Hello Kitty Pretty in Pink

So I pop in after dinner to check email (USCitizen - you have email), and I find this from the Volkh Conspiracy:

Now that is one fine Evil Bla.. Cute Pink Rifle. It's Komifornia legal even.

Happy New Year!

Wishing you a happy, healthy and blessed 2008.

JR & V

Good News, Bad News for Dallas Crime

From WBAP News/Talk 820:

Good News, Bad News for Dallas Crime

Dallas (WBAP)- Violent crime in Dallas dropped to its lowest level since the 1960's in 2007, but the city recorded 202 murders for the year, an eight percent increase.

Police Chief David Kunkle says homicides represent a small portion of overall statistics, while pointing out that violent crime is down for the sixth year in a row.

Kunkle and Mayor Pro Tem Dwayne Caraway are hoping state legislators can help with some sort of restrictions on handguns, which were used in 75% of the murders in the city.

We all know just "how well" those gun restrictions are working in other big cities, maybe if we just do them harder here in Dallas the result may be different. Good luck in that.

I emailed Police Chief Kunkle and Mayor Pro Tem Caraway a request for more information on exactly what handgun restrictions they were looking for, and how they expected those restrictions to help with the murder rate in Dallas. We'll just have to see what they have to say about the issue.

Dallas Morning News Texan of the Year...

The Illegal Immigrant

Pfffffft......

Day at the Gun Show

This last weekend of 2007 is also the weekend of the last gun show of 2007. This weekend's show is put on by High Caliber, and is at the Will Rogers Center in Fort Worth.

It seems there was a good turn out today. I went with my youngest daughter (who is visiting from Delaware), and we had a good time cruising the tables. Fits almost has me talked into buying a Glock, so I spent some time fondling the Tupperware.

A couple of vendors were conspicuous by there absence, but there was still plenty to had from the ones that did make it.

I have had an interest in the HK USC for quite awhile now. I've imagined it to be a good, but expensive, truck gun as it utilizes the same cartridge as my sidearm.

There was a used one at the show today and I had a chance to shoulder it and check out it's feel. The safety switch was a little out of my reach but the rest of the rifle felt good. Sure would like to get one of these out to the range.

Another neat rifle I had the chance to fondle was a Steyr AUG.

Now that felt good all the way around. Another one I would like to get out to the range.

All in all a good show. A nice turn out and appeared to be plenty of business taking place at the tables. I was going to pick up some 230 grain RN bullets, but one guy was sold out and the other only had a package of 50 left. So I ended up with 50.

Fred Thompson, The Clear Conservative Choice

Thompson/Hunter in '08

An Interview with Magpul

Steve of The Firearm Blog scored an interview with Drake Clark from Magpul about their new Masada rifle.

Magpul Interview: The Masada, firearms industry and internet marketing

I am looking forward to giving the Masada a try, but we may still be a year or so out before the semi-auto version is readily available.

A Historical Perspective

E. David Quammen's site, GunShowOnTheNet, is an outstanding resource for the historical perspective on the right to keep and bear arms. If you want to know what the Founders, early presidents and the courts have said about the RKBA, E. David has the site for you.

In his post, Saul Cornell lies again...., E. David compares the pre-existent natural right of the individual British-American 'subject' before the Constitution with the dramatically improved natural right of the new American citizen after the Constitution. The "natural right" had not changed, just governments perception of it.

This is important reading, head on over and gain some perspective on history. While you are there, check out some of "Our Founders Documents" on the sidebar.

A Busy Week

The Christmas holiday season is busy, busy, busy. I love it. Picking out the right presents and assembling toys for the grand kids, visiting with friends, and Christmas Morning with little ones. Heck, I even enjoy the cold weather.

This year my youngest daughter is visiting from Delaware, and I have not had much time to blog.

I do, however, have a bit of gun pron for you, my newest BBQ gun:

My parents have quite the sense of humor. It is a refillable BBQ lighter.

Gun Buybacks

H/T Fits

A Christmas Story

The Rifle

Pa never had much compassion for the lazy or those who squandered
their means and then never had enough for the necessities. But for those who were genuinely in need, his heart was as big as all outdoors.

It was from him that I learned the greatest joy in life comes from giving, not from receiving.

It was Christmas Eve 1881.

I was fifteen years old and feeling like the world had caved in on me because there just hadn't been enough money to buy me the rifle that I'd wanted so bad that year for Christmas.

We did the chores early that night for some reason. I just figured Pa wanted a little extra time so we could read in the Bible.

So after supper was over I took my boots off and stretched out in front of the fireplace and waited for Pa to get down the old Bible.

I was still feeling sorry for myself and, to be honest, I wasn't in much of a mood to read Scriptures.

But Pa didn't get the Bible, instead he bundled up and went outside. I couldn't figure it out because we had already done all the chores. I didn't worry about it long though; I was too busy wallowing in self-pity.

Soon Pa came back in. It was a cold clear night out and there was ice in his beard. "Come on, Matt," he said. "Bundle up good, it's cold out tonight." I was really upset then. Not only wasn't I getting the rifle for Christmas, now Pa was dragging me out in the cold, and for no earthly reason that I could see.

We'd already done all the chores, and I couldn't think of anything else that needed doing, especially not on a night like this. But I knew Pa was not very patient at one dragging one's feet when he'd told them to do something, so I got up and put my boots back on and got my cap, coat, and mittens.

Ma gave me a mysterious smile as I opened the door to leave the house. Something was up, but I didn't know what.

Outside, I became even more dismayed. There in front of the house was the work team, already hitched to the big sled.

Whatever it was we were going to do wasn't going to be a short, quick, little job. I could tell. We never hitched up the big sled unless we were going to haul a big load. Pa was already up on the seat, reins in hand. I reluctantly climbed up beside him. The cold was already biting at me.

I wasn't happy.

When I was on, Pa pulled the sled around the house and stopped in front of the woodshed. He got off and I followed. "I think we'll put on the high sideboards," he said. "Here, help me."

The high sideboards!

It had been a bigger job than I wanted to do with just the low sideboards on, but whatever it was we were going to do would be a lot bigger with the high sideboards on.

When we had exchanged the sideboards Pa went into the woodshed and came out with an armload of wood--the wood I'd spent all summer hauling down from the mountain, and then all fall sawing into blocks and splitting.

What was he doing?

Finally I said something. "Pa," I asked, "what are you doing?" "You been by the Widow Jensen's lately?" he asked.

The Widow Jensen lived about two miles down the road. Her husband had died a year or so before and left her with three children, the oldest being eight.

Sure, I'd been by, but so what? "Yeah," I said, "why?" "I rode by just today," Pa said. "Little Jakey was out digging around in the woodpile trying to find a few chips.

They're out of wood, Matt."

That was all he said and then he turned and went back into the woodshed for another armload of wood. I followed him.

We loaded the sled so high that I began to wonder if the horses would be able to pull it. Finally, Pa called a halt to our loading, then we went to the smoke house and Pa took down a big ham and a side of bacon. He handed them to me and told me to put them in the sled and wait. When he returned he was carrying a sack of flour over his right shoulder and a smaller sack of something in his left hand.

"What's in the little sack?" I asked. "Shoes. They're out of shoes. Little Jakey just had gunny sacks wrapped around his feet when he was out in the woodpile this morning. I got the children a little candy too.

