WALTERBORO — An Army specialist just home from the Middle East shot and critically wounded a robber who tried to hold up his family after they stopped with car trouble late Thursday, authorities said.
Twoother robbers returned fire as they pulled their wounded accomplice into a getaway car and sped away from the McCleod Road crime scene, according to Colleton County Sheriff George Malone.
None of the victimswere wounded, but their cars were struck by bullets, deputies said.
Hospital, where he was being treated for several gunshot wounds, deputies said.
David Jayquon Jakes, 19, of Smoaks was later transferredto Medical University Hospital in Charleston, where he remains in intensive care, Chief Deputy Ted Stanfield said. Read more
CHICAGO (STMW) — For the third time in two weeks, a citizen has shot a bad guy in the city.
A 23-year-old felon was shot to death as he tried to rob a Northwest Side pawnshop Tuesday afternoon.
Michael McMillan, 23, of 309 N. Menard, was pronounced dead at Our Lady of the Resurrection Medical Center at 1:17 p.m., according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
The slain suspect was convicted in 2006 of armed robbery and sentenced to boot camp, court records show.
Police sources said the owner of Fullerton Pawners Inc. shot the robber at about 1 p.m. inside the store.
Two accomplices, one wearing a black backpack, ran away. One may have been wounded, sources said. Read more
Buying furniture from Smart Buy Home Furnishings may be a smart move, but trying to rip off the store is not, two men found out over the weekend.
Just after noon on Saturday, Springfield police arrived at the store at 2845 W. Chestnut to find one store manager, a 45-year-old disabled woman, holding the would-be burglars at gunpoint.Marlene Woodman, 65, manages the store with her daughter Angela Mallard, 45.
Woodman credits Mallard with protecting her. Mallard said she stands just under 5 feet 2 inches and weighs 127 pounds.”
Angie is my hero,” said Woodman, who has heart problems. “She was afraid of what they would do to me. They thought I was by myself.” Read more
Ithaca 28-Gauge Model 37 Pump Shotgun Lord Tennyson wrote, “In the spring a young man's fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love” Well, it's spring, and although I can't rightly be termed a young man anymore, I'm in love with Ithaca's new 28-gauge Model 37 pump shotgun.
My first shotgun, nearly 35 years ago, was a new Ithaca 20-ga. Deluxe Featherweight, and it pained me when Ithaca fell on tough times a few years ago. Now, however, Ithaca is back in competent hands in their new headquarters in Upper Sandusky, Ohio, and although the company's production is limited to around 3500 guns per year, the guns it does produce are gems.
The new 28-ga. M37 is available in three grades, A to AAA, with prices starting around a cool grand. I handled an AAA Grade at the 2009 SHOT Show and, brother, that was it for me.
Ithaca's new 28-ga. is available on special order only, and I fully intend to order one as soon as I've bailed out the banks, the Big Three, Moe's Pizza, and apparently everybody else.
It's a shame that many younger shooters are unaware of the Ithaca Model 37. Based on the sainted John Browning's patents for a bottom-ejecting shotgun, the M37 always struck me as the quintessential upland pump.
It is so refined, so exquisitely styled, so just plain pretty, that even today I have a hard time passing one up on the used-gun rack. What really hurt the M37, in my opinion, was the fact that it wasn‚Äôt offered with a 3″ chamber until it was rechristened the Model 87 some 20 years ago, and by that time the brand's prestige had already dimmed.
In 2005, however, Dave Dlubak acquired the company, and he's really turned it around. I've spoken to Dave and to Ithaca's management team, and I'm glad to report that they are True Believers in the grand old name of Ithaca.
But even bigger news may be in the offing for Ithaca. They've got an all-new, 100% American-made 12-ga. over/under prototyped, and I hope like hell it makes it all the way to production. Until then, the 28-ga. M37 will do quite nicely for me. Ithaca's back, folks. (See www.ithacagun.com.)
NAA's The Earl
The Earl by North American Arms.
Then there's The Earl by North American Arms. For those of you who came in late, NAA is the pre-eminent manufacturer of .22 mini-revolvers (and they field a pretty good team of centerfire pocket pistols, too).
