter asked, “Can you afford fries with that?”
The economy is so bad that CEO’s are now playing miniature golf.
The economy is so bad if the bank returns your check marked “Insufficient Funds,” you call them and ask if they meant you or them.
The economy is so bad Hot Wheels and Matchbox stocks are trading higher than GM.
The economy is so bad McDonalds is selling the 1/4 ouncer.
The economy is so bad parents in Beverly Hills fired their nannies and learned their children’s names.
The economy is so bad a truckload of Americans was caught sneaking into Mexico .
The economy is so bad Dick Cheney took his stockbroker hunting..
The economy is so bad Motel 6 won’t leave the light on anymore.
The economy is so bad the Mafia is laying off judges.
The economy is so bad Exxon-Mobil laid off 25 Congressmen
Friday, September 18, 2009
Thursday, September 17, 2009
Pistol Caliber Carbines
Hell in a Handbasket has an interesting take on pistol caliber carbines:
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You already know I'm a pretty big fan of pistol caliber carbines as self-defense alternatives. The current crop of lever guns is amazingly good, and of course Marlins have been around so long the first versions were used to plink dinosaurs...
-- Post From The Road
Wednesday, September 16, 2009
A Brief Interlude of Actual Gun Stuff
Steve over at The Firearms Blog is reporting that at least in Europe, Sig has entered the AR-15 market:
I had no idea that Sig Sauer were making AR-15 / M16 rifles but my DSEi spy spotted this prototype SIG516 1 PDW at the DSEi 09 expo. It features a 7" barrel, putting it firmly in the PDW class, and chambers the 5.56mm NATO.UPDATE:
The SIG516 Tactical Rifle line has three different models:
SIG516 PDW : 7" barrel. A personal defense weapon (pictured above).
SIG516 CQB : 10" barrel. A Colt M4 Commando equvelent.
SIG516 BASELINE CARBINE : 14.5" barrel. A M4 Carbine equvelent.
SIG516 Patrol. 16" barrel.
SIG516 Tactical Marksman: 16" barrel A squad level sniper / designated marksmen rifle.
SIG516 Precision Marksman: 20" barrel. Possibly a true sniper rifle, or designated marksmen rifle.
They are all piston operated and feature an adjustable gas regulator like the Ruger SR-556.
Another One Of Thise Days
-- Post From The Road
Tuesday, September 15, 2009
Rest in Peace
Ride the Wild Surf!
Monday, September 14, 2009
BTW
Taurus' .380, the TCP, will be hitting the market momentarily, adding to the Itty Bitty Pistol Sweepstakes...
-- Post From The Road
Saturday, September 12, 2009
Jeeeeeez....
Friday, September 11, 2009
Man Up!!!
By Popular Demand
9-11-09
Eight years ago today, our homeland was attacked by fanatical Muslims inspired by Saudi Arabian bigotry. Three thousand American citizens and residents died.
We resolved that we, the People, would never forget. Then we forgot.
We've learned nothing.
Instead of cracking down on Islamist extremism, we've excused it.
Instead of killing terrorists, we free them.
Instead of relentlessly hunting Islamist madmen, we seek to appease them.
Instead of acknowledging that radical Islam is the problem, we elected a president who blames America, whose idea of freedom is the right for women to suffer in silence behind a veil -- and who counts among his mentors and friends those who damn our country or believe that our own government staged the tragedy of September 11, 2001.
Instead of insisting that freedom will not be infringed by terrorist threats, we censor works that might offend mass murderers. Radical Muslims around the world can indulge in viral lies about us, but we dare not even publish cartoons mocking them.
Instead of protecting law-abiding Americans, we reject profiling to avoid offending terrorists. So we confiscate granny's shampoo at the airport because the half-empty container could hold 3.5 ounces of liquid.
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Obama IS a Liar, So What's the Big Deal?
Wednesday, September 09, 2009
Suffering Through Wednesday
I swear my nose is going to fall off...the consequences of my Pandemic Head Cold! OMG! Am I going to look like Michael Jackson? Can I Velcro it back on if it falls off? What if Pokkee-san the Tailless Cat mistakes it for a mouse and eats it? I suffer piteously...I suppose I could go negotiate for some cold medicine from local Walgreens, but then if I I got it I'd probably just cook up some meth with it and use the money to buy ammo.
What do you do? Do you have a gun? Where is it? Is it loaded? Is it locked away or gun-locked? What are your chances of surviving an attack without a weapon compared to having one?Good read...BTW, I had a thought early this morning while I was holding a tissue to my pathetic nose pretending to sleep. A few weeks ago a commenter ask me a perfectly good question on custom guns...what do you do with them? I think I answered something to the effect that I use all my guns, especially the custom ones. That was an okay answer, but not the real answer.
I’m not saying go buy the gun. I’m saying that if you already have one and you haven’t shot it or cleaned it in, let’s say, the last year, or if it is in the closet, unloaded and/or locked down, the fact is, you will not be able to get to it in time.
Crooks are deathly afraid of being shot. They don’t like being bitten by dogs or locked up by the cops, or going down with the swine flu either, but they really don’t like being shot.
Criminals pick on the weak, and yes, the naïve, and those that will offer the least threat to them as they commit the crime. If you have a weapon, clean it up, oil it up, shoot it and then decide if you need to have it in the home. That’s a tough question if you have kids.