It just wouldn't be Christmas without a little candy."

We rode the two miles to Widow Jensen's pretty much in silence. I tried to think through what Pa was doing.

We didn't have much by worldly standards. Of course, we did have a big woodpile, though most of what was left now was still in the form of logs that I would have to
saw into blocks and split before we could use it.

We also had meat and flour, so we could spare that, but I knew we didn't have any money, so why was Pa buying them shoes and candy?

Really, why was he doing any of this? Widow Jensen had closer neighbors than us. It shouldn't have been our concern.

We came in from the blind side of the Jensen house and unloaded the wood as quietly as possible, then we took the meat and flour and shoes to the door.

We knocked.

The door opened a crack and a timid voice said, "Who is it?" "Lucas Miles, Ma'am, and my son, Matt. Could we come in for a bit?"

Widow Jensen opened the door and let us in. She had a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. The children were wrapped in another and were sitting in front of the fireplace by a very small fire that hardly gave off any heat at all.

Widow Jensen fumbled with a match and finally lit the lamp.

"We brought you a few things, Ma'am," Pa said and set down the sack of flour. I put the meat on the table. Then Pa handed her the sack that had the shoes in it. She opened it hesitantly and took the shoes out one pair at a time. There was a pair for her and one for each of the children---sturdy shoes, the best, shoes that would last. I watched her carefully.

She bit her lower lip to keep it from trembling and then tears filled her eyes and started running down her cheeks. She looked up at Pa like she wanted to say something, but it wouldn't come out. "We brought a load of wood too, Ma'am," Pa said, then he turned to me and said, "Matt, go bring enough in to last for awhile. Let's get that fire up to size and heat this place up."

I wasn't the same person when I went back out to bring in the wood. I had a big lump in my throat and, much as I hate to admit it, there were tears in my eyes too.

In my mind I kept seeing those three kids huddled around the fireplace and their mother standing there with tears running down her cheeks and so much gratitude in her heart that she couldn't speak.

My heart swelled within me and a joy filled my soul that I'd never known before.

I had given at Christmas many times before, but never when it had made so much difference. I could see we were literally saving the lives of these people. I soon had the fire blazing and everyone's spirits soared.

The kids started giggling when Pa handed them each a piece of candy and Widow Jensen looked on with a smile that probably hadn't crossed her face for a long time. She finally turned to us. "God bless you," she said. "I know the Lord himself has sent you. The children and I have been praying that he would send one of his angels to spare us."

In spite of myself, the lump returned to my throat and the tears welled up in my eyes again. I'd never thought of Pa in those exact terms before, but after Widow Jensen mentioned it I could see that it was probably true. I was sure that a better man than Pa had never walked the earth. I started remembering all the times he had gone out of his way for Ma and me, and many others. The list seemed endless as I thought on it.

Pa insisted that everyone try on the shoes before we left. I was amazed when they all fit and I wondered how he had known what sizes to get. Then I guessed that if he was on an errand for the Lord that the Lord would make sure he got the right sizes.

Tears were running down Widow Jensen's face again when we stood up to leave. Pa took each of the kids in his big arms and gave them a hug. They clung to him and didn't want us to go.

I could see that they missed their pa, and I was glad that I still had mine.

At the door Pa turned to Widow Jensen and said, "The Mrs. wanted me to invite you and the children over for Christmas dinner tomorrow." The turkey will be more than the three of us can eat, and a man can get cantankerous if he has to eat turkey for too many meals.

We'll be by to get you about eleven.

It'll be nice to have some little ones around again. Matt, here, hasn't been little for quite a spell. I was the youngest.

My two older brothers and two older sisters were all married and had moved away.

Widow Jensen nodded and said, "Thank you, Brother Miles. I don't have to say, "'May the Lord bless you,' I know for certain that He will."

Out on the sled I felt a warmth that came from deep within and I didn't even notice the cold. When we had gone a ways, Pa turned to me and said, "Matt, I want you to know something. Your ma and me have been tucking a little money away here and there all year so we could buy that rifle for you, but we didn't have quite enough.

Then yesterday a man who owed me a little money from years back came by to make things square. Your ma and me were real excited, thinking that now we could get you that rifle, and I started into town this morning to do just that.

But on the way I saw little Jakey out scratching in the woodpile with his feet wrapped in those gunny sacks and I knew what I had to do.

So, Son, I spent the money for shoes and a little candy for those children.

I hope you understand."

I understood, and my eyes became wet with tears again. I understood very well, and I was so glad Pa had done it.

Just then the rifle seemed very low on my list of priorities.

Pa had given me a lot more.

He had given me the look on Widow Jensen's face and the radiant smiles of her three children. For the rest of my life, whenever I saw any of the Jensens, or split a block of wood,

I remembered,

and remembering brought back that same joy I felt riding home beside Pa that night.

Pa had given me much more than a rifle that night, he had given me the best Christmas of my life.

By: Rian B. Anderson

That story is an oldie, but a goodie. For me it is worth reading at least once each Christmas Season (that is why I recycled it from last year)

I wish for each and every one of you the happiest of Christmases, and a very blessed New Year.

Counterfeit Christmas Cards

While looking around for Christmas images this morning, I came across an interesting website.

Psywarrior has collected a variety of Counterfeit Christmas Cards, propaganda used by our enemies against our troops from WWI through Vietnam. It is an interesting collection and well worth your time.

Vintage Ad

Found on Comics Make No Sense

Firearm Safety During the Holidays

Tony3Dogs emailed a reminder of our responsibility, as firearm owners, for the safe use and storage of our firearms. A family in San Antonio is grieving this holiday season because a pistol was left where an unattended 3 year old could find it. The full story from My San Antonio can be found here.

During the holidays many of us have friends and family over to visit, open presents, eat and just in general enjoy each others company. It is very important that our firearms are secured, not only from the hands of children visitors, but the hands of inquisitive adults. My library/computer room/gun room has a keyed lock on the door, as does the master bedroom. When we have larger groups over, the library gets locked. This is not my only means of securing my firearms, but keeping the entire room off limits makes good sense.

From an earlier post, Kids and Firearm Safety:

The #1 means of preventing your children from becoming involved in an accidental shooting is to raise responsible children, and take the mystique out of firearms.

From Fr. Frogs Pad:

I will do my best to educate my child about the many things in life that, if mishandled, can result in harm. This will require open and frank dialogue and, in the case of firearms, careful, supervised instruction in their safe handling and proper use.

I will not allow my child to play in a home headed by irresponsible and inattentive adults.

I will take proper and prudent measures to ensure the safety and security of my home. Firearms, stored in such a manner that they are readily available to my trained and practiced hand, while being secured against unauthorized use, are an important component of this security preparedness.

I will urge and DEMAND that others, including public servants, show respect for the principles of freedom and individual liberty on which our republic was founded. I will demand that my children inherit the full spectrum of liberties guaranteed to free men and not permit these freedoms to be diminished by ill-conceived attempts to trade precious liberty for illusory safety.

Proper storage of firearms and ammo when you are not in the area is just plain common sense. If your only use for firearms is hunting and target practice, then storage is easy. Purchase the best quality safe you can afford to secure your unloaded firearms.