The Earl is the latest of NAA's mini-guns, and it's a pip: a five-shot .22 Magnum that looks for all the world like an 1858-pattern Remington percussion revolver.
It's made entirely of stainless steel (except the grips, of course) and even includes a faux loading lever that serves as a cylinder pin release. It even has a 4″ octagonal barrel with a barleycorn front sight.
Initially available in only .22 Magnum rimfire, a .22 Mag/.22LR conversion cylinder is expected to be offered soon, perhaps by the time you read this. At a suggested retail of $289 for the .22 Mag version, I'd have an awfully tough time passing up The Earl.
Some shooters condemn all .22 mini-guns as “mouse guns” or worse, but I beg to differ. A .22 in my shirt pocket sure beats a .45 left at home. Besides, The Earl really isn't meant as a self defense gun; NAA's affable president Sandy Chisholm says “it might become your favorite plinker.” I can see that. (See naaminis.com.)
Charter Arms .357 Bulldog I'm happy to report that it seems that Charter Arms has really gotten its act together. A few months ago I had the chance to spend some time with their .357 Target Bulldog Stainless and was impressed.
This Charter Arms .357 Target Bulldog did pretty well at 25 yards offhand.
While its double-action trigger pull was a bit stagy until a few hours of shooting smoothed it out, its single-action pull was one of the nicest I've ever seen. Its 4″ barrel and neoprene grips made it quite comfortable to shoot even with fast-steppin' 125-grainers, and it shot right on the money.
With a suggested retail of $449 and a street price substantially less, the five-shot .357 Target Bulldog strikes me as a good buy for the woods bum who wants something small but substantial on his belt. It should serve well as a home defense revolver, too. Those who remember the quality of Charter Arms first Bulldogs back in the mid-70s will find a lot to like in the .357 Target Bulldog. Welcome home, Charter Arms! (See www.charterfirearms.com.)
With a street price of around $1200 as of this writing, Remington's R-15 VTR is a superbly accurate AR.
Remington R-15 I have to admit, with all due embarrassment, that until recently I had never owned an AR. I've had plenty of M1 Carbines and AKs and SKSs in addition to the usual complement of Krags and Trapdoors and 03s and Mausers, but somehow the planets never lined up sufficiently for me to buy an AR.
That oversight has been corrected in the form of a Remington R-15 VTR in .223. As a life-long fan of Remington autoloaders (from the Model 8 of 1906 on up to today's Model 750 Woodsmaster), I'm kind of glad that my first AR had the Remington name on it.
A camo-dipped version of a Bushmaster Predator, my R-15 shoots consistent .75″ groups at 100 yards if I hold my mouth right. Frankly, I remain amazed by its performance.
To anyone who ever questioned whether an AR is a legitimate sporting arm, the R-15 definitely answers in the affirmative. I can't wait to introduce it to some Indiana woodchucks. (See www.remington.com.)
.30 Remington Cartridge
The new .30 Remington AR
Speaking of Remington, I like the looks of Remington's new .30 Remington AR cartridge. I have a soft spot for the old .30 Remington Autoloading cartridge (sort of a rimless .30-30 Winchester), and the new Remington .30 is a worthy successor.
Based on a cut-down, necked .450 Bushmaster case, the stubby new .30 provides low-end .308 Winchester ballistics with a 125-gr. spitzer.
Make no mistake: the short .30 Remington AR case can't accommodate the longer 150- to 165-gr. bullets like a .308 bolt rifle can, but for someone who wants a real deer-level cartridge in an AR platform, it should prove decisive.
I'm not going out on too much of a limb when I predict that this is one case that will be extensively wildcatted.
Mossberg 464 .30-30
Younger hunters, and some not-so-young, will find plenty of value in the Mossberg 464 .30-30.
By now you've read all the compliments for Mossberg's 464 .30-30 lever-action, and I'll throw a few more on the pile. We wrung one out pretty thoroughly last year and it performed just as advertised: short lever throw, positive ejection, easy loading, etc.
Externally it resembles a hybrid between a Marlin 336 and a late-model Winchester 94, but there's an impressive amount of steel in its upper receiver.
