Archive for the 'Guns' Category

Via Mike Vanderboegh, news on Mossberg:

America’s largest shotgun manufacturer, O.F. Mossberg & Sons, Inc., decided not to expand in Connecticut. Sure it was founded there 1919 and still has its corporate headquarters in North Haven. But in 2013 Connecticut rushed through legislation to ban some of Mossberg’s popular products. As a result, Mossberg CEO, Iver Mossberg, says, “Investing in Texas was an easy decision. It’s a state that is not only committed to economic growth but also honors and respects the Second Amendment and the firearm freedoms it guarantees for our customers.”

Mossberg has instead expanded its Maverick Arms, Inc. facility in Eagle Pass, Texas, with 116,000 new square-feet of factory space. Mossberg is not a small gun manufacturer. According to records kept by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), Mossberg made 475,364 guns in America in 2011. Of those guns, a total of 423,570 were shotguns made for sportsmen, for shotgun sports enthusiasts, for law-enforcement and for people who want a shotgun to protect their homes and families.

More than 90 percent of Mossberg’s guns are now made in Texas. Some of its Connecticut jobs are going there, too. Tom Taylor, O.F. Mossberg & Sons’ senior vice president, sales & marketing, tells me, “We’re moving all wood gun stock production to our Texas facility. More of our product lines—like our modern sporting rifles—might move to Texas in the future.

Good.  Now I won’t hesitate to buy those Mossberg shotguns I’ve had my eye on.

In other news, Daniel Defense once made their financing available only to LEOs, something about which I complained.  They’ve changed their position.

Unlike with previous attempts at financing that offered Law Enforcement payment plans on LE Packages, now all qualifying customers will have the ability to finance Daniel Defense complete rifles, upper receiver groups and other products.

“We ran into a few issues with the past program and decided it best to end the option until we could provide a solution agreeable to all our valued customers,” says Hunter.

Now Daniel Defense just needs to back off of their high prices some and maybe they could compete with Rock River Arms for volume.

Smith & Wesson, are you watching other gun manufacturers do the right thing?  Are you listening?  Are you still selling guns to LEOs in California that ordinary citizens cannot have?  Remember that we discussed this issue, and you never got back to me?

LA Times:

After a lengthy hearing in Tijuana for a Marine reservist jailed since April 1 on weapons charges, a judge Wednesday declined to throw out the case as urged by U.S. politicians and instead scheduled another evidentiary hearing.

Sgt. Andrew Tahmooressi, 25,  who served two combat tours in Afghanistan, was arrested after crossing the border at San Ysidro with a rifle, shotgun, pistol and hundreds of rounds of ammunition in his pickup truck.

[ … ]

Some 74 members of U.S. Congress have called on the Obama administration to work with Mexican authorities to gain Tahmooressi’s release.

On the eve of Wednesday’s hearing, Rep. Lee Terry (R-Nebraska) and Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-California) wrote to the Mexican judge, Victor Octavio Luna Escobedo, reminding him that Tahmooressi is “a Marine Corps veteran who risked his life for his nation and his fellow Marines.”

His case, the two wrote, should be “favorably resolved on the basis that he made a simple mistake at the border.”

Mexican officials have stressed that while the Mexican judicial system is different from the U.S. system, it shares one key characteristic: Cases are not decided by political pressure.

Yea, let me tell you about a pressure that would in fact work.  Shut down the border to all commercial traffic and let that Mexican produce rot in the hot sun, while the Mexican truck drivers go unpaid.  Begin lining the trucks up at the border – Tahmooressi would be released within a day.

But Obama won’t do that, because he hates the United States Marine Corps.  The USMC does things like fight Islamic insurgents in the Anbar and Helmand Provinces, and fight piracy in the Gulf of Aden.  Obama hasn’t the least bit of interest in that sort of thing.

But he gets to double dip on this one.  Obama doesn’t believe that Sgt. Tahmooressi should be able to have those guns anyway, and he certainly won’t tell the Mexicans not to enforce their gun laws, mistake or not.  This isn’t about justice.  Besides, creating problems with the Mexicans would just get in the way of his plans to add voters to the rolls of the DNC and bring about the end of the middle class in America.

From Obama’s perspective, a Marine is on trial for having guns and his trial isn’t subject to the laws of America, which Obama hates.  What’s to dislike about this?

David Codrea:

“Are those urging the ignorant and inexperienced to handle guns in public offering training, just to make sure?” it asked.

Here we go again.  Listen, I’m harder on those in our camp who mishandle weapons than the police – and I’m hard on everyone who does so.  But don’t tell me the police are better off.  I know that to be false.  Moreover, do we see automobile turn-ins or buybacks because they can kill people, and do on a regular basis?

Kurt Hofmann:

… the fact that they supposedly lacked the resources to investigate problematic gun sales that were already happening makes the official explanation of Operation Fast and Furious just that much less convincing.