If you have a firearm for home defense, then you have to be a bit more proactive.

Something I found on the California "Tips for Gun Owners" site:

There is no such thing as being too careful with children and guns. Never assume that simply because a toddler may lack finger strength, they can't pull the trigger. A child's thumb has twice the strength of the other fingers. When a toddler's thumb "pushes" against a trigger, invariably the barrel of the gun is pointing directly at the child's face.

I just added that as something to think about.

There are many different locking devices available today that will keep a loaded firearm secure, but ready for quick access.

The Bio Vault is one such device. It is small, discreet, and opens quickly with a fingerprint. There are other small gun locking devices that opened with an electronic touch pad or quick acting combination lock. My sidearm is either in my holster, or in one such device.

Another idea is to keep the unloaded handgun in a drawer or on a shelf, and keep a magazine or speed-loader on your person.

Firearm safety in the home is mostly common sense and educating your children.

For more on this issue, go to Fr. Frogs Pad here.

Remember, with the right to keep and bear arms comes the responsibility to do so safely. Our decision to own firearms should not put others at unnecessary risk.

Before company arrives, ensure your firearms are properly secured.

Have a safe and blessed holiday season.

A Christmas Holiday Message

From Fred Thompson

H/T Traction Control

And the Winners Are....

Once again, not me.

Winners of the FCI "Win Twice" Drawing:

Cobb BA50TR .50 BMG Rifle
We want to wish a very Merry Christmas to:

Mr. Douglas McDonald of Fallon, NV

S&W Performance Center 500 Caliber Handgun
We want to wish a very Merry Christmas to:

Mr. Tony La Tora of Richmond, VA

The FCI staff would also like to thank everyone who participated in our fundraising event. This has been one of our most satisfying fundraisers and your contributions will go a long ways to ensuring FCI has the ability to stand on the front lines defending your rights.

Thank you seems such a small way for us to show our appreciation to you, but our thanks come from the bottom of our hearts. Please enjoy a Great Holiday Season and have a Merry Christmas.

John Burtt, chmn

I can't wait to see what they offer next year!

For more information on the Fifty Caliber Institute, go here.

Stray Cats, A Metaphor

If you have a stray cat problem, do you leave bowls of milk on your front step? No, to get rid of strays you first get rid of the incentives that attract the strays to your property. If that does not work, then you may want to consider getting a dog or some other cat deterrent.

Now some folks don't think stray cats are a problem and put out bowls of milk and food for the neighborhood stray. Next thing you know the neighborhood is crawling with stray cats, they start having babies in my boat and the stray cat population continues to increase to the point where it is way out of control. This is the point where neighbors start complaining and animal control gets involved. Public moneys are used to rectify a situation that would not have been a problem if that first bowl of milk had never been put out on the step.

Arizona has a problem, the same problem that most states are having, and is seeing some success in rectifying that problem.

Experts: New law driving out illegals

PHOENIX -- Illegal immigrants in Arizona, frustrated with a flagging economy and tough new legislation cracking down on their employers, are returning to their home countries or trying their luck in other states.

For months, immigrants have taken a wait-and-see attitude toward the state's new employer-sanctions law, which takes effect Jan. 1. The voter-approved legislation is an attempt to lessen the economic incentive for illegal immigrants in Arizona, the busiest crossing point along the U.S.-Mexico border.

And by all appearances, it's starting to work.

Arizona's new law which takes away the incentives for illegals to be there is a good first step that should be seriously considered by other states. To tell the truth, new laws are not even necessary. Irving Texas has proven that enforcing existing laws is an effective deterrent to illegal aliens.

Goats Gone Wild

Okay Firehand, you are going to have to explain this one to me:

From NBC5i.com:

Woman Ticketed After Goats Caught Mating

DIBBLE, Okla. -- Some "goats gone wild" are the talk of a small Oklahoma town.

A woman received two tickets after her goats were caught mating and relieving themselves on her own yard.

City law said it is illegal for any two animals to have sex in public within Dibble city limits.

It's also against law for them to relieve themselves in public even if the animal is fenced in on private land.

I guess no one told the goats.

Best line from the article:

The owner was shocked when she heard the charges.

“I kind of thought if anyone was caught having sex in public, it could have been me,” Carol Medenhall said.

There are some silly laws out there, and not all of them have to do with gun control, just control in general.

Afternoon at the Gun Shop

Had a bit of fun this afternoon. A friend had called asking if I would help her shop for a Christmas present for her husband. Any excuse to go gun shopping is a good enough excuse for me, so today was the day. We headed over to Winchester Gallery with one goal in mind, to find a pistol with the right "cool factor". This one was not for home or self defense, she just wanted to get him a handgun that he would think was cool.

First I showed her some "old school" cool. They had a handsome Python in the case that, to me, was the coolest gun in the shop. Nope, she was wanting a pistol. There was also a suppressed HK USP that she thought was really cool until I explained about the wait and the paperwork. We circled the cases until we got to the Sig's. Sig Sauer was a brand she recognized, so that is where we stopped. To make a long story short, her husband is going to have one great gift waiting under the Christmas tree. And if you are going to get a pistol with a rail, might as well accessorize. That was probably one of the easier sales Roy made today.

Later V and I did Christmassy stuff, it was a good evening.

On TV Tonight

Tonight's episode of "The Shooting Gallery" on The Outdoor Channel featured the Knob Creek Machine Gun Shoot. One of these days....

USA Shooting Announces 2007 Athletes of the Year

USA Shooting Announces 2007 Athletes of the Year

USA Shooting (USAS) is pleased to announce that 2004 Olympic Gold Medalist Matthew Emmons and three-time Olympic Medalist Kimberly Rhode have been selected as the 2007 USAS Athletes of the Year.

These athletes were chosen based on the USAS Athlete of the Year Policies and Procedures and were selected by a points system.

Click on the image to read the rest from USA Shooting.

Texas House District 97 Special Election Run-off Update

From the Star Telegram:

Barrett, Burns win runoffs

Democrat Dan Barrett defeated Republican Mark Shelton on Tuesday in the runoff to replace Republican state Rep. Anna Mowery in the Texas House.

Barrett defeated Shelton, 52 percent to 48 percent, with 100 percent of precincts reporting at 8:59 p.m., according to the Tarrant County Elections Office. Barrett received 5,365 votes to Shelton’s 4,913.

In the 2000 Census there were over 145,000 people in this district. Only a little over 10,000 of these folks saw fit to vote, 7% showed up at the polls. A very liberal, most likely anti gun representative was elected by less than 4% of the population.

Well, it is the holidays and all...

RKBA Gear

This guy has got some good stuff at his CafePress store.

More Dancing in the Blood of Innocents

There are organizations who view atrocities such as the mall shooting in Omaha with delight, letters to editors (and contributors) penned and sent before the blood even has time to dry. They look forward to this type of devastation as they feel the publicity surrounding these tragedies will advance their political goals. These folks are referred to as "Blood Dancers".

An example from The Grand Island Independent:

Gunman used hunting skills at Omaha mall

The world was stunned by the senseless shootings at the Westroads Mall and we mourn for the families and friends of the victims. While nothing can ease the pain of the survivors, it is time for the firearms industry and Nebraska Game and Parks to take partial responsibility for these wanton acts of violence, since incidents such as these expose the fine line between violence against wildlife and violence against humans.

