Archive for March, 2008
Florida Mayors Unite Against Freedom: Anti-Gun Officials Join the Bloomberg Ban Team
Posted by: | CommentsWith Florida mayors facing budget cut backs due to the recent property tax roll backs, now seems like an especially poor time to advocate curtailing their constituent’s constitutional freedom to keep and bear arms. Florida residents have overwhelmingly supported the “shall-issue” concealed carry law, the Castle Doctrine, and now the roll back of the local authority’s ability to tax property owners.
It would seem to the casual observer that the citizens of Florida are reigning in the often unchecked power and spending of local officials. Now, these 20 Florida mayors are the latest to have joined New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s quest to confiscate guns from all Americans.
Interestingly, a check of the web sites of some of these mayors, such as Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Tarpon Spring Mayor Beverly Bellris, and Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer don’t list their new affiliation with Bloomberg. Maybe the voters of these cities need to let them know what they think. If they get enough calls and letters, they will get the message.
- Atlantic Beach Mayor John Meserve
- Dundee Mayor Linda Riner-Mizell
- Fernadina Beach Mayor Bill Leeper
- Keystone Heights Mayor Mary Lou Hildreth
- Malone Mayor Gene Wright
- Miami Lakes Mayor Wayne Slaton
- Midway Mayor Dolores Madison
- Neptune Beach Mayor Richard A. Brown
- Opa Locka Mayor Joseph L. Kelley
- Ormond Beach Mayor Fred Costello
- West Palm Beach Mayor Lois Frankel
- High Springs Mayor Larry Travis
- Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer
- Niceville Mayor Randall Wise
- North Palm Beach Mayor Edward M. Eissey
- Pompano Beach Mayor Lamar Fisher
- Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio
- Tarpon Springs Mayor Beverly Belliris
- Windermere Mayor Gary Bruhn
- Winter Park Mayor David C. Strong
Wyoming Protects Rights of Citizens in Disaster
Posted by: | CommentsOn Friday, March 7, Wyoming Governor Dave Freudenthal (D) signed House Bill 57 into law.
Sponsored by State Representative Allen Jaggi (R-18), HB 57 will prevent government authorities from confiscating firearms from law-abiding citizens, such as occurred in New Orleans in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. This legislation will prevent the state of Wyoming from restricting the possession, transfer, sale, transport, storage, display, or use of firearms or ammunition during a declared state of emergency.
Please contact Governor Freudenthal and thank him for protecting our Second Amendment rights. The Governor can be reached by phone at (307) 777-7434 or visit http://governor.wy.gov/contact-dave/default.html to send email.
RKBA Holsters: Pocket Holsters for your S&W J-frame, Glock, and NAA Mini Mag
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RKBA Holsters is a small firm making leather pocket holsters for Smith and Wesson J-frames, sub-compact Glocks, and the North American Arms .22 Magnum mini revolvers.
Owned and operated by Stephen McElroy, RKBA Holsters specializes in making pocket holsters, holsters that are specially designed to conceal and securely carry a firearm in a pants pocket. The ideal pocket holster will hide the shape of the gun, making the pistol or revolver appear as a wallet, cell phone, or one of the other numerous things we normally carry around. Read More→
Another Anti-Gun, Bloomberg Backed Group Forms to Take Away Your Freedom
Posted by: | CommentsMichael Bloomberg is attacking the freedoms of U.S. citizens once again. This time he has helped organize SLAIG: State Legislators Against Illegal Guns.
This new group, a thinly veiled coalition to disarm the citizens of the United States, was recently formed and announced in Jacksonville, FL, at the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Conference. Hosting the event was anti-gunner Jacksonville Mayor John Peyton. Read More→
Gun Rights Policy Conference 2008 Announced by the Second Amendment Foundation
Posted by: | CommentsEach year the Second Amendment Foundation sponsors the Gun Rights Policy Conference. This conference brings together gun rights advocates, policy makers, and gun owners in one place to discuss the issues surrounding the Second Amendment.
This year’s Gun Rights Policy Conference is being held in Phoenix, Arizona, from September 26-28. The speakers have not been announced, but past speakers include Ron Paul, Bob Barr, Alan Gottlieb, John Lott, Wayne LaPierre, Michael Reagan, Ken Hamlin, and more. The agenda will be published a later date, but I imagine we will see topics that will cover the presidential election and the Heller decision.
As always, the SAF will give away a stack of books and other information -for free- to each and every person that attends.
The SAF always organizes a top notch event. Registration information is on the Second Amendment Foundation’s website. Oh, and did I mention that this year’s conference…like every year before it…is FREE. Make sure you say “thank you” to the Second Amendment Foundation and the conference sponsors: the National Rifle Association, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Women and Guns, The New Gun Week, and KeepAndBearArms.com.