With a street price hovering around $400, the 464 should find friends among those who believe that a .30-30 is all you really need for woods-range deer hunting. For beginning hunters, it should be an absolute peach. Now: where's that 464 in .22LR? (See www.mossberg.com.)
Superior Concepts 10/22 Laser Stock I belong to the school that holds that you can't have too many gadgets. And a couple of the more enticing gadgets I've seen lately are the Superior Concepts 10/22 Laser Stock and Accessory Band.
Superior Concepts Laser Stock (laser visible at end of forend) and barrel-band Accessory Mount.
The Laser Stock first: This is a nifty aftermarket stock for the Ruger .22 autoloader that incorporates an easily-adjustable laser sight.
The switch for the sight is inset into the left side of the stock's forend, where it falls naturally under the thumb. A little pressure on the switch and zing! a brilliant laser dot is projected as far out as you're likely to use one. It's available in a wide variety of stockl styles, from tactical to plain-jane.
The Accessory Band is one of those slap-my-forehead-why-didn't-I-think-of-that things: an accessory mount that replaces the barrel band of the 10/22.
For those such as I who possess only limited gunsmithing skills (okay, very limited), it's a no-brainer. (See www.laserstock.com.) << Read page 1
This article is an excerpt from Gun Digest 2010. Click here to order.
Gun Digest is the source for firearms news, pricing and guns for sale. Readers benefit from in-depth editorial expert advice, show reviews and practical how-to instructions. Subscriptions are the First Amendment way to stand up for your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside This Issue
• There is a gun Mecca right in the heartland. Brian McCombie takes a look.
• IWB = Total Concealment: Hide your pistol inside your pants. Dave Workman has the details.
• M.L. Brown writes that patriots used a wide variety of firearms in 1776.
• Live-fire training in a controlled setting has many advantages, says Scott W. Wagner.
• With the console vault, writes Dave Workman, you can safely lock a gun in your vehicle.
06/09/10 – In Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, some municipalities have begun revising, “local ordinances to allow—or, at least, not specifically forbid— guns on municipal property,” the Lancaster New Era reported, and a few have already changed their ordinances to allow possession.
These municipalities have been challenged on their existing gun bans, and research by their legal advisors determined that the bans were in violation of state law. Pennsylvania’s constitution states that, “the right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.”
Furthermore, Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act gave the state the right to make gun laws and regulations, and provided cities, towns and other local governments little leeway in making their own gun laws.
“The Constitution is still the law of the land,” added David Dumeyer, chairman of West Hempfield Township supervisors.
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But unless the threat occurs in a home or workplace, Pennsylvanians are not justified in taking lethal action if they can retreat "with complete safety."
Now a state legislator, backed by the National Rifle Association, has won the first round in his attempt to broaden the state's laws governing self-protection.
A bill by Rep. Scott Perry, R-York, would eliminate the need to retreat under certain circumstances, make law-abiding citizens immune to lawsuits if they injure or kill someone in self-defense and expand the places where deadly force can be used to include a deck, patio, porch and vehicle.
"Individuals understand they don't want to wake up at 4 in the morning to the sound of breaking glass and don't want to be thinking about, as they're wiping the sleep from their eyes, whether to defend themselves or not," Mr. Perry said.
The controversial bill, opposed by the state's police chiefs and district attorneys, sailed Tuesday through the state House judiciary committee on a 22-4 vote.
"In our view, it's a solution in search of a problem," said Joe Grace, executive director of CeaseFirePA, a group that works to reduce gun violence. "I think it's a feel-good bill for the gun lobby."
In a letter dated Monday Dauphin County District Attorney Ed Marsico, president of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association, notified the judiciary committee of his group's opposition to the bill.
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It "will provide violent criminals, including gang members, a ready defense for using violence against one another. Further, the bill encourages the taking of human life even when there is a safe option of retreating. I want to discourage the use of violence unless it is absolutely necessary, not encourage it," Mr. Marsico wrote.
Someone caught today between an armed assailant and a fence in an alleyway might have to scale the fence to safety before being justified in firing a shot in self-defense. Under Mr. Perry's changes, there would be no obligation to run.
