Articles by Herschel Smith

Via reader Fred, this idiotic missive from a Duke University professor with whom we’ve crossed paths before.

The main problem with relying solely on text, history and tradition, however, is that it doesn’t provide useful guidance for modern-day regulations that respond to modern-day gun violence. The text alone can’t tell you whether a machine gun is an “arm” or whether convicted felons are among “the People” the Second Amendment protects. The 27 words of the amendment are silent on many questions, and history and tradition don’t speak with one voice—there were and are significant regional differences in approaches to gun regulation, as well as divisions between urban and rural areas.

Perhaps in some extreme cases (a total ban on public carry, for example), text, history and tradition would provide relatively clear rules. But for most standard forms of modern gun regulation—restrictive licensing schemes for public carry, for example, or prohibitions on high-capacity magazines or on gun possession by people convicted of domestic violence—all of the work would be done by analogical reasoning. Judges would have to decide for themselves whether certain modern guns or gun laws are relevantly similar to laws from 150 or 200 years ago.

Hey dumbass, the constitution isn’t a guidance document.  It’s a covenant, and you break it at your own peril.

David Codrea.

“The Ohio Supreme Court will hear arguments in February to decide whether a law prohibiting gun owners from carrying firearms while intoxicated should be applied inside a gun owner’s home,” the Associated Press reported Saturday. Seeing an opportunity for a new and intrusive way to catch more gun owners in the disarmament net, the gun-grabbers are arguing that upholding an arrest is necessary for “the safety of Ohio residents and responding police officers.”

That dovetails nicely (for them) with an overall strategy to disarm citizens convicted of driving under the influence. And it moves things from the public setting right into the home, which is where the long game goal has always been.

My former professor, Dr. C. Gregg Singer, used to point out that the temperance movement was a manifestation of the social gospel, which itself was social Darwinism, or further back, followed Hegel (German synthesis/antithesis and evolutionary philosophy).  Guns are the new alcohol.  Paul told Timothy to drink a little wine for the sake of his infirmities.  But “wine is a mocker.”  It depends on the person.  Guns protect the lives of the innocent, but kill the innocent, depending upon their use.  It’s the person behind the trigger, just as it is the person holding the glass.

It’s the same thing with Pete’s abject failure at understanding anything to do with Christian theology when he connects the Christian faith to a “world without weapons.”  In Pete’s world, no one really needs God, they just need themselves with good leaders, good as defined by Pete and his ilk.  The world isn’t really fallen, we just all need the Bohemian, peacenik, flowerchild Jesus as our example and the world will be a better place.  And little children love puppies, fluffy blankets and unicorns flying over rainbows.

There is nothing new under the sun.  Mankind tried this at the tower of Babel.  God knocked it down.  End of story.  Man cannot work his way to perfection, he has to believe in his heart and confess with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and that he can’t do nothing to save himself.  That’s the scandal of the gospel, and the reason so many men oppose it.

Opposition to the gospel is never an epistemological and philosophical problem.  It always has ethical roots.  Pete’s chosen lifestyle is evidence of his high-handed sin against the Almighty.

Gun control is just another tower of Babel, but I do find it ironic that this latest manifestation includes alcohol.  How appropriate.

News from South Carolina.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – State lawmakers are considering a new open carry bill that, if approved, would allow guns to be carried inside grocery stores, on the beaches and at public events.

You would also see them in businesses across the state.

Charleston Police Chief Luther Reynolds and the group ‘Arm in Arm’ are working to stop what they call a “dangerous bill.”

“Open carry of handguns where we live, worship and shop is irresponsible and a threat to the safety of our children and families,” said Peter Zalaka with Arm in Arm SC.

The open carry bill is not expected to be up for discussion until lawmakers return in January 2020.

The only danger here is a cop who has no respect for his oath to the constitution.  Peter Zalaka – Arm in Arm with controllers.

Hey Peter, give me a single instance of a state that is in more danger now because they adopted constitutional carry?  Just one.  I can put you in touch with LEOs from Texas, Arkansas and Oklahoma if you want.

Hey Peter, one more thing.  I know why you’re really opposed to the bill.  All of those businessmen in Charleston don’t want those awful poor people carrying sidearms openly, do they?  It might affect their hospitality industry income stream.  That would make your reasons disingenuous, and you a liar.

News from Kentucky.

LA GRANGE, Ky. (WAVE/WYMT) – A bullet fired into a Western Kentucky apartment came from state troopers living upstairs, police said.

Oldham County Sheriff’s deputies were dispatched to an apartment in the 1000 block of Fredrick Lane in the Oldham Oaks complex Saturday evening.

