“A strong majority of the Senate, in a 58-39 vote, supported the measure, which would require most states to honor the concealed weapons permits issued by other states,” according to the Associated Press. “But the tally was two votes short of the 60 votes needed to add the measure as an amendment to a defense bill.”
As the AP noted, “Twenty Democrats, mainly from western or rural states, joined all but two Republicans in voting for the measure, which was promoted by the National Rifle Association and other gun rights groups. They included Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid of Nevada and both Democratic senators from Colorado, Arkansas, Montana, North Dakota and Virginia.”
Wayne LaPierre, executive vice president of the National Rifle Association, told the AP that even with the defeat, the close vote showed that, “we have the wind to our back.” He termed the Senate vote, “one more step down the road to allowing all Americans the full measure of Second Amendment protection.”
LaPierre also warned that those senators who voted against national concealed carry, “will see it reflected in support from their constituents.”
John Amber shooting his 25 pound H.C. Leman Civil War sniper's rifle. Caliber is .45, and the equipment includes false muzzle, telescope sight, and an assortment of tools.
Sure, a lot of the guns you read about are costly pieces, but in general those guns that took a deep bite out of the proud owner's poke are the fancy, engraved, as new or mint condition arms of great rarity. That's why they were written about in the first place.
You, as a beginning gun collector, however, can spend as little as you please — and if you will take these well-intended words to heart, you will spend your hard-earned shekels slowly and cagily.
A large number of budding gun collectors, both young and old, once they've been bitten by the gun bug, have thrown their money about with wild abandon, buying this, that and the other gun with little or no real conception of the value — if any — of the old iron they were latching onto.
Let me add right now that I'm not condemning “old iron” here as such — it has its proper place. Those rough conditioned, battered or broken guns, frequently lacking major or minor parts, are usually what the youngster starts with when the collecting virus strikes.
If the novice collector, youngster or not, buys them “right,” meaning a nominal price of from 50c to a few dollars, he can profit from a study of them. Tearing them down, putting them back together — the latter is much the harder job, usually — perhaps repairing them or cleaning them up, can give the interested arms student valuable information and knowledge, knowledge that will be helpful when the first flush of enthusiastic indiscrimination has given way to more informed and careful selection of the particular branch of arms that his interest has fixed on.
I said gun collecting was easy, and it is. Not as easy as stamp collecting, perhaps (and I don't want to hear from a bunch of irate stamp collectors, either), but quite simple and painless really, provided. Let's reverse our field briefly, and I'll outline the case history of the average beginning gun collector as I have observed him over 25 years, and it includes your correspondent at an early, uncritical age!
The Beginner
Sauer & Son single barreled rifle, circa 1885, with the gold nameplate of the Duke Ernst II of Saxe Coburg (Germany). Weight is only 6 lbs., yet the cartridge used is the Black Powder Express 500-3, loaded with 136 grains of powder and a 380 grain bullet. This gives about double the free recoil in foot pounds of a 180 grain load in an 8 Ib. 30-06 the Duke must have been rugged!
We see the young collector — and sometimes not so young — flushed and feverish. He has been infected with the dread disease, and his native caution has gone by the board. His money burning a hole in his pocket, he haunts the few gun shops or antique shops within his ken, buying whatever fits his pocket-book, whatever may be offered, and — often enough —whatever the dealer may be stuck with!
Almost invariably he has no idea of prevailing values, no background knowledge of arms and their relative scarcity and/or desirability. He doesn't know anything of the current or potential trends in gun collecting, he is uncritical as to arms condition – a most important point in setting value — and, all too frequently, he couldn't care less! But he's going to have that double-action Hopkins & Allen revolver with the broken hammer, the busted grips and the rusted barrel or else — and he usually buys it, too, at about five times what it's worth.
The disease now runs its hectic course until one morning our hero wakes up and it's over. He finds himself with a bushel basketful of assorted rusty objects — these are guns? — a few battered muskets, and a headache. He is now a sadder and wiser man — well, sadder, anyway — and he does one of two things. He calls in the nearest junkman and unloads the iron, resolving to take up golf, and to hell with gun collecting. Or, fortunately for the game, he takes stock of himself and his lack of essential firearms knowledge, and decides to go at this gun collecting game sensibly.
Now — and I want to make this as strong as I can — none of this had to happen, and it needn't happen to you. Before you make a single purchase you should do all of the following things, letting a good 30 to 90 days elapse before spending a dollar on guns!
The Smart Way
1. Write to all of the antique arms dealers listed in the Directory of the Arms Trade (elsewhere in THE GUN DIGEST), and ask for their catalogs or lists. Compare the prices of the arms that interest you, and try to reach an average price. Remember, however, that rarely are two guns of the same make and model in exactly the same condition, an all-important factor in determining price.
Collecting firearms is enjoyable and rewarding if you go about it right — but not many do. Here's a step-by-step approach that will save you time, temper and money — if you heed it!
2. Get a current copy of Chapel's Gun Collectors Handbook of Values, and read it. Do not fail to read the opening chapters, wherein the author describes his system of evaluating arms, his terminology for degrees of condition, etc. This valuable work was last issued (3d ed., revised) in 1955, hence the prices shown cannot be depended on entirely, but the relative values are still very much worthwhile.
3. In addition to the list of antique arms dealers listed in THE GUN DIGEST, there is an extensive selection of books for the gun collector in the Gun Book Review section, and a list of nearly 30 Arms Associations scattered over the United States. Join the local association or associations, and attend their meetings, usually held once every 30 or 60 days. Study the arms exhibited, check prices against condition on a comparative basis, talk to the members, but — huh unh — don't buy yet!
One of the most valuable organizations listed is the National Rifle Assn. You will be doing yourself and the firearms field in general a good turn by joining this oldest of the arms associations, for almost alone it has fought and withstood the annual avalanche of federal and state anti-gun laws proposed. Your membership will bring you The American Rifleman 12 times a year, a periodical with excellent reading for everyone interested in firearms, shooting and hunting. As a gun collector, read the classified ads as part of your training program, again checking comparative prices, and write to any antique arms dealers not found in THE GUN DIGEST. Subscribe to the Shotgun News, published at Columbus, Neb. A sample copy will be sent on request. The title of this monthly publication is something of a misnomer, in that the paper is full of gun ads of all kinds.
Two rifles by the same fine maker, Carl Stiegele of Munich (Germany). The top view shows a “parlor” rifle of 6mm caliber, an unusual breechloader that probably used a “loaded ball” like the Volcanics did. There is no extractor. The deeply textured Damascus barrel is covered with silver inlay in relief. The lower rifle is a Martini-actioned target type in 8.15 x 46.5mm caliber. The action and barrel are gold and silver inlayed, and engraved. The writer is not fond of carved gun stocks usually, but the carving seen here is first class.