With what some refer to as a "stand-your-ground" provision of the bill, "You do not have a duty to retreat." Read more
The support for McCain's conservative credentials came as former U.S. Rep. J.D. Hayworth traveled the state telling Republicans that McCain can't be trusted to support issues important to them.
Hayworth has attacked McCain's record on gun rights, saying the incumbent has supported restrictive legislation, including a measure to close the so-called "gun-show loophole" that allows private sales of weapons without background checks.
The NRA, however, said McCain's overall record is friendly to gun owners, despite past disagreements.
"You have demonstrated a proven commitment to our Second Amendment rights," NRA Political Victory Fund Chairman Chris W. Cox wrote to McCain.
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The letter cites McCain's opposition to bans on assault weapons and handguns in the District of Columbia, as well as his support for a law prohibiting lawsuits against gun manufacturers when their weapons are used in crimes.
Hayworth countered with an endorsement of his own Thursday from former NRA president Bob Corbin, who also served as Arizona attorney general.
"For 12 years while he was in Congress, J.D. maintained a perfect ‘A' rating from both the NRA and the Gun Owners of America," Corbin said in a statement released by Hayworth's campaign. Read more.
The shooting occurred about a week after an 80-year-old Army veteran used a handgun to shoot and kill an armed burglar who had broken into his home. In both cases, the weapons violated the city's 28-year-old handgun ban, but police so far have declined to press charges.
The U.S. Supreme Court is expected to rule this month on the constitutionality of Chicago's gun ban, and many believe the justices will strike it down. But, while those on both sides of the gun-rights debate eagerly await the verdict, the decision is essentially irrelevant for many who live in Chicago.
By one expert's estimate, there is a handgun in as many as 100,000 city households, despite the ban. And gang members or those with misdeeds in mind aren't the only ones who have them. In some neighborhoods, otherwise-law-abiding citizens feel forced to violate the gun ban, they say, to protect themselves and their families.
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"You've got to do what you've got to do," said a DVD salesman from Marquette Park, who has two daughters and said he bought a handgun after two thugs shot him during a recent robbery attempt. "I think people need guns to protect themselves."
Pinpointing how many handguns are in Chicago isn't easy, said Jens Ludwig, a University of Chicago professor and director of the university's Crime Lab. There's no government data tracking them, illegal guns by nature are not registered, and a random survey would be like "calling people up and asking them if they engage in any other illegal behavior, like snorting cocaine or beating their kids," he said.
But based on a study that Ludwig and other experts conducted in 2007 on Chicago's underground gun market, he roughly estimated that as many as 100,000 Chicago households could have handguns.
"Judging from the available data, there are apparently a lot of people in Chicago who feel strongly enough they need a gun for protection that they're willing to ignore the ban," Ludwig said.
The report's authors estimated about 1,400 black-market gun sales occurred each year in the Grand Boulevard-Washington Park neighborhood, "or about one sale per year for every 30 people living in this very high-crime neighborhood." In interviews with more than 100 non-gang members ages 18 to 21 who owned guns, the report found the price was $250 to $400, a serious mark-up above legal prices. Read more.
The accuracy and reliability that have made the 1911 an American icon now shine brighter than ever. Features include a crisp trigger, dovetailed front and rear sights, precision-machined slide and frame, and available fine-checkered American walnut grips.
The new Model 1911 R1 is truly the finest blend of exacting craftsmanship and out-of-box performance available today. Every element is produced with ultra-tight tolerances on equipment representing the height of modern technology.
The result is a sweet-shooting advancement of a legendary design we’re more than proud to put our name on.
The Remington Model 1911 R1 is manufactured with pride and precision, to the exacting standards you’ve come to expect from Remington. Right here in Ilion, New York.
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The new Model 700 SPS (Special Purpose Synthetic) Tactical AAC-SD centerfire rifle, chambered in 308 Win., features the time-proven Model 700 action.
The number one choice of police and military marksmen and one of the most popular bolt-action rifle series in America, with some of the latest performance-driven features including a threaded muzzle. This mid-year introduction to Remington’s expanding line of tactical rifles and shotguns is designed to impress from the bench or in the field at a very affordable price.
