CCW Bills in WA State

I was unable to make it to Olympia yesterday due mostly to health reasons. I wish I could have been there though, last year was a blast!

The usual suspects were on hand to sponsor and support the anti-gun bill. Thankfully it seems that a large number of gun rights supporters were on hand to thwart their efforts.

Here is a news story about yesterday's events. Enjoy!

As was pointed out by Joe Waldron, someone really should enlighten Ms. Comer and KOMO what the difference between defending yourself and vigilantism is.

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Two bills take opposite sides on issue of guns on campus

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Two state lawmakers have offered dramatically different bills dealing with guns on college campuses and the measures touched off spirited debate Thursday at a Senate committee hearing.

The bill offered by Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, would ban weapons at colleges that host high school students. That would include community colleges that offer the Running Start program, and universities when high school students are touring.

In response to Murray's bill, Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, introduced her own measure that would prohibit universities from banning concealed weapons. Her argument is that people with permits to carry weapons would make campuses safer. Most universities now ban weapons on campus, but that is not a state law.

The debate before the Senate Committee on Higher Education touched on everything from the Second Amendment to last year's fatal mass shooting at Virginia Tech.

Neither measure is likely to go anywhere in this year's short legislative session, said Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, the committee chairman. He suggested the sponsors work out their differences and come back next year.

Murray said his bill is an extension of existing state law that prohibits weapons at elementary and secondary schools.

"When you talk about guns, people start to flip out," he said. "We have a tragic history in this country with guns in high schools. We're not infringing on the Second Amendment when we try to protect (students)."

But Roach declared, "Based on the policy of the last 30 years, it may be evident that this is a failed policy, there have been 38 college and school shootings since the prohibition of guns in schools was enacted. There were only two recorded during the 150 years preceding that prohibition."

Murray offered his bill after hearing from constituents of a case last October at Seattle Central Community College where a student was found carrying three weapons, including semiautomatic handguns.

At Virginia Tech last April, a student fatally shot 32 people before committing suicide.

At the University of Washington in Seattle, employee Rebecca Griego was fatally shot last April by an ex-boyfriend who then killed himself.

The hearing attracted a handful of college students, including some from the UW, who testified in favor of concealed weapons on campuses.

Trip Volpe, a UW student who has a concealed weapon permit, called the policy against weapons on campus ineffective and added "there's very little anyone can do to stop a person with a gun in hand and murder in their hearts."

During the current session, Gov. Chris Gregoire requested a bill aimed at improving campus safety, but it did not touch on the gun issue. Idaho's Legislature is also considering a bill similar to Roach's.

Pro-gun backers showed up in force, handing out buttons opposing the gun-banning bill. They argued that people who want to use guns to hurt people would not care about weapon bans.

"I want to make sure the record reflects that Virginia Tech was a gun free zone, and results (were) painfully predictable," said Brian Judy, testifying for the National Rifle Association. "Only the victims were gun free."

But gun foes said guns on campuses would create more trouble.

"Well-intentioned people who have firearms and want to save the day often end up adding to the violence of the situation or becoming victims themselves," said Kristen Comer, executive director of Washington Cease Fire. "Any time we start to get into the area of vigilante justice, it's a bit precarious."

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The bill banning weapons on community college campuses is SB 6841. The bill prohibiting universities from banning concealed weapons is SB 6860.

S&W Model 36 "Chief's Special" Info

The last few times I've been in a certain shop which sells guns , I've had a certain revolver calling to me, "Yuri, take me home!" The problem is, I have no real reason to buy it, but yet it still keeps calling my name.

It's a S&W Model 36 "Chief's Special" in ".38 S&W Special", "J" frame, 5 shot snubnose with a 1 7/8" (near as I could measure) pinned barrel. The pinned barrel means it was made before 1982, my research tells me. The firing pin is attached (pinned) to the hammer and the side plate has two screws in it, if that makes any difference.

Condition: It looks for all the world like it spent it's life living in a holster. There is definite holster wear at the muzzle and the breech face bears the distinct impressions of long gone cartridges. It is a little dirty, but that's nothing a good scrubbing wouldn't fix. I pulled back the hammer and cylinder movement seemed to be within acceptable limits. Rifling is a little worn, but looks at least as good as a lot newer revolver which was also on display. The firing pin seems a bit loose and will move slightly up and down (no side to side), is this normal?

Serial #: (update) 82J841. Any idea how old it is?

Price: The shop wants $250 for it. I'm inclined to think this is a fair price.

So...any advice, information or opinions?

Know your weapon!