4. If you have honestly followed the above steps, you are now ready to buy guns intelligently, critically, and with proper regard for their real value. And if you are really interested in old guns, the job should have been a pleasure, not a chore. I well remember the joy with which I tore open a just-received gun catalog, the avid poring over it I did, pricing this, selecting that, writing letters, asking questions.
5. In the give and take of buying a gun or trading for one through a local dealer, where you can handle and examine his wares, you buy on a “for keeps” basis usually, unless there is an express agreement to the contrary. This is only fair to the dealer, for you have had the opportunity to look the gun over carefully. It is a little too much to ask the dealer for a refund after a few days or a week, because he might have had a chance to definitely sell it during the time you had it. Buying by mail, however, is something quite different. In the beginning, until you get to know your dealer or dealers — and they get to know you — DO NOT SEND ANY MONEY!
Virtually all of the reputable dealers are quite willing to send you a gun on approval without payment if they know you, the gun to be returned to them within a few days usually, if unsatisfactory. Or via express collect with examination privileges. This system permits you to examine the arm in the express office, either accepting or rejecting it as you see fit. If you have received a gun on approval, be sure you do not abuse the dealer's confidence — see that the gun is returned to him within his time limit, and in the condition in which it reached you. Lest it seem odd that I should stress this, let me assure you that many arms have been returned to dealers with parts damaged from the gun having been taken apart, or shot, or “repaired,” etc.
It may have struck you, from a few things I've said earlier, that the field of gun collecting is rife with crooked dealers. Nothing could be farther from the truth in fact, for by and large the average dealer — and I mean 98% of them — is scrupulous and fair to a high degree. As you get to know them, you will find them leaning over like the Tower of Pisa to give you a fair shake.
Most of my best friends in the gun collecting field are dealers, and I've known many of them for years. Don't forget that honest, square dealing usually begets more of the same. But let's not kid ourselves completely — there are some bad apples in this game, some cheaters and fakers who have taken the unwary to the cleaners. But please note that I said “unwary” customers. If you will observe religiously my warning about not sending money to people you don't know or who cannot be vouched for otherwise, you will never lose any money on a parcel post or railway express transaction.
Lore and History
Gun collecting is educational. Yes, it is easily that. If your interest develops in martial and frontier arms, you will soon learn a great deal more about many phases of our history. The “Kentucky” long rifles of the 18th century and their deadly effect in the War of Independence; the Brown Bess and other smoothbore muskets used by a far greater number on both sides of the same conflict; the numerous types of arms used in the Mexican War, the Civil War, the Spanish-American War, and World Wars I and II.
The weapons of the old frontier have a great fascination for many: the Colts and Remingtons, the heavy Hawken rifles of the mountain men; the muzzleloading trade guns and rifles of the Indians; the Henrys, the Winchesters and the Springfields of the plainsmen and cattle herders, of the settlers and the miners; the derringers of the gamblers and the famed Sharps rifles of the equally famous buffalo hunters. All of the lure and romance of the Old
Top – Long Range type rifle by H. F. Clark, patented in 1885. The breechblock, hammer, trigger and guard rotate together around the hinge pin seen at the forward, lower edge of the action. All metal parts handsomely scroll engraved, this first quality rifle may be unique. Bottom – Gibbs-Farquharson rifle. The steel plates covering the forward portion of the stock are called Selous sideplates – Frederick Courtenay Selous, famous African hunter of the late 19th century, gave his name to this stock-strengthening device. He wrapped a broken stock in the field with wet, green hide. This dried very hard and taut, making a strong repair.
Perhaps your interest lies elsewhere. If so, there are many fields to choose from. Oddities in arms may take your fancy, queer and grotesque types and mechanisms that had a short life; complicated and elaborate designs that look like anything but firearms. Palm pistols, chain and other multi-shot arms, dagger and brass-knuckle combination revolvers, harmonica and turret revolvers and pistols, and hundreds of others.
Guns of the old world may attract you. The magnificent craftsmanship, the details and painstaking artistry of the Italian masters of the 16th and 17th centuries; a beautifully chiseled wheellock or snaphaunce by one of the Comin-azzi of Brescia. Or a handsomely boneor ivory-inlaid German pistol or long gun; the truly splendid works of art by France's great gunmaker, Boutet; the highly engraved and elaborate arms from Austria, Spain, France, Belgium, Holland and Bohemia, with the fine flintlock duelling pistols of England making no such brave show, but worthy of note for their perfect, precise workmanship. One of the finest collections in the world of this type is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, 84th Street and 5th Avenue, New York, N. Y. Another fine collection of European arms is to be seen in the Harding Museum, 4853 Lake Park Avenue, Chicago, 111.
The tracing down of firearms design through the centuries may be the thing for you. While the list of the basic types is short — handcannon, matchlock, wheellock, snaphaunce, flintlock, caplock and metallic cartridge — the ramifications and side departures from the parent models are extremely interesting, and far too numerous for anyone to hope to gather them all. As an example, between the flintlock and the caplock as we know it today, there were upward of 25 different ignition forms offered, patented and made for sale. Some of these — the rare Forsythe scent-bottle and sliding-lock detonators, for instance — are exceedingly interesting and quite valuable.
A Wide Choice
Colt arms of the percussion period interest more collectors, doubtless, than any other single make — and that will stand as the greatest understatement of the year, probably. Prices for Colt arms have risen tremendously since the end of World War II, far surpassing most other makes or types in their percentage increase.
You, the beginning collector, would do well to choose some other field, and unless you are well-heeled you are going to have to keep away from them. But don't let that discourage you at all. There are many relatively untouched branches or fields in gun collecting. You have read enough now, you have familiarized yourself with prices and the directions that collecting is taking. Pick out something that is not getting a lot of attention, make a new trend for yourself, look over the vast field of firearms — and related items — and make your own choice.
Take a good look at long arms, rifles and shotguns. Few people collect these today because of the much greater difficulty of finding space for 50 rifles, say, compared to the same number of handguns. But if space is no problem for you, there's your opportunity. I'll give you an illustration of what can be done in the enhancement of rifle values.
A few short years ago, the now famous “One of One Thousand” Model 1873 and 1876 Winchester rifles were known to only a bare handful of collectors, and they had no special value, $75 to $100 being about all that one would bring. Bill Depperman, then publicity director for Olin Industries, the parent organization for Winchester-Western, floated the story (essentially a publicity release) of these scarce rifles. A tie-in followed with the motion picture “Winchester 73,” and the scramble was on! Now these Model 73s with the magic inscription “One of One Thousand” or”1 of 1,000″ on the barrels are well-nigh worth their weight in gold.