At the core of the 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD is the machined solid-steel, cylindrical Model 700 receiver design ensuring uniformity, strength and solid bedding area. Unique to this precision rifle is the 20-inch heavy-contour clean barrel, threaded to accept AAC and all 5/8-24 threaded flash hiders, muzzle breaks and suppressors. The tactical-style carbon steel, hammer-forged barrel is the perfect balance between handling in tight spots and delivering pinpoint accuracy. With a twist rate of one in 10 inches, this rifle is optimized for accuracy. These specialty, bolt-action rifles are shipped with a thread protector installed.
The rock-solid barreled action is bedded into a well-designed, Hogue® Overmolded® Ghillie Green pillar bedded synthetic stock with a semi-beavertail fore-end for added stability. This soft-touch, sure-grip stock is extremely comfortable for extended, long range shooting and assures a positive grip in both stressful situations and inclement weather. The dual point pillar bedding guarantees a solid interface between the action and stock to help insure cold bore accuracy and prevent point of-impact shifts. Add Remington’s X-Mark Pro externally adjustable trigger, designed to “break like-glass” and set at 3 ½ pounds from the factory, and this rifle delivers surgical-like accuracy.
Other key features include receiver drilled and tapped for the addition of optics; distinctive, laser engraved “Tactical Rifling 1 in 10” roll mark; convenient hinged floorplate magazine with 4-round capacity; non-reflective, black oxide external metal finish; and sling swivel studs.
Available in the widely popular 308 Win chambering, the Model 700 SPS Tactical AAC-SD with Threaded Muzzle is the perfect tactical bolt-action rifle and available at a very affordable price.
The U.N. claims that guns used in armed conflicts cause 300,000 deaths worldwide every year, an inordinate number of which are the result of internal civil strife within individual nations.
The solution proposed by transnationalists to keep rebels from getting guns is to make the global pool of weapons smaller through government action.
According to recent deliberations regarding the treaty, signatory countries would be required to "prevent, combat and eradicate" various classes of guns to undermine "the illicit trade in small arms." Such a plan would necessarily lead to confiscation of personal firearms.
The Gun Digest Book of Concealed Carry is a must-read for anyone interested in concealed carry of a handgun. Learn more.
This may seem like a reasonable solution to governments that don't trust their citizens, but it represents a dangerous disregard for the safety and freedom of everybody. First of all, not all insurgencies are bad.
As U.S. history shows, one way to get rid of a despotic regime is to rise up against it. That threat is why authoritarian regimes such as Syria, Cuba, Rwanda, Vietnam, Zimbabwe and Sierra Leone endorse gun control. Read more.
Buy them both. Magna-tips on the left and Wheeler Engineering on the right. One for the bench and one for the range.
As your humble author was working on this column, it occurred to him that he, long ago, wrote a similar article for this publication. But that’s okay, ‘cuz this one’s better. This month, we want to briefly discuss the tools that the new gunsmith should shell out the initial dough to purchase, and those that he can or may be able to do without. As such, there really aren’t a whole lot of these initial tools, so they will be broken down by section below, with recommendations based upon personal use.
Unfortunately, common tools, like standard screwdrivers, pliers, hammers, and the like have limited use on the bench of the gunsmith. For gross (as in large, not as in yucky) operations they work well, but they are not necessarily suited to the precision work demanded when working on guns. Likewise, fine precision tools like those used in the electronics industry, while great for fine control of springs and pins and stuff, simply aren’t tough enough to last for long under the heavy-handed abuse of the average overweight, under-exercised gunsmith. Fortunately there is a thriving special industry of overpriced (sometimes), overbuilt (often), and convenient (always) tools for dudes to blow their paychecks on.
Hammers
Here are the four slammers the smith will need for 99% of his slamming.
You will need a hammer or four. The first is the most used and thus the most important and essential smasher to acquire. Brownells has a great model that is simply adorable, a 1-inch nylon/brass headed item, weighing about 6 ounces. You will use it every day, and it is the most suited for the most common punching and driving of small pins and parts that you will encounter.
