New URL

Until further notice, The Real Gun Guys blog address has changed to http://www.therealgunguys.com/blog. No further posting is anticipated at the blogspot.com address.

Please update your bookmarks.

I will continue to monitor the current poll until it closes and the results will be posted at the new blog address.

Thanks!

Moving...

I've had the 'therealgunguys.com' domain name for a while now and just renewed it for 2 more years. Well, I just got a good deal on an actual server (< $24/year) for hosting and so I will be moving the blog there presently.

The domain name is currently pointed at the blogspot.com address, but when I get everything changed it will go to the new server instead and that is where I will continue to blog. I have no intention of deleting this blog however. It will just redirect people to the new location.

I'll let everyone know when the domain has been properly switched over.

-Yuri

Rebecca Peters Gets Body Slammed!

Not really, but she does take a pounding from Sebastian Sassi in a gun debate on Al Jazeera's English feed. Sebastian held his own against her and did a great job of representing our side.

Part 1



Part 2

Perhaps I was too hard on Alan Gura...

From subguns.com:

"Thanks for your support.

The solution to 922(o) will have to be political in the end. The fact is, outside the gun community, the concept of privately owned machine guns is intolerable to American society and 100% of all federal judges. If I had suggested in any way -- including, by being evasive and indirect and fudging the answer -- that machine guns are the next case and this is the path to dumping 922(o) -- I'd have instantly lost all 9 justices. Even Scalia. There wasn't any question of that, at all, going in, and it was confirmed in unmistakable fashion when I stood there a few feet from the justices and heard and saw how they related to machine guns. It was not just my opinion, but one uniformly held by ALL the attorneys with whom we bounced ideas off, some of them exceedingly bright people. Ditto for the people who wanted me to declare an absolute right, like I'm there to waive some sort of GOA bumper sticker. That's a good way to lose, too, and look like a moron in the process.

I didn't make the last 219 years of constitutional law and I am not responsible for the way that people out there -- and on the court-- feel about machine guns. Some people in our gun rights community have very.... interesting.... ways of looking at the constitution and the federal courts. I don't need to pass judgment on it other than to say, it's not the reality in which we practice law. When we started this over five years ago, the collective rights theory was the controlling law in 47 out of 50 states. Hopefully, on next year's MBE, aspiring lawyers will have to bubble in the individual rights answer to pass the test. I know you and many others out there can appreciate that difference and I thank you for it, even if we can't get EVERYTHING that EVERYONE wants. Honestly some people just want to stay angry. I'm glad you're not among them.

You want to change 922(o)? Take a new person shooting. Work for "climate change."

Thanks,
Alan"

Perhaps...

(h/t) Days of Our Trailers

Change We Can Believe In!

This is freaking hilarious! To bad they don't have Obama too.



(h/t) 45-Caliber Justice

Declaring Independence

There is a lot of talk by some that another American Revolution is almost upon us. I can't help but feel there is some basis in fact for this, based on things transpiring at the state and national level.

So, I've decided to take a look at the original founding document of this nation to discover the reasons our Founding Fathers decided it was necessary for them to break away from England and form their own country. I'm not talking about The Constitution or The Bill of Rights, as important as they are. No, I'm talking about The Declaration of Independence.

It is interesting and perhaps telling, that the Revolutionary War actually started because the government decided to confiscate the colonists powder and ammunition stores, an early form of gun control, if you will.

So let's take a look at the reasons given in The Declaration of Independence for separating from Great Britain and forming a new country.

Here is the first part:

"IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776
The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world."

I was going to try to condense this, but I am unable to do so. Personally, I think the original is explicit and eloquent enough to stand in it's own right. Who am I to try and compete with Thomas Jefferson himself? Please read it, it will only take a minute or two.

After this follows a long list of reasons they gave for declaring their independence from Great Britain. Let me attempt to translate these into modern terms.

Ask yourself these questions:

Has the government refused to agree to laws necessary for the public good?

Has the government forbidden state Governors from passing laws of immediate and pressing importance unless they agree with them?

Has the government refused to pass laws affecting a large group of people unless they relinquish their representation in the government?

Has the government called together its legislative bodies in odd and distant places for the sole reason of fatiguing them into compliance?

Has the government dissolved the Representative Houses for opposing invasions into peoples inalienable rights?

Has the government interfered in elections and by so doing, harmed the safety of the People?

Has the government prevented people from living where they want to live?

Has the government obstructed the administration of justice?

Has the government made judges dependent upon their will in order to remain a judge and how much they get paid?

Has the government erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent swarms of Officers to harass the people and eat out their substance.

Has the government kept standing armies among us in times of peace without our consent?

Has the government sought to establish the military as superior to the rule of civil law?

Has the government subjected us to a jurisdiction foreign to our Constitution?

What follows is a reiteration of the previous grievances.

"For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions."

How did the Founding Fathers try and defuse the situation?

"In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends."

Clearly they did not want war, but were prepared for it if it came. What did they pledge to do then?

"We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor."

So, is it time for a new American Revolution?

It is up to everyone of you to decide for yourselves. The above questions should serve as a guide. The Declaration of Independence lists the reasons the Founding Fathers felt justified them breaking away from the mother country and starting anew. I would be dubious of any lesser standard.

Thomas Jefferson once said, "The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants."

Let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Poll Results

What do you think The Supreme Court rulling on the D.C. gun ban case will be?

They will uphold the ban 1 (1%)

They will strike down the ban 29 (49%)

They will uphold the ban and rule the second ammendment is a collective right 2 (3%)

They will uphold the ban and rule the second ammendment is an individual right 13 (22%)

Some other outcome, good or bad. 14 (23%)

Thanks to everyone who voted! I will have a new poll up soon.

John McCain on the (so called) "Gun Show Loophole"

Straight from the horses mouth. This is from a few years ago, but is still relevant, seeing as he is now the Republican Presidential Candidate. I see little difference between Obama, Clinton & McCain.

The latest statistics place criminal purchase of guns at gun shows at around .07%. [sarcasm mode on]Wow, that's a real problem![sarcasm mode off]

In addition it's not even a loophole. Here is the dictionary definition of what a loophole is:

loop·hole /ˈlupˌhoʊl/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[loop-hohl] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation noun, verb, -holed, -hol·ing. –noun

1.	a small or narrow opening, as in a wall, for looking through, for admitting light and air, or, particularly in a fortification, for the discharge of missiles against an enemy outside.