A Few Long Guns
Top – This 19-lb. percussion rifle, shown with false muzzle removed, is signed J. Harding, Lowell, Mass. Cast Steel on the barrel. Nothing is known of this maker so far, yet this is too well made to have been an amateur's effort. The 32 1/2″ octagon and 16-sided barrel is 50 caliber. All furniture except fore-end tip is German silver. This 20-lb. rifle carries an oval gold medallion inscribed Presented by the Helvetia Rifle Club of N.Y. to the Third Union Shooting Festival, New York, July 1868. At that time it was probably 45 caliber or larger, yet the barrel is signed George C. Schoyen, Denver, Colo., and the caliber is now 32. The mould and other tools are typically 32-40 cartridge style. The name on the lockplate is E. Phillips, N.Y., presumably the original maker. Emil Berger is engraved on the buttplate, possibly the man who won this rifle in 1868.
My own collection, some 300-350 arms, is primarily a rifle collection, though about 75 handguns are contained in the total. With that many long arms, you can readily believe that I know something about the space needed to store and display them! Most of these rifles are of American make, running from the flintlock “Kentucky” and early U. S. martial rifles through light to heavy percussion rifles of both hunting and target types, and on to early metallic cartridge rifles — the Sharps, Ballards, Winchesters, Peabody-Martinis, Stevens, and many others of single-shot form as well as numerous lever-action repeaters.
The bulk of these latter rifles are engraved and fancy specimens of the sporting and target models. Perhaps the most interesting rifle in my collection is a Sharps Model 1874 sidehammer, custom made by Frank W. Freund for Pierre Lorillard II, the founder of Tuxedo Park and a noted hunter-rifleman of his day, the 1870s and 80s. Freund was a German immigrant who worked at Cheyenne, Wyoming, and elsewhere in the West, becoming famous as a frontier gunsmith.
A prolific inventor, he was granted nearly 30 patents in the space of a dozen years, and the Lorillard rifle contains several of his patented features as well as his skillful engraving and the motto “American Frontier” incised on the frame. My most recent acquisition is a magnificent rifle in nearly new condition by the most famous of English gunmakers, Joe Manton of London. This is a tube-lock rifle of 54 caliber, made about 1822, complete in its mahogany case with all accessories; powder flask, bullet mould, greased linen patches, cleaning implements, etc., etc.
The tube-lock is an interesting form of ignition, occurring between the flintlock and the thimble-like percussion cap, and Manton was granted a British Patent on this form in 1818. The tube itself is a thin copper cylinder, about one-tenth inch in diameter and three-fourths of an inch long, filled with a detonating compound. Closed at one end, the open end is held into the touch-hole or flash-hole of the barrel by the clamp-like jaws of the lock work. On pulling the trigger, the hammer nose crushes the tube, and the flame of the ignited mixture fires the main charge of black powder.
The Lure of Collecting
Many gun collectors find their greatest enjoyment in the chase — the actual acquirement of the long-sought gun is frequently something of an anti-climax. This is not surprising — comes the first rumors of the existence of an arm rare and long desired; the efforts now to locate it, the additional efforts to prevent it falling into the hands of a rival collector, the correspondence entailed in inducing the often reluctant owner to sell or trade it, the final reaching (not unusually through good old fashioned haggling) of a mutually agreeable price.
All of these things carry varying degrees of uncertainty, so that the ultimate possession of the gun itself is, to a degree, a letdown. We've all been through it scores of times, but our interest and enthusiasm continues unabated, and so will it be with you. Mr. Herman P. Dean, of Huntington, W. Va. was, until recently, the owner of what was probably the finest collection of early American arms in the world. Not long ago he gave most of them away — a good part of his collection went to the Huntington Museum, others went to his many friends, and he kept a few that he couldn't bring himself to part with. Mr. Dean says that he is through collecting, but I have an idea that he will start again, full of renewed enthusiasm, to acquire a new gun collection.
But the best part of gun collecting, I think, is the relaxation it offers, the chance to meet and make friends of so many fine people. Many enjoyable and profitable hours can be spent at the numerous gun collectors meetings; in visits to other collectors, to museums and various gun displays; time can be well spent in reading and studying the lore and background of firearms. Many gun collectors — and other collectors too, of course — today find their hobby a welcome distraction from the pressure of modern living, a means of taking themselves out of the day to day monotony of their bread and butter jobs. Gun collecting is an avocation for leisure hours, and the pursuit of it invites repose, contemplation and — at least temporarily — a release from worry and care.
Two shotguns including a Belgium Browning Commemorative and a Savage Arms Model 24E over/under rifle shotgun $4,313
Regional sales at RIAC contain more affordable antiques and beginning collector’s items that normally attract “regional” bidders (people within a five hour driving radius). However, the two-day sale drew bids from all over the country, bidders traveled from as far away as Australia.
The top sellers include a Smith & Wesson number three old model Russian revolver with shoulder stock that sold for $8,050 and three barreled Sharps Receivers which sold for $6,900.
Custom Engraved Black Powder Colt Single Action Army Revolver with Case $4,313
Collectors drove the price on a rare first model Virginia manufactured flintlock musket with bayonet to $6,325.
A deluxe Winchester model 1886 lever action rifle with 40-82 chambering brought an above estimate price of $3,450.
A breech loading brass cannon drew bidding interest and fetched a price of $4,600.
U.S. military also did very well bringing $3,737 for a U.S. Saginaw carbine with paratrooper stock.
Beginning and mid-level collectors also saw opportunities to fill their collections. A consecutively serial numbered pair of Roosevelt commemorative Winchester 94s sold for $1,840 and Colt buntline special single action revolver with holster and extra grips brought $1,725. Sportsmen saw bidding opportunities in a Parker Bros V grade double barrel boxlock shotgun reached $1,955.
Rock Island expects to build upon the success of the regional sale with a Fall Premiere Auction to be held September 11, 12 and 13. This auction will offer firearms for every level of collecting including Colts, Winchesters, U.S., European and Japanese military, deringers and hundreds of fine sporting arms.
The sale will feature firearms from the Roy Rogers and Dale Evans museum. Other famous and historical firearms associated with Walter Earp, William F. “Buffalo Bill” Cody, William “Bill” Tilghman, Turner Kirkland, John Hart “The Lone Ranger” and Arvo Ojala “Gunsmoke” plus Texas Rangers, Western Sheriffs and more.
The sporting collection of E. Warner Bacon will be offered with many scarce and high conditioned Ithacas. There are also over 50 Model 70’s, several desirable calibers, many in original boxes Also included in this auction is an impressive Victorian collection of gambling items, spurs, saloon pieces, ivory canes, advertising signs and collectables. Visit www.rockislandauction.com for more information.
Prices shown include 15% buyer's premium.
