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
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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
Three of the best pants pocket holsters, in the author’s opinion. Left, Ky-Tac ambidextrous with Glock 27 40. Center, right-hand Greg Kramer with 357 Glock 33. Right, left-hand Safariland pocket holster with Eagle-gripped S&W Model 442.
People have been carrying guns in their pockets ever since firearms became small enough to fit there.
Wild Bill Hickok carried one or more derringers in his pockets to back up his famous pair of 36-caliber cap ’n ball Navy Colts. Wyatt Earp testified under oath in re the deaths of Frank McLaury, William Clanton, and Thomas McLaury that he began the OK Corral shootout with his hand on the butt of a Colt Single Action Army 45 revolver in the pocket of his overcoat.
The author’s preference is a lightweight J-frame 38 in front trouser pocket on non-dominant hand side, for backup, so either hand can access a weapon.
Colt’s in-house gun shark J.H. Fitzgerald made up a pair of heavy frame New Service 45 revolvers with stubbed barrels, and wore a pair of them in leather-lined side pockets in his trousers. He made up one of those guns for Col. Rex Applegate, who packed one in a hip pocket when he bodyguarded Franklin D. Roosevelt. Legendary Border Patrol gunslick Bill Jordan was partial to a bobbed-hammer Smith & Wesson Model 37 Airweight Chief Special 38 in a hip pocket for backup and sometimes off-duty wear.
On duty or off, famed NYPD Stakeout Squad gunfighter Jim Cirillo carried a hammer-shrouded 38 Colt Cobra snubby in a trouser pocket.
Today, in the 21st Century, we don’t have the baggy pants of the Depression Years that allowed “Fitz” to carry a big-frame 45 in each pocket. But, thanks to the caprices of the fashion world, we have billowy Dockers-style trousers and BDUs. We have light, powerful handguns only dreamt of in Fitzgerald’s time. And, perhaps most important, we have the finest pocket holsters that have ever existed.
The Pocket Itself
In the olden days, the pocket was the holster. The history of the Old West tells us that Luke Short carried his Colt Thunderer double-action 41 in a leather-lined hip pocket, and used that combination to outdraw and kill a gunman deemed much more dangerous than he, “Long-Haired Jim” Courtright. Famed lawman Dallas Stoudenmire carried a pair of short-barrel Smith & Wesson single action, top-break 44s in special pants, whose hip pockets he had likewise had lined with leather by an obliging tailor.
Today, the leather-lined pocket has gone the way of the dodo bird. However, reinforced pockets designed expressly for handguns remain. A company called Betz started the trend to jackets with hidden, built-in holsters. A Betz coat can carry a full-size service auto inside next to the breast.
It’s drawn in a fashion similar to what you’d use with a shoulder holster. The Royal Robbins 5.11 Tactical vest has built-in gun pockets of similar style. Our nation’s largest sheriff’s department, comprised of several thousand uniformed deputies, orders all their uniform jackets with a special inside pocket of this kind, cut for the J-frame S&W snub-nose 38 most of their sworn personnel carry for backup. Concealed Carry Clothiers has reinforced side pockets for small handguns in their line of vests made especially for CCW carriers.
Nor have pants pockets been neglected. For decades, the troopers of a certain state have been issued two handguns, one full size and one small. The full-size gun, of course, went in a uniform belt holster. The smaller was carried in a side trouser pocket: mandatory, no exceptions. The pants were ordered with one reinforced pocket from the uniform manufacturer.
Over the years, many a trooper in that state was saved by this little pants pocket hideout. Sometimes, it happened when someone got the primary gun away and the trooper had to resort to “Plan B.” Sometimes, it was just easier to approach a stopped car with the hand inconspicuously in the pocket and wrapped around the little 38.
When danger threatened, this made for a lightning fast draw and return of fire. Over the years that department went from the 38 Special as a primary service revolver, to the 357 Magnum, to the 9mm auto, to their currently issued 40-caliber service automatic. The backup has stayed pretty much the same: a small-frame Smith & Wesson revolver with short barrel. The current issue is the Model 640-1 “hammerless” 357 Magnum, loaded with +P+ Hydra-Shok 38 Special ammunition.
“Civilians” have not been neglected. Blackie Collins created special jeans for pistol-packers, appropriately called Toters. Both hip pockets and both side pockets are specially reinforced for carrying handguns. Since this is the very same Blackie Collins who first became famous as a knife designer, there’s also a special quick-access pocket for a tactical folder.