2.	an opening or aperture.

3.	a means of escape or evasion; a means or opportunity of evading a rule, law, etc.: There are a number of loopholes in the tax laws whereby corporations can save money.

–verb (used with object)

4.	to furnish with loopholes.

So a loophole is a means of evading the law. In most states there is no law that prevents a citizen from selling one of their guns to another citizen.

So what are the anti's calling a loophole? What it is, is the ability of one private citizen to sell their own personal property to another private citizen without getting the government involved. It can happen anywhere, not just gun shows. Are they going to go after the "newspaper loophole" next? How about the "driveway" or "garage loophole"?

The whole thing is silly. The law will be about as effective as the Brady background checks have been. That is to say, an utter and abysmal failure. To any thinking person, the fallacy is clear. Paul Helmke can talk out of his ass all he wants, but it doesn't change the facts.

I went up to Olympia last year as part of our successful effort to stop the same type of bill in WA that had been passed in OR, with John McCains help, so obviously I feel strongly about this.

"I'm John McCain with some straight talk. Convicted felons have been able to buy and sell thousands of guns at gun shows because of a loophole in the law. Many were later used in crimes. That's wrong.

Here in Colorado, Amendment 22 will close this dangerous loophole by requiring criminal background checks by unlicensed dealers at gun shows.

I believe law-abiding citizens have the right to own guns. But with rights come responsibilities. Close the loophole. Vote Yes on Amendment 22."

—Senator John McCain

...and...

'"John McCain Urges Voters to Close the "Gun Show Loophole"

U.S. Senator John McCain (R-Arizona) is featured in two television spots in support of Colorado and Oregon ballot initiatives to close the "Gun Show Loophole."

The thirty-second ads, appearing in both states, are the first spots in a $1 million campaign sponsored by Americans for Gun Safety (AGS), a new non-partisan group that is supporting the two citizen-led referendums.

Currently, Colorado and Oregon laws allow unlicensed dealers to sell firearms at gun shows without performing the criminal background checks that are required for all sales by federally licensed dealers.

The ballot initiatives (Amendment 22 in Colorado and Measure 5 in Oregon) would mandate the same criminal background checks by unlicensed dealers at gun shows. Guns used in the Columbine shooting and the Granada Hills shooting were purchased from unlicensed dealers at gun shows—without background checks.

"Despite the tragic lessons we have learned, it is still far too easy for a convicted felon to buy firearms at a gun show. That is wrong," said Senator McCain in a recent press release. "This is not about what's conservative and what's liberal, what's Republican and what's Democrat. It's about what's right and what's wrong. And quite simply, closing this loophole is the right thing to do."

"I believe law-abiding citizens have the right to own guns, and I have steadfastly fought for those rights for many years. But with rights come responsibilities. I strongly support the Colorado and Oregon ballot initiatives that help close this dangerous loophole," said the Senator.

"These ballot initiatives have made Colorado and Oregon 'ground zero' for the gun safety debate," said AGS President Jonathan Cowan. "Americans for Gun Safety is pleased to join with a true American hero, Senator McCain, and the people of Colorado and Oregon in supporting these common-sense solutions that will help keep guns out of the hands of kids and criminals."'

John McCain can bite me. I will never vote for him.

source material

69th Anniversary of Bad Gun Laws

Check out the date in the red text and toward the bottom of the letter.


(h/t) JPFO

Gangsta'

Found here and modified by me with The Gimp. This reminds me of the HomeBoy Sights which I posted about a while back.

Patriot Power & Gas

Announcing the formation of Patriot Power & Gas
Press release follows:

"In light of the current political climate in the United States, it has come to our attention that a significant, and currently untapped, source of alternative energy has been hiding under our noses and feet.

It was always our feeling that the current state of our nation was far afield from what the founding fathers intended, but now we have proof. While visiting the graves of our founding fathers a strange phenomena was observed. At first only perceptible as an odd humming/rumbling sound, upon closer inspection it was discovered the the Earthly remains in each grave were literally rolling over and over. In addition, when separated from their compatriots, each piece of bone continued to spin on it's own.

Our proposal is this. We will attach a series of strong neodymium magnets to the vessels containing the remains and wire coils around either side. This will form a generator which will be hooked up to the power grid and supply an almost unlimited amount of power. Why, The remains of Thomas Jefferson and Benjamin Franklin alone could power the entire eastern seaboard!

Think of the possibilities! Not only could we have a source of clean, cheap power, we could also be free from our dependence on foreign oil. Small fragments of even the lesser luminaries could be used to power trains, buses, cars and more!

The only potential problem would be if we returned to the principles upon which this country was founded.

But we don't foresee this ever happening.

Another source of energy we have discovered is in of all places, Hollywood. It has often been said that celebrities such as Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell are pompous gas bags, but who knew it was actually true? If we could gather up the two of them and their like minded brethren and tap this previously untapped resource, we could supply the entire country with natural gas for mere pennies per BTU. Simply amazing!

It has also come to our attention that is now possible to turn pig waste into oil. Our scientists theorize that this is actually the source of todays oil reserves instead of decayed plants and animals as previously thought. If we could harness our domestic pig waste and turn it into oil, the remaining market for the thick, black stuff, could be satisfied. The extracted oil could be further refined into a variety of lubricants ranging from household and automotive to a very high grade gun oil, and of course fuel. There is always the possibility of competition from middle eastern pig waste oil production, but our scientists tend to discount it's having much of an impact once we are completely self sufficient.

We here at PPG are working diligently for a greater tomorrow and, much like our founding fathers, will never rest in our mission of producing cheap, clean energy for you.

Patriot Power & Gas
For a better tomorrow!"

*Actually, it is possible to turn pig waste into oil.

Inspired from a conversation I had with Jeffersonian on the way up to the Bowling Pin Shoot.

Heller Audio

For anyone interested, the audio from todays oral arguments can be had from the folks at Gun Talk with Tom Gresham.

Click here.

Heller Transcript

The transcript for todays oral arguments in the D.C. vs Heller case is now online here.

(h/t) Hairy Hobbit

Thoughts on Heller

I just got done watching the C-Span coverage.

Some quick thoughts here while I digest everything.

Dick Heller is not the most articulate guy.