Soon after the shootings took place, NBC4.com reported that Robert Hawkins was seen with a gun and was believed to be going hunting, something he did quite often. Hawkins now joins other infamous killers such as the teens who slaughtered twelve Columbine High School students in Littleton, Colorado in 1999, and the Jonesboro, Arkansas children who killed four classmates and a teacher in 1998, who were hunters before turning their guns toward people.

Sadly, the killing skills used by Hawkins are taught to Nebraska's children by the Game and Parks Commission under the guise of "Hunter Education." As long as state agencies conspire with the weapons industry in promoting violence as recreation, senseless killings will always take place.

Firearms and ammunition excise taxes are allocated to support and promote sport hunting - violence disguised as recreation - and the wildlife management business benefits every time a gun or ammunition is purchased, regardless of how those weapons are used. The time has come to re-write the firearms tax laws and have gun taxes support the medical/funeral expenses of the victims of gun violence, as well as supporting crime fighting programs.

Please join our members and supports in Grand Island and across the nation in eradicating the cancer of sport hunting forever. Visit www.cashwildwatch.org to help make the world a safer place for wildlife and people.

Joe Miele,

Vice President

The Committee to Abolish Sport Hunting

New Paltz, NY

This drivel is not even worth Fisking, it just goes to show the company that is being kept by the likes of the Brady Bunch and other Antis.

Sorry Folks...

... but I've got nothing tonight. I had something, but then I lost it.

Time is Running Out

Entries close December 20, 2007.

Drawings for both guns will be held on (or about) Dec. 22nd.

Contribute Online for your chance to WIN!

You can also enter over the phone by calling the Fifty Caliber Institute at 405.769.7851.

Either one of these firearms would make a great Christmas surprise. For only $25.00 you will have to chance to win one, and possibly even both, of the .50 caliber firearms.

I"m kind of hoping for the Cobb...

Quote of the Day

From Xavier's comments on Jeanne Assam's Story

George Orwell once said: "People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf." Sometimes the sheepdog is neither rough, nor a man. That is as it should be. Introduce a woman to shooting today. The life she saves may be your own.

Head on over and read the rest.

Cause or Effect?

In this past week we have had three separate shootings in North Texas that started with a knock on the door. In Colorado a goblin decided he wanted to kill Christians, in Nevada a jilted boyfriend shoots up a bus stop, and in Nebraska a looser decides to go out with a bang in a mall. Ultra violence, Clockwork Orange style, is all the rage these days. Why? That is an important question, why? Where is the disconnect? What motivates these folks to just go out and kill, maim and hurt as many people as possible? I do not know the answer to that question. It makes sense that the breakdown of the family and the contempt of traditional morals in our public life are factors that would allow this type of behavior to grow, but what is the source of these thoughts that become ultra violent actions?

The following is a video of a group whose albums are purchased by our kids in pretty much any mall in America. Please do not click the "go" button if you are easily offended or upset by violence. I thought long and hard about posting this, but I think it is important to see what is influencing our kids today.

The video was juvenile, but the song was gruesome. Stanley Kubrick would be proud.

I enjoyed listening to Alice Cooper when I was younger, I understood that his stage act was an attempt to bring "B" movie hack and slash effects to the rock and roll stage. Where Alice Cooper's music has some redeeming qualities and commented on current culture, this music attempts to influence culture. After listening to several songs by this group, the apparent glorification of necrophilia, self mutilation and serial murder is appalling. Is this music a symptom, or a cause of ultra violence in our society?

Tasteless Headline of the Week

From the New York Post:

IKE 'BEATS' TINA TO DEATH

You have to admit it is funny, in an "Oh man, I can't believe they said that" sort of way.

H/T to Sondra K

A Little Friday Sillyness

Monty Python Self Defence Class

Alan Keyes Mixes Things Up

I have liked Alan Keyes for a very long time now, and am excited that he has entered the race for the GOP presidential candidate. Does he have a snowballs chance in hell of getting the nomination? I doubt it, but his being in the race will most certainly mix things up.

This afternoon on the way home from work, Sean Hannity had Ambassador Keyes in the show. I'm thinking Sean may be regretting that programming decision.

For the past few months (it feels like forever) Sean has been the lead apologist for GuliMittCainAbee, and today Ambassador Keyes handed Sean his lunch for supporting these RINOs, and Sean didn't really know what to do, he kept repeating the same mantra he has been for months, and Alan would have none of it.

Don't get me wrong. I enjoy listening to Sean Hannity, and agree with quite a bit of what he has to say, but (and this is a big but) his support of the GuliMittCAinAbee cabal has done some pretty serious damage to his credibility as a conservative pundit.

If anyone has a copy of the audio of today's show, I sure would appreciate your sharing it with me.

Texas House District 97 Special Election Run-off

On Tuesday, December the 18th, there will be an election run-off for an empty seat in the Texas House. District 97 includes the cities of Benbrook, Edgecliff Village and a portion of Fort Worth.

The two candidates are Democrat Dan Barrett and Republican Mark Shelton.

Dan Barrett has received the endorsement of the Star Telegram, the Texas State Teachers Association, the Texas Parent PAC, the United Educators Association, the Texas League of Conservation Voters and the Texas Progressive Alliance.

Mark Shelton has received endorsements from the Texans for Lawsuit Reform PAC; the Texas State Rifle Association PAC; the National Rifle Association Political Victory Fund; and the Business and Commerce PAC, the political arm of the Texas Association of Business.

Last Sunday I sent an email off to both of these candidates with a couple of questions about past and future Texas firearms legislation. So far I have received one response.

My Questions:

Mr. Shelton/Barrett;

During this past legislative session, several bills were passed and become law that are considered to be pro gun. The largest was the Castle Doctrine/Stand Your Ground Bill, SB 378. Also to be passed into law were SB 112 that prevents large scale confiscation of firearms and ammunition during a state disaster, HB 991 which protects the privacy of CHL holders and HB 1815, the Motorist Protection Act.

On the other side of the coin, a couple large anti gun bills failed. HB 594 to Close the Gun Show Loophole and HB 595 that would have required a waiting period for handgun purchases.

If you were a member of the previous legislature, which of these bills would you have supported, and which would you have opposed? Could you explain why?

During the next legislative session, bills will be submitted that will attempt to address the issue of employers rights vs the Second Amendment. I am talking about an Employer Parking Lot Bill, one that would allow a citizen to leave their legally owned and carried firearm in their car while at work. HB 992, HB 220 and HB 1037 attempted to address this issue during the past session, but were killed in committee.
Would you support or oppose such a bill?

I appreciate you time.

JR

As Mr. Shelton, the Republican candidate for this important Texas House seat was the only respondent, his is the only reply I can offer.

Dear Mr. JR,

Thank you for contacting me regarding my campaign for District 97 State Representative. I greatly appreciate your interest in our 2nd Amendment rights.

To answer your questions: I would have supported SB 378, SB 112, HB 991, and HB 1815, and I would have opposed HB 594 and HB 595. I would have voted in this way because I feel our 2nd Amendment rights are of the utmost importance. Because of my strong support of our right to keep and bear arms, I was honored to receive an "A" Rating and endorsement from both the NRA Political Victory Fund and the TSRA PAC.

