Arms and the Law

"You aren't going to ask to look in the trunk, are you?

"Sure, I can get my license. Will you hold my beer?"

"Do you know who I am?"

[Egad, busted for drunk and disorderly at Disney!]

Handgun sales tripled during the Obama Administration.

I saw a study by NSSF during that period; they could get access to what the manufacturers consider trade secrets, like how many of each model were made. They figured they could get an idea of whether the surge was "panic buying" or not by watching the sales levels of guns that would be likely targets of restrictions ("assault rifles" and handguns) and comparing them to sales levels of all other firearms.

Their conclusion: at the beginning of the Obama Administration there was some panic buying. After that, however, sales increased for all forms of firearms and that continued. Their conclusion was that the trend was a result of Americans wanting more guns, not a concern about gun control.

I think Americans were traditionally gunnies. Then in the 1960s, as a result of three assassinations, rioting, resistance to the Vietnam War, and the mass media pouring it on for gun control, that slacked off. Now, half a century later, we're returning to the norm.

Right here. Background: under the NICS "instant check" for firearms purchases, there are a LOT of incorrect denials. Record-keeping of criminal convictions was until recently quite sloppy (police felt their job was done when an arrest was made, whatever the outcome, and courts felt that they kept records of individual cases, compiling a full list of everyone actually convicted or making sure each defendant was correctly identified was not their duty). So there are a lot of incorrect denials, and the FBI stopped processing appeals from them in 2016, stating they didn't have the resources.

Those who were incorrectly denied had the right to sue and in theory the right to recover attorney's fees. But the Supreme Court has ruled that, unless Congress creates an exception, fees can only be recovered if FBI is actually ordered to change the records. If it instead reacts to the filing of a suit by changing the record, before a court orders it to do so, no fees. So a person incorrectly denied the right to purchase a gun is out of pocket thousands of dollars in order to correct the mistake. I hope this suit will end that.

A former anti-gunner joins the NRA. He's quite correct that you can make a strong pro-gun argument from the Left.

Right here. He's supposedly the second most polarizing man in Washington. And the author didn't like his mother, either, nor her second husband. Ho-hum. I just know that at the last National Firearms Law Seminar, one speaker REALLY liked Gorsuch. He was Gerald Goldstein, criminal defense attorney and civil libertarian. He pointed out that Gorsuch has shown serious respect for the Fourth Amendment and privacy from government intrusion, skepticism for government arguments that other Justices might buy into, and even (unlike Scalia) rejects "Chevron deference," the concept that the Court should defer to agencies (even when the issue is how much power the agency has). I suppose all these might make a Justice "divisive" in Washington -- so let's have more division!

British judge proposes strict knife control. Limit their length and round off their tips!

"Knife crime rose by 22% in England and Wales in 2017, according to the Office for National Statistics.

""Kitchens contain lethal knives which are potential murder weapons and only butchers and fishmongers need eight or 10 inch kitchen knives with points," the judge said."

Originally it was reported that one armed civilian engaged the shooter, but now it is reported that that two men retrieved guns from their cars and did so.

David Codrea has thoughts on the subject. NFA owners have problems moving their firearms interstate, which requires pre-approval, and FFLs have problems with removing their inventory from their licensed presmises. Both these can and should be addressed by changes in regulations.

Men try to rob Taco Bell, two employees draw guns and put six bullets into one of them.

Inver Grove Height, MN: armed robbers try to stick up a cell phone store, a clerk, who has a concealed carry license, shoots one and drives the other off.

Two armed robbers target a bar where police are having a retirement party.

Story here. I suspect this is just the beginning of the casualty list.

Dave Workman has the story. Wrenn struck down DC's "may issue" carry permit system

Here, on Youtube, is a 1955 film distributed by the U.S. Army and produced by NRA.

Man attempts to assassinate a Steubenville Ohio judge, is shot down by the judge and a probation officer.

Judge refuses to continue trial date so ATF witness can travel to see eclipse.

Post here.

The US military is buying M-4 replacements chambered in 7.62 NATO, because they need its penetration and range.

John Stossel has the interviews.

So Ceasefire announces this will be a weekend without homicides in Baltimore. They'll hold rallies and whatnot to promote peace.

The result:

"But even as ceasefire events continued late Saturday afternoon and into the evening, police reported three shootings, two of them fatal."