If the bad guy had been anywhere near competent or had used a revolver, this guy would be dead now. It's a good thing the intended victim knew enough about guns to realize what he had to do. The lesson here for CCW permit holders is: If you're carrying a gun for protection, practice practice practice. Know your weapon. Personally I've preferred revolvers because they're simpler to operate, no safeties to forget to switch off. Even now that I have my Kahr CW9, it's a DAO pistol with no safety, so in that regard it's just like a revolver.

Thanks to Traction Control for the link.

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Witness turns tables on gunman trying to kill him

By DEANNA BOYD

Star-Telegram staff writer

FORT WORTH -- A witness to a slaying escaped severe injury or death early Thursday when a relative of the murder suspect tried to shoot him in the head but the gun would not fire, police said.

Lt. Dean Sullivan, police spokesman, said the witness, who had noticed that the gun's safety was still on, wrestled the gun away from the suspect, took off the safety and then shot the fleeing suspect once in the back.

Sullivan said two people who were with the suspect who had been waiting by the street then got their own guns from a car and returned fire at the witness. He said the witness retreated inside his home in the 1400 block of East Butler Street and was not injured.

The three suspects fled before police could arrive. As officers were at the scene investigating, John Peter Smith Hospital reported to police that a man with a gunshot in the back had been dropped off at the hospital by occupants of a vehicle who then left, Sullivan said.

The wounded man, whom police did not identify because he had not been formally arrested, initially told officers that he had been shot outside a nightclub but was linked by investigations to the shooting on Butler, Sullivan said. He faces a charge of aggravated assault.

"Our suspect's still in critical condition, so we haven't been able to interview him at length in regards to his side of the story," Sullivan said. "If it's determined through the course of investigation that we're able to establish some ulterior motive specifically, tampering or retaliation against a witness in that murder case, then certainly higher charges will be presented."

The victim is a witness in the June 3 shooting of Joe Abrego, 29.

Gregorio Ontiveros has been indicted on a murder charge in Abrego's death and is awaiting trial.

Police have said Ontiveros and Abrego had been drinking in the front yard of the home in the 1400 block of East Butler Street when Abrego challenged Ontiveros to a fight. They said that later, when Abrego challenged Ontiveros again, Ontiveros pulled out a gun and shot Abrego in the chest.

On Thursday, the witness told police, he was awakened shortly before 3:30 a.m. by the suspect, a relative of Ontiveros, knocking on his door.

"He opened the door, and that suspect said he needed to talk to him about the case with his [relative] coming up for trial," Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the witness replied that he didn't have anything to talk about and that there was nothing to say.

"At that time his attention was drawn to two accomplices that were standing in the street behind the suspect vehicle at the end of the driveway," Sullivan said. "He looked at them, and when he looked back, the suspect had produced a handgun and was pointing it at the victim's head. That suspect attempted to fire the weapon, but it did not discharge."

Sullivan said police are still looking for the two people who were with the suspect.

Ontiveros has been free on bail since July in connection with Abrego's death.

dboyd@star-telegram.com
DEANNA BOYD, 817-390-7655

The Sig Sauer P250

I don't own any Sig Sauer products, nor do I own any stock in the company. I just think this new gun looks hella cool.

The Journalist's Guide to Gun Violence Coverage

The Journalist's Guide to Gun Violence Coverage
By. Dr. Michael Brown

Guns are a sad fact of life in American culture and are a major topic in modern journalism. A good Journalist has a duty to get involved and make a difference in this important societal debate. By following certain guidelines, the concerned Journalist can be assured of having the maximum impact on this shameful problem.

The first principle to remember is that subtle use of terminology can covertly influence the reader. Adjectives should be chosen for maximum anti-gun effect. When describing a gun, attach terms like "automatic," "semi-automatic," "large caliber," "deadly," "high powered," or "powerful". Almost any gun can be described by one or more of these terms. More than two guns should be called an "arsenal".

Try to include the term "assault weapon" if at all possible. This can be combined with any of the terms above for best results. Nobody actually knows what an assault weapon is, so you cannot be criticized for this usage. Your local anti-gun organization can provide you with a list of the latest buzz words like "junk guns," "Saturday Night Specials," and "the criminal’s weapon of choice".

Don’t worry about getting technical details right. Many a reporter has accidentally written about semi-automatic revolvers or committed other minor errors. Since most people know little about guns, this is not a problem. Only the gun nuts will complain and they don’t count. The emotional content of your article is much more important than the factual details, since people are more easily influenced through their emotions than through logic.

Broadcast Journalists should have a file tape showing a machine gun firing on full automatic. Run this video while describing "automatic" weapons used in a crime or confiscated by police. At the least, a large graphic of a handgun should be displayed behind the on-air personality when reading any crime story.