Pocket Holsters
To allow for tight pockets and spurred hammers, thumb takes this position. It dramatically reduces hand’s thickness profile, thus reducing chances of a snag. It also turns the thumb into a hammer shroud for conventional-hammer revolvers.
Even by the time of the Old West gunfighters, it had become apparent that regular pockets by themselves weren’t enough to sustain the carrying of a defensive handgun. The pistol’s weight, and sometimes its sharp edges, would tear through pocket linings. A small handgun could change its orientation due to body movement through the day, and perhaps turn upside down in the pocket. The shape of the gun was likely to “print” through the fabric, betraying the “concealed” element of concealed carry.
The first pocket holsters were simply leather squares or rectangles with gun pouches sewn on, sometimes crudely. In modern times, the art and design of the pocket holster have been refined dramatically. In addition to leather, we now see them crafted of Kydex, nylon, and assorted other synthetics. Greg Kramer popularized a leather model with a flat Kydex square on the outside, which broke up the outline of the gun. With tight pants, someone might be able to see that you had something in your pocket, but they wouldn’t be able to tell that it was a firearm.
There are numerous fine pocket holsters available today. Manufacturers of same include Jerry Ahern, Lou Alessi, Gene DeSantis, Galco, Greg Kramer, Ky-Tac, Mach-2, Bob Mika, Milt Sparks, Mitch Rosen, Thad Rybka, Safariland, Uncle Mike’s, and more. I’ve used most of the above, with good success.
Personal favorites, for my own specific needs, have come down to three. With a snub-nose J-frame revolver, I’ve had the best luck with the Safariland. Designed by Bill Rogers, it’s made of synthetic Porvair on the inside and faux suede on the outside. The outer surface makes it stick to the pocket lining and yield the gun instead of coming out with it, no matter what the angle of draw; the smooth Porvair on the inside reduces friction and speeds the draw. Unfortunately, it seems to be made only for J-frame snubs at this writing. (Seems to wear hell out of the gun’s finish, too.)
For the baby Glock, I use either the Mach-2 or the Ky-Tac. Both are made of Kydex and are so close in design and function that they’re hard to tell apart. An almost curlicue flange at the top catches the upper edge of the pocket as you clear the square-shaped auto pistol, and a similar protrusion at the rear of the holster catches the bottom edge if you prefer to draw horizontally out of the pocket.
For most anything else – for instance, the neat little Kahr PM9 polymer-framed 9mm, a favorite pocket auto, or the 380 size Colt Pocket Nine – I prefer Greg Kramer’s classic pocket rig. Mike Dillon, who makes a point of putting only the best of everything in his Blue Press catalog, lists the Kramer pocket holster in those pages. It’s a hell of an endorsement, and when you work with a Kramer pocket rig, an understandable one.
Gunfights happen quickly and will be over before you know it. So, you need something that fulfills those two requirements. You won’t have time to go get your gun once the fight starts and, if your gun is too big, too bulky or too heavy, you won’t carry it all the time.
Of course, the one time you don’t carry it will certainly be the time you need it.
Accuracy withthe NAA .380 was not bad for a gun with a 2.49-inch barrel.
Which gun fills both those needs? How about the lowly .380 auto? My friend Mas Ayoob calls them “mouse guns” but readily admits he would rather have a mouse gun than no gun at all. We should all think so clearly.
And if the market shows us anything, it may be that many gun buyers are starting to think as clearly. These days there are plenty of .380 automatics on the market; too many for us to review all of them here. But we can look at a couple that will fill the bill.
Both are stainless steel pistols designed for deep concealment and completely easy carry. They are simple in operation, plain in design and robust in construction. They are the North American Arms Guardian and the Magnum Research Micro Desert Eagle. In short these are the type of tools you would want to have when a fight starts.
North American Arms Guardian
The tried and true North American Arms Guardian is not a new design, but as a classic should not be left out of the discussion when talking about a .380 for personal defense. This six-plus-one auto sports a stainless slide and frame and the standard fixed-barrel design that works so well with a tiny auto-loading pistol.
The Guardian 380’s design is based on the popular Guardian 32 ACP, which was introduced in 1997. Introduced in 2001, the Guardian 380 ACP is popular with law enforcement and for concealed carry. Over the years, NAA has made many subtle improvements to the design, based in part on the many suggestions received from customers. The result is an extremely high quality gun that’s convenient, reliable, and very effective. It is also backed with a lifetime warranty.