If I am elected state representative, you can count on me to support 2nd Amendment rights issues, such as the right employees have to be able to leave their legally owned firearm in their vehicle while at work.

Thank you, again, for your interest. Please remember Election Day is Tuesday, December 18.

Mark Shelton

Well there you have it. If you are able to vote in this election, and firearms ownership is important to you, then make sure you get out to vote on the 18th.

A Negligent Discharge Dissected

Back in October the Star Telegram reported on a negligent discharge that occurred in an insurance office. The article is already in the archives, so I do not have a workable link to it, but here are the significant portions:

Man's gun discharges in cubicle at work, injures him

By Alex Branch

An employee of a Lake Worth insurance company was shot in both legs Tuesday morning when a handgun he brought to work discharged as he sat in his cubicle, Police Chief Brett McGuire said.

There is no evidence that the 47-year-old man had intended to harm anyone with the weapon but rather "just felt the need to carry it," McGuire said.

"He wasn't having problems with his bosses or co-workers that we know of," McGuire said.

The incident occurred about 9:15 a.m. at Al Boenker Insurance, 6030 Lake Worth Blvd. After arriving at work, the man draped his jacket over the back of his chair, McGuire said. The .45-caliber automatic was in the left jacket pocket.

As the man got settled in his chair, the gun discharged, McGuire said.

McGuire also added:

The man was likely doing something to the weapon when it fired because "that particular weapon doesn't just sit there and go off," McGuire said.

Luckily, no bystanders were hurt.

The bullet passed through the man's left leg and then his right leg and through the corner of a bookcase before lodging in the wall of a cubicle occupied by a startled female co-worker, McGuire said.

The man was taken to a hospital, he said.

Lake Worth police have no record of the man being licensed to carry a concealed weapon, McGuire said. He also appears to have violated his company's policy against bringing guns to work -- licensed or not -- without company officials' permission.

Detectives will wait until the man has recovered from his injuries to determine whether to pursue charges, McGuire said.

With all of the recent firearm related news that are the hot topics of the blogosphere, why am I bringing up this old news about a negligent discharge? Well, because I met with the individual involved in this incident after work today over drinks at a local Starbucks.

The individual involved (JS) had emailed me with his version of the incident, and asked my opinion.

In explaining the incident, JS stated:

In Oct this particular morning it was cold as arrived at the office. I kept my Colt .45 in the left outside pocket of a heavy leather coat. I rarely ever wear this jacket and would not have put it on except it was a little cold that morning. I had had that gun in the pocket of that coat for over a month and just left it in the truck during work hours.

Anyway, the one time I wear this coat into the building it has the gun in the pocket which I don't even feel so I go into my cubicle, start to remove my jacket, swing it behind my back to hang it on my chair, bam it goes off. I look around very stunned, no one is hurt, I can't figure out what happened, I'm looking around then I notice blood pouring down my right leg, then I notice blood pouring down my left leg. The bullet entered about 6 inches below my knee going in at about a 45 degree angle and broke the tibia, went through both calves, struck the concrete floor. No one was hurt thank God. The gun was still in the coat pocket and the case was still in the barrel. I told them I never had my hand on the gun and am sure I hit the trigger on the edge of the chair arm. Yes I know there is a thumb safety, I could have dragged something over the coat pocket that pulled the that safety off, but I don't remember cocking the gun. I really just don't remember carrying it that way.

There are several items which need to be discussed here, and I will get to them later.

A portion of my reply:

When you mention that you were carrying a "Colt 45", and a thumb safety, I assume you are talking about a 1911 style pistol. I don't see someone with a CHL carrying a .45LC single action revolver in a coat pocket.

JS, I hope you do not mind my being frank with you. I carry a 1911 style pistol as my primary sidearm. 1911's weigh 2 pounds or so with a full magazine. In my personal experience, it is very hard not to notice a 2 pound weight in my coat pocket. There is also the fact that 1911 style pistols have a grip safety. The grip safety needs to be deactivated before the trigger can be pulled. The 1911 pretty much has to be held to be fired. Now I can imagine a scenario where the grip safety was depressed by the fabric of the coat, but if the fabric were that tight, how was the trigger pulled?

A couple more emails flew through AlGore's Web and we decided to meet for coffee.

JS is a gentleman who I would guess to be late 40's, and I could recognize him by his slight limp. We settled down in a quiet corner of the cafe and got to know each other a bit before we started talking about the discharge. One thing I learned that was wrong in the newspaper account was the fact that JS does in fact have a CHL. A large part of me is relieved that the paper got that fact wrong so as to not offer any fodder for the Antis to jump on.

JS is quite frank and upfront about the incident. He acted out what he was doing when the pistol discharged, and showed me the wounds. It turns out that the pistol was an early 70's Colt Commander with an aluminum frame, and he was using 230gr fmj ammunition. After looking at all four of his wounds, it is a very good thing he was not using HST's.

One thing that I was really interested in about this particular incident was finding out what, exactly, caused the pistol to discharge. As many of you know, a 1911 is a very safe firearm to carry. To discharge a 1911 style pistol you need to release the thumb safety, depress the grip safety, and pull the trigger. I just could not understand how the gun discharged without his hand being in the pocket. The location of the wounds pretty much shows that the gun was fired below his knees from an angle that he could not easily achieve while standing and removing his coat. I am pretty confident that he was not handling the pistol when it discharged. While we were talking through different possibilities I learned that the police found no pencil, pen or other object that could have pressed the trigger. While we were talking about firearm safety, JS mentioned how he safely got his pistol ready for carry. He always put his thumb on the face of the hammer while pulling the trigger to let the hammer down. That's when it hit me, he was carrying a 1911 with the hammer down on a live cartridge. His other pistols have a decock feature and he never thought that the 1911 did not. It is possible that he only lowered the hammer to the hammer stop, but in talking with him it appears that is not the case, the hammer was down on a live round. With spring pressure holding the hammer against the firing pin, it would not take much of a bump to cause a discharge. Even if the hammer was on the stop, that is a very dangerous means of carrying a 1911. The hammer stop is not a safety when it comes to methods of carry.

Update: Well, that's embarrassing. As George so tactfully reminded me in the comments section, hammer down on a 1911 is a routine condition of carry for quite a few folks. This condition of carry is commonly referred to as "Condition 2". I have been carrying "cocked and locked" (Condition 1) for so long that I guess this other means of carry slipped my mind. It appears that a bit more investigating is in order.

The purpose of commenting on this incident is to go over the lessons learned, not to beat up on JS. JS has lost his job, his health insurance and his ability to walk normally. He has been shot in both legs and has the possibility of being charged hanging over his head. He does not need me to be piling any more on that load, but there is a lot we can learn from this.

First, and probably foremost, is the fact that an individual needs to fully understand the operation of their firearm. JS had owned a sizable collection of firearms and seemed to know the operations of the ones we talked about. He did not know the operation of the firearm he had on that particular day. In our email conversation he mentioned that he may have fired that pistol 3 times in the last 10 years. That is not acceptable for a firearm that you are going to carry in public. One of the basics that I try to keep bringing up is the fact that if you are going to own a firearm, you are responsible for learning the safe and effective handling of that firearm. If you are going to carry that firearm in public, that responsibility is even greater.