Alan Gura... I'm not completely happy with his performance though he did make several good points. His seeming acceptance of registration irks me. His apparent (unless I heard him wrong) willingness to allow some guns to be banned, but not others doesn't jibe with the second amendment, particularly the part that goes "...shall not be infringed." If one were to go along with the Miller case, the ban on machine guns and short barreled shotguns is also un-constitutional, but he seemed happy with it.

The opposing council Walter Dellinger seemed to struggle at times in trying to uphold the ban under questioning from the justices. Maybe it's because the ban is un-constitutional.

Paul Helmke and Dennis Henigan got some face time in after the contingent from D.C. got their turn at the microphone. They didn't offer anything new, just the same old Brady talking points.

Adrian Fenty and his Police Chief kept saying that the murder rate has gone down since the ban and that it's a public safety issue. I wonder what statistics they're looking at to come to this conclusion. My every account the murder rate has skyrocketed and is completely out of proportion with the rest of the country. If it really was a public safety issue like they said it is, then they'd allow people the same right everyone else enjoys, the right to defend themselves. The BOR does not stop at the D.C. border, it applies to all Americans.

Over all, most of the justices I heard seemed to be supportive of the second amendment. I guess we'll find out in June what their decision is, but my gut feeling is they will strike down the D.C. gun ban and leave the second amendment as an individual right.

...but I could be wrong.

UPDATE: The Wall Street Journal's analysis seems to be spot on from what I heard during the oral arguments.

UPDATE II: My initial impression of Dick Heller was based on a short interview broadcast on C-Span in which his answer to why he felt he should be allowed to have a gun was the "An armed society is a polite society." quote. Not the best answer to give to the press. However, my estimation of him has changed for the better after reading the following:

"Speaking with him [Dick Heller] on the Supreme Court steps after the arguments - and his long question-and-answer period with the media, I asked him how he felt about “his” lawsuit.

"It's a simple case to me," Heller said, "It is wrong for the government to tell me that it is OK for me to have a gun during my work hours, but illegal for me to have a gun when the only thing I want to protect is me."

At that point, a reporter interjected: "the Mayor (DC Mayor Adrian M. Fenty) says the handgun ban and his initiatives have significantly lowered violent crime in the District. How do you answer that, Mr. Heller?"

The initial answer certainly wasn't expected - Dick Heller laughed. Ruefully.

Pointing at the Mayor who was making his way across the plaza, surrounded by at least six DC police officers, Heller said, "the Mayor doesn't know what he's talking about."

"He doesn't walk on the street like an average citizen. Look at him; he travels with an army of police officers as bodyguards - to keep him safe. But he says that I don't have the right to be a force of one to protect myself. Does he look like he thinks the streets are safe?"

There was no follow-up question."

I wish I could find video of this, but odds are it never made it to the air, knowing what I do about the media bias against guns.

Heller

Live blog here: http://www.scotusblog.com/wp/

C-SPAN Audio here: http://www.cspan.org/watch/cs_cspan_wm.asp?Cat=TV&Code=CS

This is it!

Tomorrow's the big day ladies and gentlemen!

If you're religious, pray for a good outcome. I shudder to think what might happen if they botch it up...

Daddy Radar

At three AM I woke up in a perfectly quiet house for apparently no reason. Something was wrong, but what was it? It was then I heard the coughing from my daughters room. I got up and gave her some mucus medicine and cough syrup and hopefully she'll be able to get back to sleep soon. She was awake enough to tell me she liked "Jacky Legs" (from the movie 'Kangaroo Jack') and asked me to keep the bathroom light on long enough so she could get her blankets back on, before telling me goodnight. She's cute. *grin* Anyway, I've got to call her doctor again later this morning and try to get her seen again. She was seen five days ago for the same thing and she hasn't gotten any better. I think it's time to bring out the big guns, medicinally speaking. If you'd keep her in your thoughts I'd appreciate it.

It's weird how I can sense somethings wrong even in my sleep. It's that way also when I'm out and about, especially when I'm with my kids. Not only do I have to worry about cars and such, I'm constantly scanning the area for threats. Parking lots are the worst. Kids are impulsive to begin with, so it's important to keep an eye on them. The youngest always has me hold her hand until we're inside, where she takes her seat in the cart if it's a grocery store. My vigilance doesn't stop in fact until we're back home, not even in the car.

Some might call me paranoid, like a smart-assed Aussie blogger (what a maroon!)I read recently, but unlike him, I don't expect the government to take care of me 24/7. I guess it all boils down to personal responsibility versus blundering through life in Condition White and expecting your betters (yeah right) to keep you from harm. Some may say I'm paranoid, but I say I'm only being realistic. It's funny how the same people who accuse you of being paranoid because you own/carry a gun, will think it perfectly appropriate for you to have fire extinguishers and smoke alarms. What, are you expecting a fire? It's a cold and dark world out there and you have to be prepared.

The world doesn't care whether you live or die. It's not fair and it sucks, but that's just the way it is, and it's up to you to protect yourself and your family. Pretending the world is all teddy bears, vanilla fluff and unicorns does no one any favors and can get you killed. Even in Utopian Australia.

Stay Safe!

FedEx is Anti Gun

We get e-mail...

Reader William Ewan sent me a scan of some correspondence he received from FedEx in response to his question if it was indeed company policy that no guns be allowed on company property. He asked this because of the signs he'd seen posted at an area FedEx store.

Mr. Ewan specifically requested that his name and address be shown so that FedEx would know exactly who it was that was costing them business. I have honored his request. Below is a scan of the letter he got back from FedEx.


Interesting... Perhaps if Chuck Noland* had had a firearm when his company plane crashed into the ocean, perhaps his island ordeal would have gone a little better. It certainly would have made hunting easier.

Well folks, it looks like it's time to add FedEx to the list of businesses we here at The Real Gun Guys will never do business with again.

*Yes, I'm aware he's a fictional character.

Smoking Some Pins

I went up with Jeffersonian yesterday morning to the Wolverton Mountain Gun Club in tiny Ariel, WA for their monthly pin shoot. How did I do? Honestly not that great, but I had fun and that's all that matters.

The main problem with pins is they fall over and roll around on the table instead of leaving the table. You have to shoot them in just the right place to get them to fly off the table. If you're lucky, they'll roll off the side of the table without you having to shoot them again. Also, when they're laying on the table you're presented with a much smaller target than when they were upright. Contrast this to an eight inch steel plate that falls over and stays down once hit.