Like I’ve said, don’t ever get into a logical debate with Kurt.  He will remember what you said a long, long time ago, and it must be consistent with what you say today.  And as for combining the ATF with the FBI or any other agency, just don’t do it.  Let’s focus our efforts not on the scraps that fall from the master’s table, but in repeal of the onerous gun laws America already has.

Mike Vanderboegh: Holder Plays The Race Card – Again: Hell, I Don’t Care About His Skin Color.  I Do Care About His Criminal Brain.  Yes, but even if his brain was well functioning, it’s his evil soul that matters most.

Mike on the Citizen-Soldier in the Ukraine.

Military.com:

Many readers are under the impression that U.S. special operations forces have returned to using .45 caliber pistols since the adoption of the M9 9mm in 1985.

This has some truth to it, but in most cases SOF units use 9mm, experts maintain.

The Army’s Delta Force adopted .40 caliber, but the elite unit is having the same problems as the FBI – the heavier caliber is causing excessive wear problems in guns that were originally designed to be 9mm. Delta is now using 9mm Glock 17s, 19s and 34s.

Kurt Hofmann:

Ludicrous indeed, but one wonders if a Maryland police chief would have found it so ludicrous for a non-“Only One” to be similarly disarmed. The surprising–and somewhat disappointing–aspect of this is that judging by some gun rights advocates’ Facebook posts, Ikea’s actions were more offensive than other establishments’ “gun free zone” endeavors, by virtue of the fact that they dared disarm an “Only One.”

This correspondent would argue, on the other hand, that Ikea’s willingness to be consistent, and apply its “disarmed victim zone” rules to everyone, even those bedecked in the trappings of government authority, is the one thing they got right. Well, except for the fact that it didn’t last …

Here are a couple of the salient problems.  First of all, folks like Ikea don’t think enough about the moral implications of self defense.  Second, they don’t consider the legal implicatiosn of self defense.  Most people are too busy lapping up the scraps their government feeds them to  ponder things like the Supreme Court ruling in Tennessee Versus Garner.  The Supreme Court has ruled that law enforcement officers carry weapons for exactly the same reason as anyone else – for self defense.  They aren’t supposed to use them for any other reason.

So what Ikea is saying by recognizing law enforcement officers and their right to carry is that they have a right to self defense, but the rest of us don’t.  Consider that the next time you think about buying from Ikea.  Another report was filed by Emily Miller.  The D.C. police are getting new patrol rifles.

WASHINGTON – FOX 5 has learned that D.C. police are getting new, modern rifles. It is part of the department changes after the Navy Yard shooting last September.

The first officers who rushed into Navy Yard were First District officers — who only had old rifles too long to get through the doors and narrow cubicles where Aaron Alexis was hiding.

So special operations and other law enforcement agents took over the chase with shorter, modern rifles. But we have now learned that all police officers will be armed with the new rifles.

[ … ]

“If I come in with this rifle, it’s too long so I can’t enter the door without lowering the barrel, so it puts me at a tremendous disadvantage,” said Harris. “With the M4, it’s a much shorter weapon. I can keep the muzzle up, I’m on point and I can clear the room.”

So, D.C. police decided to replace the old guns with brand new rifles straight from the manufacturer. No more hand-me-downs.

According to Colt, the Metropolitan Police Department bought the model LE6920 rifles in February. They are 5.56 caliber and can only fire semi-auto.

Police have started training with them, but have not put it in the field yet.

The new Colt rifle which the Metropolitan Police Department bought is based on the M4.

I don’t buy the notion that a few inches of barrel length made any difference.  My son cleared rooms in Fallujah with his SAW.  The D.C. police are just incompetent.  But I also don’t begrudge them the right to have good patrol rifles, as long as they use them as discretely as I use mine (when I open carry, I don’t carry a long gun, and I wouldn’t buy Colt).  Also, without honoring the right to privacy and safety in our own homes from SWAT invasions, they should have all of their guns taken away from them like the out-of-control children they are.  But I do indeed begrudge them the right to have something that others cannot.  Oh, and a quick note to Emily.  5.56 mm is not 5.56 caliber (caliber is by definition the diameter measurement in inches).

In another article David Codrea notes a two-fisted approach by one manufacturer.

Well, while the right hand is providing American riflemen (albeit well-heeled ones, if you take a look at some of their prices) a chance to apply for one of their limited supply systems, the left hand is urging the government to adopt its patented technology for the Holy Grail behind the ultimate purpose of so-called “smart guns,” the ability for “authorities” to turn them off. Automatically.  “TrackingPoint patents technique to disable guns near schools and ‘gun free zones…’”

They can keep their gadgetry.  I like the idea of learning to use a rifle scope old-school.  On one hand, I’m glad this came up so that we know.  On the other hand, may the makers of Tracking Point live with bed bugs, lice and scabies, and may the fleas of a thousand camels infest their armpits.