Do not waste words describing criminals who use guns to commit crimes. Instead of calling them burglar, rapist, murderer, or repeat offender, simply use the term "gunman". This helps the public associate all forms of crime and violence with the possession of guns.

Whenever drug dealers are arrested, guns are usually confiscated by the police. Mention the type and number of guns more prominently than the type and quantity of drugs. Include the number of rounds of ammunition seized, since the number will seem large to those who know little about guns. Obviously, the drug dealers who had the guns should now be called "gunmen".

Political discussions on gun control legislation usually involve pro-gun organizations. Always refer to these organizations as "the gun lobby". If space permits, mention how much money the gun lobby has spent to influence political campaigns and describe their legislative lobbying efforts as "arm twisting" or "threats".

Gun owners must never be seen in a positive light. Do not mention that these misguided individuals may actually be well educated, or have respectable jobs and healthy families. They should be called "gun nuts" if possible or simply gun owners at best. Mention details about their clothing, especially if they are wearing hunting clothes or hats. Mention the simplistic slogans on their bumper stickers to show that their intelligence level is low. Many gun owners drive pickup trucks, hunt and live in rural areas. Use these details to help portray them as ignorant rednecks. Don’t use the word "hunt". Always say that they "kill" animals.

Don’t be afraid to interview these people, they are harmless even though we don’t portray them that way. Try to solicit comments that can be taken out of context to show them in the worst possible light.

Never question the effectiveness of gun control laws or proposals. Guns are evil and kill people. Removing guns from society can only be good. Nobody really uses guns for legitimate self-defense, especially women or children. Any stories about armed self-defense must be minimized or suppressed.

Be careful about criticizing the police for responding slowly to 911 calls for help. It is best if the public feels like the police can be relied upon to protect them at all times. If people are buying guns to protect their families, you are not doing your job.

Emphasize stories where people kill family members and/or themselves with guns. It is important to make the public feel like they could lose control and start killing at any moment if they have a gun in the house. Any story where a child misuses a gun is front page material.

View every shooting as an event to be exploited. Always include emotional quotes from the victim’s family if possible. If they are not available, the perpetrator’s family will do nicely. The quote must blame the tragedy on the availability of guns. Photos or video of grieving family members are worth a thousand facts. Most people will accept the assertion that guns cause crime. It is much easier than believing that some people deliberately choose to harm others.

Your story should include terms like "tragic" or "preventable" and mention the current toll of gun violence in your city or state. Good reporters always know exactly how many gun deaths have occurred in their area since the first of the year. List two or three previous incidents of gun violence to give the impression of a continuing crime wave.

Little space should be devoted to shootings where criminals kill each other. Although these deaths greatly inflate the annual gun violence numbers, they distract from the basic mission of urging law abiding citizens to give up their guns. Do not dig too deeply into the reasons behind shootings. The fact that a gun was involved is the major point, unless someone under 18 is affected, in which case the child angle is now of equal importance.

Any article about gun violence should include quotes from anti-gun organizations or politicians. One quote should say that we must do something "for the children". Anti-gun spokespersons should be called "activists" or "advocates". If your employer wishes to appear unbiased, you can include one token quote from a gun lobby group to show that you are being fair. The anti-gun statements should be accepted as fact. The gun lobby statement can be denigrated by including text like, "according to gun lobbyist Jones."

Fortunately, statements from anti-gun organizations come in short sound bites that are perfect for generating an emotional response in the reader or viewer. Gun lobby statements usually contain boring facts that are easy to ignore.

Feel secure in your advocacy journalism. The vast majority of your fellow Journalists support your activism. The nation will be a better place when only the police and military have guns. Remember that you are doing it for the children so the end justifies the means.

Eventually, the government will have a monopoly on power. Don’t worry about the right to freedom of the press, just contact me then for more helpful hints.

Professor Michael Brown
School of Journalism, Brady Chair
Vancouver College of Liberal Arts

Political Satire, copyright 1999, Michael Brown. May be reproduced freely in its full and complete form. The author may be contacted at mb@e-z.net

Fred Thompson on the UN

Here we have Senator Fred Thompson giving his views on the UN's attempt to take guns from law abiding US citizens.

Fred Thompson for President!

"Last year, the United Nations Sub-Commission on the Promotion and Protection of Human Rights declared that international human rights law requires all nations to adopt strict gun control laws. These "minimum" provisions are much more restrictive than any of those on the books anywhere in the U.S. and would almost certainly violate the Second Amendment of our Constitution.