Anyway, I had a blast (pun intended) and was happy with my trigger control and my reloads have improved a lot since last time. Here I am (right) preparing to draw my revolver at the beginning of a stage.

My GP-100 ate all of my handloads just fine and everything performed flawlessly. The two new (to me) speed loaders I got at the last Barberton gun show worked great. I like that I only have to insert the cartridges into the cylinder and push the button instead of having to turn the knob. To me it's a more natural motion.

This last picture is of me trying to persuade some bowling pins to leave the table. The damn things were laying down on the job instead of flying off the table like good little pins would. According to another shooter, the trick is to aim for the bottom stripe on the neck. If shot COM like I was doing they just fall over and lay down.

I'll have to remember that for next time!

Cook County "Poll" on gun control

From the Illinois State Rifle Assn:

ISRA URGENT ALERT ? YOUR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION REQUIRED

Larry Suffredin and his cohorts on the Cook County Board are up to
their old tricks again.

In order to justify passage of gun control ordinances designed to
close all gun shops and ban and confiscate most guns owned by
citizens of the county, the Cook County Board is conducting a
telephone poll where callers can vote for or against the gun control
ordinances.

Like everything else in Cook County, this poll is probably rigged.
So, it?s very important that you do the following:

1. Call 1-312 -603-6400 and select Option #1 when prompted. At the
next prompt, select Option #1 again. Then, when prompted to vote on
the gun control ordinance, press #2.

2. You should also forward this alert on to all your gun owning
friends and have them vote too.

3. You should also post this alert to any and all Internet bulletin
boards or blogs to which you belong.

YOU DO NOT HAVE TO BE A RESIDENT OF COOK COUNTY TO VOTE!

Let?s beat Suffredin at his own game! Vote early and often, and save your guns.

New Poll Up

Vote! :-)

Don't be afraid to leave comments either. *grin*

The Real Gun Guys Music Challenge

How many musical groups/artists/songs can you name that have something to do with guns? Here, I'll start it off with a few obvious ones:

1) Shiny Toy Guns (Carah Faye Charnow has an amazing voice)
2) Guns & Roses
3) Velvet Revolver
4) Warren Zevon - Roland The Headless Thompson Gunner
5) Marty Robbins - Big Iron

There are lots more I'm sure, but this is all I can think of off the top of my head.

How many can you come up with?

Funny Commercial

I realize this has nothing to do with guns, but every time this commercial comes on I start laughing. Not only is the song funny, but the look the old lady gives at :19 is hilarious. I have no connection to the company in this advertisement.

Never Again!

Arm yourself. Learn how to shoot. Defend yourself and your family. It is better to die fighting than to be subjugated.

Armed people are citizens, disarmed people are subjects and slaves.


Yeah, I know the source of the spot is weird, but the message is still good.

(h/t) Rustmeister

Boy Attacked by Rabid Mountain Lion

Tell me again why we're even having a debate about allowing people to carry guns in National Parks? The danger this time was of the four legged variety, but there are numerous crimes, up to and including rape and murder, in our National Parks. Sometimes they even find the bodies. Just because you're in the wilderness doesn't mean you're safe, anymore than when out and about in "civilization."

"After a morning spent riding their ATVs, they stopped by a river around 2 p.m. to eat lunch. The two kids were on a sandy beach when the female mountain lion arrived, apparently also intent on a meal.

“She was walking and she just stopped right behind me,” P.J. said, his tone as matter-of-fact as if he were describing an encounter with a kitten. “I see my little cousin Brittany, she looks scared in her face. So I turn around and I see it. Then everyone starts saying, ‘Hold still. Hold still,’ so we just froze.”

“I was actually scared at first. I was shaking,” added Brittany, who said her discomfort was made worse because “I had an itch in my back.”

But when she heard her grandmother yelling, “Stay still. Don’t move. Don’t move,” that’s just what she did.

P.J.’s grandfather, Newton Smith, was about 10 feet away, and he’s convinced that had the children started screaming and running, the lion would have gone into lethal attack mode. Instead, it casually investigated P.J., who showed remarkable courage by standing stock-still as the animal scratched his back with its claws. Even when the lion opened its jaws and tried to get his head in its jaws, he didn’t move."

...

"Fortunately, another adult — P.J.’s uncle — in the party had brought a handgun along and had left it in a vehicle that was parked nearby. He ran to get the gun, and when the animal started to investigate whether P.J.’s head was bite-sized, Smith told him to shoot the animal, which he did with one extremely well-placed shot."

Read more here.

BREAKING NEWS: LEN SAVAGE ON LOU DOBBS TONIGHT

From David Codrea of War on Guns.

BREAKING NEWS: LEN SAVAGE ON LOU DOBBS TONIGHT

I just got off the phone with Len Savage.

Lou Dobbs Tonight is featuring him in two segments. Per show producer Chris Murphey:

We will possibly split this story into a two part event…either way we’ll be running something tonight in the show…airs 7P-8p EST on CNN…unsure of the hit time for this piece, but expect it in the first half-hour.

So it may be one segment tonight and another segment tomorrow. Anyway, plan on watching this, or else program your recorder if you can't. Expect legal and technical issues to be explored that you have not seen on "mainstream" television before. At this point, we have every reason to believe the coverage will be fair and comprehensive.

UPATE: In case they repeat it, the 2nd Amendment story runs from :35 mins after to about :41 mins. They're going to have more on this story tomorrow they said. Tonights story focused on the man who was convicted of illegally transferring a machine gun when an AR-15 he loaned someone malfunctioned and doubled after having 800 rounds shot through it. I thought tonights show was very sympathetic to the 2nd Amendment and gun owners. Lou Dobbs proclaimed himself a gun owner too on the show.

Does anyone know where I can get this movie?

I've tried all the usual places... Netflix doesn't stock it, Amazon only has PAL versions, Suncoast has never heard of it.

Preparation Tips

Here's some tips for all those out there wanting to put together a SHTF kit or BOB or who are wanting to stock up for an emergency. Wal-mart (if you can stand the huddled masses), dollar stores and thrift/second hand stores have great deals on the things you need. Also, don't be afraid to hit the garage/estate sales. It's rare, but a good deal can be had on something you really need and the person selling doesn't realize they need it, yet. Also wholesale stores like Costco are great for stocking up on bulk items, though you're going to pay more for what you get.

