The 5 to 4 decision does not strike down any gun-control laws, nor does it elaborate on what kind of laws would offend the Constitution. One justice predicted that an "avalanche" of lawsuits would be filed across the country asking federal judges to define the boundaries of gun ownership and government regulation.
But Justice Samuel A. Alito Jr., who wrote the opinion for the court’s dominant conservatives, said: "It is clear that the Framers . . . counted the right to keep and bear arms among those fundamental rights necessary to our system of ordered liberty."
The decision extended the court’s 2008 ruling in District of Columbia v. Heller that "the Second Amendment protects a personal right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes, most notably for self-defense within the home." That decision applied only to federal laws and federal enclaves such as Washington; it was the first time the court had said there was an individual right to gun ownership rather than one related to military service. Read more
Well, if there were any doubt as to what greased the skids for the DISCLOSE Act’s final passage… the quote above hits the nail on the head.
Speaking on the House floor, Rep. Boehner blasted the horse-trading that occurred behind the scenes — noting that certain groups were made exempt from the legislation in order to convince them to drop their opposition to H.R. 5175.
Republican Dan Lungren of California called it an "auction behind closed doors." Some groups won, Lungren said, others lost.
Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS) vilified the bill because of its ambiguity. He said that since the Federal Election Commission won’t issue regulations to implement the bill before the election, people will have to guess at what the new election law is. That’s because the government won’t be able to tell people what the law actually is… and if you guess wrong, you go to jail or get prosecuted.
Harper tagged liberals for trying to rush this bill (with all of its ambiguities) for immediate implementation so that Democrats can gag their opponents in the upcoming election. Why else, Harper asked, won’t Pelosi and company delay the implementation of the bill until the 2012 elections?
Another irony with the whole process surrounding this legislation is that while the bill is called the DISCLOSE Act, liberal Democrats did not reveal (until a couple of hours before the Rules Committee Vote) that an amendment had been inserted at the last minute to exempt labor unions from the requirements of the bill. By the way, many of these requirements would make it much more difficult for GOA to hold legislators accountable during an election year.
The DISCLOSE Act (H.R. 5175) passed narrowly by a 219-206 vote. You can see how your Representative voted by going to: https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2010/roll391.xml
GOA thanks all its activists for their hard work on this bill. Don’t be discouraged, it is MUCH harder for us to kill legislation in that chamber. The fact that we came so close — only 7 votes needed to switch — means that we probably have the muscle to kill this in the Senate!
ACTION: Please urge your Senator to oppose the Disclose Act (H.R. 5175 and S. 3295). You can use the Gun Owners Legislative Action Center to send your Senators the pre-written e-mail message below.
—– Pre-written letter —–
Dear Senator:
I stand with Gun Owners of America in opposing the DISCLOSE Act (H.R. 5175 and S. 3295).
It is outrageous that the House of Representatives passed this legislation with a deal to exempt certain large organizations from the terms of the DISCLOSE Act. This smacks of the money-for-votes fiasco which helped grease the skids for passage of ObamaCare and which has already lowered Congress’ reputation to unprecedented depths.
I was glad to see that Senator Mitch McConnell blasted this deal, which was especially aimed at carving out special exemptions for the NRA leadership in exchange for their promise to sit on their hands and not oppose the DISCLOSE Act. "If there is one thing Americans loathe about Washington, it’s the backroom dealing to win the vote of organizations with power and influence at the expense of everyone else," McConnell said.
"Just as it wasn’t the Democrats’ money to offer in the health care debate, free speech isn’t theirs to ration out to those willing to play ball — it’s a right guaranteed by our First Amendment to all Americans."
I agree wholeheartedly. Please do NOT vote in favor of this legislation, as it will have a chilling effect upon our free speech rights by forcing the organizations we associate with to disclose their membership lists.
How ironic that a Congress and President who treat transparency with contempt should now be trying to force legal organizations to disclose the names of their law-abiding members. The hypocrisy is blatant, to say the least.
A Telford man is in serious condition after being shot early Monday morning during an alleged Piney Flats burglary attempt.
Police report it occurred at about 12:50 a.m. at 920 Piney Flats Road. The resident, William Lusk, 46, reported that he was in his bedroom when he heard someone banging on the front door.
Lusk said three men then broke into his home. He allegedly grabbed ashotgun and fired one round at the suspects, not knowing he had hit anyone until he found a man in his driveway. Read More
TAMPA – A home invasion victim fatally shot one of the invaders Sunday in Carrollwood, and investigators have since arrested two other people involved in the crime, Hillsborough County deputies said.
Victim Anthony Dipaolo, 23, shot and killed suspect Jonathan Fernandez, 23, sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said.
