The Beat Goes On: Data released by the FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) reported 1,243,211 checks in February 2010, ranking the month the second highest February (eighth highest month overall) for most NICS checks. This figure, while being a 1.3 percent decrease from the 1,259,078 checks conducted in February 2009 - the early stage of an ongoing surge in firearms and ammunition sales - is an increase of 21.7 percent over checks in February 2008. The total number of background checks reported since the beginning of NICS is 112,380,272. http://www.buckeyefirearms.org/node/7162 Walk into almost any gun shop these days and you'll likely find that a large percentage of the customers are looking for a type of rifle that was developed by the military and has been widely used since the Vietnam war. Known as the AR-16 by the military and as the AR-15 in the civilian world, this so-called "black rifle" has finally emerged as one of the all-time favorites among hunters and gun lovers... While I enjoy the more conventional bolt action, single or double barrel guns with beautifully crafted wooden stocks, I do have to agree with the shooting sports fraternity that prefer the AR-15 type of guns and the fact that these guns are here to stay until something better comes along... (Actually, the original Stoner selective-fire rifle was the AR-15. When it was adopted by the US military, it was designated "M16" [note the lack of hyphens in small arms designations]. At that point, "AR-15" became the designation for the semi-automatic, commercial version.) http://www.theapexherald.com/view/full_story/6608499/article-Sales-of-%E2%80%9Cblack-guns%E2%80%9D-increases-as-popularity-grows?instance=secondary_sports_left_column --- That Tricky Word "Regulation": Yesterday, I speculated about public reaction to some hypothetical gun maker problem analagous to Toyota's out-of-control-cars. I contrasted that with Violence Policy Center executive director Josh Sugarmann's . . . remarkable assertion that gun manufacturers are "the last unregulated industry." ...Sugarmann is not referring to shoddy manufacturing or poor design, rendering firearms "more dangerous." Actually, improved metallurgy and other advances have arguably made firearms considerably safer than many designs popular decades ago. What Sugarmann objects to instead is the increased capability of modern firearms - capability he does not believe should be available to private citizens... It seems to me that if we want to talk about gun regulation and gun safety, a decent case could be made for the argument that over-regulation has decreased safety. A good example would be the more the draconian regulation of suppressors ("silencers," in popular parlance) for the last 75 years, and the ensuing, otherwise very avoidable hearing loss among many shooters. Another example would be the 10-year sentence and quarter million dollar fine for adding a second handle, to help stabilize a large pistol (particularly useful for a paraplegic like me, with my limited trunk strength)... (I have spent most of my adult life in the two most regulated arenas in American life - firearms and lawful pharmaceuticals.) http://www.examiner.com/x-2581-St-Louis-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Gun-safety-regulation-VPC-style --- Wyoming Firearms Freedom Act Would Penalize Feds: Wyoming has joined a growing list of states with self-declared exemptions from federal gun regulation of weapons made, bought and used inside state borders - but lawmakers in the Cowboy State have taken the issue one step further, adopting significant penalties for federal agents attempting to enforce Washington's rules... WND reported just days ago when Utah became the third state, joining Montana and Tennessee, to adopt an exemption from federal regulations for weapons built, sold and kept within state borders. A lawsuit is pending over the Montana law, which was the first to go into effect. But Wyoming's law goes further, stating, "Any official, agent or employee of the United States government who enforces or attempts to enforce any act, order, law, statute, rule or regulation of the United States government upon a personal firearm, a firearm accessory or ammunition that is manufactured commercially or privately in Wyoming and that remains exclusively within the borders of Wyoming shall be guilty of a felony and, upon conviction, shall be subject to imprisonment for not more than two (2) years, a fine of not more than two thousand dollars ($2,000.00), or both." ... http://www.wnd.