Next is the method of carry. If you are going to carry a firearm in public, that firearm needs to be secure. A semi auto left in a coat pocket, in the back seat of a pickup truck, is not secure. As evidenced by four holes leaking blood, there are times when it is easy to be pointing that firearm where it should not be pointed.

There is more that can be pointed out, and I am sure that it will be in the comments, but this post is quite long enough. I just want to emphasize the fact that when we make the decision to carry a firearm in public, we accept the responsibility of safely carrying that firearm. The folks who interact with us as we go about our daily business should not be in any additional danger because we have a firearm concealed somewhere upon our body. Know your firearm, know it inside out and sideways, and carry it in a safe and effective manner.

One last comment from JS:

I'm not trying to get out of making a mistake but I'll never do it again in a million years. Well the one time I make a mistake I really did a good one. I'm so thankful no one else was hurt. If anyone out there needs a poster boy for what NOT to do I'm it.

It takes a bit of something good to stand up and admit you screwed up and be willing to learn from your mistake. When the smoke blows over from all this I'll be spending a good deal of time out at the range with JS filling in the gaps and working on safe and effective handgun operation.

From the Dumb Crook Files

No one said you had to be smart to be a goblin.

From WBRZ News 2, The Advocate:

Accused robber asks for gun back

Police arrested an 18-year-old man Thursday after he went the home of a man he had allegedly just robbed, begging the robbery victim to return his gun, police said.

Kendric Cloud robbed the man of his wallet around 7 p.m. in the parking lot of Premier Grocery at 3900 Plank Road, said Sgt. Don Kelly, a Police Department spokesman.

During the robbery, Cloud got distracted by a car horn, giving his victim an opportunity to grab the weapon, Kelly said.

Cloud left without his gun, but about 15 minutes later showed up at the man’s house on Mohican Street, Kelly said.

Cloud knocked on the man’s door and said he would return the wallet if the robbery victim would return the gun, Kelly said.

Instead, Cloud, 714 Juno St., Baker, was arrested and booked into Parish Prison on one count each of armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping.

V is thinking that the goblin was using Dad's gun, more scared of Dad than of being arrested.

Knock, Knock...

V and I do not get very many unanticipated visitors at our front door, so when the doorbell rings unexpectedly we react with an increased level of alertness. I am the one to answer the door, and I am armed.

This article from the Star Telegram illustrates why it is important to take a stranger at your door seriously:

By Mark Agee

Woman fatally shot at home

NORTH RICHLAND HILLS -- A 68-year-old woman was fatally shot Sunday evening by a man who knocked on the door of her home in an upscale neighborhood in North Richland Hills, police said.

This is in a very nice neighborhood, much newer and quite a bit more expensive than where I live. These folks felt secure and safe, no need to worry about an unexpected knock at the door.

Marianne Wilkinson died about 8 p.m. at the scene in the 8400 block of Spence Court, near the border with Keller.

Her husband told police that the couple were watching television alone in the house when an unknown person knocked, said investigator Larry Irving, a police spokesman.

The wife answered the door.

The husband told investigators he then heard three or four shots, Irving said.

The husband said he found his wife bleeding in the foyer, Irving said.

I can not imagine the anguish that Mr. Wilkinson is going through right now, his life shattered in one quick moment of horrific violence.

I do not pretend to know what goes through a goblin's mind that allows him to murder an old lady in her foyer, but the last thing that should have gone through this particular goblin's mind was 230 grains of copper jacketed lead alloy. Just knowing that goblins such as this exist should give each and every one of us pause. What are you going to do the next time your doorbell rings unexpectedly?

There are many home security devices that help to decrease your risk at the front door. The most basic is a peep hole and a motion activated porch light. Add to that a relatively inexpensive intercom with a video camera, and you can answer the door from a safe location. For a few dollars more you can have a wireless video setup that can be accessed from your television. All of these help to improve your security.

One thing we worked on during the handgun course a couple of weeks back was a covert means of having a handgun in hand when opening a door. My able bodied assistant demonstrates:

Steve did a good job of running us through this drill until everyone was comfortable with safely presenting a handgun from this position and getting off fast and accurate shots.

Couple electronic security with the ability to protect yourself, and you will be way ahead of the curve.

Speaking of our recent handgun course, the couple that attended the course with us decided to get their CHL's as Christmas presents to each other. I'm excited for them.

1911's in the P I

The Philippines that is.

Found in the Sun Star:

By Karlon N. Rama

Rama: Enhancing the 1911

ONE of the best things about the classic nineteen-eleven is the absolute abundance of after-market parts to improve performance, aesthetics or both.

An interesting read. An interesting comment on STI International and even an announcement for some gun safety and marksmanship training with United States Practical Shooting Association (USPSA) grand master Rey Abad.

Something different for a Saturday evening.

The Chron Shows Its Bias

The editorial staff at the Houston Chronicle are quick to take the low road with what I am sure they thought was a catchy headline in the "Letters to the Editor" section of the rag:

Weapon of mall destruction

The first two letters under the headline:

Where's courage?

Regarding Thursday's Page One article "Massacre in the mall: 9 die in Omaha store / SCENE: Shopping turns to mayhem when man opens fire with a rifle": We went to war in Iraq because our president convinced at least some of us that we had to prevent weapons of mass destruction from being used against us. When will we muster the courage to fight the weapons of mass destruction that our own citizens use to take innocent lives — as happened in Omaha, Neb.?

Why do we refuse to acknowledge the real reason these senseless crimes happen?

KATHY BUTLER
Houston


He knew his right

Robert Hawkins, who killed eight people and then himself at an Omaha, Neb., department store, did not know the difference between famous and infamous, but he did know that he had a constitutional right to bear an SKS assault rifle.

DONALD M. HAYES
Montgomery

There was one letter published that looked at it from a different perspective:

Blame off the mark

Regarding the mall shooting in Omaha: A young white male, a psycho-logical weakling who couldn't deal with what life handed him, got his hands on a gun and shot and killed innocent people. Now comes the wailing, cater-wauling, hand-wringing, "blame the guns" and cries of "Ban the NRA!"

Let's get some facts in here, folks: "Assault weapon/assault rifle" are bombastic mis-nomers. All firearms are assault weapons, in that they can, indeed, be used to assault someone. The so-called assault weapon is not necessarily fully automatic; the SKS is a semi-automatic carbine, detachable magazine — one trigger pull, one round fired.

The real problem lies in a society that can create such a monster as young Robert Hawkins. If everyone who has been evicted by their parents, been fired, and/or been dump-ed did such a terrible thing, this country wouldn't have ever hit the 300 million mark.

JOHN E. MEAGHER
Waller

One thing that I do like about the Chron, is that they allow online commentary to the articles and editorials. If you feel in an instructive mood, head on over and see what you can do. Comments are here.

Swift Kids for Truth

H/T to Sondra K

A Second Amendment Christmas Carnival

Stan over at Free Constitution has posted A Second Amendment Christmas Carnival.

As usual, Stan has put together a nice roundup of Second Amendment news and commentary.

In the holiday spirit, Stan has added a bit of a surprise to make it worth your while to head on over and visit. So... head on over, and visit.