Besides concluding that all nations are obligated under international human rights law to control the small arms and light weapons to which its civilian population has access, the UN report remarkably denied the existence of any human right to self-defense, evidently overlooking the work of Hugo Grotius, the 17th century scholar credited as the founder of international law, who wrote, "It is to be observed that [the] Right of Self-Defence, arises directly and immediately from the Care of our own Preservation, which Nature recommends to every one. . . ," and that this right is so primary, that it cannot be denied on the basis that it is not "expressly set forth."

There is another disturbing aspect to this call for international global gun control. Throughout modern history, the forced disarmament of people by its government has often been accompanied or followed by that government's commission of often massive human rights abuses. In fact, no genocide in the 20th century occurred when the victim population still possessed small arms, legally or illegally, with which to defend themselves.

So now the UN wants to disarm civilians? Where was the UN when the massacres in Rwanda occurred? What did the UN do to protect the victims of ethnic massacres in Bosnia? Disarming civilians under the guise of international human rights law will only lead to more such genocides by ensuring that civilians can never defend themselves! It would be funny if it weren't so perverse.

Thankfully, the Framers of our Constitution recognized this potential peril to our liberty, and enshrined in our Second Amendment the more basic right of self-defense. The U.N. can say what it likes about other countries' citizens' possession of small arms being a violation of human rights law, but so long as the United States is a sovereign nation governed by its Constitution, its words will have no effect here. And I am glad for it."

Thanks to The Shooting Wire.
Robb at Sharp as a Marble also has the story.

Be Careful When You Reload...

I'll state right up front that I haven't done this (yet) thankfully. Here are the spectacular results of a double charge of Titegroup in a Colt Anaconda.

Ouch! Remember folks, be careful...

BUY A GUN OR AMMO DAY TODAY!

This post remained at the top all day August 28th. Now that the day has concluded, I've dropped it back to the bottom.

Today is "Buy a Gun or Ammo Day" in counter-protest to Jesse Jackson, "Snuffy" Pfleger, "The Brady Bunch" and their hordes of misinformed anti-gunners.

Do what you can and buy something with which to exercise your second amendment rights!

More PSH: Boy Gets Suspended for "Gun" Drawing

Chandler boy suspended for sketching gun

David Biscobing, Tribune

An East Valley eighth-grader was suspended this week after he turned in homework with a sketch that school officials said resembled a gun and posed a threat to his classmates.

But parents of the 13-year-old, who attends Payne Junior High School in the Chandler Unified School District, said the drawing was a harmless doodle of a fake laser, and school officials overreacted.

“I just can’t believe that there wasn’t another way to resolve this,” said Paula Mosteller, the boy’s mother. “He’s so upset. The school made him feel like he committed a crime. They are doing more damage than good.”

Payne Junior High officials did not allow the Tribune to view the drawing. The Mostellers said the drawing did not depict blood, injuries, bullets or any human targets. They said it was just a drawing that resembled a gun.

But Payne Junior High administrators determined that was enough to constitute a gun threat and gave the boy a five-day suspension that was later reduced to three days.

The Tribune isn’t publishing the boy’s first name at the request of his parents.

The suspension follows an unrelated incident earlier this month in which Gilbert police were called to Payne Junior High School to investigate a rumor of a girl bringing a gun on campus. No gun was found and a letter was sent home to parents.

In the letter, school officials told parents about the incident and indicated there would be a zero-tolerance policy toward gun threats.

Chandler district spokesman Terry Locke said the school is not allowed to discuss students’ discipline records. However, he said the sketch was “absolutely considered a threat,” and threatening words or pictures are punished.

The school did not contact police about the threat and did not provide counseling or an evaluation to the boy to determine if he intended the drawing as a threat.

The Mostellers said their son has no discipline record at the school because they just moved from Colorado this year.

The sketch was one of several drawings scratched in the margins of a science assignment that was turned in on Friday. The boy said he never meant for the picture to be seen as a threat. He said he was just drawing because he finished an assignment early.

School officials issued the suspension on Monday afternoon and notified the student’s father, Ben. He met with school officials and persuaded them to shorten the suspension from five days to three.

A second student was also suspended Monday for a sketch on his homework. However, that student and his parents could not be reached for comment about the nature of that drawing.

Ben Mosteller was allowed to see his son’s drawing at the school but was not permitted to make a copy to bring home to his wife.

Paula Mosteller said she has been unable to reach the school’s principal, Karen Martin, or the vice principal, Dave Constance, since Monday to talk about the suspension. Martin and Constance did not return several phone calls to the school for comment.

When Ben Mosteller came to the school to discuss his son’s punishment, he said school officials mentioned the seriousness of the issue and talked about the massacre at Columbine High School — the site where two teenagers shot and killed 12 students and injured 24 others in 1999 at Littleton, Colo.