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=127787 --- Illinois Gunners Push for CCW: In light of an upcoming Supreme Court decision that might overturn the Chicago handgun ban, a gun-rights group stopped in Elmhurst last week to tell residents that allowing concealed carry of firearms in Illinois would be a proper next step. IllinoisCarry, a southern Illinois-based offshoot of the Illinois State Rifle Association that since 2004 has advocated for statewide permission of concealed carry of firearms, hosted about 300 guests March 4 at the Diplomat West Banquet Halls... IllinoisCarry participated with about 6,000 gun rights activists Wednesday for Illinois Gun Owners Lobby Day in Springfield. State Sen. Kirk Dillard, R-24th District, of Hinsdale introduced legislation in 1995 that would have allowed concealed carry with background check safeguards, but the measure failed in the Senate by two votes. However, he said the attitude toward concealed carry since has changed... http://www.mysuburbanlife.com/elmhurst/topstories/x673416304/Concealed-carry-activists-host-town-hall-meeting --- Conflicting Rulings on Seattle Park-Carry Ban: On Thursday, a federal judge ruled that Seattle's ban on carrying firearms in city parks and community centers passes constitutional muster. But last month, a King County Superior Court judge ruled that the city cannot ban firearms in those areas. In this instance, the King County ruling takes precedent [sic]. Despite Thursday's federal court decision, the city's gun ban is still on indefinite hold... Last year, under the direction of then-Mayor Greg Nickels, the city's Parks and Recreation department instituted a new rule banning firearms on certain city property where children were likely to be present... That same month, five people and several gun-rights organizations filed suit in state court challenging the ban. And in November, Robert C. Warden, a Kent attorney, actually tested it. After announcing to the media and city officials what he planned to do, he walked into Southwest Community Center with a Glock pistol under his jacket. He was asked to leave and did so. Then he filed suit against the city in federal court... (Warden claimed that his suit was better structured than the SAF suit because, having been evicted from a city community center, he could not be denied standing. It was never clear to me why he chose to go to federal court. Arizona copied Washington's constitutional verbiage, that "The right of the individual citizen to bear arms in defense of himself or the state shall not be impaired..." but the Washington Supreme Court has apparently set a rather high bar to use Article 1, § 24 in court.) http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2011329010_gunban13m.html Yesterday a federal judge rejected a constitutional challenge to Seattle's ban on guns in city parks, noting that the U.S. Supreme Court has not said that the Second Amendment applies to cities and states as well as the federal government. That will almost certainly change after the Court decides McDonald v. Chicago, the handgun ban case it heard last week. But since McDonald involves a blanket ban rather than restrictions on where guns can be kept or carried, the Court's ruling still will not resolve the question of whether regulations like Seattle's are consistent with the Second Amendment. Even the challenge to the District of Columbia's ban on carrying guns in public, which I discussed in my column last week, concedes that governments may bar guns from "sensitive places such as schools and government buildings," a policy the Supreme Court has indicated is "presumptively lawful." Are parks "sensitive places," and does a ban on carrying guns in them qualify as a reasonable limitation on the right to keep and bear arms? Robert C. Warden, the Kent, Washington, attorney who challenged the Seattle ban, argues that "the purported interest, to protect children from gun violence, has no substance and no objective facts behind it." I agree that the policy seems half-baked and gratuitous. But the Court has not begun to address issues like this, and it will be interesting to see how the case law develops: What level of scrutiny will the Court apply to gun regulations, and what sort of justifications will it deem adequate? ... http://reason.com/blog/2010/03/12/how-sensitive-is-your-park --- Colorado Gunners Endorse Sheriff Candidate: Today, Rocky Mountain Gun Owners' PAC (the only pro-gun PAC in the state of Colorado) endorsed Republican Carl Bruning for Sheriff of Larimer County. "The Sheriff is a very important elected official, especially to gun owners, " said Dudley Brown, Executive Director for RMGO, Colorado's largest gun rights organization. "If you value your right to keep and bear arms, Carl Bruning is the only choice for Larimer County Sheriff." Bruning is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, and was a USAF pilot and commander in Operation Desert Shield. He was selected first in his unit to deploy to the Middle East, and led his aircrew on the first mission in theater. Following Desert Storm, Carl received his Masters of Business Administration degree. Bruning has served as a Vice President and senior executive, with proven leadership and management experience... (Is Alderen retiring? He's the sheriff who has stated that he will not book any students arrested for otherwise lawful CCW at the local campus of the Colorado State University.) http://www.ammoland.com/2010/03/12/rmgo-endorses-larimer-for-sheriff/ --- New Mexico Gunner Praise Restaurant-Carry Law: Locals praised a new law that allows