At the local Dollar Tree, for example, I found an eight pack of AA batteries and bottles of hand sanitizer for a buck each. The hand sanitizer can double as a fire starting aid since, being mostly alcohol, it lights easily. It burns with a blue, almost invisible flame.

One thing to consider when stocking up on batteries is that air, while it has a high resistance to electric current, still conducts. This is why batteries go dead in the store while they are sitting on the shelf. One way to combat this is to put them in an airtight bag and pump out all the air. Wal-mart has a hand held vacuum pump for under $7 and the bags to go with it. Ammunition and other items may also be vacuum packed. The possibilities are almost endless.

Water. You can live 4-6 weeks without food, but only 3 or 4 days without water (1G a day/person). I know this for a fact. While I was in the hospital leading up to my surgery, I ate and drank nothing at all for days, the only outside help being the IV in my vein. It wasn't pleasant, but it was manageable. Sources of water are actually easy to find currently. Most stores stock bottled water. Wal-mart has a 2.5G container for under $2. Buy now while it's cheap! I have. In the event you have to go out and find some water, a filtration pitcher or other filtering device would come in handy. Baring that, you can make your own. Activated charcoal granuls are widely available. The savvy survivor could rig up something appropriate. Ten drops of plain bleach her gallon of water should kill most anything that'll make you sick. Always have some on hand. It won't taste very good, and it'll smell like a swimming pool, but it will work.

That's all I can think of for now. I hope this helps someone. :-)

One more thing... If you have any of those orange plastic prescription bottles left over after taking the medicine inside, keep them. Take the label off and destroy it, and then wash them to get rid of the medicine residue. They make excellent water tight containers for matches and whatnot.

What kind of Gun am I?

I am a: Colt model 1911 in 45ACP

What kind of handgun are YOU?

US Marshal Judicial Security Inspector Threatens Pro-Second Ammendment Blogger

This REALLY pissed me off. Sorry for the sour tone of this post, but how DARE they?

Apparently US Marshal Judicial Security Inspector David A. Meyer took Ryan Horsley aside at his trial the other day and told him to pass a warning along to David Codrea (War on Guns).

From David's blog:

"I understand you took Ryan Horsley aside at the conclusion of trial testimony and instructed him to advise me of the Court Security Improvement Act of 2007, specifically, "Inspector Meyer asked me to contact you in regards to posting any information with the intent to threaten, intimidate, or incite the commission of a crime of violence against that covered official... "'

This was meant as intimidation pure and simple. It is an attempt to use the force of government to silence one of their most vocal critics. For the record, David has NEVER threatened, intimidated of tried to incite violence against any government official. Unlike the kitten stompers and dog shooters, David doesn't stoop to their level, and I doubt he'd chase a family pet back into a burning building, laughing and joking as it screamed while being burnt to death. He's not like that. Just like he wouldn't burn dozens of women and children alive because they didn't believe the same thing as everyone else and had dared stand up to their authority.

I'll be keeping an eye on what happens to David, and if something does happen I'll let everyone who comes to this blog know exactly what happened and who's to blame. You can count on that.

To quote V for Vendetta, "People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Read more here.

"We're from the government, and we're here to help!"
-The ATF, protecting us from you, since 1972.

Range Day

Last Saturday Jeffersonian and I went up to the range to send some no-serialized bullets downrange, make a lot of noise and have a hell of a time, all in the interest of science, of course.

First up were the Mosins. Two M44's and one M91/30. We each shot ten rounds of his handloads through each of the rifles and compared the results. Besides proving (again) that he's a lot better shot than me (2MOA vs MONAZI), we also learned that the M91/30 shoots a lot better than the M44's we had with us. The M91/30 shot consistently high and right(1 - 2 o'clock) about 4 inches with both of us shooting. With Jeffersonian shooting, it turned in a respectable 2MOA with both of our handloads. Not bad for a 70 year old military surplus Russian rifle with rudimentary sights and a crappy trigger. Now that I know it'll do it, I think I'm going to spend some more money on this rifle and get it some decent sights or a scope, and an after market trigger.


Here's the results from 100 yards with my handloads and Jeffersonian shooting. That tool is exactly 4 inches long.


Compared to mine. Yes, there's five shots. There's a flier in the upper right quadrant. I was shooting some of Jeffersonians handloads. Notice the POI is basically the same.


Here I am touching of one of my handloads.


From there we moved on over to the Garand. It is my intention to shoot in the May Garand match at the range, so Jeffersonian let me touch off a few rounds. Once I got used to the sight picture I managed to send my last six shots into the black from 100 yards. Yes, there's seven holes, but one of those (9 ring, 4 o'clock) is left over from the Mosin experiment.


Here's some bonus footage of Jeffersonian shooting his Garand.


From there we headed up to the top range and tried to get my SKS sighted in. With his help, we were able to establish that it was grouping at least (4 - 5 MOA), but some sighting issues may be contributing to the problems I have been having. A) the scope is mounted high. There may be no getting around that because of the way I've had to mount it. B) the scope is canted slightly, increasing the parallax error. I'm going to correct those as best I can and try again with more factory ammo. Speaking of which, I think the surplus ammo I had may have been contributing to the inaccuracy too, because with Winchester FMJ's the rifle was grouping.


Here's a target shot at 25 yards. The trend continued out to 50 yards, ending up high and right, but we ran out of ammo and time so I'll have to come back once I get the scope adjusted and try again.


Finally, here's some more video of Jeffersonian shooting the SKS. I'd have some of me, but he was busy trying out a rifle of his own while I was taking my turn. Next time, I promise!


Well, we both learned a lot from our day at the range. Now I can't wait to get back up there and get in some more trigger time. Lord knows I need it! *grin*

UPDATE: I accidentally left out the load information for the 7.62x54R loads we used. Mine was prvi-partizan brass and 150gn (.311) FMJBT bullets over 43.9gn IMR 3031 with a Winchester WLR primer. Loaded to a 2.9" COAL. Sierra manual lists a 2,500fps MV but I didn't have a chronograph. Jeffersonians was 125gr (.311) Sierra Pro Hunter #2305 flat-base Spitzer soft-point bullets, S&B case, 50.5gn H380 and Winchester WLR primer. Loaded to 2.85" COAL. He has clocked this load doing an average of 2,534fps through the chronograph. Both loads were run through the Lee Factory Crimp Die.