The Mostellers said the Columbine reference was extreme and offensive. They have contacted the district’s governing board about the incident.

“We understand that there was zero tolerance and the sketch could look like a gun, but the way this was handled was so horribly wrong,” Paula Mosteller said. “Hopefully, when my son goes back to school on Friday this will all be behind him. But a school accusing a child like this can have a huge effect on a child for the rest of his life.”

Thanks to Sharp as a Marble for the PSH icon.

Learn Gun Safety With Eddie Eagle!

There goes that evil NRA gun lobby again! Teaching gun safety to kids. Of all the nerve! How dare they!

*snark*

Gun of the Week!

I'm starting a new item here at The Real Gun Guys called "Gun of the Week!"

This weeks gun is a veteran of WWII or "The Great War" as they call it in Russia, which is fitting as this is it's country of origin.

Shpagin PPSh-41 submachine gun (USSR)

Caliber: 7,62x25 mm TT
Weight: 5,45 kg loaded with full 71 rds drum; 4,3 kg with full 35 rds magazine; 3,63 kg without magazine
Length: 843 mm
Barrel length: 269 mm
Rate of fire: 900 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity: 71 rounds in drum magazine or 35 rounds in curved box magazine
Effective range: meters

The PPSh-41 (Pistolet Pulemjot Shpagina model of 1941 = Shpagin submachine gun) was one of major infantry weapons of the Soviet troops during the World war 2. Total number of PPSh's manufactured during WW2 estimates to more than 6 millions. The gun became one of the symbols of the Great Patriotic War. Retired from Soviet Army service soon after the WW2, the PPSh was widely exported to some pro-Soviet countries around the world, including China, Vietnam and many African countries.

It was effective, but somewhat crude weapon, reliable in combat but not without certain flaws. It has somewhat excessive rate of fire, and its drums were uncomfortable to carry and prone to feed problems once spring is weaken.

The PPSch-41 was designed as a cheap and simple but effective war-time weapon. It featured simple blowback operated action, and fired from open bolt. To decrease the recoil stress, gun was fitted with bolt buffer at the rear of receiver. The buffer was made from fiber and was attached to the return spring guide rod. The striker was permanently fixed to the bolt face. PPSh-41 was a select-fire weapon, with fire selector switch located inside the trigger guard, ahead of trigger. The safety was integrated into the charging handle and locked the bolt in forward or rearward position. The receiver and the barrel shroud was made from stamped steel. The front part of the barrel shroud extends beyond the muzzle and acted as a muzzle brake / muzzle flip compensator. Early PPSch-41's were issued with drum magazines with capacity of 71 round, similar to ones used in PPD-40.

Such high capacity increased the firepower but the magazines were too slow to refill and not too reliable, so in 1942 a curved box magazine was developed. This magazine held 35 rounds and was much more comfortable to carry in pouches. Early magazines were made from 0,5 mm sheet steel and were somewhat unreliable. Later magazines were made from 1 mm steel and were completely satisfactory. Usually, infantrymen carried one drum in the gun and some box magazines in the pouches or pockets.

Early guns featured elevation-adjustable rear sights, marked up to 500 meters; late production guns had flip-type "L"-shaped rear sights marked for 100 and 200 meters range.

This gun (with small modifications) is still seeing action even today, as this photo illustrates.


Pretty cool huh? :-)

A "Liberal" changes their mind

A liberal with a gun
by Sara Sedlacek · July 25, 2007

When I started here at the Index one of the first people to come in to talk to me (and openly make me aware of his agenda and his motivation for speaking with me) was a representative from the West Liberty Gun Club. He was a nice guy so I gave him his soapbox time. We had very differing opinions on gun control and a gun’s place in society, but he invited me to the gun club anyway.

Several weeks ago, I did a story on the West Liberty Gun Club. It was the second time I’d been out to the club. The first was for a competition and I was so confused I couldn’t write anything about it. We used that first visit as an educational experience, just to get familiar with the lingo and the people. My second visit to the gun club gave me an opportunity to do something I’d never done before and never in a million years thought I would want to do again: I shot a gun.

I’ve always thought guns were neat to look at. I always enjoyed going to the Rock Island Arsenal and seeing all the different kinds of guns, but I never wanted to shoot one. I shot BB guns as a kid but that was a long time ago and a BB gun is a heck of a lot different than a rifle.

So there I was, on that second visit, a cynical outsider with a cookie-cutter image of what “gun club people” were like. In my mind anyone who belonged to the gun club must be some kind of militant, gun-toting, camoflauge-wearing guy resembling the offspring of Ted Nugent and G.I. Joe. Not a single gun club member looked anything like G.I. Joe or Ted Nugent. In fact, most of the members I met on that second visit were children, and well-behaved children no less.