Fernandez died at the scene. Dipaolo was shot in the left leg.
Though Dipaolo fatally shot Fernandez, two other home invasion suspects also have been charged with murder: Willie Goff and Katherine Schaeffer.
Sheriff’s spokeswoman Debbie Carter said they were chargedbecause their involvement in the offense led to the fatal shooting. Read more
A Lexington man fired shots at a suspect who broke into his home early Wednesday morning.
Police say a man kicked in the front door of ahome along Republic Court around 3 a.m. and entered the house.
The homeowner woke up when he heard the noise and grabbed his gun. He says that when he went into the hall and flipped on the lights, he saw the suspect standing there.
The homeowner fired a few rounds and the suspectran out of the house. Read more
“We did what was in the best interests for the NRA and the Second Amendment, and we would do it again. We do not take positions on bills that do not affect us.”
That was NRA spokesman Andrew Arulanandam quoted in "Politico" discussing HR 5175, a bill that would allow free speech for the NRA and cut out almost everyone else.
HR 5175 is a blatantly unconstitutional bill that would end free speech for countless organizations and was opposed by the NRA until they cut a backroom deal with Democrats in Congress. NRA would be "carved out" of this bill and the NRA would slink away and end any opposition to it.
All other pro-gun organizations, including other national and all state-wide groups would be silenced, with the NRA’s tacit blessing, and the NRA would be assured of a monopoly on political speech before elections.
Of course, just like much of McCain Feingold, this bill, if passed, will be overturned by the courts. But not before the next election, and that is exactly what the anti-gun majority is planning for. The bill is intended to protect people like NRA darling Harry Reid for one more election cycle. Read more
A top House Democrat said Monday that he remains hopeful of mustering enough votes to pass sweeping new campaign finance legislation, which has prompted a political uproar over a deal crafted to help the National Rifle Association. — The Washington Post, June 21, 2010
According to the Post article from yesterday:
Democrats are "in striking distance of getting the votes" for the package, which would require corporations, nonprofit groups [like GOA] and unions to disclose details about their political spending.
The big news last week was a "carve out" that Democrat leaders made to exempt the NRA from the provisions of the bill. This week, in order to gain more votes, there is talk about exempting many more non-profit organizations — which may include GOA.
Our answer to Congress is simple and is found in the First Amendment: "Congress shall make no law… abridging the freedom of speech." In other words, NO DEAL.
The NRA claims, in a widely circulated letter, that "some of our critics believe we should put the Second Amendment at risk over a First Amendment principle to protect other organizations."
To the contrary, sacrificing a First Amendment principle will end up putting the Second Amendment on even more precarious footing. Read more
Mayor Daley has plenty of liberals eager to argue for crime-ridden Chicago’s gun ban.
Is the person next to you on the bus “carrying heat?” How about that lady in the Starbucks line, who appears to be “packing” (and I don’t mean for summer vacation)? Your co-worker had a bad week and is fiddling with his pistol.
Today, the U.S. Supreme Court may strike down Chicago’s controversial gun ban, legal experts predict. In the landmark case, McDonald vs. the City of Chicago, the justices are expected to rule that the city’s 30-year-old prohibition on the possession or sale of handguns violates the Second Amendment.
If the law is banished, the city no longer will be able to forbid the possession of handguns.
The People of the Gun argue that citizens are entitled to the right to own guns for self-protection. They may win this round. Others fear the Windy City will begin to look more like Dodge City. Maybe even Tombstone, Ariz.
Things are bad enough. Every day in Chicago is another day of gun mayhem. Children caught in the crossfire. A lady preacher shot over a poker game. Road rage gone wild. More and more lost to domestic violence, suicide, impulse killings. Read more
The latest Gun Digest Kit of the Month focuses on the most popular rifle in America. This valuable kit will help you keep your AR-15 running strong. Click the link and take a look.
Overturning Wisconsin’s over 130-year-old ban on carrying concealed weapons (CCW), the Wisconsin legislature last week passed SB93, sending the bill to Governor Walker for his signature.
Wisconsin residents: Do you plan to buy a new handgun or other gear in light of Wisconsin’s new concealed carry law?
Recommended gun books for those who carry concealed handguns:
Created by duck hunters for duck hunters, the Browning Maxus is big on reliability, accuracy and power.
The very first sentence in the 2010 Browning catalog in reference to the company’s latest autoloading shotgun, the Maxus, is as follows – “The Browning Maxus – Maximum Reliability.” From experience, those five words certainly do say it all.