What’s In Store At GunsHolstersAndGear
Posted by: | CommentsIn the month of March, here are some of the things you can expect to see at GunsHolstersAndGear:
- A review of a line of reasonably priced, very good concealed carry holsters being custom made;
- an interview with a modern day champion of the Second Amendment;
- a discussion on the use of sights –and what really works– on a handgun during a violent encounter;
- a complete review of the Smith and Wesson M&P;
- information about a new legal defense program for armed citizens; and
- a discussion of the SKS as a utility rifle.
Plus, you can also expect to see ongoing updates of legislative activity, new product announcements, and more throughout the month. So, stick around for all the fun!
Governor Kaine Vetoes Important Right-to-Carry Legislation in Virginia
Posted by: | CommentsTuesday, March 4, Governor Tim Kaine (D) announced his veto of two critically important self-defense measures – Senate Bill 436 and Senate Bill 476, both of which passed each chamber of the General Assembly by overwhelmingly bipartisan majorities.SB436, authored by State Senator Jill Vogel (R-27) would allow for non-concealed carry permit holders to safely store a handgun in a locked container or compartment in a vehicle or boat. The State Senate passed the measure 31-9, while the House of Delegates approved the bill, 69-29.
SB476, authored by State Senator Emmett Hanger (R-24), would allow restaurants and clubs to decide whether or not concealed carry permit holders may carry concealed firearms in their dining establishments for self-defense, provided that the CCW permit holder does not consume alcohol. Thirty-one states currently allow concealed carry in restaurants. The Virginia Senate voted 24-15 in favor of the bill, while the House of Delegates vote passed it 62-36.
“The NRA is disappointed by the governor’s decision to ignore the will of a bi-partisan majority of the legislature,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA’s chief lobbyist. “Both bills are reasonable measures. The delegates and senators who voted for this measure trust law-abiding Virginians and believe that these sensible measures enhance public safety within the Commonwealth of Virginia.”
Governor Kaine’s veto demonstrates that he doesn’t trust Virginia’s nearly 150,000 law-abiding concealed carry permit holders. Moreover, in the media release announcing his veto of SB476, Gov. Kaine alluded to “law enforcement” opposition to this measure. However, during committee testimony in both chambers, Virginia State Police representatives did not state any opposition to the bill when asked for their position.
The General Assembly session is scheduled to adjourn this Saturday, March 8. Consideration of legislation vetoed by Governor Kaine will take place during the Reconvened Session on Wednesday, April 16.
Please contact your State Senator and State Delegate and strongly encourage them to stand up for your right to self-defense by voting to override Governor Kaine’s veto of these critically important bills! To find contact information for your State Senator and Delegate please click here.
Wyoming Self-Defense Bill is Stripped of “No Duty to Retreat” Provisions
Posted by: | CommentsHouse Bill 137, introduced by State Representative Lorraine Quarberg (R-28), known as the “no-duty-to-retreat” (Castle Doctrine) bill, was debated on the Senate Floor today for the second time and was heavily amended to remove the “no-duty-to-retreat” provision.
As originally written, HB137 would have statutorily ensured that Wyoming citizens’ self-defense rights would be protected by removing the duty to retreat. The offending amendment, introduced by State Senator Charles Scott (R-30), was given the green light by his fellow Senators after being heavily lobbied by the state prosecutors and county attorneys who believe that it should be up to the courts to determine how and when an individual should protect themselves.
Despite efforts from State Senator Cale Case (R-25) to tweak the No-Duty-To-Retreat language to benefit law-abiding citizens through a “friendly” amendment, there were those that spoke in opposition to the original language of HB 137. State Senators Charles Scott (R-30), John Hastert (D-13), Kathryn Sessions (D-7), and Bob Fecht (R-5) all spoke on behalf of the opposition, and were able to get the language removed.
Those that opposed the “friendly” amendment proposed by State Senator Case, were State Senators Phil Nicholas (R-10), Michael Von Flatern (R-24), Bruce Burns (R-21), and Tony Ross (R-4).
The measure will receive one more floor vote in a Third Reading tomorrow, where our pro-gun friends in the Senate will attempt one more time to present an amendment for a vote that will replace the language that was stripped out in today’s hearing.
This is the time for NRA members to make known their support for the protection of their right to self-defense. Please contact your State Senator and insist that they show political courage and vote to restore the No Duty to Retreat provision in House Bill 137. To contact your State Senator please click here.