I was amazed at how seriously the kids took the competition. They were careful with and, most importantly, knowledgeable about their guns and shooting sports. They were also very calm and patient, not like any kids I’d ever seen.

It was also comforting for me to learn that most the people involved in the gun club are not hunters. Most of them are interested only in shooting sports. There were some hunters. All of them, however, had the same concerns I had about guns. They were worried about guns falling into the hands of the wrong people and people owning guns and not learning about how to care for them and use them properly. Though we had different ideas about how to solve these problems, the concern was shared.

After learning a little more myself, I was asked by members of the club if I’d like to try shooting a .22 rifle. I did and, as it turns out, I’m not a bad shot. Members of the club invited me to a ladies’ fun match, at which I placed fourth (out of only nine, two of which tied for second place. The third place winner was only 11-years old.) this past Sunday. As it turns out, shooting a gun accurately takes more concentration than I ever thought. Through this experience I’ve realized that guns are what you make of them. Guns are violent if you use them for violence. I found that it takes a certain amount of serenity and meditation to accurately fire a gun, two things I never thought could be associated with guns.

I walked into that gun club with the worst thoughts about the place and I walked out with a completely different opinion. It never hurts to try to learn a little more about the things you don’t like and the people you don’t agree with, you may find out you didn’t know enough about them to have an opinion in the first place.

Ebay becomes even more Anti-Gun

New Listing Restrictions on Gun Parts

Matt Halprin

Hello everyone…In mid-August, we will be updating our Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy to place more restrictions around gun-related items. Once these changes take effect, we will prohibit listings of any firearm part that is required for the firing of a gun. This includes items like bullet tips, brass casings and shells, barrels, slides, cylinders, magazines, firing pins, trigger assemblies, etc. Please read the Firearms, Weapons and Knives Policy for more details on our current policy.

As you may know, eBay does not allow the listing of any items which are regulated by individual states or the federal government; however, there are still a large number of firearm-related parts that are legal and are widely available in retail stores. These items have also historically been allowed on eBay.

After learning that some items purchased on eBay may have been used in the tragedy at Virginia Tech in April 2007, we felt that revisiting our policies was not only necessary, but the right thing to do. After much consideration, the Trust & Safety policy team – along with our executive leaders at eBay Inc. – have made the decision to further restrict more of these items than federal and state regulations require.

This new update continues to encourage safety among our community members and brings our policies in the U.S. and Canada in closer alignment with our existing policies in other markets around the globe.

Sincerely,

Matt Halprin
Vice President, Trust & Safety

Gun Sales Rise After Cheshire Home Invasion

Security Company Says Phones Ringing Off Hook

NEWINGTON, Conn. -- State gun sales have shot up in the days after the wife and two daughters of a prominent Connecticut physician were killed, according to a local gun shop owner.

Scott Hoffman runs Hoffman's Gun Center on the Berlin Turnpike. In the past few days, following the triple homicide in Cheshire, Hoffman said that people have been rushing to his store to buy guns for themselves and their homes.

"They're scared," he said. "They're scared for their own personal safety and their family's safety, their children's safety and they want a way to protect themselves."

Hoffman said that the most popular weapon for both men and women looking to defend themselves is a defense-grade shotgun. Hoffman credited the gun's popularity to the short waiting period -- it can be obtained in two weeks as opposed to waiting 90 days for a pistol permit.

"We sell about 8,000 guns a year, and I'd say a majority of them are for self-defense," he said.

Channel 3 Eyewitness News reporter Jessica Schneider reported that residents questioning their sense of safety following the home invasion have also been calling companies that install security systems.

Joe Mitchell of Associated Security Corp. said his company's phones have been ringing off the hook.

"I had 15 phone calls on my phone by 9:30 in the morning," he said.

He said that security systems aren't meant to protect valuables anymore, that many people use them to protect their lives.

(Yet another reason I carry a gun. I'm not saying that they would have been able to save themselves, but the odds would have been more even. Follow the links at the bottom of the linked page to read more about this senseless tragedy. -Yuri)

Shoot a machine gun, Raise money for the GOP

GOP fundraiser to feature machine gun shoot

By SCOTT BROOKS
New Hampshire Union Leader Staff
Tuesday, Jul. 24, 2007

MANCHESTER – City Republicans will be packing some serious firepower at their next party fundraiser.

Tired of the usual chicken dinners, the Manchester Republican Committee is planning to arm supporters next month with Uzis, M-16 rifles and other automatic weapons for a day of target practice at a Pelham firing range.