Related: Open Letter To COSTCO

Obviously I had let this issue slip my mind.  I lost attention to detail, a mistake I don’t like to make.  I should have cancelled my COSTCO membership when I found out that you wouldn’t let Erik Scott be – you had to call the police on him, ending with an unnecessary and thuggish cop shooting, and with Erik dead.  Do you feel good about that?  I hope not.  I hope that you feel responsible for it.

As I mentioned, I had let this slip my attention until today.  But David reminds me that you have been a busy bunch of folks.  First, you are removing D’Souza’s ‘America’ from the shelves.  Oh, I know that you’ve denied it has anything to do with your politics, but we both know that you’re lying.  Your co-founder is going to speak at the next DNC about his hero, Mr. Obama.  And my wife points out that you didn’t merely fail to make the book available, which she could have forgiven.  You made it available and then pulled it (wink … wink).  We all know what you meant to say by this action.

But then David reminds me that your policy is anti-gun.  My wife mainly does the shopping there, so I hadn’t thought much about it recently.  If I had wanted to carry inside COSTCO, I would have.  I couldn’t care less about your policy as it applies to me.  Your stupid policies won’t change my behavior one bit.  But I do want to reward those proprietors with whom I agree and punish those with whom I disagree.  You see, I have the ultimate power – that is, power over the purse.  I thought I would post my wife’s letter to you below, but before I do I wanted to mention one last thing.  I won’t patronize your store any more, but my AR-15 and those standard capacity magazines (what you might call “high capacity magazines”) sure look sexy in that gun safe you sold me, along with all of my other guns when I’m not shooting them or carrying them.  Let Mr. Obama know that you sold me a nice gun safe.

Now for my wife’s letter:

Dear Mr. Jelineck,

I have been a member of Costco since 2006 and I have always been a very satisfied customer.  However, I will not be renewing my membership.  Over the past few years I have observed how your political ideology has become more important to you than just simply supplying goods to a consumer like myself. I have always preferred Costco over Sam’s Club even though I have been aware of your political connection with the democratic party.  I have never let my political views get in the way of where I shopped until now. Your order to remove the book “America” from the shelves of your stores because you don’t like the subject matter is an act of controlling my right to “free speech” and I will not allow you to take away any of my constitutional rights.

Why couldn’t you just have agreed to disagree?

It is your store and you have the right to sell what you like but, in my opinion, your method of operating was deliberate.  You could have chosen not to sell the book at all but you waited until you had an audience so you could make your political statement.  Well, you have made your statement and I am making mine.

Publix is coming to my neck of the woods, and I like them better anyway.

Recall what I previously said about Remington trigger issues?

Remington 700 models have always had trigger issues, and it isn’t at all apparent that this recall is the same one that has caused Remington such problems in the past.

[ … ]

The most comprehensive and damning indictment of Remington and its trigger problems to date is still this article from Billings Gazette.  See especially this evidence in the margins of the article, and this evidence, and this evidence, and the rest of the evidence.

The original article discusses “Senior Engineers” with Remington.  I’m particularly partial to this work title, and I am a registered professional engineer.  Are these folks registered as PEs with the state?  If not, why?  We are rightly concerned about roads, bridges and buildings, power plants and their proper design.  Why not guns, and why shouldn’t these engineers be registered?

If they are, has the issue of Remington and the apparent internal evidence ever come to light with the state board of registration?  Why would senior engineers ignore evidence of improper function of machines they designed and manufacture?  Did these engineers consider it malfeasance to ignore such evidence, and if they didn’t see it or didn’t know the evidence existed, why not?

We have many more questions than we have answers.  It has been this way for a very long time with Remington.

I’m an engineer.  I simply won’t tolerate bad designs or professional malfeasance.  And it looks like Remington is making good on their design.

The Remington Arms Co. has reached a nationwide settlement of claims that most of its Model 700 bolt-action hunting rifles have a defective trigger mechanism – a settlement likely to include the recall of millions of the popular firearm.

Attorneys for Remington and the plaintiffs in the class-action lawsuit against the company did not respond Monday to requests for comment on a “notice of settlement” filed last week in federal court in Missouri.

Yet Richard Barber, a Montana man who’s been saying for a dozen years that many of the Model 700 are defective and should be recalled, indicated Monday that a recall is part of the settlement.

“It does accomplish what I want to accomplish,” he told the Lee Newspapers State Bureau. “I guess it’s safe to say, it’s better late than never. …

“As a whole, (the settlement) represents the best interests of the public. It will save lives, it will save limbs.”

The lawsuit says more than 5 million Model 700 bolt-action rifles have been sold since 1962.