UPDATE II: I just discovered that the scope rings on my SKS are loose enough that I can rotate the red dot with firm hand pressure. Unacceptable. I will be locking them down with some locktite ASAP. This would explain the reason the scope was canted to the left.

Range Report Coming

I just got in from a pretty enjoyable day at the range. I didn't get everything done that I wanted to, but I got enough info that it's going to take me a bit to get it all together and posted. ...and yes, I have a couple of videos!

Right now though, I just got home and I'm tired, hungry and sore. I promise to have a full range report up ASAP!

Also, I don't normally do this, but if your a religious person please pray for my mom, and if not, please send any well wishes her way. I got a call at the range today as I was finishing up that my Dad was going to take her to the hospital. That's where they are right now, actually. She's dehydrated and weak and can barely walk across the floor by herself. We have to help her out of chairs now too. It seems like everyday she gets just a little bit more feeble. It's like watching her die slowly before my eyes. She seems to have beaten the cancer the almost killed her, but things are still not well with her.

Well, I have some things I need to do. I'll get the range report up ASAP, probably tonight or tomorrow.

I thought this was funny

From "American Dad". They probably intended it as a slam, but they got it right...

Goldilocks Gungrabber

LOL! This cartoon hits it right on the head!


Found via comments @ Armed and Safe

"The Government Should have a Monopoly on Force"

Or in other words, "Only the Police and military should have guns." Tell that to the starving North Koreans who were recently executed because they dared cross into China looking for food for themselves and their families.

Is this really the kind of world we want?

------

North Korea publicly executes 15 starving refugees fleeing to China in desperate search for food

North Korea has publicly executed 15 starving people, mostly women, for illegally entering neighbouring China in search of food, an aid group said yesterday.

The 13 women and two men were shot on a bridge in the north-eastern town of Onseong as local residents watched. It was the second mass execution to be reported this week.

The group of 15 were sentenced to death for illegally crossing the border into China or for helping others to do so, to ask for help, in money or food, from relatives living there.

The report of the shootings, on February 20, came from the South Korean group, Good Friends, which works in the North.

Officials in South Korea's unification ministry, who handle relations with the impoverished communist North, could not confirm the bridge killings.

But Good Friends said residents were appalled by what they saw.

One resident said: "The shooting was too much - all those people did it for their livelihood. They got too harsh punishment. Everyone is anxious about a lack of food."

Good Friends, citing a local official, said the execution was aimed at deterring an expected surge of people illegally crossing the border this spring.

It has become a daily routine for a few residents to disappear and illegally cross the border to visit relatives in China.

"We shot them to send a warning to people," the official said.

Good Friends said unauthorised border crossings are normally punishable with a maximum seven year jail sentence.

North Korea suffers severe food shortages and frontier provinces provide opportunities for residents to get supplies before returning.

Others flee their homeland through China, the refugees often travelling to Southeast Asia hoping to win resettlement in South Korea.

Rights groups estimate tens of thousands of North Koreans are hiding in northeast China.

In another alleged incident of North Korean zero tolerance of anyone suspected of trying to leave the country, a South Korean newspaper yesterday reported North Korea had executed 22 fishermen on their return after straying out of the country's waters by mistake.

Having drifted into South Korean territory, they told officials they had no intention of claiming asylum.

They said they strayed accidentally while fishing for clams and oysters. They were sent back to North Korea where the fishermen were shot dead by agents of North Korea's national security agency.

Armed Student Helps End School Attack

No, not in the United States, but in Israel. Students here would have probably lined up against the wall and waited to die. Anyway. A cowardly murderer walked into a seminary in Israel and started mowing down students. One student drew his pistol and fired back, striking the murderer twice in the head before someone else with a rifle finished the job. Remember folks, when seconds count, the police are only minutes away.

One of the students, Yitzhak Dadon, reportedly shot the gunman twice before he was finally killed by an off-duty Israeli army officer, who had gone to the school after hearing gunfire.

"I shot him twice in the head," he told the Reuters news agency.

"He started to sway and then someone else with a rifle fired at him, and he died."

So why don't we allow CCW permit holders to carry in schools here? Oh yes, it's because the anti's want to feel safe, without actually being safe.

Read more here.

22 Match This Morning

My range has started a new match on Thursday mornings for .22's. So this morning I packed up the kids and dropped them off at school and then proceeded to the range. The match started at 9AM and I managed to get there just in time to shoot in the second relay. I also shot an additional target for no score for the practice.

The targets were set out at 50 yards and consisted of twenty five small bullseyes and three sighters, which I needed because my custom Ruger 10/22 had been sighted in for 100 yards. I shot the low velocity Federal Premium .22lr (40gn LRN - 1,050 FPS) today.

I finally got my scope sighted in on the sighters and shot my first target. I didn't do too badly, though there were better shooters than I there. For the first target I got 177 out of 250 points. The second target I did better with 182 out of 250 points, but that one didn't count.

Even though I didn't win I had fun and that's what counts!

Why you should carry everyday!

Here's a good article from WND.

Here's a sample. Be sure and read the whole thing.

"The first step to stopping criminals from acting like they are entitled to rob, rape and murder is to get as many honest, law-abiding citizens as possible out in society carrying a gun. If the deranged killers knew they wouldn't get a shot off before being gun downed, they would find a different outlet for their rage. Instead, they are most likely to find a location where everyone turns and runs like sheep or choose to meekly submit.

Usually, after a person submits he is shot.

Instead of kneeling down to be executed or running like frightened rabbits, people should use their right to bear arms and fight back. Only by stacking the deck in favor of the law-abiding can we hope to stop criminals from preying on innocent people. Two things need to happen to put criminals on alert."

(H/T) to Jeffersonian

Ammunition Encoding

A colossal mistake if passed and dependent on sole source technology, the current encoded ammunition scheme being pimped by the technologies sole patent owner is (who stands to make a fortune if this is passed), I hope, doomed to failure. This doesn't mean we can relax though. We need to keep hammering on this with our elected representatives until the threat has been squashed.

Jerry the Geek of Cogito Ergo Geek has a great roundup of the whole encoding mess. Go read!

Song for a Wednesday Morning

I guess this goes along with my mood right now. I've liked this song for a long time and thought I'd share it here with you.

America
"Horse With No Name"

It's been over a year...

...since I started The Real Gun Guys.