"The thought just struck me one day: a machine gun shoot. What the heck?" said Jerry Thibodeau, the committee chairman.

Thibodeau, who is himself a hunter and skeet shooter, pitched the Aug. 5 event as a fun social gathering, as well as a demonstration of the party's support for Second Amendment rights.

The concept prompted shudders across the political aisle. Chris Pappas, the city Democratic party chairman, called the event "not just in poor taste; it is downright offensive."

"The citizens of Manchester have lived through a deadly spike in violent crime the past year-and-a-half, despite the campaign promises of (Mayor) Frank Guinta to lower crime rates," Pappas said. "That the mayor's political party would seek to glorify the use of machine guns for political gain is unconscionable."

The GOP fundraiser will be held at the Pelham Fish and Game Club. Proceeds, Thibodeau said, will be split among the party, the club and the gun supplier.

Republican party leaders are hoping for a strong showing of both novices and experienced shooters. The cost to participants is $25, plus fees for ammunition and parking.

Each of the Republican Presidential candidates was invited, Thibodeau said, but all declined, saying they'll be busy preparing for the following weekend's much-ballyhooed straw poll in Ames, Iowa.

"I really tried to get Rudy Giuliani there," Thibodeau said. "Because I'll tell you, this is a guy that can't relax."

Bob Shaunessy, who chairs the Pelham club's class-3 weapons committee, says he expects shooters will get to select from a range of submachine guns, including Uzis, MAC-11s and Swedish K's, as well as M-16 and AR-15 rifles.

Twenty safety experts, called "range officers," will be on hand to load the guns and monitor the shooters, Shaunessy said. On-site instruction will be required for all participants.

"My first and foremost goal is that everybody who walks in walks out," Thibodeau said.

Few may be more excited about the event than the man who conceived it.

Thibodeau, who recently celebrated his 60th birthday, said he has not fired a machine gun in 40 years.

A Seacoast native, Thibodeau was exposed to guns at an early age. His father, he said, was a machine gunner in Guadalcanal during World War II.

Thibodeau's own experience with machine guns began at 18, he said, when a friend and his father took him out to fire rounds in a sand pit.

The experience, he said, was powerful.

"It's a way of expressing yourself, I guess," he said. "We all have a little testosterone in us, right?"

And yet, he said, many of the people responding to the event advertisements have been women.

The city committee's executive director, Kelly Hurst, said she, too, is excited about the chance to fire a machine gun for the first time.

No stranger to guns, Hurst said she carries a small pistol for personal protection, but notes, "I've never felt a need to carry a machine gun down the street with me."

"It's very different," Hurst said. "I don't know when anyone else, man or woman, may get an opportunity to do this."

Manchester Republicans have several other social events in the works. The committee recently launched a monthly mixer, known as "Thirsty Thursdays," at Murphy's Tap Room on Elm Street.

Other events are more family-friendly. A Sept. 16 rally at Veterans Park will include face painting, rock climbing and, Thibodeau said, an inflatable "moon walker."

"It's about people meeting people," Thibodeau said. "Get the heck away from the computer, get the heck away from work. Come on out and talk to people."

Armed America

www.armedamerica.org

I hope they found what they were looking for

Gun Manners

I ran across this etiquette guide for gun folk courtesy of Rifleman's Journal. Check it out!

Gun Manners

1. Don't touch another person's firearm without permission.
2. Don't ask if a person is armed.
3. Don't ask if the owner has ever been in an armed confrontation.
4. Don't ask to "see" a firearm that is being carried by someone.
5. If allowed to examine another's firearm--especially a prized or valuable one-- try to keep your fingerprints off the metal and if you do accidentally leave fingerprints let the owner know so that they may be removed to prevent finish damage if so desired.
6. Clear a firearm and lock the action open before handing a firearm to another person, and ask the owner of a firearm to do so before they hand it to you, no matter what the owner claims.
7. If unfamiliar with the operation of a particular firearm, ask the owner to demonstrate and to "show clear" before you handle it.
8. Don't drop an autopistol's slide on an empty chamber, nor "flip" a revolver's cylinder closed.
9. Don't drop the hammer to "test" the trigger without the owner's permission.
10. If allowed to fire someone else's firearm offer to pay for the ammunition., or return the favor and offer your firearm to be fired.
11. If you are allowed to borrow a firearm for an extended period of time, return it on time, and return it cleaned and lubricated--even if it was dirty when you received it.
12. Don't criticize another's firearm nor start telling them what it needs to be "better" unless they ask for your opinion.
13. After a shooting session, pick up your brass, targets, and clean up your area.

...clicky...