Tuesday, September 08, 2009
Where's the Insider News?
Monday, September 07, 2009
Coulpla' Days Off...
Saturday, September 05, 2009
Harumph...Grumble...Saturday
But first, to the larger issue of greater caliber, this:
State police have charged a self-proclaimed Civil War buff with accidentally firing a 2-pound cannon ball through the wall of a neighbor's home.
William Maser, 54, of Georges Township, told Channel 11 News that his hobby is recreating Civil War cannons. He said he's been doing it for over 30 years. Maser said he was firing a cannon Wednesday evening when the ball ricocheted and hit the house about 400 yards away.
Police said nobody was hurt by the cannon ball, which slammed through a window, struck a medicine cabinet and a wall before landing in a clothes closet.
Maser is charged with reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, and disorderly conduct.Now, the Four Rules as applied to canons:
1) ALL CANONS ARE ALWAYS LOADED ALL THE TIME NO KIDDING EVEN THE ONE IN FRONT OF THE GRANGE HALL THAT HAS BEEN SITTING THERE SINCE ROUGHLY 1868 AND IS COMPLETELY COVERED WITH BIRD POOP!
2) DO NOT POINT THE CANON AT ANYTHING YOU DO NOT WISH TO SEE OBLITERATED, TOTALLY DESTROY, SMASHED, BLOWN TO CRAP, DEADER THAN A DEAD PARROT, CROAKED, WHACKED, GROUND TO DUST OR HAVE A GREAT BIG HOLE POKED THROUGH IT!3) KEEP THE MATCH AWAY FROM THE TOUCH-HOLE UNTIL YOU'RE READY TO ENGAGE FRENCH PRIVATEERS OR SHIPS FLYING THE "JOLLY ROGER"!4) BE SURE OF YOUR TARGET, WHAT'S BEHIND YOUR TARGET, WHAT'S IN FRONT OF YOUR TARGET, WHAT'S NEAR YOUR TARGET, WHAT'S IN THE HOUSE NEXT DOOR TO YOUR TARGET, YOUR TARGET'S CLOSEST FRIENDS, LARGE BUILDINGS IN NEARBY COUNTIES, OBESE CHILDREN IN THE SAME AREA CODE AND ADJACENT STATES!
I can’t think of a situation where I need this, nor one where it would look cool. Some people have made the “weapons retention” argument, but I remain unconvinced. This is about as useful as a fish bicycle.Ha! Shows what he knows! As A Genuine Gun Expert, I can tell you categorically pistol bayonets come into their own while repelling boarders! I don't know about you guys, but here at the Secret Hidden Bunker we're spot on when it comes to repelling boarders. The big issue with pistol bayonets, of course, comes when using them in pocket carry...it is far too easy to cut an artery in the groin region when carelessly repocketing the bayonet-equipped pistol, which will result in bleeding out rather quickly. At the Secret Hidden Bunker, we recommend mounting the bayonet-equipped pistol in a forward position on the 6 0'clock rail of an AR, giving one the benefit of both a bayonet and a pistol premounted on the AR! Thirty rounds of 5.56, 19 rounds of 9mm and a bayonet...bring on the dastardly UN troopies!
Friday, September 04, 2009
Mo' Is Better!
From Ammoland.com:
Washington, DC --(AmmoLand.com)- Data released by the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,074,757 checks in August 2009, a 12.3 percent increase from the 956,872 reported in August 2008.
So far that is roughly 9,076,205 gun bought this year! The total is probably more as NICS background checks may cover the purchase of more than one gun at a time.
This latest jump in background checks show that Americans are solidly in-favor of keeping firearms in the hands of law abiding citizens and clearly shows that proponents claiming the USA wants more gun control are blatantly wrong.
Gun Owners Say No to Gun Control with their Wallets
The increased trend of Americans buying firearms at a record pace was once thought to be a one time fluke caused by fears of the new Obama administration expressed lust for more gun control. But now 10 months in and the wrongly named “fear buying” has now become the norm as law abiding US citizen exercise their constitutional right to keep and bear firearms by the millions every month with no sign of slowing down.
The bulk of the buying has been concentrated on the following types of guns or calibers:
• Semi Auto Handguns
• Revolvers
• Ar15s and all variants of the Black Rifle
• .50 Caliber
1.17 Guns for Each Person
Conservative estimates of legally owned guns in the USA put the number at 355,029,250 million guns in the USA. That is 1.17 guns for everyone in the USA. God bless anyone who tries to invade the USA…
Crime Rates Falling
The most stunning in all of this is that we have not seen an increase in crime, murder rates have fallen across most of the USA and Americans have shown that they can be trusted with firearms ownership. This is directly in contrast to what the national media and gun control supporters would have us believe.
Gun owners you are clearly the majority!
Yellow Aspen
Thursday, September 03, 2009
Back in the World!
Back from a week at U.S. Training Center/Blackwater at the the advanced shotgun seminar put on by Mossberg. Had a wonderful time...any day breaching doors with a shotgun is a good day. Mossberg shotguns are what they are...tanks...the ultimate pieces of debugged self-defense technology. They're also willing to get out there and produce some exotic stuff still available for civilians, like the Roadblocker above or the too-cool Just-In-Case gun in a tube. Yee-haw! We filmed a full day for SHOOTING GALLERY's 10th season, including my personal worst simulation.