My first date with the Maxus was in Alberta in late 2008. Our group had, if memory serves me right, five of the new guns – a number which I believe represented, at that time, the whole of the population. Our host for the hunt, Browning’s Scott Grange, sheep-dogged his tiny stockpile of innovation with more intensity than did Golem guard The Ring.
However, at the end of our three-day stint north of Edmonton, there wasn’t a one of us writers who wasn’t plotting some way to sneak one of the Maxus’ back into The States. Yes, they’re that good.
A year later, Grange allowed me four days on the Great Salt Lake behind the recoil pad of a Plain Jane black-and-synthetic Maxus. Goldeneyes, pintails, mallards, widgeon, grey ducks, and bluebills all fell to the gun; so, too, did my first tundra swan and first drake cinnamon teal.
This time, the now year-old SKU was put through a brutal battery of field tests, including freezing cold temperatures, exposure to saltwater, and absolutely no maintenance whatsoever, and emerged with a report card sporting all As.
The catalog write-up goes on to list what Browning describes as the Maxus’ “innovative technologies.” Certainly, so-called such cutting edge technology can be nice and, at times, even useful. However, ‘tis often the case where one man’s innovation is another man’s gingerbread – or rather, fluff disguised as innovation. Fortunately, the latter is not case with the Maxus.
Technically Speaking
To me, the Maxus is without question the spawn of a waterfowler’s collective, a duck gun if there ever was a duck gun. A goose gun, too. In its purest form, the piece is a 3.5-inch gas-operated semi-automatic 12-bore; but it is more than that.
The Maxus’ efficiency begins where it should, with a trio of elements designed to enhance the gun’s on-target performance. Browning has combined their already-existing Invector-Plus choke system, with a lengthened (2.5-inch) forcing cone and back-bored barrel – the result being minimal shot deformation, and vastly improved pattern density, consistency, and uniformity.
These attributes are particularly noticeable when using larger non-toxic pellet sizes, and especially true in the case of steel shot.
Function for the Maxus is via what Browning calls their Power Drive System.
Elementally, it’s a port-and-piston design; however, oversized ports quickly bleed off excess gas with heavy loads, while a 20-percent longer piston stroke allows the piece to operate smoothly and reliably with the light stuff.
The unit itself is, for all intents and purposes, uniquely sealed, thus helping keep what my father always referred to as “mud, muck and corruption” out of the inner workings.
Recoil with the Maxus has been greatly reduced – An 18 percent reduction, as compared with other modern autoloaders – thanks to a combination of the Power Drive System, back-boring, and a space-age recoil pad, complete with what’s being deemed Inflex Technology.
Additional, if not novel features include an excellent trigger mechanism, Browning’s grip-tight Dura-Touch Armor Coating on all composite surfaces, a tricked-out Speed Lock forearm that eliminates the traditional threaded magazine cap, and a TurnKey magazine plug that allows for quick removal and/or installation of a two-round plastic plug.
The Maxus does sport the company’s decades-old Speed Load Plus feature, which automatically sends the first round in the magazine directly into the chamber. 26- and 28-inch barrel options are available, as are color schemes of matte black or Mossy Oak’s Duck Blind.
My Personal Report Card
It’s no secret that to stay competitive, firearms manufacturers must continually introduce – pardon the cliché – new and better mousetraps. And if not the entire trap, at the very least a new twist or feature designed specifically to make you, the potential buyer, understand that life ends should you not purchase Product X.
This said, the Maxus certainly does sport a long list of so-called better mousetraps; some of which I find useful, and others, at least to me, are burnt umber where brown would suffice. First, the 3.5-inch chamber is lost on me. Yes, I know there are thousands of 3.5-inch fans out there; however, I probably don’t shoot five 3.5-inch shotshells annually.
I don’t like the expense, I don’t enjoy the recoil, and, finally, I’m of a mind that if I can’t kill it with what’s in a 3-inch hull, I probably shouldn’t be shooting at it in the first place. Still, to some the option to shoot a 3.5-inch shotshell is a bonus.
Both the Speed Lock forearm and TurnKey Magazine Plug, while nice enough features, are likewise personally moot points. Since working with my first in 1979, I’ve somewhat grown accustomed to a screw-type magazine cap. True, the Speed Lock forearm does allow for quick and easy sling installation; however, so too do modern caps, the majority of which come sling-ready from the factory.
As for quickly removing and then reinstalling a magazine plug, I again quote my father, a long-time semi-automatic man, as saying – “If I haven’t killed it in three, it’s probably getting away.” Ever since I can remember, our autoloaders, as well as our pump-actions, have been plugged out of the box, and have stayed that way for all time. I agree here with my Pop on his Three And Out theory.