Wine Stuff

Getting a bad bottle of wine is not a very common occurrence. Over the past couple decades plus of wine drinking, I have only had to return one bottle of wine in a restaurant, and a couple to package stores. During the summer, I will get a couple of bottles of red wine that have been "touched" by the heat, but they are still drinkable. I generally don't buy any more wine from package stores that have allowed bottles to be damaged by heat, so that is not often a problem.

Tonight's dinner included 2" thick tenderloin medallions wrapped in bacon. I chose a South African wine, Kanonkop Kadette (2004). This is a new wine to me and looked interesting. It is a blend of four grapes; Pinotage, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. I was really looking forward to trying this South African blend and figured it would do well with the bacon and beef.

It was not to be. When I removed the foil I found that the cork was protruding from the top of the bottle by about 1/32" or so, not a good sign. Pulled the cork and it did not look like a bad cork, but smelled a bit vinegary. When I poured a glass, I knew for sure, a bad bottle. The wine was cloudy. I should of just left it at that, I knew it was bad, but I had to taste it. Bleech, it was horrible. You want to know what is worse? Being the optimist, I let it breath for a bit and then swirled it around in the glass for a couple of minutes just to make sure it had every opportunity to be drinkable and took another taste. That one almost did me in. V was laughing as I was shuddering and then trying to rinse my mouth out. Water did not work so I had to open one of my everyday go to wines, a wine that could be counted upon to make things right, a 2002 Barossa wine, "The Holy Trinity" (2002). This is a very drinkable wine that can be enjoyed by itself or with a wide variety of dishes. Dinner was saved.

Moral of the story, if you know you should not taste something, don't.

Omaha Mall Shooting

Syd pretty much says all that needs to be said:

Things I heard…

While you are over there, go ahead and participate in his poll:

No Firearms Signs Poll

James Hooker's Half Assed, On The Cheap, USO Christmas Show.

For the troops this Christmas, another episode in the "Why We Really, Really Fight" series. Can you imagine these women decked out in hijab and burqa? It wouldn't be quite right, would it?

Now that was good!

If you enjoyed the music video, head on over and let James Hooker know.

H/T to Sondra K

Shots in the City - Part 3

If you have not listened to parts 1 and 2, scroll down. I commented on Part 1 and Part 2 in previous posts.

Shots in the City - Part 3

Click here to listen

Dallas is headed toward higher numbers for shootings and murders in 2007. What's being done about the violence?

When you listen to the broadcast, you will hear statistic that I found interesting. David Kunkle, the Dallas Chief of Police, states that "...for every five gunshot victims you have one fatality." This is good news that is important to know. If you are ever in a position where you are shot while defending your life, or the life of another, stay in the fight. Odds are good that you will be able to continue the fight and safe your self or another.

The hard questions were not asked, so the hard answers will not be found. Fighting goblins with the touchy-feely methods put forth in this report may make folks feel good about themselves, but will do nothing to stop the culture of violence that is embraced by a few small segments of our society. This culture must be changed from within, and this change can only occur when the gang leaders and the instigators of this violence are separated from the community.

Shots in the City - Part 2

This is the broadcast that caught my attention. KRLD is #2 of my preset radio stations. With the exception of the early Saturday morning hunting and fishing show on KRLD, I usually listen to WBAP. On the way home from work the other day, I got tired of listening to Hannity's apologetics for GuliMittCainAbee and switched over to KRLD just in time to hear this report:

Shots in the City - Part 2

Gun violence is on the rise in Dallas in 2007. Where are the guns coming from and who's to blame?

The first three quarters or so of the broadcast covered the culture of violence and it's relationship with drugs and crime. All was well until the reporter stated:

"...ATF report on guns in Dallas points to a problem of illegal gun sales in flea markets and at gun shows."

Needless to say, that caught my attention. I emailed Ms. Austin as soon as I got home. I asked where I could find a copy of the ATF report, and what the definition of "illegal gun sale" was as personal firearm sales are legal in Texas.

Ms. Austin replied that "The report was cited in a Dallas Morning News report written by Todd Bensman several years ago. It's a 2000 ATF report on gun availability in Dallas...". No mention of the definition of "illegal gun sales".

So off I go to the ATF's web site to find this report and voilà, here it is:

Crime Gun Trace Reports (2000) Dallas^TX

The Youth Crime Gun Interdiction Initiative

That is an interesting report, 46 pages of charts, tables and gun trace data for firearms used during criminal acts in Dallas. Forty six pages and not one mention of gun shows or swap meets, not a single one.

A little more digging is in order, the Dallas Morning News archive is next on my list. It turns out that on December 8th of 2000, Todd Bensman wrote an article titled "Gun laws being foiled, ATF says Many Dallas criminals buying from traffickers". In this article Mr. Bensman referenced the ATF's Crime Gun Trace Reports (1999) Dallas ^TX. Again, a search of the reference document found no mention of gun shows or flea markets. Mr. Benson did however quote ATF Special Agent Joseph Patterson who stated:

Dallas-area traffickers with clean records are buying large numbers of new guns favored by a younger criminal class. They are selling them at flea markets and gun shows to those who know they can't pass the FBI background check - which is a crime...

This must be where Ms. Austin got her information. A 7 year old news article quoting an ATF agent, not an ATF report. In Mr. Bensman's article of 2000, he played pretty fast and loose with the statistics from the ATF study. A good fisking of his report would be in order, but that was 7 years ago.

Shots in the City

Local Dallas radio station, KRLD News Radio 1080, aired a three part series titled "Shots in the City". Part 1 is an introduction to the issue, and you can listen to it here -

Shots in the City - Part 1

Note that the reporter, B.J. Austin, lists total gunshot patients. There is no differentiating between lawful and unlawful shootings. Granted, the majority of these shootings are gang and goblin related, but if you are going to make a point that criminal shootings are on the rise, you should use figures that do not include shootings that are determined to be justified.

I also find it interesting that a good portion of the segment is dedicated to listening to the Rev. Peter Johnson. You remember Reverend Johnson don't you? He testified against the Castle Doctrine Bill at the Criminal Jurisprudence Committee's public hearing on HB 284. At that meeting he testified that 85% of the firearms bought in local gun "buy back" programs were stolen (That irks me to this day, these gun buy back folks are encouraging crack heads to break into your home looking for a firearm to sell, no questions asked).

They even brought in the old "Saturday Night Special" line, music and all.

I'm just surprised that they did not bring out Marsha McCartney, the Texas Brady Bunch representative.

Part 2 tomorrow.

Shooting Fish in a Barrel

H/T The Texican Tattler

The Liberal Case for Gun Ownership

Terrierman, a self proclaimed Liberal, has written one of the better essays on gun ownership I have read.

The Liberal Case for Gun Ownership

This is one very good read, so go read it.

Thanks to The War on Guns for the heads up.

Gibbs Brand Lubricant...

...anyone using it?

My routine for cleaning most firearms has been pretty much the same forever. Field strip firearm, clean firearm and bore with Hoppe's #9, wipe down with an oily rag, spot lubricate with Hoppe's lubricating oil, reassemble firearm and wipe with a clean cloth. The only firearm that has a different routine is the AR. For the AR I use CLP instead of Hoppe's.

I have stood in the firearm cleaning isle of many a store, trying to talk myself into trying something different, but just could not get myself to do it. I think Hoppe's puts something addictive into #9.