people with licenses to carry concealed handguns into restaurants that serve beer and wine. Meanwhile, Gov. Bill Richardson wants stricter regulations to accompany the law. Sponsored by Sen. George Munoz, D-Gallup, and signed by Richardson on Wednesday, the law takes effect in July. Under the new law, people could carry concealed weapons into restaurants that serve only beer and wine unless an owner or manager says it isn't allowed or a sign prohibits it. The sign must be posted at each public entrance where it can be easily seen. Carrying a firearm while under the influence of drugs and alcohol remains illegal. Nor may people bring concealed weapons into a bar or restaurant with a full liquor license [emphasis added]. But there's nothing specific in New Mexico law that prevents a person from drinking alcohol while carrying a concealed weapon in a restaurant that serves beer and wine, according to the governor's office... http://www.daily-times.com/ci_14661293 --- Maryland Legislators Call JPFO Anti-Semitic: A Maryland senator and delegate are the targets of a flier that attacks them as "bagel brain Jews" for their support of pending firearms legislation in the General Assembly and accuses them of pursuing "racist policies to destroy your gun rights." ...The flier was produced by group called Jews for the Preservation of Firearms Ownership, whose executive director is Aaron Zelman of Hartford, Wis... The bill sponsored by Rosenberg, a Baltimore Democrat, and Frosh would set more stringent requirements for gun ownership and for licensing of gun dealers, and would increase penalties for violations of firearms laws. It would, among other things, include gun trafficking violations on the list of suspected crimes for which law enforcement officials can seek a judge's permission to use wiretaps. It would also bar people with two or more drunken-driving convictions from owning firearms. Zelman, who said he is Jewish, said the group has about 6,500 members around the country. The group's Web site includes reproductions of handbills attacking Jewish and black politicians who support various measures opposed by gun rights advocates... http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/maryland/politics/bal-md.flier13mar13,0,3259898.story --- Unofficial California Poll: Our latest poll question is a tough one. If you were given the opportunity to eliminate what you perceive as the most rights-damaging gun law in California, which one would it be? We originally placed the options of "None of the Above" and "All of the Above" but eliminated those options. We want to know which law you think just grates your nerves the most. You only get one selection and one vote, so make it count. If we find one law does not stand above the crowd, we'll narrow the field to the top two or three next weekend to see if we can come up with a clear consensus... (I assume that the purpose of this poll is to attempt to focus lobbying efforts.) http://www.gunnewsdaily.com/index.php/article-archives/321-californians-what-gun-laws-would-you-eliminate --- Downright Scary: ...On the first day of November 2008 - and the first day of Washington state's elk hunting season - Sjoberg headed into the Lone Butte area of Skamania County with his Remington 760 Gamemaster 30.06. Sjoberg, 57, has hunted in the woods since he was 14 and grew up in one of those rural Michigan towns where school is called off on the opening day of deer season. About 10:30 that morning, after five hours in his orange vest, Sjoberg took a shot at a bull elk 75 yards away and missed. Minutes later, as he tracked the elk, Sjoberg ran into two other hunters, Tim Michalek and Alison Schnelling, introduced himself and described the near-miss. Six hours later, the body of Juan Rojas Cortez was discovered almost a half-mile from where Sjoberg bumped into Michalek and Schnelling. Cortez, who had been gathering bear grass in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest, was dead of a gunshot wound... Two weeks later, Sjoberg was arrested and charged with first-degree manslaughter, underlining the county's contention that he "recklessly" caused Cortez's death... Not only does the state present no evidence that Sjoberg was responsible for the shooting, Thayer adds, but there is no indication that Sjoberg acted recklessly... http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/steve_duin/index.ssf/2010/03/skamania_county_shooting_case.html --- Meanwhile, in Arizona...: A 12-year-old boy is being treated for a gunshot wound after he was accidentally shot near the Ben Avery Shooting Range in north Phoenix Saturday morning. Phoenix police say the boy was wounded in the arm and the torso. A medical helicopter flew the boy to St. Joseph's Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix. No foul play is suspected. The boy is reported in serious condition. http://www.azstarnet.com/news/state-and-regional/article_a736ee7f-dd25-5048-abb9-972824feaec5.html --- To Live and Die in Alaska: Hunters were combing the snowy brush around Chignik Lake, Alaska, on Friday in an attempt