Barber’s 9-year-old son, Gus, was killed by a Model 700 rifle in a 2000 hunting accident in Montana. The family says the rifle fired when Barber’s wife, Barbara, released the safety as she prepared to unload the weapon. The bullet passed through a horse trailer and hit Gus, who was standing behind the trailer.

For more than a decade, Barber investigated the rifle’s trigger mechanism, compiled company internal documents and worked as a consultant on lawsuits from Model 700 owners whose rifle fired without the trigger being pulled.

He concluded that a defect in the Walker Fire Control on the trigger mechanism led to the incidents, sometimes causing the weapon to fire when the safety was released or the bolt was opened or closed.

The Walker Fire Control has been installed on Remington Model 700s and some other Remington rifle models since the 1940s. The company introduced a new fire-control mechanism, the X-Mark Pro, in 2006.

Barber, contacted by telephone Monday, declined to discuss details of the settlement, saying he doesn’t want to harm discussions still under way between the plaintiffs and the company.

The settlement notice, filed last Wednesday, is in a class-action lawsuit filed January 2013 in U.S. District Court in Missouri, by Ian Pollard, who purchased a Remington Model 700 rifle in 2000 in Belle, Mo.

Pollard’s lawsuit, filed against Remington and two affiliated companies, Sporting Goods Properties and E.I. DuPont, said his rifle had fired three times without him pulling the trigger, twice when the safety was released and once when the bolt was opened.

“Defendants have known since 1979 that at least 1 percent of all Model 700 rifles at that time would `trick,’ allowing them to fire unexpectedly without a trigger pull,” the suit said. “(Pollard) contends that this percentage is vastly understated and that all Model 700 rifles are subject to unexpected firing without a trigger pull.”

Pollard’s lawsuit asked the court to declare all Model 700 bolt-action rifles with a Walker Fire Control to be defective and to order Remington to recall those models. It also asked for compensatory and punitive damages against the company.

Last week’s notice said a settlement agreement will be submitted to U.S. District Court in Missouri by Oct. 30, after which the court will decide whether to approve it.

There are other steps to take for Remington to regain their lost loyalty, like relocating manufacturing South and out of union territory.

David Codrea:

The Students for Concealed Carry Foundation, teaming with Ohioans for Concealed Carry, filed a civil rights complaint against Ohio State University, the student group announced Monday in a press release outlining the case.

Hmm … let’s see, what does the Ohio Constitution say: The people have the right to bear arms for their defense and security.  That should settle it right there.  It probably won’t, and that’s grounds for impeachment of whatever judge ignores the provisions of the moral law of the land.

Watch Mike Vanderboegh’s Independence Day speech.

LAPD helps Obama to create dystopia on the West coast.

Via Uncle, a concealed carrier shoots an attacker.  Of course, to hear the Chicago Police Chief tell it, guns are responsible for all of the violence they have in Chicago.  I guess the guns just decide when to shoot all by themselves.

Finally, I sure and glad that “the only ones” got the right back to carry inside Ikea.  After all, they are the only ones.

Menckenlite:

Control freaks love psychiatry, a means of social control with no Due Process protections. It is a system of personal opinion masquerading as science. See, e.g., Boston University Psychology Professor Margaret Hagan’s book, Whores of the Court, to see how arbitrary psychiatric illnesses are. Peter Breggin, Fred Baughman and Thomas Szasz wrote extensively about abuses of psychiatry. Liberals blame guns for violence. Conservatives blame mental illness. Neither have any causal connection to violence. The issue is criminal conduct, crime. Suggesting that persons with legal disabilities are criminals shows the nonsensical argument of this politician and his fellow control freaks. Shame on them.

And speaking of control freaks and their love for psychiatry, the State of South Carolina already drank the Kool Aid (probably because of communists like Senator Larry Martin).

A bill passed in May 2013 required state probate courts to report all cases where a person has been adjudicated mentally incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental health facility. The reporting requirement began Aug. 1, 2013, and probate courts were given one year to report 10 years of backlogged cases.

With the Aug. 1 deadline swiftly approaching, Spartanburg County Probate Judge Ponda Caldwell said her office will not be able to comply.

“We are just doing what we can, as we can,” she said.

Of the estimated 9,000 mental health cases that had to be considered for reporting, Caldwell estimates there’s about 2,500 left to be reviewed. Not every case has to be reported, but Spartanburg County does not have the technology to sort the files digitally, making the task time-consuming and laborious.

“We have had to put physical hands on every file,” she said.

The mental health records are kept locked away in a small closet in the probate court. The documents are subject to federal laws pertaining to health care confidentiality, so Caldwell said she is very particular about who reviews the information. A trusted community volunteer was helping early in the process but had to stop because of family commitments. Since then, Caldwell herself has been handling the task, usually on weekends.

Oh, I’m sure this will work out real well, with no problems, no errors, and no overreach by the government.