It will wear down and require dressing, the brass head will expand and need to be pounded or turned back into shape, and the nylon head will start to look like it went on a date with a cheese grater. If you can get spare heads, do it. Eventually it will expire and you will be forced to get a new one. Strangely, it is a very inexpensive replacement. For as much as it is used, Brownells should double the price and really make it profitable.
Buy a rubber deadblow hammer for heavier soft work. This is your second hammer.
The third hammer to get right away is a heavier steel model. Many smiths use a standard ball-peen hammer to help loosen those hard-to-move super-tight pins. The typical gunsmith’s tool bench is the home to a 1-pound steel that is quite easy to control and has the necessary mass to overcome all but the most stubborn interference-fit inertia.
The old adage, “Don’t hit it harder, use a bigger hammer,” is oh-so-true in Gunsmithtown. The harder you hit something, the less control you have, and inevitably you will ruin your tools and the piece you are working on. You know, the workpiece that belongs to someone else.
Overcoming inertia requires force. Force is applied with a hammer using speed or mass. Mass is easier to control and far more effective, hence the 1-pound hammer for moving the tapered front sight pins on an AR. Which brings us to the fourth hammer … the Hammer of the Gods. Thor called his “Mjolnir.” I call mine Pickles. Use the 16-pound sledge hammer to beat the ever-living crap out of that old .22 from the thirties that has no value, doesn’t function, and continues to reside in your shop for the sole purpose of relieving frustration. Plus, its effect on box elder bugs has to be seen to be believed.
Screwdrivers
Buy the Magna-tip 58-bit Master Super set, and the thin bits sets from Brownells. Use these for your bench. Very, very high quality tools. If you want a range set to allow you to show off your sexy gunsmithin’ to the hot chicks at the range, buy the Wheeler Engineering 89-piece set from Midway USA. It has several specialty bits that turn three-handed 15-minute jobs into two-handed three-minute jobs.
Punches
Discount sets have their place. But not in the gunsmith shop. Great success has been gained with Starrett punches from Brownells. Also get roll pin punches and those cute little hollow-nosed pin starter punches.
Other Stuff
Polish, polish away. A high speed rotary tool will make you a very happy little tinkerer. Just use it with control and intention. It can also pave your pathway to abject failure and doom.
Get a high quality Dremel type tool. I’ve yet to find one that will stand up to hard use, most being of the hobbying variety. Be prepared to replace this one yearly. Once you have one, though, it is hard to get along without. For some unknown reason, motors and electricity have this funny way of making work easier. You will use this for grinding, polishing, buffing, hogging out stocks for glass bedding, and who knows what else.
A variety of hand files are a must. The models available at your local home supply store are generally of adequate quality, as long as they are the expensive ones. Large bastards, mills, and the little needle files are all needed.
Ceramic or Arkansas polishing stones are essential for trigger work and other fine material removal.
One interesting and miniscule tool to acquire, or make, is a firing pin protrusion gauge. You may not actually need this one right away, but you will need it eventually. Worn firing pins, or badly manufactured firing pins, will cause headaches and this little doozy will help you figure out if either is the case. This tends to be needed on older guns with heavy mileage, and there are a whole lot of those out there.
Get several sets hex wrenches. Preferably ball ended. Without a doubt, get metrics. You’ll need those to handle all those crappy ChiCom red dot sights that are flooding the market. Invaluable tools, they are must haves; and be prepared to order extras after you lose or break a few.
Finally, at the risk of alienating all those manufacturers in the ether of Gunsmithtown, most of the jigs, rigs, and nice-to-have gadgets are not really necessary for immediate accumulation. That’s not to say they are useless, because they are often very handy and make the job more efficient. They just tend to be pricey, and the average dude should put off getting them until he knows he will get his money’s worth.
Lube and Cleaner
Commonly found solvents and lubes, and a couple greases. All have their purposes in the workings of a firearm, and all work at least reasonably well. The perfect lubricant and the perfect solvent have yet to be discovered.
It would be a good idea to get a parts cleaner, and maybe a small ultrasonic tank. Overall, you may find that your selections of bore cleaners, lubricants, and the like will be determined by your nose, or specialty. A lot of guys get positively high off of Hoppe’s #9, which is okay since it works quite well, and you might as well enjoy your work. Some people think its odor is too strong. Well too bad for them. They may then gravitate toward Tetra’s line of cleaners and lubes, which have a completely different aroma.