According to the police report, the 911 caller reported the shot was fired into the ceiling of his apartment just feet from where his daughter was sitting. No one was injured.

“I was like covering up my head because I didn’t know what was happening, and then I looked up and I saw smoke coming from that (the bullet hole),” said 11-year-old Kay’leah Todd.

Kay’leah’s two younger siblings, 8-year-old sister Sa’rinity and 2-year-old brother Ke’liam, and their grandmother, Beverly Todd, were also nearby when it happened.

When deputies arrived, they spoke with the victim’s upstairs neighbors: Trooper Landon Terry and Trooper Dustin Gross. Both stated they were in the field-training phase of their training with KSP.

According to the report, Terry told the deputies the shot was not intentional. Terry said he and Gross thought the rifle was empty, someone pulled the trigger, and the rifle went off because there was still a round in the chamber.

He also stated they were just moving into the apartment.

“The most frustrating part about all of this is that they did not come check on us,” said mother KeeKee Todd. “They knew what happened and they did not come.”

The report goes on to say Terry and Gross told deputies they had not contacted their supervisor. When the deputy told them they should get out in front of it and let their supervisor know what happened, their response was “we are getting ready to go out.”

The deputy wrote in the report that neither of them acted like they were going to contact their supervisor.

What swell guys.  But for heaven’s sake, no one would want to get in the way of their “going out.”  Maybe a night at the bar or something.  All of that hard work to become a goon in Kentucky creates a huge thirst.

Just the kind of people you want to know are traipsing around the countryside with “authority” and attitude.  Here’s a suggestion for the Kentucky State Police.  Start every class by teaching the rules of gun safety.  If they don’t score 100% every time, bash them in the groin with one of your batons.

This is certainly of value to the folks at Springfield armory.  I’m not a fan of striker fired pistols, but if I was in the market for a striker fired concealed carry pistol, I would consider this gun.

From a reader, news from the viper’s pit.

A new gun control bill calls for banks and credit card companies to track and provide transaction data to the feds on some firearm purchases as a way of tracking people who the government suspects might be planning mass shootings.

Rep. Jennifer Wexton’s (D–Va.) “Gun Violence Prevention Through Financial Intelligence Act” would require the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) to “request information from financial institutions for the purpose of developing an advisory about the identification and reporting of suspicious activity.” The bill’s aim is to identify a consistent purchasing pattern among people who buy firearms and firearm accessories in order to conduct “lone wolf acts of terror” and expose how the firearms market in the United States is exploited by would-be mass shooters.

“Banks, credit card companies, and retailers have unique insight into the behavior and purchasing patterns that can help identify and prevent mass shootings,” Wexton explained in a statement. “The red flags are there—someone just needs to be paying attention.”

George Orwell’s future is here.  Make a perfectly legal, sensible purchase, get a visit by the FedGov.  This is exactly what they intend.  Folding peaceable men into the dragnet doesn’t worry them, and isn’t a bug.  It’s a feature of the system.

Of course, you can always save cash, or withdraw cash from your checking account.  But you do feel the net getting tighter, yes?

Make your plans for purchases now.  Trump may be hungry enough for the soccer mom vote that he’ll sign anything, including this Orwellian abomination.

This guy doesn’t like the idea.

I do not at all think that an adjustable gas block is the best answer to tame an over-active AR-platform gas system—and that means one that operates too quickly, too forcefully. When that’s at issue, gun parts and cartridge cases get beaten unnecessarily, and, if it’s “bad enough,” function problems result—most commonly ejection and feeding failures. Various barrel length, gas system length and cartridge combinations conspire to create this condition. It’s most common with shorter systems, such as carbines, and also with longer than usual barrels using a rifle-length system.

An adjustable gas block houses valving apparatus that’s user-adjustable. Some vent away or bleed off unwanted gas, others restrict or limit the flow of the gas into and through the system. Those that vent tend to hold up better longer.

Clearly, the idea is to install the adjustable gas block and then turn it “down.” Great idea! It’s easy, effective and it doesn’t last forever.

The valving in the block succumbs to the same heat- and pressure-induced erosion (flame cutting) as does a standard system (and as does the chamber throat and gas port) and will change, and it will get dirty, maybe corroded, and might lose its capacity for adjustment. Gas-induced erosion, by the way, increases space volume and that will effectively reduce pressure, so that means a tuned gun might not work after time unless the valve can be readjusted.

Adjustable gas blocks are best in the hands of competitive shooters, and are most wisely used only in rifle-length gas systems. One can work well to tune out percussion-induced rifle movement and will improve spent case condition. The farther ahead the block is from the rifle chamber, the less intense is the pressure and flame.

