Let's Talk Numbers

Why doesn't anyone challenge these people when they start talking about guns and gun violence? Where are the homicides, what are the circumstances surrounding those homicides? Who used the gun? Where did they get it? Should they have been in possession? Anyway, check out the current field of candidates for the Democratic nomination for President and think about those questions while you read about the fight Cory Booker says he's going to bring to the NRA if he becomes president. Go Read It

Bless The Men

Who hit the beaches.

If you don't know, go learn. www.dday.org

Picked Up The Mosin Today

It's 91/30 low wall round receiver from Izhevsk. Made in 1939. Arsenal marks all over the stock and it looks like it might be counter bored, but it's hard to tell because of all the cosmoline down in the barrel. Didn't have time to start cleaning because of "homework" for the real job. The rifling from the breech end looks really bright. The bolt, buttplate and magazine have all been electropencil force matched to the receiver. I'm hoping it's a good shooter because now I know I won't feel bad about giving it the bubba treatment. So, at the first opportunity it's off to the range to see what it'll do.

This Could Get Interesting

I'll be off on a rifle purchase tomorrow. The exchange is supposed to take place outside a small gun store that has been around as far back as I can remember. At least, when I was essentially a kid new to the area in the mid-80s. It's near a restaurant and a bunch of other businesses. The seller said the transaction will take place outside the gun store. Paraphrasing, he said it was so neighboring businesses and people will get used to seeing guns in the parking lot. He finished with, "There is a story behind this. I will tell you later. :-)"

Sounds like a purchase opportunity with side benefits. I'm liking it already. 

More details tomorrow.

I Gave Up on Being Liked

A long time ago. Get 'em Mr. Colin

Rifle Shopping

Back later  :)

When to Begin

the prosecutions? If CBS is on it how long until the others follow?

...CBS reported, “Throughout the night, sources say Americans on the ground in Libya at times felt helpless and abandoned… But they were told immediate help wasn’t available.” But, counterterrorism sources and internal emails reviewed by CBS News express frustration that key responders were ready to deploy, but were not called upon to help.

Go read it.

Ummm, You Might Want to Compare Notes

before speaking with the press. That way, you know, your story is straight when you lay it out there.

When questioned about reports that the DHS had placed orders to buy more than a billion additional rounds of ammunition, Nayak replied that those reports were “simply not true,” adding that the agency needs reasonable quantities for training purposes and that it usually buys in bulk to save money.
This assertion contradicts a statement Alex Newman of The New American received from another DHS spokesman, Marsha Catron, who said that there were two separate contracts to purchase ammunition: one for up to 750 million rounds for FLETC, and another one for 450 million rounds...

How do the citizens of the U.S. get to the bottom of this? Someone had to make the decision to place these orders. We need to find out who that person is and what their intentions are for all those rounds of ammunition.

Go read it.

Meet The New Liberator

Same as the old Liberator. Only this time it may do more simply by being possible than by being in the hands of resistance. 
The folks at Forbes got a few nice photos of it in addition to their story.

(credit: Michael Thad Carter for Forbes)

It's impossible to take away ideas and Cody Wilson is doing his level best to get the idea of what is possible into the minds of the people. Let's hope this file gets circulated before it is already made illegal by power hungry tyrants who want everyone robbed of their natural-born rights.

Need 1903 Help

I'm looking for someone who can give me the ins and outs on a Springfield 1903 in the DFW area. I have one I want to bring back to shooting condition and it needs the rear irons. Shoot me info via the comments. No, I won't publish your contact info for the whole world to see.  :)

Fascinating Police Poll

Numbers I actually believe.
One of the poll questions analysis:

2.) The majority of respondents -- 71 percent -- say a federal ban on the manufacture and sale of some semi-automatics would have no effect on reducing violent crime. However, more than 20 percent say any ban would actually have a negative effect on reducing violent crime. Just over 7 percent took the opposite stance, saying they believe a ban would have a moderate to significant effect.

The author goes on to say:

Contrary to what the mainstream media and certain politicians would have us believe, police overwhelmingly favor an armed citizenry, would like to see more guns in the hands of responsible people, and are skeptical of any greater restrictions placed on gun purchase, ownership, or accessibility. 

No doubt.

Go read the story.

Go see the PoliceOne.com poll takeaways.

Buybacks Gone Wild

Guess what happens when you take a gun to a buyback event in Arizona? It gets sold to add money to Arizona's coffers.