My first post here is dated February 26th of 2007. So much has happened since then, at least three or four major school shootings, two mall shootings and an attack on a church. Luckily, in the last one, an armed civilian was able to bring down the killer and saved many lives that day. Despite this, the anti's still fail to understand the basic principles of self defense and continue to deny that right to others.

I originally started this blog in an attempt to counteract the anti "blog" with the misleading title. I think I've done so fairly well, though there are things I wish I could go into in more depth, but being the single father of three young children leaves me little time. Lucky for me, the other blogs I read do a great job of picking up the slack. I recommend everyone read the blogs in my blog roll, there are some excellent reads in there! One thing I have tried to do is stay fresh and original. If other blogs are covering an event I will usually refrain from posting about it. If this is in error, let me know.

One thing I've been doing also has been to put more of my personal gun related experiences here instead of focusing on the news and commenting on it. If you like that please let me know and I'll try and post more of that kind of thing here.

What will happen in the future? There's the Heller case coming up soon and then later on in the year, the presidential election. As far as the Heller case is concerned, I think the court will rule in our favor, at the very least I don't expect the situation to get any worse. Clearly the districts gun ban is unconstitutional. Of course this has never stopped the anti's from pushing for further infringements of our rights. The founding fathers would turn over in their graves if they saw what this country has become.

As far as the presidential election, I shudder to think what will happen. None of the choices this year fill me with joy. The only difference between them is whether or not they have a D or an R after their name. That's it. The only candidate who was strong on gun rights, strong on national defense and strong on illegal immigration is no longer running. I did vote for him in the primary as his name was still on the ballot. I will admit to feeling a bit pissed off, frustrated and let down that he gave up so quickly. Some offer up Ron Paul as an alternative. His views on guns I like, but his national defense and border policies turn me off. I classify myself as a conservatarian, a conservative with libertarian beliefs. I have to admit, I don't feel like I belong fully in either camp. It's a good thing the world isn't black and white, although some operate as if it was. I sincerely feel that we're doomed whoever gets into the White House, the only difference being on how long it takes for the end of our rights to come. I'd love to be proven wrong though.

Sorry for the rambling. Anyway, I hope everyone is doing well today. I'm finally starting to feel like I was before my hospitalization. While I was on my feet and out of the hospital within days of my operation, the full recovery has taken two or three weeks more. At least the bruises from the needle sticks in my arms have faded. *sigh* If you've read this far, thank you. I don't often open myself up in a public forum and I do tend to ramble once I get started. Take care and good day!

More Stupidity

This story makes me physically ill.

-------

Guns melted for peace

Yakub Qureshi
26/ 2/2008

ILLEGAL firearms seized by police in Greater Manchester are being turned into symbols of peace.

The weapons have been melted down to create special coins commemorating the victims of gun crime.

Each coin is marked with 55 notches - a poignant tribute to the 55 people killed by gunmen in Greater Manchester over the last eight years.

Firearms confiscated by GMP or handed in during amnesties are normally destroyed.

But anti-violence campaigners have joined forces with Salford University to launch the Guns into Goods scheme, which will see a number of seized weapons smelted and transformed into usable commodities.

The Manchester Peace Coins are the first items to be created as part of the three-year scheme. The coins will be sold to raise cash to help fight crime and also to fund activities to divert youngsters from a life of crime.

An exclusive first edition coin will be auctioned off at a special event at the City of Manchester Stadium on March 8th.

Gun culture

Paul Haywood, a metalwork expert from the university's school of art and design, who has overseen the project, said youngsters who were at risk of drifting into gang culture would be asked to take part in future projects. He said: "With this project we hope to engage with young people from the Manchester metropolitan area who are at greatest risk of becoming involved in gang and gun culture - as victims, witnesses or offenders.

"We want to convert the ideas of young people in the community into creative and original products that can be manufactured from smelted gun metals."

Specialist equipment at the university is used to breakdown and melt the disabled weapons, including smelters capable of reaching fiery temperatures of up to 1,500C.

Erinma Bell, founder of campaign group Carisma, said that as well as equipping youngsters with new skills, the scheme would deliver a symbolic message for peace.

She said: "This is a brand new project and the first to directly target the physical destruction of guns.

"The goal is a sustained campaign of positive work with communities and schools to develop creative opportunities for young people to join in the efforts to raise awareness, counter gun crime and remove guns from the streets."

The proceeds from the sale will pay for a monument to be erected in Manchester's Peace Garden and will also fund further youth activities in the city.

You are responsible for your own safety!

This struck home with me because I took my 4 y/o daughter out with me to lunch today. I took my usual seat where I could watch the main and side door and the counter while we ate. It was enjoyable spending time with her. I remember thinking to myself, "What if someone comes in here and starts shooting people?" Yes, I was carrying.

Shades of Luby's Cafeteria...

----

2 Dead, 5 Injured in Wendy's Shooting

By BRIAN SKOLOFF – 2 hours ago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. (AP) — A gunman burst into a Wendy's restaurant at lunchtime on Monday, killing one person and injuring five others before killing himself, officials said.

The gunfire sent customers scampering out of the restaurant. Motorists at the drive-thru window also fled, some leaving their vehicles running.

Palm Beach County sheriff's spokeswoman Teri Barbera said three of the survivors were in critical condition. Two others had minor injuries, including one person who was injured while running away.

"I just saw a lady with a little boy in her arms come running out screaming, 'Somebody's shooting!'" said Sandra Jackson, who had been getting gas across the street. The woman said her husband was still inside, said Jackson, 43, of Palm Springs.

Several people were carried away from the restaurant on stretchers. Authorities did not identify the shooter or the victims.

The mayhem unfolded just after noon during the lunch hour rush. Palm Beach County sheriff's spokesman Paul Miller said the shooter entered the restaurant and went to a restroom before coming out brandishing what appeared to be a 9 mm handgun.

Ashley Milton, 28, said she had just opened the door to get lunch when she heard the "pop pop" of gunfire and saw people running.

"I really didn't think that's what it was. I thought this can't be happening," she said. "You see your life flash before your eyes."

The gunman went to the counter, Miller said, shooting a customer before slowly turning to his left and firing on others before shooting himself.

About 10 to 15 people were believed to be in the restaurant at the time of the shooting, Miller said.

Bob Bertini, a Wendy's Inc. spokesman based in Dublin, Ohio, said the restaurant was cooperating with the sheriff's office.

"This is a terrible and sad day for our restaurant and for this community. It was a senseless tragedy," Bertini said.