Fortunately, the great majority of the cleaning solvents and oils in Gunville are reasonably or greatly effective at the tasks for which they were produced. However, my experience with the “green” environmentally friendly, non-toxic selections has been disappointing. If I can drink it and not die, it has no business touching my guns. Gun solvents should be like coffee: great to smell, but revolting in taste, and capable of stripping copper from barrels, and cells from esophageal linings with equal ease.
Conclusion
All of this stuff can be purchased for well under 10 C-bills. Between these tools and those discussed in next month’s column, the new-born gunsmith can accomplish the vast majority of the everyday jobs. And this shouldn’t put him out too much dough if it turns out not to be his cup of tea. A lot of guys just do this kind of thing casually, fewer as a career, and many others try it and change their minds. Starting out small and wise like this will absolutely benefit anyone.
This article appeared in the April 12, 2010 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
"The Alaska Firearms Freedom Act frees Alaskans from overly bureaucratic and restrictive federal firearm regulation, and allows our state to assume the responsibility for regulation," said Rep. Mike Kelly, the lead sponsor on the plan endorsed by lawmakers in the recently closed session of the Alaska Legislature.
"The Interstate Commerce Clause is used by the federal government to regulate firearms that cross state borders. The Alaska Firearms Freedom Act makes it clear that Alaskans will be responsible for firearms that are made in Alaska, for use in Alaska, and have ‘Made in Alaska' stamped on them.
"Outdoorsmen, hunters and all Alaskans defending and feeding their families, and protecting their property, should welcome this new law," he said.
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The law also requires the state to defend any Alaskan who is "prosecuted by the federal government under their authority to regulate interstate commerce."
"We welcome Alaska into this states' rights liberty march," said Gary Marbut of the Montana Shooting Sports Association.
He's been called the godfather of the movement for his work on the original state Firearms Freedom Act that took effect last year in Montana. Read more.
Of the Charlotte Marriott City Center, where signs posted during the NRA convention made inadvertent criminals of conventioneers, Thomas promised signs had already been removed.
But on Tuesday, signs at Marriott properties – including the Charlotte hotel – remained in place while Marriott executives became “unavailable” for, according to office receptionists, a litany of conflicting reasons. Meanwhile, Charlotte Marriott Director of Loss Prevention Sammy Jones refused to comment on the status of signs.
Some gun rights supporters are now expressing concerns that the claim by Thomas was merely a dodge to deflect the thousands of e-mails and phone calls pouring in from around the country. In addition to the mounting boycott “going viral” on gun forums, it was featured by nationally syndicated radio host Tom Gresham on “Gun Talk.”
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But evidence suggests a more sophisticated corporate disinformation campaign in operation: By putting out the false message that Marriott is removing signs, the corporation sought to have gun rights activists do its bidding by putting out messages to that effect on Internet forums.
Those of us who have spread the “Marriott is pulling signs” message are, in fact, spreading their disinformation. To counter their effort, see “Immediate Action Required” below.
MARRIOTT CEO LINKED TO ‘COALITION TO STOP GUN VIOLENCE’ In what might explain Marriott International’s decision to prohibit lawful firearms in all of its hotels, a reader recently discovered a link between its Chairman and CEO J.W. Marriott, Jr. and a longtime gun control organization, the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence, formerly the National Coalition to Ban Handguns.
Run by longtime anti-gun activists Michael Beard and Joshua Horowitz, CSGV’s recent agenda includes registering private gun sales at gun shows, banning semi-automatic firearms, mandating “microstamping” of firearms and generating propaganda against lawful concealed carry.
A March 10, 2010 press release by Marriott lists Mr. Marriott’s accolades and “achievements,” including the following:
“Mr. Marriott is actively involved in various boards and councils including…the board of trustees of the National Urban League…”
Among many left-wing causes advocated by the National Urban League, it is listed prominently among members of the Coalition to Stop Gun Violence. Does J.W. Marriott, Jr. know his charitable efforts are being used to undermine your rights? Read more.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 excellent concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