The gun is comfortable, easy to shoot and the controls are all in the right places. Forget about the sights, you will not be using them as anything more than a reference point. This is a CQB pistol. If you have to take a 25-yard shot across a street, you are using the gun for something other than its designed purpose. Ideally, you want to be using this gun at 20 feet or less.
The Guardian is easy to carry in a pocket or purse and with any number of good pocket holsters on the market, the pistol will disappear until it is needed and can be brought into action quickly.
For those who feel they need it, North American Arms has introduced the Guardian 380S with an Integral Locking System (ILS) safety. The part number for this gun is NAA-380Guard S. You’ll need to check with your local dealer to order this version of the Guardian 380 ACP. You can also get Crimson Trace Lasergrips for the Guardian. That’s a nice feature.
On the range, the Guardian performs admirably. Firing offhand at 15 feet, the pistol puts all six rounds within an 8-inch bull’s eye rather easily. The trigger pull is long and stout, but very comfortable and controllable. The sights are too small to be anything but a reference point. Still, they work well for that and will not snag on the draw. The finger rest extension on the magazine is a nice touch that adds comfort without sacrificing the ability to conceal the pistol. Overall this is a good solid performer.
As a side note, Guardians are no longer available in California, which seems like a good reason to move out of California.
Micro Desert Eagle
Some people might call this .380 Micro Desert Eagle a “lady’s gun,” but these pint-sized pistols pack a punch and fulfill the first rule of a gunfight.
The Micro Desert Eagle pistol from Magnum Research is also chambered in .380 ACP. And while the measurements show this to be a true compact personal protection pistol, it offers a much different profile than the Guardian.
Weighing in at less than 14 ounces, the Micro Desert Eagle is comfortable in a pocket or in a purse, easy to deploy and features the Magnum Research gas-assisted blowback system for ultimate reliability and amazing accuracy in such a small package. Again, don’t count on the sights to give you match-grade accuracy. This is an “up-close-and-personal” gun.
While I don’t have data on the official trigger pull weight, I can say the trigger pull on the Micro Desert Eagle is “different.” It took me a bit to get used to this trigger. To fire the pistol requires a long heavy trigger stroke and there is considerable stacking as you reach the point where the sear releases. In short you really have to want to make this gun go off. Pull hard and pull long.
On the range the Micro Desert Eagle proved every bit as accurate as the NAA Guardian and both guns functioned well considering the job they are expected to do. Shooting comfort was simply a matter of shooter preference. The ergonomics are right for both guns, though the Micro Desert Eagle looks like it has more mass in the slide. It looks top-heavy, but that didn’t interfere with its shooting performance.
As far as carry and concealment; both are great. They can be slipped into a pants pocket or a purse with no trouble. Though a good quality pocket holster or CCW-type purse would help to keep the gun under control.
These are not target pistols. They are not comfortable to shoot for long range-time sessions, but with the right ammo, like Extreme Shock, (www.extremeshockammo.net) you will have all the power you need in a package you can hide just about anywhere. Everybody needs at least one small gun and the know-how to use it correctly. Either of these two will fill the bill nicely.
According to the National Rifle Association (NRA), “There is a very high likelihood of a Senate floor vote on this important and timely pro-gun reform on Monday or Tuesday.”
With 40 states allowing at least some form of concealed carry, practicing carry across state lines would be possible for tens of thousands of permit holders˜IF the right federal law was place.
As the NRA noted, “Under the Thune-Vitter amendment, an individual who has met the requirements for a carry permit, or who is otherwise allowed by his home state's state law to carry a firearm, would be authorized to carry a firearm for protection in any other state that issues such permits, subject to the laws of the state in which the firearm is carried.”
“The Thune-Vitter amendment recognizes that competent, responsible, law-abiding Americans still deserve our trust and confidence when they cross state lines. Passing interstate Right-to-Carry legislation will help further reduce crime by deterring criminals, and˜most important of all˜will protect the right of honest Americans to protect themselves when deterrence fails.”
The NRA urged gun owners to contact their senators as soon as possible, to respectfully ask for their support of the Thune-Vitter Amendment.
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.
The 30-round magazines incorporate a new follower design, and were thoroughly tested before deliveries began.