Antique Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $700.00 – $900.00
Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Sporting Rifle $700.00 – $900.00
Two Winchester Lever Action Rifles -A) Winchester Third Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $1,000.00 – $1,400.00 Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Sporting Rifle $1,000.00 – $1,400.00
Two Winchester Lever Action Rifles -A) Winchester Third Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $1,100.00 – $1,700.00
Smith & Wesson Number Three Old Model Russian Revolver with Shoulder Stock $8,050
Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Rifle $1,100.00 – $1,700.00
Two Winchester Long Guns -A) Winchester Model 94 Lever Action Carbine $600.00 – $1,000.00 Winchester Model 94 Lever Action Rifle $600.00 – $1,000.00
Two Winchester Lever Action Rifles -A) Early Production Antique Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Rifle $1,000.00 – $1,500.00
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $1,000.00 – $1,500.00
Two Colt Lightning Slide Action Rifles -A) Colt Lightning Slide Action Medium Frame Rifle $800.00 – $1,200.00 Colt Lightning Medium Frame Slide Action Rifle $800.00 – $1,200.00
Two Antique Winchester Lever Action Rifles -A) Winchester Model 1892 Lever Action Rifle $650.00 – $850.00 Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $650.00 – $850.00
Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle $600.00 – $1,000.00
Two Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifles -A) Winchester Model 1894 Lever Action Rifle $600.00 – $1,000.00 Third Winchester Model 1873 in Scarce 22 Long Caliber $1,500.00 – $2,000.00
Deluxe Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle with 40-82 Chambering and Special Order Features $1,300.00 – $1,800.00
Winchester Model 1886 Lever Action Rifle $1,200.00 – $1,800.00
Winchester Model 71 Deluxe Lever Action Rifle with Sling $900.00 – $1,300.00
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $1,000.00 – $1,300.00
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Musket $1,000.00 – $1,200.00
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $900.00 – $1,200.00
Winchester Model 1873 Lever Action Rifle $700.00 – $1,100.00
Colt Lightning Medium Frame Slide Action Rifle $700.00 – $1,100.00
WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee on Tuesday voted to approve Sonia Sotomayor as the first Hispanic Supreme Court justice over nearly solid Republican opposition, paving the way for a historic confirmation vote next week.
The panel voted 13-6 in favor of Sotomayor, with just one Republican, Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, joining Democrats to support her. The nearly party-line tally masked deeper political divisions within GOP ranks about confirming President Barack Obama first high court nominee.
“I'm deciding to vote for a woman I would not have chosen,” Graham said. Obama's choice to nominate the first-ever Latina to the highest court is “a big deal,” he added, declaring that, “America has changed for the better with her selection.”
The National Rifle Association is opposing Sotomayor and took the extraordinary step last week of warning senators that it would include their votes on her confirmation in its annual candidate ratings, meaning a “yes” vote would hurt their standing.
‘A liberal judicial activism’ “Some of her decisions demonstrated the kind of results-oriented decision-making, one that suggests perhaps a liberal judicial activism that has too often steered the court in the wrong direction over the last years,” said Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas. Read more
The 30-round magazines incorporate a new follower design, and were thoroughly tested before deliveries began.
Said company CEO Frank Brownell, “Every one of the test magazines has to function with 100 percent reliability, the first time. You don’t get to try again and if one mag fails, the entire lot has to be destroyed. Ours passed the test and I’m very proud of everyone involved.”
This is Brownells’ second military magazine contract.
TNW has developed a low-pressure, long-stroke gas piston design to keep from “hammering” the bolt as the short stroke designs do.
The new system slows the acceleration of the bolt mass and instead accelerates it over a greater distance. The result is less shock forces on the system, longer lasting parts and reliable feeding.
The system is user-friendly and maintenance can be performed at the operator level.
Can you believe it? An AR-15 that will fire 100,000 rounds without a cleaning? The Patriot Ordnance P415 is passing unthinkable tests.
Revolutionary is a word that is used all too frequently, but sometimes it is about the only word that fits.
Suppose we told you that we had extensively tested an AR-based carbine that didn’t need lubrication? And suppose we told you that it really didn’t need regular cleaning, either? Finally, suppose we told you that this new AR would run over 20,000 rounds without regular maintenance or a single malfunction?
You’d probably think that Cutshaw needed to turn himself in for a drug test. Such an AR upgrade exists as either a “drop on” upper receiver or a complete carbine. Don Alexander, Co-Director of Training at SHD Consulting and Special Forces personnel in Afghanistan have used it extensively.
The figures that follow are Alexander’s, not mine. Alexander set out to shoot the P415 upper receivers he got from Patriot Ordnance Factory (POF) without cleaning or lubing them until they started to malfunction. He never made it.
Alexander’s rifle was cleaned for the first time after 16,000 rounds, not because the P415 needed it, but because he was teaching a course for the State Department that mandated a class on cleaning and maintenance. In a memo to Frank Desomma, President of POF, Alexander stated that he had yet to experience a single malfunction except one that was attributable to a faulty magazine very early in his use of the P415 upper. Alexander, a retired US Army Special Forces Chief Warrant Officer with 26 years’ experience, is not one to make statements such as these lightly or in jest.
Our experience with a P415 matches Alexander’s – our long-term test P415 that we have used extensively since 2006 has yet to require cleaning or lubrication other than an occasional wipe down with a dry shop towel. Since Alexander’s testing, US Army Special Forces units have used POF carbines extensively in Afghanistan and have found them to be totally reliable, not to mention accurate. There have even been reports of troops putting over 100,000 rounds through their POF carbines without significant maintenance.
POF’s AR-type carbine is unlike any other. Externally, the most obvious difference between the P415 and others is the patented P-4SX upper receiver that not only features an uninterrupted full length MIL-STD-1913 top rail and rails at the handguard sides and bottom, but also free floats the barrel, enabling mounting accessories without affecting the carbine’s zero.
The latest POF carbines have a “spine” atop the upper receiver rather than a MIL-STD-1913 rail that allows the one piece P-4SX receiver/handguard to be slid into place and retained with bolts, essentially making for a rigid two-piece upper receiver. The P415 barrel is fluted along its entire length for rigidity and heat dissipation. The flutes offer a greater surface area, so heat is more rapidly dispersed than with standard heavy barrels. Flutes also stiffen the barrel and improve accuracy by reducing barrel vibration as the rifle is fired.
The barrel bore is nitrided, which makes for a surface that approaches diamond hardness and prevents fouling because nothing can adhere to it. Fit and finish of the P415 are excellent. We were particularly impressed with the mating of upper and lower receivers with absolutely no “play” whatsoever. POF’s P415 is one of the best-assembled AR-type rifles we have ever seen.
One of the major differences between the P415 and any other is the patented gas system that eliminates the inherent problems associated with Stoner’s original design. The original AR direct impingement gas system not only blows large amounts of fouling and particulate matter back into the receiver, but also causes excessive heat to be transferred to the receiver area in rapid semiautomatic or full automatic fire.