Are You an NRA Member? Maybe Not…
Posted by: | Comments
Of the 80 million gun owners in the United States, only about 4 million are members of the National Rifle Association. The odd fact is that millions more identify themselves as NRA members when they are not. The fact of the matter is that many people think they are still NRA members, even though their membership has expired.
To be effective in protecting our rights, the NRA needs to prove to legislators that they represent the interests of all gun owners. When your membership expires, you are one less person the NRA can say they represent.
When is the last time you checked your membership? Go ahead; pull out that wallet and look at your card. If your membership expired, renew today! If your membership is expiring in the coming months, you can go ahead and renew now also.
With the gathering political storm, gun owners in the United States will be facing potentially catastrophic anti-gun legislation in the next couple of years. As Kenn Blanchard of the Urban Podcast says “None of Us is as strong as All of Us.” Renew your membership, or start a new membership today. We must stand together!
Hornady LeverEvolution Line Expands to Include the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum
Posted by: | CommentsHornady Manufacturing, Inc. introduced the extremely popular LeverEvolution line of ammunition in 2006. Now they have expanded the line to include the .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum cartridges.
The LeverEvolution cartridges use what Hornady calls “Flex Tip Technology.” In essence, Hornady developed a special bullet that is tipped with a flixible polymer that does two things. First, when loaded in a tubular magazine common to lever-action rifles and carbines, the Flex Tip prevents unintentional primer detonation. Secondly, when striking the target, the Flex Tip is compressed into the hollow point bullet, causing it to expand in a broad range of velocities.
Hornady also uses a special formulation of smokeless powder in the LeverEvolution line to increase the velocities of the bullets without increasing the chamber pressure.
The result? “Dramatically improved terminal performance in both expansion and depth of penetration over a very broad range of velocities in both pistol and lever action rifles,” said Dave Emary, the Senior Ballistician for Hornady Manufacturing, Inc.
The .357 Magnum and .44 Magnum have been popular in both handgun and lever-action rifle hunting. The LeverEvolution ammunition gives these two cartridges more capability when shooting from either type of firearm.
Hornady claims the .357 and .44 LeverEvolution loadings produce a “devastating wound cavity even at low velocities.”
The .44 Magnum LeverEvolution rounds are already shipping. The .357 Magnum rounds should be shipping mid-March. Expect to pay about $18/20 rounds for the .44 and $20/25 rounds for the .357.
Anti-Gun Bills Introduced in Rhode Island
Posted by: | CommentsSeveral anti-gun bills were introduced this week in the State House. Senate Bill 2720, introduced by State Senators, Harold Metts (D-6), Juan Pichardo (D-2) and Paul Jabour (D-5), and its companion bill, House Bill 7834, introduced by State Representatives Joseph Almeida (D-12), Edith Ajello (D-3), Anastasia Williams (D-9), Grace Diaz (D-11), and Joanne Giannini (D-7), would ban the sale of semi-automatic handguns not equipped with so-called “microstamping” technology. Microstamping is a failed technology that would require identifying marks to be etched into the firing pin and breech face of a firearm so that these markings are transferred to the cartridge case upon firing. The technology can easily be defeated, has no public safety value and adds substantially to the cost of the firearm. Both measures have been referred to the State Senate and State House Judiciary Committees respectively. Please contact members of the State House and State Senate Judiciary Committees and urge them to oppose S2720 and H7834!
Also introduced in the State Senate was Senate Bill 2742 (ammunition serialization), introduced by State Senator William Walaska (D-30). SB2742 would require all handgun ammunition manufactured or sold in Rhode Island to be coded with an individual serial number registered to the purchaser and entered into a statewide database at the time of sale. This proposal would cause an enormous increase in the cost of ammunition, lead to the cessation of the sale of ammunition in Rhode Island and the establishment of a database of all ammunition purchasers.
This legislation is dangerous to gun owners not just because it would increase the cost of ammunition exponentially and reduce its availability, but because it actually exposes gun owners to risk of criminal prosecution without them even knowing it! There is no way for the ammunition purchaser to be assured that the serial number imprinted on the box matches the serial number on the rounds inside. Even if the industry can or will produce this ammunition exclusively for the State of Rhode Island, the legal Rhode Island consumer will be required to register his or her purchase of ammunition and then blindly trust that the number etched on the “base of the bullet projectile” is accurately represented on the box in which it is sold. Since the “base of the bullet projectile” is necessarily obscured by the cartridge case, it is impossible for the consumer to know if he has accurately “registered” his purchase.
This legislation is expensive to the taxpayer, the consumer and the retailer while having absolutely no public safety benefit. Call members of the State Senate Judiciary Committee TODAY and urge him or her to OPPOSE S2742!