So what do I particularly like about this piece? I could definitely see the positives inherent in the Maxus’ Lightning Trigger System; not so much in the mechanism’s speed, which is undeniably fantastic, but more so the fact that the whole of the trigger group is easily removed, thus making it easy to clean.
And while on the topic of cleanliness, the Maxus’ internal workings, i.e. the gas operation system, contribute greatly to an elevated ease of maintenance – a huge plus, especially for those somewhat frightened by gun oil and greasy rags. And once I got accustomed to it, the Speed Load Plus feature did prove convenient, particularly in the tight confines of a layout boat or ground blind.
What I like most about the Maxus are three things. One, the gun points and handles as if it were an extension of my own arms. Only one other off-the-shelf shotgun has ever fit me out of the box like the Maxus does, and that was a loaner Winchester Super X2 that I sent back to the factory because money was tight at the time.
Do I regret that decision? Without question. The second is the Maxus’ recoil, or more precisely, the lack thereof. Not only is the piece balanced extraordinarily well, but recoil, even with 3.5-inch shotshells, is negligible. Physical punishment is practically absent; so, too, is the target-to-target interruption common with heavy waterfowl loads, lighter guns, and oft-brutal recoil.
Third, and finally, the Maxus goes boom every time I pull the trigger, and this often despite both internal and external coatings of everything from mud and sand to sunflower seed hulls, Skoal drippings, and Dorito crumbs. It’s frighteningly reliable, plain and simple, and that, above all else, is what I’m looking for in a waterfowl gun.
This article appeared in the June 21, 2010 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine.
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. With your Subscription, you’ll also learn about threats to your Second Amendment rights. Click here to begin your subscription to Gun Digest.
Inside This Issue:
– Test your skill with rifle golf – The search for a classic SIG – Ahern on lights and blades – Field Gun Review: Browning’s Maxus – Trends of Value for Rifles, Handguns, and Shotguns – Extensive classifieds section.
Not a subscriber? Make sure you don’t miss another issue! Subscribe now
Think about this for a minute. The majority of these United States have shall-issue CCW laws that allow honest, law-abiding citizens to protect themselves from violent attacks.
Yet Chicago continuously ranks very high in the number of murders per 100,000 residents. In fact the cities with the highest murder rates have the strictest gun control laws. For crying out loud, there was talk about calling in the National Guard to help control the streets of Chicago because the police couldn’t handle it.
Chicago’s famously anti-gun mayor Richard Daley has said only police officer should have guns. I guess he believes only the police can be trusted.
There was an uneasy silence cast upon that rhetoric when the video of one of Chicago’s “finest” beating the crap out of a female bartender surfaced.
That video should be all the proof you need to remind you that when people in power have no checks on their authority bad things happen to the general public.
It can happen in the United States if we let it. It, of course being a totalitarian government run amok with power among an unarmed populace. Now before you all sit down to your keyboards and tell me how I’m preaching to the choir, there is reason for this column.
This editorial appeared in the June 21, 2010 issue of Gun Digest the Magazine. Click here to learn more. Click here to subscribe.
The Supreme Court of the United States is about to hand down a decision concerning Chicago’s Draconian gun laws. And it is my guess that Chicago’s famously anti-gun mayor Richard Daley will at first rail about the injustice of it all, ignore the ruling and then work to obstruct implementation of any changes.
This is what people with unchecked authority do.
Gun owners need to check his authority. He needs to know what people really think. Yes, he only serves one city and he will argue that only the opinions of city residents matter to him, but that doesn’t mean he shouldn’t hear about how well the pro-gun movement is going in the rest of the country.
None of the dire predictions associated with easing gun laws has ever come true. It has been 30 years since the first CCW laws were passed and the only places blood is flowing in the streets are those cities that refuse to allow people to defend themselves.
The Illinois State Rifle Association is doing a great job keeping the pressure on Daley and his cronies, but they can always use some help. Invest the 44 cents and the 20 minutes it takes to write a letter to the misguided Mr. Mayor and let him know that he is wrong and we are right. Good people with guns do good things. Here is his address:
Mayor Richard Delay 121 N. LaSalle Street City Hall Room 507 Chicago, IL 60602
Chicago is just another brick in the wall that is gun control. We need to work together to knock out those bricks one at a time until we eventually bring down the wall. Write a letter. Join a march. Let people know we will not give up our rights.
Human beings only have two ways to deal with one another: reason and force. If you want me to do something for you, you have a choice of either convincing me via argument, or force me to do your bidding under threat of force. Every human interaction falls into one of those two categories, without exception. Reason or force, that’s it.
