The Truth About Guns

This is pathetic. Poor Africans killing elephants because they need the money and the meat. Poachers turned gamekeepers hunting (and killing) poachers because the gamekeepers need the money. Wildlife officials turning a blind eye—and an open wallet—to the trade. International prohibitions that achieve sweet FA. And an elephant population that continues to plummet. Wikipedia reports that 23 sub-Saharan African countries have legalized trophy hunting. It’s time for Kenya to abandon their ban on trophy hunting and get with the program. Legalized hunting would distribute money and meat more effectively to those who need it, continue to feather the nests of corrupt officials (it is what it is) and protect the elephants from over-predation.

“We live in a world where people are not bound by the law, and it takes more than law to stop them.” – TTAG commentator Accur81 underneath “High Capacity Magazines”: Our Enemies Have ‘Em But You Can’t!

Every single news outlet reporting on the RI GOP’s rifle raffle mentioned the fact that the AR-15 contest—which raised $20k for the party—was “similar to the one used at Sandy Hook.” That’s without attributing the point to one of the raffle’s detractors. Small point. Big controversy, that has the GOP [now] expressing regret at their choice of firearm. Weasel words from a party that has nothing—nothing—to lose. Glad I’m in Texas. Oh, and you don’t have to wait seven days to take delivery of a firearm in Rhode Island if you have a concealed carry permit.

The weekend ran a day long for me (or at least the recovery did), so today’s digest is a short one while I play catch up. First up, Richard Ryan does some ballistic testing of the new iPhone 5C using a Barrett M82A1, after a couple more mundane drop tests. Keep an eye out for how much the phone bends in slow-mo when it hits the concrete. At 60,000 frames/sec, it looks like a slice of cheese hitting the ground.

A recent gun buy-up in Northampton and Greenfield, Massachusetts is being called a success by local authorities, having netted over 300 guns. As is the case in most buy-ups, the majority of the firearms turned in were rifles and shotguns. Since long guns are so infrequently used in crimes, it sorta puts the whole “crime reduction” aspect of these boondoggles in some doubt. In a

The Leiscestershire Police—who’d like it to be known that they could organize a piss-up in a brewery if they so desired—have been running a gun amnesty. Because even a gun-free paradise like The Land of Hope and Glory has guns. “Leicestershire Police launched the amnesty two weeks ago in an attempt to collect residents’ unwanted and unlicensed weapons,” stamfordmercury.co.uk reports. “Oakham police station is among those collecting guns and ammunition. So far three shotguns and 20 rounds of ammunition have been handed in, along with a pistol . . .” An old p

According to an internal Cleveland police memo unearthed by cleveland.com the NFL’s banning off-duty cops carrying in or around FirstEnergy Stadium. What’s more, “The rule, which police said took effect Sept. 11, applies to all NFL facilities and all off-duty federal, state and local law enforcement officers . . . An armed officer will only be allowed inside a league facility if they are working an NFL game or event in an official capacity.” Does that include responding to a crime or terrorist attack within or without the stadium? “Jeff Follmer, president of the Cleveland Police Patrolmen’s Association, s

Previously, on Who Wants to Ignore the Fact That Trayvon Martin Was Carrying Skittles on the Night He Died, Kirsten Joy Weiss shot a colored sweet off a pencil. As that left almost an entire bag of Skittles and it’s hard to shoot with laser-like precision during a massive, politically incorrect sugar rush, TTAG’s resident sharpshooter decided to pierce pieces of pedestal-less candy with her Anschutz .22 at 50 feet or so. Aside from Ms. Weiss’ accuracy (and her willingness to show missed shots), this video demonstrates the importance of positioning your support hand properly when refueling your rifle to keep the muzzle on target. And breathing. And stance. And trigger control. And cheek weld. And the need to donate a tacticool ammo belt to Ms. Weiss’ kit. Or not. [Click here to visit Kirsten's website for more trick shots 'n stuff.]

Having a number of shotguns, I have an array of cases with which to tote them around. Everything from cheapy gun show nylon sheaths to more luxurious leather-trimmed sarcophagi that are beautifully made and will probably go to my grandchildren one day. The most expensive one in my collection is an embroidered Ronald McDonald House Kids and Clays ballistic zipper job that was free…as long as you kicked in $400 for an afternoon of first rate sporting clays at Winchester’s Nilo Farms to benefit a very good cause. But if that kind of “free” isn’t in your budget, Plano’s just updated their range of value-priced soft rifle and shotgun cases that retail from about $18 up to about $40. Press release after the jump . . .

Plano, IL (Octo

TTAG reader Chip K saw Moms Demand Disarmament’s anti-gun agit-prop and thought, well, that makes sense. On some level. This level.