On Monday Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer signed a billthat now requires guns collected during gun buyback programs to be resold rather than melted down and destroyed. While the bill has the support of many, not everyone is pleased with it.

And all is right with the world (at least in this case in Arizona anyway).

Go read it.

Interactive Texas Gun Legislation Page

The Texas Tribune has a nifty page which will help folks keep up with Texas' Gun-related Politics. 
Go see it.

I Want to Hate Alan Gottlieb

but I'm having a hard time doing it.

First read this at Sipsey Street.

In one fell swoop Gottlieb has provided political cover for all those waffling senators and congressmen who were seeking it desperately.

Then read this at Daylight Disinfectant.

There’s a Million other things in there it’s a Christmas Tree. We just hung a Million Ornaments on it. We’re taking the Background Check and making it a pro-gun bill. 

I'm not sure what to think, but I want to take my own advice and reserve judgement. The mention of concealed carry language I couldn't find the other day was making me think that whole thing had come from someone who was attempting to write something gun control advocates couldn't or wouldn't support. 

The biggest hangup for me is the internet sales background check. That's definitely trouble. How else would one sell a gun today?I'm reserving judgement. For now.

Fun With Math

I struck pen to paper, or fingers to keyboard at least, and came up with the following figures for what a stack the Department of Homeland Security is layin' in. That recent Forbes article said 1.6 billion, but that figure has creeped up since then to more than 2 billion. So, living in a modest home built in the 1950s where storage space is at a premium, I wondered what the DHS is looking at for warehousing all that brass, copper and lead.
Here's my scratchpad with roughish numbers.

Working from this link at MidwayUSA a 50-round .40 S&W carton is 6.1875 inches X 3.25 inches X 1.5 inches.

A football field, between the goal lines, is 300 feet X 12 inches = 3,600 inches long

and 160 feet X 12 inches = 1,920 inches wide

one layer of cartons would be 3,600 inches divided by 6.1875 inches = 582 cartons long

and 1,920 inches divided by 3.25 inches = 591 cartons wide

582 X 591 = 343,962 50-round cartons per layer

2 billion total rounds divided by 50 rounds per carton= 40,000,000 cartons

40,000,000 / 343,962 = 116.3 layers

116 layers X 1.5 inches = 174 / 12 = 14.5 feet deep

So, the DHS will have a football field's worth of .40 S&W hollowpoints stacked 14 and a half feet deep. Think about it. 

Gumption

Sean Sorrentino over at NC Gun Blog has it. Lots of it. Go read it, then do a little victory dance like I did (don't be embarrassed, it's a good thing) . If Sean ever comes to Texas I want to buy him dinner. Many thanks to David Codrea for being so prolific and pointing this one out.

Well Said

Drop by over at Sipsey Street and Mike will send you to an excellent letter from a retired military officer to his Senator. Texas, my Texas.

ALL UR DRONEZ ARE BELONGZ 2 US

Here's an idea. Make it cool to have a small, covert surveillance device which can potentially be weaponized. Create an atmosphere where law enforcement agencies and civilian hobbyists beg to get one and then--wait for it--scoop them all up under your loving, tyrannical protective wing when crunchtime comes.

Worse yet, both Democrats and Republicans are now openly discussing a plan to put all the drones flown in America's skies, including those owned and operated by local police departments, under the ultimate supervision of the Department of Homeland Security and the Department of Justice, consolidating the country's surveillance and law enforcement powers under one powerful federal police jurisdiction.

Or maybe just when the mood strikes.

The department also plans to use its drones, and their attached cameras to surveil and police sporting events, political events and large public gatherings.
The problem with DHS's plans is that many of the above functions used to be handled by local law enforcement without any help from the federal government.

This is really no surprise is it? Build up of the domestic police force and its associated surveillance capabilities marches on. Go read it.

Putting Them Together

Two and two, that is.

In the letter to DHS Secretary Janet Napolitano, Huelskamp wrote that it had "become clear" that DHS was "purchasing vast quantities of ammunition" and that "estimates show that this ... would be enough for 24 Iraq wars." The Kansas congressman also said the timing of the purchase was "of great interest" because of gun control legislation currently being pushed by the Obama administration.

Follow it back to who signed the purchase requests. Paint by numbers. Go read it.

Why Not?

As we have noted, DHS has been buying lots of ammo, enough by one calculation to fight the equivalent of a 24-year Iraqi War.

1.6 billion rounds which is alleged to have now creeped up to 2 billion. Why won't DHS answer questions from congress? Go read it.