In a truly moral and civilized society, people exclusively interact through persuasion. Force has no place as a valid method of social interaction, and the only thing that removes force from the menu is the personal firearm, as paradoxical as it may sound to some. When I carry a gun, you cannot deal with me by force. You have to use reason and try to persuade me, because I have a way to negate your threat or employment of force.
The gun is the only personal weapon that puts a 100-pound woman on equal footing with a 220-pound mugger, a 75-year old retiree on equal footing with a 19-year old gang-banger, and a single guy on equal footing with a carload of drunk guys with baseball bats. The gun removes the disparity in physical strength, size, or numbers between a potential attacker and a defender.
There are plenty of people who consider the gun as the source of bad force equations. These are the people who think that we’d be more civilized if all guns were removed from society, because a firearm makes it easier for a [armed] mugger to do his job. That, of course, is only true if the mugger’s potential victims are mostly disarmed either by choice or by legislative fiat – it has no validity when most of a mugger’s potential marks are armed.
People who argue for the banning of arms ask for automatic rule by the young, the strong, and the many, and that’s the exact opposite of a civilized society. A mugger, even an armed one, can only make a successful living in a society where the state has granted him a force monopoly.
Then there’s the argument that the gun makes confrontations lethal that otherwise would only result in injury. This argument is fallacious in several ways. Without guns involved, confrontations are won by the physically superior party inflicting overwhelming injury on the loser. People who think that fists, bats, sticks, or stones don’t constitute lethal force watch too much TV, where people take beatings and come out of it with a bloody lip at worst. The fact that the gun makes lethal force easier works solely in favor of the weaker defender, not the stronger attacker. If both are armed, the field is level.
The gun is the only weapon that’s as lethal in the hands of an octogenarian as it is in the hands of a weightlifter. It simply wouldn’t work as well as a force equalizer if it wasn’t both lethal and easily employable.
When I carry a gun, I don’t do so because I am looking for a fight, but because I’m looking to be left alone. The gun at my side means that I cannot be forced, only persuaded. I don’t carry it because I’m afraid, but because it enables me to be unafraid. It doesn’t limit the actions of those who would interact with me through reason, only the actions of those who would do so by force. It removes force from the equation… And that’s why carrying a gun is a civilized act.
The new Ruger LCR, the critically acclaimed Lightweight Compact Revolver, is now available with a “Boot” grip and XS Sights. Jointly developed with Hogue, the LCR Boot Grip features the highly effective Tamer insert which effectively manages recoil when coupled with the LCR’s patented polymer fire control housing.
The new LCR Boot Grip is smaller, lighter (by ½ oz) than the standard grip, and features smooth side panels and a smooth bottom contour, making the grip less likely to snag on clothing. However, both the front of the grip and the backstrap over the Tamer insert are overmolded in soft rubber, enabling effective control when shooting. The LCR Boot Grip also features a deep speedloader cutout, making speedloaders easier to use with a wide range of ammunition.
“The LCR has been a phenomenal success for us,” remarked Chris Killoy, Ruger’s Vice President of Sales and Marketing. “The new Boot Grip for the LCR gives our customers a slightly more concealable option for discreet carry, yet gives up very little in terms of controllability and recoil management.”
The LCR Boot Grip is now available as regular production model, but the Boot Grip is also available as an accessory sale through www.ShopRuger.com. The LCR Boot Grip can easily be exchanged with a standard grip on the LCR’s grip peg by simply loosening a single screw at the bottom of the grip.
The newest LCR also features a XS Sight Systems 24/7 Tritium Standard Dot front sight for those who desire fast, low-light target acquisition. XS Sight Systems 24/7 Tritium Standard Dot enhances sight acquisition in all light conditions. Fast, simple and effective, the 24/7 Tritium Standard Dot offers the user a “flash sight” picture, the ultimate self defense sight system that excels in improved low-light accuracy in high stress defensive situations. The low profile, snag free design of the XS Sight Systems 24/7 Tritium Standard Dot front sight does not compromise the concealability of the Ruger LCR while it provides sights that can be seen around the clock.
For more information on the new LCR with Hogue Boot Grip and XS Sights, or to learn more about the extensive line of Ruger firearms, visit www.Ruger.com. To find accessories for the LCR and other Ruger firearms, visit www.ShopRuger.com.
Looking to go armed, but are stuck in the weeds as to what to arm yourself with? Here are 20 of the best concealed carry gun options that will keep you on the defensive.
The 5 to 4 decision does not strike down any gun-control laws, nor does it elaborate on what kind of laws would offend the Constitution. One justice predicted that an "avalanche" of lawsuits would be filed across the country asking federal judges to define the boundaries of gun ownership and government regulation.
Standard Catalog of Firearms, 20th Edition.