Today's Oleg Volk

Quick! Is this a hunter or a sniper? Is it a hunting rifle or a sniper rifle?

Sage words and an excellent photo by Oleg Volk.

Guns Save Lives

Yes it's true, no matter what the anti-freedom activists would like you to believe. Here's a snippet from the WND article about the brief submitted by the LEAA to the Supreme Court on the side of freedom in the D.C. gun ban case.

Good stuff!

"When sexual assaults started rising in Orlando, Fla., in 1966, police officers noticed women were arming themselves, so they launched a firearms safety course for them. Over the next 12 months, sexual assaults plummeted by 88 percent, burglaries fell by 25 percent and not one of the 2,500 women who took the course fired a gun in a confrontation.

And that, says a new brief submitted to the U.S. Supreme Court by police officers and prosecutors in a controversial gun-ban dispute, is why gun ownership is important and should be available to individuals in the United States.

The arguments come in an amicus brief submitted by the Law Enforcement Alliance of America, whose spokesman, Ted Deeds, told WND there now are 92 different law enforcement voices speaking together to the Supreme Court in the Heller case.

That pending decision will decide whether an appeals court ruling striking down a District of Columbia ban on handguns because it violates the 2nd Amendment will stand or not. The gun ban promoters essentially argue that any gun restriction that is ruled "reasonable" is therefore constitutional, such as the D.C. handgun ban.

Deeds said this probably is the largest unified law enforcement statement in support of the 2nd Amendment ever, and includes nearly a dozen organizations that represent tens of thousands of police officers across the country, dozens of state attorneys general, dozens of prosecutors and a long list of federal law enforcement experts up to and including federal judges."

Read the rest here.

Update: Bad Cop No Donut

Here's an update on a story from my neck of the woods. Last December, a Cop (that's him on the right) got pissed at the owner of a meat market for not putting hot pepper flake in his jerky. The argument escalated until the Cop pulled his gun on the store owner.

Anyone who tells you there isn't a double standard for Cops is lying. If I had done what he did, I'd be in jail right now...and so should he.

----
Cop, butcher in clear after dispute

Thursday, February 28, 2008
By Stephanie Rice, Columbian staff writer

The Great Meat Fight of 2007 has been declared a draw.

Criminal charges will not be filed against Vancouver Police Officer Roger Evans or Top Choice Meats owner Mike Brannan, a special prosecutor said Wednesday.

The Dec. 21 altercation started when Evans, who went to the Orchards shop to pick up a venison order while off duty, became upset that market employees failed to add pepper flakes to his venison jerky.

According to witnesses, Evans and Brannan had a lengthy, heated exchange that ended with Evans drawing his gun, customers ducking for cover and a flurry of calls to 911.

Clark County Sheriff’s Detective Rick Buckner, who investigated the incident, found no fault with Evans. He recommended misdemeanor assault charges against Brannan based on Evans’ claim that the butcher shoved a heavy box of venison at the police officer’s chest outside the store.

The Vancouver city attorney prosecutes misdemeanors within city limits, but Charles Isely and James Senescu, a former assistant city attorney and a former deputy county prosecutor, respectively, were asked to review the case to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest since a police officer was involved.

Isely said there was a lack of credible and consistent evidence to support any criminal charges.

Therese Lavallee, Brannan’s attorney, received the special prosecutors’ report and said no witnesses corroborated Evans’ claim that Brannan shoved the box at him.

Witnesses did, however, say that Evans drew his weapon without provocation.

That could support a charge of second-degree assault with a firearm, prosecutors said in their report, but they declined to file such a charge because they said Evans could argue self-defense.

Evans has said he pulled his weapon because he feared Brannan was going to pull one out first.
The prosecutors reasoned that, as a police officer, Evans has a heightened sense about predicting what a person is going to do, Lavallee said.

But what about his SWAT training on how to defuse a situation? Lavallee asked.

“There’s no justification I can see to pull a loaded gun,” she said.

Lavallee said Evans should be charged.

“It should go to a jury. That’s what our system is for,” she said.

Any other person who pulled a gun on a store owner would have been arrested, Lavallee and Brannan said.

“He’s a city official. They’re just covering up to protect him,” Brannan said. “I’m just a citizen.”

Attorney Tom Phelan spoke on Evans’ behalf Wednesday but said he couldn’t discuss the situation because of a pending internal affairs investigation.

Evans, who remains on administrative duty, is a respected SWAT and K-9 officer. Evans also made the news last year when his German shepherd partner, Dakota, was shot and killed by a suspect in Brush Prairie.

When Evans drew his weapon Dec. 21, Brannan said he was dumbfounded.

“I’ve never had a gun pointed at me. Hey, it’s pretty scary.”

He and his wife, Patti, have lost sleep over the situation.

During Buckner’s investigation, a few people came forward and described Brannan as a hothead.
“None of them were there,” Brannan said.

Besides, “if I was a mean, rude person you would not want to come and buy meat from me, and I’ve been there seven years.”

He said his customers have teased him about the meat fight, either coming in with their hands up saying, “Hey, Mike, I don’t have a gun,” or inspecting their order and pretending to be upset about missing pepper flake.

But he hasn’t found too much to laugh about.

He said he has tried to conceal his stress at work.

“Like our sign says, ‘Customer service with a smile,’ ” Brannan said.

Stephanie Rice can be contacted at 360-735-4549 or stephanie.rice@columbian.com.

Restraining Orders Are Worthless

Sadly, once again we learn that the only good restraining order is one printed on a sheet of Kevlar.

----

Girls hide as man kills ex-girlfriend, self

Watch the story

PORT ANGELES, Wash. -- Police say a man kicked in the door of his ex-girlfriend's house and shot her to death before taking his own life on Sunday.

Deputy Chief Terry Gallagher said the woman's two daughters ran upstairs and called 911 to report that the 41-year-old man was in their house with a gun.

Officers heard two gun shots as they arrived at the house in near the intersection of West 13th Street and South Oak Street, and found the man and woman dead inside.

The two girls, age 9 and 11, were found hiding in a closet and were not hurt.

Gallagher said the man and woman, whose names have not been released, broke up about five months ago. The 35-year-old woman who was killed had also filed for an anti-harassment order.

Detectives cordoned off the area and had to wait for a search warrant before going back in the home to begin collecting evidence.

RIP "Grits" Gresham