There have been attempts to solve the AR’s gas system issues in the past, but POF is one of the most innovative and successful. The P415 gas system consists of a FAL-type gas cylinder plug, a chrome-lined gas cylinder with a chrome-plated stainless steel piston and operating rod that impinges against a reinforced bolt carrier key.
Unlike some other “op rod” systems, there are no springs on the P415 rod. Heat from sustained firing may damage springs that surround op rods that are in close proximity to the barrel. This is especially true in select-fire rifles. The P415 gas system is self-regulating, so any type of ammo can be used. The P415 system can be easily and quickly disassembled by simply pressing in on the gas cylinder plug button while rotating the plug clockwise.
Once the plug is removed, the piston and operating rod fall out when the muzzle is pointed down. Reassembly is accomplished simply by dropping the rod and piston back into the gas cylinder with the muzzle pointed up. The plug fits only one way and cannot be incorrectly reassembled. All that is necessary is to push the plug into place, press the locking button and rotate the plug counterclockwise.
Another notable feature is that the P415 is completely ambidextrous. Most ARs require the use of both hands to change magazines and get the carbine back into action because the magazine release is on the right side of the receiver and the bolt release is on the left. Not the P415. While the P415 has the standard magazine release and bolt stop, a separate bolt release has been added on the right side just above the magazine release.
All that is necessary to change magazines and get back in the fight is to drop the empty mag, insert a loaded one and press the bolt stop located just above the magazine release using the trigger finger. The bolt release is slightly to the rear of the mag release as well, so the chance of inadvertently dropping the mag instead of the bolt is minimized.
After using ARs with the original direct gas impingement system, P415 maintenance is a true revelation. While conventional AR receivers fill with fouling and particulate matter after a few rounds, the P415 remains relatively clean even after extensive firing. There is no carbon fouling or caked carbon to be found on the bolt or in the bolt carrier recesses.
In short, the P415 is much easier and simpler to maintain than any AR-type rifle with the usual direct impingement system. All that is necessary to clean a P415 is to wipe the receiver’s interior, bolt carrier and bolt with a dry shop towel to remove any fouling. Also, the gas system should be periodically disassembled and cleaned, since it takes the brunt of hot gases from the barrel. Any carbon buildup on the gas piston or op rod can be removed with a Scotch Brite pad.
But the improved gas system isn’t the end of the story with the P415. The changes that allow the P415 to run without lubrication are a chrome plated bolt carrier and bolt coupled with NP 3 plating on the receiver’s interior and on the charging handle. Nothing sticks to either surface and they are self-lubricating. Eliminating the need for lubrication that becomes a “dust magnet” in an environment like that of Iraq or Afghanistan is a truly significant improvement.
Conventional AR gas systems require heavy lubrication in order to function, but due to their affinity for dust, intensive virtually daily maintenance is required. The P415 bolt carrier has been modified for increased reliability and accuracy. The bolt carrier surfaces that ride on the upper receiver are somewhat larger than conventional ones, while maintaining recesses to accommodate any fouling that might accumulate. The cam pin has a roller that rides in the upper receiver recess for even smoother operation and reliability. The chamber, barrel locking lugs and interior are also chrome plated, also enhancing reliability.
All POF carbines come equipped with Vltor’s Modstock. The Modstock is available in several colors and configurations, including black, coyote tan and OD green. There are two collapsible Modstocks – standard and “clubfoot.” The clubfoot facilitates using the off hand to pull the stock into the shoulder for greater stability. Unlike most others, Vltor’s waterproof compartments can be accessed with the stock on the carbine. The compartment adapters provide a flat surface for an excellent cheek weld. The Vltor Modstock is extremely comfortable and thus enhances accuracy. It also raises one’s line of sight to an ideal level for either open sights or optics. The improvements don’t end with comfort and utility, though. Vltor also redesigned the latch on both standard and clubfoot configured stocks for more positive engagement.
POF’s P415 breaks new ground in the world of AR-type carbines most of which are so similar that even experts cannot tell the difference between one and another without close inspection. The P415’s innovative “gas piston/op rod” significantly advances the “state of the art” in AR-type firearms and not only adds flexibility to the overall system, but improves both reliability and maintainability over any of its conventional competitors.
Add to that the ability to operate without lubrication of any kind, minimal maintenance and the result is a truly revolutionary design. In the final analysis, the P415’s innovations are among the most significant developments in AR type rifles since they were originally designed over 50 years ago. For those who want a larger caliber AR, POF also manufactures ARs with the same advanced features as the P415 in both 6.6mm SPC and .308. Welcome to the AR of the 21st Century!
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: POF USA, Inc. 23623 N 67th Avenue Glendale, AZ 85310 Tel: 623-561-9572 www.POF-USA.com
The Armalite Semi-Auto Sniper System is based on an AR10 lower and flat top upper, with many accurizing modifications.
Dave Morelli takes a look at the Armalite Super S.A.S.S. – an AR-10-style semi-auto sniper system that rocks, and is super accurate.
The bolt-action rifle has traditionally been the base for the sniper rifle. The locking of the bolt with enlarged lugs perfectly fitted by a skilled craftsman and the rugged simplicity of the repeating system has made the bolt-action favored by weekend sportsmen and professional tactical operator.
The semi auto, while offering a higher magazine capacity and faster rate of fire, has always suffered because of the tuning of all the moving parts and springs that have to be kept functioning in match-grade condition.
There also is the temptation to fall back on the fact that there are additional rounds available and not take each shot with the same precision as if it was the only bullet.
TRU Group I shot a ¾-minute group with the SASS using Federal TRU (Tactical Rifle, Urban) the Federal Police Tactical shot just over a minute group. Both are acceptable groups and with some practice with the system tighter groups should be possible.
Yet the semi-auto has a place in the modern world and the U.S. military is actively seeking to deploy a semi-auto sniper rifle. That military interest has prompted many manufacturers to get in the game and produce sniper-grade quality like the Armalite S.A.S.S. (Semi-Auto Sniper System).
I tested one of Armalite’s AR-10 .308 rifles several months ago and really liked the rifle. The SASS is based on the AR-10 lower with flat-top upper and many modifications. The foregrip is a four-rail picatinny type system for adding necessities and allows the 20-inch stainless match-grade barrel to float free.
The barrel on the model I fired is fitted with a mock Advanced Armament Corporation suppressor type apparatus that wasn’t sound restricting but would hold down muzzle flash. In a police or military environment or where legal it could be fitted with a sound suppressor for quiet shooting and improved velocity and reduced recoil.
The unused sections of the rails are covered with rubberized tops that protect the hands and the rails. The lower rail of the fore grip was used for an A.R.M.S. quick-detach bipod attachment that was affixed to a Harris bi-pod. I really like the Harris bipod. It is a quality pod at an economic price.