By ST

This is hard to write. Those of you with a biblical background may be familiar with the story of Paul. One of the most noted Apostles in the good book got his start persecuting the very thing he became later in life. It was a lesson lost on me growing up in the Baptist community in urban Chicago. It’s no secret guns aren’t the favorite topic among the dwellers of that metropolis and I was no different. I wrote many a lauded term paper in high school supporting the Assault Weapons Ban . . .

and I pitched a proper teenage liberal fit when the Supreme Court ruled in a fashion which meant Al Gore lost the election. Yes, I used to be one of those radical, low information voters who’s easily swayed by CNN and Al Sharpton. It’s a good thing time travel isn’t achievable yet because sometimes I want to go back and slap myself so hard I’d probably ce

Remember the brouhaha when Presidential hopeful Sarah Palin put gunsights on a map showing where Tea Party voters could/should unseat Democrats? The outcry from the left was intense. The President himself lambasted the right for incendiary rhetoric. And yet here we are, two-and-a-half years later and the President is lambasting Congress for “holding a gun to America’s head” and the anti-gun group Moms Demand Action feel free to put a gunsight on the back of a mother’s head to . . . well the image doesn’t say what. The text accompanying the image calls for “common-sense measures to keep guns out of the hands of abusers.” In other words, disarmament. Which squares perfectly with their overall goal of civilian disarm

For the first two thirds of the competition, life was pretty good. I stumbled a bit on stage 4, but it wasn’t anything that I couldn’t recover from. The next three stages would be, in comparison, a train wreck. The thing about shooting the match with the staff is the time frame is compressed. For the normal match attendees, they shoot three stages a day over three days. For our squad, with the re-shoots and the shortened time frame, we had just finished shooting eight stages in one day and we had three stages left to go. We were exhausted, both physically and mentally. But with the finish line in sight, we wanted to push through and get the match done . . .

Don emailed us his recently completed AR build. “The only thing not made in the USA is the Aimpoint.” Whatchew got?

Just about every shooter owns, has owned or will someday own a Mossberg Model 500 shotgun. Like a Winchester Model 94 or a Ruger 10/22, the old Mossy is just one of those guns that endures forever while newer designs come and go. It’s always been a snap to swap Mossberg 500 barrels, and now it’s literally a snap to swap out just about everything else. The Mossberg FLEX 500 is the most modular shotgun system ever made. It’s the Stoner 63 of pump-action shotguns. Is that cool or what? . . .

The Basics

A few months ago, Mossberg sent me a basic FLEX 500 shotgun, and then sent me all the pieces-parts you see here. No single shooter would ever need or pa

A Personal Note from Dudley Brown

Dear XXXX,

Grassroots gun rights supporters have already successfully recalled two gun-grabbing Colorado state senators for their anti-gun votes. Now it’s time to go retire a third, and regain a pro-gun majority back in the Colorado Senate. A large, grassroots effort to recall State Senator Evie Hudak, one of Colorado’s leaders for gun control, is now underway. With your help, we can recall her from office. In case you need a reminder of just how anti-gun Senator Hudak really is, keep this in mind . . .

- She

Regular readers know that TTAG’s been cross-posting (in our own clothes I swear) with marksperson Kirsten Joy Weiss. As the Keystone State shooter ascends the ballistic ladder of fame one shot at a time, she’s paying close attention to your comments and suggestions. One bit of feedback that came through loud and clear: why you shootin’ a $3k Anschutz target rifle, girl? The simple answer: because her $1k Volquartsen target rifle hasn’t worked out. Yet. The more important answer: good question. To assuage critics Ms. Weiss is casting about for a new rifle. I’ve hooked her up with a Marlin man: a gunsmith who is to lever guns what Steinway is to pianos. To be clear: KJW’s .22 will be a heavily breathed-upon Marlin. Why? Here’s a list of major post-Freedom Group suckage from the lever guy, who makes his living putting

“Why should anyone have to retreat or take an ass-whipping if a criminal attacks them?” – Chuck LaRosa (not pictured above), Protesters rally against ‘stand your ground’ gun bill [at dispatch.com]

Connecticut Carry President Richard Burgess press release:

In a letter dated September 10th, 2013, the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP) admitted to ‘mistakes’ in sending threatening letters to citizens that were the subject of ex parte restraining orders and unlawfully demanding the surrender of their firearms under the threat of arrest. The letter comes as an apparent response to Attorney Rachel M. Baird’s criminal complaint sent to the FBI against the DESPP for deprivation of civil rights . . .

While the DESPP assures us that these kin

In our photo galleries “Guns of the Capitol Hill Shooting” (click here and here) we saw a whole lotta ARs goin’ on. And HK 416s. But this guy was rockin’ it old school. Name that gun and discuss why it’s still a fine choice for taking out an assault Infiniti and/or its driver (but not the passenger). [h/t Dylan]

I’m not entirely sure that holding a bad guy at gunpoint is a good idea. I’m definitely sure that re-enacting a defensive gun use (DGU) for the media is a bad idea. Anything you say or do is admissible as evidence and there’s no lawyer there to tell you—or the jobbing journo—to cease and desist. But hey, it worked-out for George Zimmerman and it makes for great DGU material here. And there’s one less [humiliated] bad guy on the streets, thanks to Betty Collins. Wait. Did you see the paper that Ms. Collins holds up at :54? Thomas Lee Johnson is back on the streets. I bet Mr. Johnson’s friends and family watch TV. What does that tell you?