Kahr CW9 Review & Range Report

This is my first review on this site, though I'd like to do more of them as I'm able. No company sponsored this review either, I bought the firearm with my own money. Would I be opposed to firearms companies giving me guns to review? Nope...but I don't see that happening. Not that I'd be too upset if they did however. I need to get a larger gun safe anyway. *grin* Anyway, here's my review.

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I recently got my Kahr CW9 out of layaway from Sportsman's Warehouse. This particular pistol was chosen based on Internet research and in store fondling and is intended to replace/supplement my Taurus M605 .357 Magnum as my carry gun.

I first considered the Walther PPK in .380 based on it's size, but decided against it. There was also a brief flirtation with a Beretta Tomcat in .32 ACP, but I also decided against that. It was then I had the opportunity to handle a Kahr P9 (9mm) in the store. The grip fit my hand and the extension on the magazine prevented "pinky dangle", which I hate. I have small hands, and have trouble getting my hands around some of the other pistols on the market, mostly those with double stack magazines. The Kahr P9 pointed well and as mentioned earlier, it seemed to fit my hand like a glove. Another advantage was it's light weight. I am a huge fan of steel and wood, but after a while the weight of an all steel gun wears you down. After drooling a bit over the pistol, I handed it back to the guy behind the counter. I liked it a lot, but was turned off by it's high price tag. I'm not a rich man after all. It was then he mentioned there was a cheaper model (about $200 less) with only some minor differences.

I placed my order on the spot.

Here's a comparison from Kahr's website:

"The main differences are that the CW Series have conventional rifling, instead of match grade polygonal rifling; the CW Series have a MIM (metal-injection-molded) slide stop lever, instead of a machined slide stop lever; the CW Series cannot be retrofitted with night sights because the slide does not have a front dovetail cut; the CW Series slide have fewer machining operations; and the CW Series have simple engraving on the slide instead of rollmarking; and the CW Series are shipped with one magazine instead of two."

In other words, it's like the difference between a Ford and a Mercury.

Anyway...time passed. Yesterday morning I went up to my range and set up shop at the pistol range. Kahr recommends a 200 round break-in before they consider the pistol reliable enough to trust your life to. I brought with me a 250 round Remington UMC Megapack in the yellow box and 40 rounds of Corbon +P JHP's. Both rounds used 115gr bullets. That's about $85 worth of ammo. I loaded up my three magazines (I bought two extra mag's for $30 each at SW) for a total of 21 shots and slid a magazine into the gun. I thumbed the slide release and it slid forward with authority.

I took careful aim with both hands and set the tip of the front site cutting the center of the target. Slowly I took out the slack in the DAO trigger (no safety, just like a revolver) and then squeezed it all the way back. BANG! ...surprisingly little recoil...smoke...and a 9mm sized hole about an inch and a half below the center of the target.

For the next three and a half hours or so, I continued to pull the trigger and it continued to go BANG every time. I did have 1 FTF, but it was my fault. The magazines have the top round angled up at about a 30 degree angle. Somehow, I failed to put the last round in the magazine properly and it failed to strip the cartridge. It was definitely not the guns fault.

The Corbon +P JHP fed just fine too, though there was substantial recoil compared to the standard load. Remember, this is a pistol that weighs in at just under 1 pound.

Over the course of the morning, I learned to shoot it better too. I was tipping the front down at the last second when I pulled the trigger. I practiced moving my trigger finger independently instead of squeezing my whole hand, and soon I was hitting pretty close to POA every time. The switch to the +P loads required a little adjustment too, but I soon got the hang of it. Most of my shooting took place at a distance of 14 yards, or 42 feet. I'm sure with more practice, I could extend the range I can reliably shoot this gun. The target on the right is straight 115gr 9mm ball ammo at 42 feet, while the target on the left was shot with Corbon 115gr 9mm JHP ammo at the same distance.

Back at home, I stripped the gun down and cleaned it. After 290 rounds, it was filthy, but surprisingly easy to clean with the stainless steel slide. Once it was clean I lubed it with some tetra grease and gun oil. There, good as new!

Would I recommend this gun to someone wanting a decently priced, reliable, light carry gun? You betcha! It's also pretty darn accurate too. I'm no Bob Munden, but I still managed to get some good shots in with it.

Here's the manufacturers website. Anyone at Kahr, I'm willing to review any of your other offerings, just let me know! *wink*

Another Reason to Carry a Gun

[courtesy of Oleg Volk]

This is one of my favorite pro-gun posters that he has made, although if I had to post all of them that I like, I'd fill up the blog with nothing but posters. Feel free to go check out the rest of his work at http://www.olegvolk.net/ and http://www.a-human-right.com/.