The Super SASS has an adjustable gas block for precisely adjusting gas flow for consistency and reliable operation. This is an important adjustment to regulate the recoil gasses and is helpful adjusting the gas when shooting the SASS with a suppressor. The Magpul Precision Rifle Stock adds adjustment to the Super SASS stock. It adjusts for cheek height and length of pull with calibrated dial knobs that are easy to get to and readjust in the field if necessary. I really like the easy adjustment because sometimes I would have to get into a shooting position dictated by the environment that would be more comfortable with some slight readjustment. Adjustments that involve screws and moving parts that need a screwdriver don’t offer this advantage.
The lower end of the buttstock also has a rail for accessories like a sling swivel or other leveling attachment that certain shooting situations might dictate. The already accurate SASS was fitted with a Leupold Mark LR/T 3.5-10x40mm scope.
This scope was equipped with M3 dials which have ½ minute windage adjustments and 1 minute elevation. It also was equipped with .308 Win drop compensation numbers on the elevation dial. The 30mm main tube gives better light transmission and increased elevation and windage adjustments.
Your average scope usually offers enough windage adjustment but on a long-range rifle, those elevation adjustment can become mighty dear as the distance increases. I have never run out but extras are always appreciated.
The scope has an illuminated reticule that lights the Mil Dot portion. It also disappears in bright light when it is not needed and lights up when aiming at darker areas. The scope, like all Leupold products, has great clarity and light transmission and is a quality rugged optic.
The scope is attached with A.R.M.S. quick-detach rings so that the flip up rear sight and optional front sight could be used to meet the circumstances that might require peep sight shooting.
Even though this gun is designed to be a long-range semi auto it is still a semi auto capable of laying down sustained fire when needed. Being able to quickly take the restricting scope off for close-quarter defense should the need arise is a great feature. The improved magazines for the SASS were improvised designs from the M-14 style sniper weapon. They are rugged and less likely to malfunction.
They are also short enough to shoot comfortably from a prone position and still have 20 rounds. The improved ruggedness would be my primary concern so they would survive and function in the toughest of circumstances.
The SASS system comes with six 20-round magazines and a 10-rounder. Also included are a sling and cleaning kit all wrapped up in a Starlight Cases hard case.
The rifle has to be taken down to fit in the cutout foam lining but that is the best way to transport the system. I would recommend a soft tactical bag from Blackhawk or a similar outfit for a drag system to carry the gun to duty location.
How the Rifle Performed
I couldn’t wait to take the Super SASS out and heat up the barrel. When I put the trigger scale on the trigger and it weighed in at a crisp 4.5 pounds. The two-stage match trigger had some light take up then it was ready to drop. I keep my precision rifles at 3 pounds so it took some getting used to but it was a smooth, crisp trigger.
The action was smooth and the extended handle made the gun easier to charge with the scope on. Shouldering the 13-pound package had a familiar feel as it is based on an AR design. I packed up some Federal Police Tactical and TRU (Tactical Rifle Urban) and headed out.
I assembled the rifle at the range. Again, being based on the AR the upper and lower popped to-gether quickly and the rifle was ready for action. The A.R.M.S. quick detach accessory on the bi-pod jumped on the lower rail. The scope in stored in the case attached to the upper.
It was a great day, 0-3 mph wind at my back and about 79 degrees F. I shot off of a bench using the Harris bi-pod and a sandbag under the butt. The rifle was rock solid. I would have preferred a fatter pistol grip on the gun but that’s just a personal thing as I have become accustomed to the fat pistol grips on bolt rifle stocks.
Anyone working with a rifle in a sniper position would get accustomed to the grip. The fatter grip makes my hand fit better and helps me to place only the tip of my finger on the trigger. As this is a modification that would tailored to each individual I could see Armalite’s wisdom in letting the sniper change the pistol grip to fit his hand.
The first couple groups I shot with the Federal Police Tactical ammo. This is a 168-grain soft-nose bullet of match quality. The ammo functioned flawlessly in the semi-auto action and the bolt cycled with a positive feel to it.
Leupold Mark Scope on Armalite SASS. The Leupold Mark Scope has half-minute windage and one-minute elevation adjustments with easy-to-read numbers. The A.R.M.S. quick detachable rings allow the scope to be easily removed to access peep sight system and replaced to zero.
I didn’t fiddle with the adjustable gas block as the rifle functioned great and the recoil seemed a bit milder than a bolt .308. I think it is a valued modification though as adjustments could be made if there was a problem with the addition of suppressor or if the sniper was using subsonic loads.
The groups with this ammo were just a bit larger than one minute. I shot five-shot groups instead of three because that is what my department required and I have adopted that way. I thought that was acceptable for not having worked with the rifle for a training period. I shot up a box of the Tactical ammo giving the barrel time to cool in between shots so every shot was more like a cold shot the police sniper strives for.
The Federal TRU ammo is a hollow point bullet also 168 grains and designed to break up quicker in an urban environment, minimizing over-penetration problems. Both of these bullets have a boat-tail design.
I think the best performance that can be achieved in the .308 is with a 165- or 168-grain boat-tail bullet. The 175 bullet is gaining popularity for longer range as its extra weight will help it make the long journey, but my department used Federal Match ammo exclusively in the sniper rifles and our five-shot weekly qualification groups were in the half minute category.
For the military sniper where the distances are longer the heavier bullet may be a better choice, but in the police environment shots would be much shorter. The TRU ammo produced a ¾ minute group. That’s perfectly acceptable for a police sniper rifle and that group most likely could be shrunk down a bit more with constant practice. The semi auto sniper system is definitely accurate enough to be an addition to the modern police tactical unit.
With the additional threat that the police may encounter terrorist activity in the course of their duties, having a sniper system with additional firepower is an advantage. The semi auto has come a long way and is proving itself in battle and on the street. The Armalite Super SASS is definitely a system to look into if a police tactical unit wants to add a semi-auto sniper system to the team.
You don’t hear much about the Savage Model 99 or the 300 Savage cartridge anymore, but when I was a youngster in the 1950s farm country of Pennsylvania it was a pretty popular combination.
My first introduction to that outfit was by an uncle who, since the early 1940s, owned a Savage M99G (featherweight take-down) in the 30-caliber chambering and, years later, installed a 4X Weaver scope on its deck.
My earliest recollection was seeing that rifle leaning in his closet and always hoping that one day I’d be allowed to give it a try. Every time I asked, the answer was that I was a little too young and had to wait ’til I got a little more meat on my bones.
Compact and fast-handling, the customized Savage ’99 worked well in the deer woods.
I was 11 years old when I finally got to fire that rifle. It happened when my Dad and I were at my uncle’s farm while he was in the middle of his “sighting-in session,” just before the deer season.