Well anyway, a couple gun shows ago I got to talking with this old guy who was selling Gibbs Brand sooooooper stuff. To make a long story short, I ended up purchasing a can to try out. I tell you what, on a freshly cleaned firearm this stuff is outstanding. It is a great penetrant, a decent cleaner, and when the firearm is reassembled it operates smoother than ever. The first gun I tried it on was my Ruger MK 1, and I was impressed. The action was as smooth as glass, even days later. The Ruger was still picky about the ammo I fed it, but ran all the ammo it did previously very well. Next I used it on my Martini, again with great results. If you have never fired a single shot Martini, it is hard to explain, but the action was noticeably crisper than it had ever been. I used it on V's Browning Hi Power and all was well. What's next but to use it on the Kimber.

So I changed my routine when cleaning the Kimber. Clean it with the Hoppe's, then again with the Gibbs. Wipe it down, reassemble, wipe down again and go. Incidentally, I changed routines at about the same time as I started having problems with the Kimber. Coincidence? I really do not know. What I do know is that the Kimber is now a dirt magnet. After yesterday's course, there was not a function on the gun that did not feel like metal over sandpaper. Even the magazines, which I had cleaned with a very lightly damped rag felt rough. Prior to yesterday I had noticed more gun powder residue build up after each range trip with the Kimber, but was not too worried about that. The other firearms that I use the Gibbs on do not get the round count that the Kimber does, neither are they as important. With the Kimber, I have switched back to my old cleaning routine.

If you use Gibbs on a semi-auto firearm that you put at least a hundred rounds through on each range trip, let me know what you think about the product. It is great for other applications, I am just not sure it is right for a firearm that is shot a lot, especially outdoors.

Fun Stuff

And thus I clothe my naked .45
With old ends stolen out of holy writ.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

Look like the innocent flower, but be the .45 under't.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

We have heard the .45 at midnight.

Which work of Shakespeare was the original quote from?

Get your own quotes:

H/T to Fatale Abstraction

David Kopel Podcast

David Kopel was recently interviewed by Mark Vanderberg on the Gun Rights Advocates Podcast. It is an interesting interview that will give you a bit of background on David Kopel, good information on DC v Heller, and some history on gun bans.

The interview lasts 36 minutes and can be found here.

A Day at the Range

Today's range trip was to a private defensive handgun course for V and I, along with another couple who are good friends of ours. Steve Moses of Bluff Dale Firearms Academy was our instructor for this course.

I first met Steve back in September when he helped us out by giving a carbine safety training course the weekend before our first carbine match at my home range. He impressed me with his knowledge, the way he shared that knowledge with us, and his attention to firearm safety. Three things I think are important in a firearms instructor, so I called Steve and set up today's course.

The day was sunny, windy and warm. Great conditions for an outdoor class during the first weekend of December. Steve gave us a quick presentation in the classroom on what to expect, then it was out to the firing line. As this was a basic class, the first hour or so was spent on safety and on presenting the handgun through dry fire drills. We had three pistols and one revolver on the line.

When we continued on to live fire drills, Steve worked with us on firing from the Low Ready Position, Position Sul, and a Covert Position that I had not seen before in a training class. The covert position starts with the handgun in your strong hand, behind your back and out of sight. Your strong hand thumb is on your pants rear pocket. This position could be useful in a situation such as answering the door when you are not expecting guests. After working through those drills, we started working from the holster. V now understands why she needs a better holster.

Steve did a great job working with us. He built up each drill slowly, one step at a time, and made sure we had a handle on each step before continuing on. Steve also has a good amount of patience, and the ability to correct safety issues without causing offense. One of the students had some repeat safety violations that Steve handled very well. These were problems that I had been trying to work on with her, but I think Steve finally got the message through to her why what she was doing was wrong. We will see in the next day or two when we run dry fire drills. That, in and of itself, made this class worth while.

We all had a great time, and we all came away from this course with new skills and information. I would highly recommend Steve Moses and Bluff Dale Firearms Academy to anyone interested in improving their firearms skills.

From the Sidebar

It has been a long day. 10 hours at work, cook dinner (broiled NY Strip, baked potato, fruit and a nice Spanish Garnacha), and play with youngest granddaughter. Not to mention that there is a Stars game on the tube.

So tonight it is all linky, no thinky.

From the sidebar:

45superman has great news about Illinois counties that still support liberty in Hey Cook County--you're going the wrong way! (Needless to say, Cook County is not on the side of individual liberty)

Alan makes a great point With her dad's old .38.

Sailorcurt reports that the Norfolk SWAT team successfully assaults home, an empty home that is.

And of course Cowboy Blob has his Weekend Caption/Photoshop Contest up and running.

A Jacksonian covers The Gupta Connections and the influence it buys. This is a good read and well worth your time.

Stan has a Quote of the Day and points out that Lou Dobbs gets fired up over open borders.

Syd has posted his latest roundup in News from The Sight M1911, Volume 273.

Gun Law News has a couple of Law Questions for us.

And E. David has an interesting perspective on the Second Amendment from 1901 in And what have we here? ... .

Firehand is wondering "Gee, which minority candidate do I owe my vote to?" , well... not really, but if you want to see who is canceling out your vote, give it a read.

The Pistolero notes that some of our kids in school just do not get it in More of the Same, This Time from Harvard.

In talking about the GOP YouTube debate, Mike asks for Equal Time for GOP at Next Dem Debate?

Civis Proeliator points out a disinformation strategy meant to make anti firearm policies appear effective in It’s All In The Numbers.

Ryan asks Is Congress powerless to the ATF?

And Ride Fast points out that the California government is anti-wealth .

Say Uncle posts More on* Paul Helmke and the youtube videos.

Robb is commenting on The lingering nostalgia of freedom , a reminder that we really do have our work cut out for us.

Fits offers up some first hand experience with Make a Hole. Make It Wide. Some good info for you who might depend upon a .357 in a tight situation.

Fred mentions that Confederate flag supporters upset by Romney, Thompson.

Catfish has been getting back into shape for One year going.... . That is something I am also working on. Down 20 lbs so far.

A Jacksonian lists The Responsibilities of those running for President , if you only read one article from this list, it should be this one.

D. Martyn has a commentary on Hillary's attempt to appear Christian, and to be appealing to Christians with Hillary Gets Standing Ovation at Evangelical Church .

Kevin has a great post concerning Sean Taylor's death. Kevin wrote his post well before the goblins were caught, but he and the man he quoted were right on the money in Here's a Voice I Thought I'd Never Hear.

Denise has an interesting commentary on the Rioting in France.

David points out how we are all terrorist in Sweet Homegrown Terrorist Alabama.

Existingthing reminds us of an interview where Wayne Lapierre slammed CNN. NRA: "CNN, your reporter FAKED that story!"

USCitizen promotes Major League Infidel products, something I need (OBTW, thanks for taking care of that transfer the other day).

Tam and the latest GOP debate, What an amazing pack of scoundrels.

John gives us a look at his story telling abilities with Just a Bit of Fiction, he needs to give us the next chapter (hint, hint)

Xavier uses the news to point out the importance of firearm safety with Rule Two.

Okay, that took quite a bit longer than anticipated. My hat is off to folks like Syd and D. Martyn who make roundups a part of the service they offer to the rest of us.