Clerks Office for State Senate Committee on Judiciary 401-222-6625
State Senate Committee on Judiciary
State Senator Michael J. McCaffrey (D-29) (Chairperson)
sen-mccaffrey@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Charles J. Levesque (D-11) (Vice Chairperson)
sen-levesque@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis (D-33) (Secretary)
sen-raptakis@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Leo R. Blais (R-21)
sen-blais@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Daniel P. Connors (D-19)
sen-connors@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Paul V. Jabour (D-5)
sen-jabour@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Christopher B. Maselli (D-25)
sen-maselli@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator John F. McBurney III (D-15)
sen-mcburney@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Harold M. Metts (D-6)
sen-metts@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator Rhoda E. Perry (D-3)
sen-perry@rilin.state.ri.us
State Senator John C. Revens Jr. (31-D)
sen-revens@rilin.state.ri.us
Clerks Office for State House Committee on Judiciary 401-222-2258
State House Committee on Judiciary
State Representative Donald J. Lally Jr. (D-33) (Chairperson)
rep-lally@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Gregory J. Schadone (D-54) (Co-Vice Chairperson
rep-schadone@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Timothy A. Williamson (D-25) (Co-Vice Chairperson)
rep-williamson@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Edith H. Ajello (D-3) (Secretary)
rep-ajello@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Jon D. Brien (D-50)
rep-brien@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative David A. Caprio (D-34)
rep-caprio@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Bruce J. Long (R-74)
rep-long@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Nicholas A. Mattiello (D-15)
rep-mattiello@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative William J. McManus (R-46)
rep-mcmanus@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative J. Patrick O’Neill (D-59)
rep-oneill@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Peter G. Palumbo (D-16)
rep-palumbo@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Amy G. Rice (D-72)
rep-rice@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Joseph H. Scott (D-39)
rep-scott@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Raymond J. Sullivan Jr. (D-29)
rep-sullivan@rilin.state.ri.us
State Representative Donna M. Walsh (D-36)
rep-walsh@rilin.state.ri.us
The National Shooting Sports Foundation, trade association of the firearms and ammunition industry, has spent much of the last month in state houses across the country combating a flawed technology known as bullet serialization-the process by which each individual round of ammunition is laser-engraved with a unique serial number. NSSF, by cultivating a strong grassroots force of sportsmen and gun-owners, along with solid support and testimony from the nation’s leading ammunition manufacturers, has experienced tremendous success in tackling the ill-considered legislation, most recently in Maryland.Ammunition manufacturers have made clear that any attempt to place a serial number on each of the more than 10 billion rounds of ammunition manufactured every year in the United States would lead to bankruptcy.
“This is a significant legislative victory for our industry,” said NSSF Senior Vice President and General Counsel Lawrence G. Keane, referring to the Judiciary Committee’s decision to vote down Maryland’s bullet serialization bill (HB 517).
In defeating the bill, the House Judiciary Committee rejected the testimony of the vendor who holds the patent on this technology, Russell Ford of Ravensforge, a company that makes products to protect against damage from skateboards. During testimony before the committee, Maryland Delegate Michael D. Smigiel Sr. (R) chastised Ford, saying, “I hope that you never make a dime, sir,” referring to Ford’s sole-sourced patent on the flawed technology. Weighing-in on the criticism of the legislation was Maryland Delegate Christopher B. Shank (R), reminding committee members that the state “already has a ballistic ‘fingerprint’ system that doesn’t help solve crimes.”
Delegate Emmett Burns (D) who, apparently at Ford’s request, sent letters to state legislators across the United States urging them to introduce similar bullet serialization legislation in their states, sponsored the Maryland bill. “It is significant that while Delegate Burns encourages other states to pursue bullet serialization legislation he was unable to convince his own Maryland colleagues,” said Keane.
“Our industry remains optimistic that other state legislatures considering similar legislation will understand that is infeasible and impractical to put a serial number on each of the over 10 billion cartridges of ammunition manufactured each year in the United States, and any ammunition manufacturers that tried would go bankrupt in the process.”
In written testimony, NSSF discussed the root of its opposition to the ammunition-banning legislation: If manufacturers had to comply with bullet serialization, NSSF estimates that it would take over three weeks to manufacture what is currently produced in a single day. This massive reduction in ammunition would translate into substantially lower sales and profitability, and ultimately force major ammunition manufacturers to abandon the market. In turn, there would be a severe shortage of serialized ammunition and all consumers, including federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, would be faced with substantial price increases. Ammunition will go from costing pennies to several dollars per cartridge.
“Maryland joins several other states, most recently Hawaii, in recognizing that bullet serialization is not practical and simply bad public policy,” concluded Keane.