Uncle Dick put a piece of plywood with a white circle painted on it (about 10 inches in diameter) out around 100 yards. From a rest on the hood of his old Ford he hit that circle two out of two shots, and my Dad proceeded to do the same. As you can tell, they weren’t interested in tack-driving, only in what it took to put venison on the table. On our way back from the target, Uncle Dick must have seen that sorry-eyed Bassett hound look on my face when I saw him nudge my father and nod towards me.
I heard Dad say, “I don’t see why not.” Then my Uncle asked, “Jim, you want to see if you can hit anything with this?” Well, I couldn’t have been any more surprised than if I had been struck by lightning. I was only about 10 feet behind them, but I know that I broke the sound barrier in closing that distance.
We were only about 50 yards away from the target when he handed me the Savage. It seemed to weigh a ton compared to the Daisy BB gun and the Remington Model 121 22LR that I was allowed to shoot. He showed me how to open and close the action, load the magazine and put the safety on. There were some other instructions on breathing, holding steady and sight picture that I barely heard since I couldn’t get over the excitement of actually holding the rifle that I was only allowed to look at for the past 11 years.
He handed me a cartridge, I loaded it and thought that I’d go one better than both my Uncle and Dad by trying the shot offhand. I’ll never forget seeing the target through the scope and trying to keep those crosshairs from dancing around. Keep in mind that I was only 11 years old and didn’t weigh 80 pounds soaking wet…so when I finally pulled the trigger, a little more happened than I expected.
All I remember was a hell of a belt, seeing my uncle holding onto the scope – and the both of them belly-laughing while I was on the ground wondering what happened. As I recall, Dad said “There’s a hole in the corner of the plywood.” That was bullseye enough for me and I could feel my chest swell with pride almost as fast as my shoulder did from the pain of that steel buttplate. I can remember my Uncle saying, “Jim, if that had been an elephant, we’d be having tail soup for supper.”
Although I was more than game to try another shot, I was lucky to have two adults around with common sense to override my enthusiasm. The rest of the day, my left arm reminded me of my graduation into the centerfires. As the years passed, I grew a little bigger and become less sensitive to recoil. I got into the fad of faster, flatter-shooting cartridges housed in more modern bolt rifles topped with variable-power range-finding scopes.
Whenever my Uncle saw me with a new rifle and equipment he’d ask, “Where’s the safari, Jim?” His opinion was that if a deer couldn’t be got with the Savage – along with a little woods savvy – then that deer couldn’t be got at all.
He would make that point time and again by harvesting 95 percent of his deer within 50 yards. That other five percent proved that if you have only one rifle and know how to shoot it well, that variable scopes and belted magnum trajectories weren’t necessary. I once saw him shoot twice at a doe out past 300 yards and put her down on the spot. A quick post-mortem showed the bullets struck her in the neck and chest.
It wasn’t until 1988 that his statement came to haunt me. I was in a little gun shop browsing the racks and spotted a couple of Savage Model 99s in the 300 Savage chambering. One was a Model F in nice condition and the other was customized in the Mannlicher style, with a 20-inch barrel chambered for the 300 Savage cartridge, and wearing a Weaver K2.5X scope.
It was love at first sight and the next day I was back at the gun shop, trading in one of my heavy tack-driving bolt guns with its 3-12X variable scope. The rifle’s serial number put the Savage’s date of manufacture around 1954, but when it was customized I’ll never know. I brought it to my local gunsmith to see what he could tell me and he believed that it was customized at the factory, by the evidence of the matching wood and tell-tale Savage checkering.
I have found this little Savage has never exceeded 1 1/2-inch groups at 100 yards with either 150- or 180-grain bullets and that the K2.5X scope is no hindrance when shooting a practical field ranges (point-blank to 200+yds.). I don’t mind saying that its recoil is a lot lighter than what I remember from 30 years earlier.
If I need to take a shot beyond 200 yards, then I think I need to learn to hunt a little better. It is by far the handiest rifle I have ever handled. In the past 10 years it has been my woods companion through many miles, and it looks it with the honest dings and scratches earned from the thick brushy areas I hunt. Every one of those scars is a reminder of a memorable hunt to harvest a little venison for the table.
My Uncle has long since passed into the happy hunting ground, but I tend to agree with him that this little custom Savage M99 Mannlicher is all the rifle I’ll ever need.
This article is an excerpt from the Gun Digest 2009 Annual.
Requests for firearms background checks, a good barometer of gun purchases in Wisconsin, are on pace to best 193,000, according to FBI data. Federal authorities handled 96,917 background checks in the first six months of 2009, about 16 percent ahead of the same period last year.
Dan Gussart, owner of Gus's Guns on E. Mason Street, said handguns are the strongest sellers — when he can get them in stock. Inventory of handguns and some rifles is scarce across the country, he said.
Most buyers say the election of a Democrat to the White House in President Barack Obama and fears of possible restrictions of firearm sales are behind their purchases, Gussart said.
“We're getting a lot of people who never had a gun who come in and say, ‘I'm going to get one in case they say I can't have one anymore,'” Gussart said. “And with the economy being crappy, they think, ‘If things get rough, I want to be able to protect myself.' That mentality is out there.”
Calls to Wisconsin's background check hot line — a requirement for all handgun purchases — are up 40 percent for the first six months of 2009 compared with the same period last year. The boon started in November, but the high point came in March with 7,606 requests. Read more
And so was his companion. Since the people who defended their lives with a handgun were what National Gun Rights Examiner David Codrea might call “Only Ones,” it was politically safe even for high-ranking “exempt” members of the Chicago and Markham police departments to praise their courage and decisiveness, and no one felt obligated to make the standard political statements that always seem to follow any incident where a plain old citizen defends herself from a robber, a rapist, murderer or mugger:
“Although it happened to work out for the best this time, we do not encourage civilians to take the law into their own hands,” or . . .
“It's usually a lot safer just to give them what they want and comply with all their commands,” . . .
“It's great that this citizen was able to defend herself, but this is the sort of thing you should really leave to the police. We'd rather you call 911 and be a good witness.”
In fact, the case was considered so straightforward that Chicago detectives questioned the shooter, the Cook County State's Attorney's office declared the shooting justified, and the Markham Police Department is already talking about how soon the shooter can return to work–all in the same day.
All that is appropriate; the shooter earned his congratulations and his hassle-free trip through the legal process by responding with alacrity and precision to a lethal attack. Chicago police are being exhorted to “be warriors” by their bosses, and that's what this Markham officer apparently did. Everybody won in this situation, in short, except the people who failed so spectacularly at victim selection.