A recent article I wrote here discussed the importance and effectiveness of making essential “architectural” changes in the gas system to get closer to the original Stoner rifle spec combination of port location and barrel length (which works just fine, and dandy). However, I will quickly concede that valving might be the only reasonable solution. If we have to work within already-set specs that aren’t nearly ideal, then we may also have to work around that, and there’s the value of the valve.

[ … ]

I turn one all the way down, all the way closed, and then open it up until the gun works, plus a little more to ensure full function. The “full-function” test, by the way, and this is important, is that the bolt carrier assembly will go to lock-back on the last round. It takes a little more carrier velocity to get it back far enough to trip and set the bolt stop than it does only to strip the next round from the magazine. Don’t cut it too close!

I have to say I’m a bit unmoved by his dislike of this particular use of adjustable gas blocks.  Look, the original barrel length in the Stoner rifle is still out there and can be purchased, but it’s much less frequent to see a full assembly for sale.  Mostly, if you want one, you’ll need to order the barrel and replace the one you have, including the gas system.

So we’re dealing with typically shorter barrels now, some as long as 18″, some much shorter (14.5″ with a welded and staked flash hider, or even shorter for AR pistols).  To me, if your gun begins to malfunction and it’s obviously not the barrel or chamber, the first place to look is the BCG, the second is the buffer spring, and the third is the gas system (including the gas block).

Replacement of all gas blocks will be necessary given the second law of thermodynamics.  If gunsmiths or gun mechanics disagree with my assessment, I’m not married to it.  Please disagree, and state the reasons for your disagreement.

Imagine the Judge’s surprise!

In 2004, a man named William Boyd surrendered his dad’s .38 caliber Smith and Wesson snub nose at a gun buyback.

He got less than $100 for it at the time.

Now, while we wouldn’t invite a son who sold the guns at a gun buyback to attend the family Christmas, that’s not the point of this story.

William Boyd is a judge in Cook County, Il, and no doubt felt a warm feeling as he handed his gun over to the plainclothes cops.

But then eight years later his old handgun — with the serial number J515268 — was found near the body of a dead gangster involved in a shooting with police.

The dead gang member was 22-year-old Cesar Munive.

Munive had convicted previously of sexual abuse of a minor, battery, and unlawful use of a weapon.

So how did this lifetime criminal get a gun purchased by police in a buyback?

None of the answers are good.

The officer who shot and killed Munive in 2016 was one Donald Garrity.

The snub nose was found near Munive, but his family denies it was his or that he owned it.

They claim that Garrity planted it on the body.

After all, it was in police custody, and Garrity does have a history of misconduct charges.

He was written up for using a “high powered rifle” during a traffic stop.

Another time he was written up for threatening another officer, and a third time he was stopped by another cop for doing 90 mph in a 30 mph zone.

Not a stellar cop, for sure.

Now Judge Boyd has some serious questions, as we all do.

Boyd said in an interview:

“I’m doing the right thing, and in the process, someone didn’t do what they were supposed to do. That calls into question the process. What’s happening after you turn these weapons in?”

Meanwhile, since Munive was killed in 2016, Garrity has retired with a disability pension after a PTSD diagnoses.

The City of Cicero, who employed Garrity, has offered the Munive family $3.5 million dollars to settle out of court.

So that’s all cleaned up nice and tidily or will be shortly.  Except for the gun.

If these gun buybacks are supposed to get guns off the streets, how did this gun make it back onto the streets?

How many other crimes did Munive commit with it?

Or if it was planted by a Chicago cop, how many other guns have been planted or left where they can be used to commit crimes?

I guess all those guns bought in police “buy-backs” end up as weapon plants.  Who’d a thunk it?

Via David Codrea, yes, you read the title line correctly.  Nanny state now wants to intrude into your home.

The Ohio Supreme Court will hear arguments in February to decide whether a law prohibiting gun owners from carrying firearms while intoxicated should be applied inside a gun owner’s home.

Lawyers for a Clermont County man arrested in 2018 after he acknowledged having an unloaded shotgun while drunk say the law is unconstitutional when applied to homeowners.

They say a person’s sobriety or intoxication level should have nothing to do with possessing a weapon “in the hearth and home.”

Gun control advocates argue the safety of Ohio residents and responding police officers would be jeopardized if the court overturned the arrest.

A man’s home, where cops shouldn’t be anyway.  Now they want to control your actions inside your own home if you happen to have a gun.

It never stops.  Note.  The controllers never stop.  Compromise has always been a one-way street, because the pathological drive of the controllers is always to seek more control over your lives.