Happy ending, freeze frame on laughter, roll credits and let's switch to a commercial while we cue up the next bit. Read more
The amendment to a major defense-authorization bill attracted 58 votes – including 20 Democrats – but fell two short of the supermajority needed to defeat a promised filibuster by opponents. Two Republicans, Sen. Richard G. Lugar of Indiana and George V. Voinovich of Ohio, joined 35 Democrats and two independents in voting to strip the gun provision from the bill.
“This is one of those times when the defeat of legislation is actually a victory,” said Sen. Robert Menendez, New Jersey Democrat. “For families who don't want to have to worry about who might be hiding a gun every time they take their kids to school, go to the supermarket or go to work, this is a big victory in the name of safety.”
Sen. John Thune, South Dakota Republican, sponsored the amendment. Among those backing him was Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, Nevada Democrat.
Guns have proved a politically tricky issue for the Democrat-led Congress as leaders in both the House and Senate have tried to avoid votes on the issue for fear they would pass with the help of Democrats from Western and Southern states.
Indeed, Second Amendment advocates led by the National Rifle Association won a victory earlier this session when Sen. Tom Coburn, Oklahoma Republican, added to a credit card consumer-protection bill a measure that would allow people to carry guns in some national parks.
Separately, a Senate amendment that would eliminate most of the District of Columbia's gun laws has all but killed a congressional voting rights bill for the city as leaders in the House would rather table it than risk passage with the gun provision included.
Adding to the political heat in Wednesday's vote was the fact that the NRA announced it would “score” the vote as a part of its overall measure of how lawmakers vote on critical gun issues.
Mr. Thune and other supporters argued that the concealed-weapon proposal would reduce violence and enable truck drivers and travelers to protect themselves as they crossed state lines.
“Criminals commit crimes; that's what they do. Criminals kill people. This isn't directed at criminals – this is directed at law-abiding citizens who want to protect themselves,” Mr. Thune said.
Under the amendment, an individual with a permit to carry a concealed firearm in his state of residence would have been able to take his gun across state lines, but then would have to abide by that state's gun laws. Read more
Plenty of ink (and not a little hot air) has been expended over yesterday’s US Senate vote on the “Thune Amendment” to the National Defense Authorization Act. Introduced by Senator John Thune (R-SD) and much-ballyhooed by the NRA, the amendment would have created national reciprocity between states with concealed carry laws, enabling concealed handgun permit-holders to protect themselves and their families during interstate travel.
(Side note: Sixty votes – for “cloture” – were required for passage rather than the usual 51 due to a threatened filibuster by perennially anti-gun Sen. Charles Schumer. In the gentile land of the US Senate, threats routinely substitute for real action.)
Despite hand-wringing by The Washington Post that “Democrats Fear Defections on GOP Gun Proposal,” rest assured that Harry Reid almost certainly engineered every Democrat vote for or against the measure.
So why did Reid engage in such Vaudeville slight-of-hand? Did he schedule the vote to “show his commitment to gun rights”? After all, he insists his intentions are pure:
“This has nothing to do with electoral politics,” assured Reid spokesman Jim Manley, according to politico.com: “Harry Reid has always supported gun rights and intends to do so in the future.”
Yeah, right. In reality, Reid is vulnerable in his 2010 re-election bid and, consequently, threw the NRA a very small bone.
And what does the NRA get? The appearance of accomplishing something – if not actual passage of the amendment, at least a recorded vote which purports to show who’s “fer ya” and “agin ya.” More action means more NRA members and more money. Read more
Harold Fish, 62, left the Arizona State Prison Complex-Lewis near Buckeye where he was incarcerated for the fatal shooting of Grant Kuenzli, 43, on a forest trail north of Payson in May 2004. Fish claimed self-defense, and there were no witnesses.
The Arizona Court of Appeals last month ordered a new trial in the second-degree murder case, ruling that testimony was improperly kept out of Fish's trial. The Coconino County attorney then said he would not retry the case and agreed to Fish's release.
Fish's legal ordeal is not over. As he was being set free, the Arizona Attorney General's Office announced plans to challenge the appellate-court ruling. The attorney general will ask the Arizona Supreme Court to review the case, said Steve Wilson, a spokesman for Attorney General Terry Goddard.
“We disagree with the Court of Appeals' decision, particularly its ruling that the trial court should have allowed testimony about other acts of violence by the victim that were unknown to the defendant at the time of the killing,” Wilson said in a prepared statement. “We hope the Arizona Supreme Court will grant a review and uphold the jury's verdict.”
The Arizona Supreme Court review could restore the Coconino County Superior Court jury verdict, meaning Fish would return to prison, or choose to let the appellate decision stand. Fish will remain free while that is decided.
Earlier this month, Gov. Jan Brewer signed a bill that makes the new self-defense law retroactive to Fish's case. Though it seems unlikely Fish will face a new trial, if he were retried, prosecutors would be required to prove he did not act in self-defense. In Fish's trial, the burden was on the defense to prove Fish acted in self-defense. Read more
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
• Once a gunfight breaks out, even a mouse gun is better than no gun at all, writes Kevin Michalowski.
• Everything is roses in Editor Kevin Michalowski's “Editor's Shot” column. Click here to read it.
• Rifles: Mossberg and Mountain • Shotguns: Weatherby • Handguns: High Standard
In the last few months, a grass-roots, federalist revolt against Washington, D.C. has begun to spread through states that are home to politically active gun owners. Montana and Tennessee have enacted state laws saying that federal rules do not apply to firearms manufactured entirely within the state, and similar bills are pending in Texas, Alaska, Minnesota, and South Carolina.
Yet the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms, and Explosives now claims that that not only is such a state law invalid, but “because the act conflicts with federal firearms laws and regulations, federal law supersedes the act.”
Tennessee's law already has taken effect. The BATF's letter on July 16 to firearms manufacturers and dealers in the state says “federal law requires a license to engage in the business of manufacturing firearms or ammunition, or to deal in firearms, even if the firearms or ammunition remain within the same state.”
A similar letter was sent to manufacturers and dealers in Montana, where the made-in-the-state law takes effect on October 1, 2009. Neither law permits certain large caliber weapons or machine guns, and both would bypass federal regulations including background checks for buyers and record-keeping requirements for sellers.
While this federalism-inspired revolt has coalesced around gun rights, the broader goal is to dust off a section of the Bill of Rights that most Americans probably have paid scant attention to: the Tenth Amendment. It says that “powers not delegated to the United States by the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the States respectively, or to the people.”
Read literally, the Tenth Amendment seems to suggest that the federal government's powers are limited only to what it has been “delegated,” and the U.S. Supreme Court in 1918 confirmed that the amendment “carefully reserved” some authority “to the states.” That view is echoed by statements made at the time the Constitution was adopted; New Hampshire explicitly said that states kept “all powers not expressly and particularly delegated” to the federal government. 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.