to hunt down up to four wolves that killed a 32-year-old special education teacher in the first known fatal wolf attack in the U.S. in modern times... Candice Berner, a special education teacher who traveled among several rural schools on the Alaska Peninsula, 475 miles southwest of Anchorage, was attacked while jogging and listening to her iPod Monday evening on the deserted, 3-mile-long road that leads out from the village to its small airstrip. A native of Slippery Rock, Pa., she had been working in Alaska only since August. Her body was found by snowmobilers a short time after the attack. It had been dragged off the road and partially eaten, and was surrounded by wolf prints... Wildlife attacks in Alaska are relatively common. "Certainly we have bear maulings, we have people bitten by wolves, we have people that are stomped by moose," Peters said. "Having an incident where a human and animal cross paths and it doesn't end well, that's normal. But we don't have any other case on hand that we're aware of where someone was actually killed by a wolf." Peters said state troopers had ruled out the possibility that Berner had died from any other cause and was later dragged away by wolves. (I don't think many native Alaskans go into the woods unarmed and obstruct their hearing with iPods.) http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-na-wolf-attack13-2010mar13,0,4711796.story ...You don't need to break through the Arctic Ocean or get in a bar fight to die north of the Arctic Circle. Being outside will kill you just fine. In February, the temperature is often -40° F in the middle of the afternoon. Most people will never know cold like this. I grew up in Minnesota, and once or twice it would get that cold, usually at night, but Minnesota is humid. Minnesota has lights and trees and telephones that always work. The Arctic is the world's second-largest desert. The snowflakes are large and dry like the little paper circles from a three-hole punch. You can't even eat them to stay alive. They will dehydrate you. They will kill you faster than drinking no water at all... You must attend safety training to be present on a natural gas drill site. The section of the safety manual that covers polar bear attacks reads... (I don't understand how eating snow can dehydrate you but I've added this article to emphasize that Mother Nature does not suffer fools kindly in her more extreme climes.) http://thefastertimes.com/slowtravel/2010/03/11/is-your-workplace-as-rough-as-the-arctic/ --- Oops, Wrong Music Store: A store owner at the Allied Music of Ohio in South Toledo shot a man Friday after the suspect held a gun to a clerk's head, police said... Sgt. Phil Toney said the suspect entered the store asking about getting a job there. He left but returned a few minutes later and allegedly held a gun to the clerk's head. As the suspect led the clerk to a back room, the clerk called out "I need help" and a co-owner, Eric Bilger, appeared with a gun. Gunfire was exchanged. The suspect, Steve James, 30, of Toledo, who was the only one shot, was struck in the body and hand, Sergeant Toney said. The man then fled the store and ran across Byrne Road to the Burger King parking lot, where he collapsed. Police said he was transported to the University of Toledo Medical Center, formerly the Medical College of Ohio Hospital, where he was listed in serious condition... http://toledoblade.com/article/20100312/NEWS02/100319821/0/RSS04 http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Toledo-robber-shot-by-store-owner --- The Airsoft Bust - The Plot Thickens: When we first met ATF Special Agent Kelven Crenshaw, he was telling KOINlocal6, Portland, that a shipment of toy guns the agency had seized could be "easily retro-fitted into dangerous weapons": "With minimal work it could be converted to a machine gun," Crenshaw said. To prove his credentials as a professional firearms expert, Crenshaw proceeded to insert a magazine backwards - on video. Click here to watch and pay attention at the 1:17 mark. In my March 9 follow-up on this story, I mentioned a related three-part series at Pajamas Media by writer Bob Owens. Click the respective links for parts one, two and three. The whole thing is just excellent, but something he said in his last installment really caught my attention: "This is apparently the same Special Agent Kelven Crenshaw that ATF whistleblower site Cleanup ATF says is a former assistant director demoted and moved for incompetence, reprisals against his own employees, and regulation violations." ... http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2010m3d12-Why-do-ATF-employees-question-fitness-of-agent-in-toy-gun-seizure --- A Brit Looks at McDonald, States Rights and Open Carry: The US Supreme Court is due to deliver its verdict in June on the case it has just heard (McDonald v City of Chicago) seeking to overturn the ban on handguns in Chicago, Barack Obama's political base. This follows upon the court's 2008 decision striking down a similar ban in Washington. You cannot find a lawyer, politician, pro- or anti-gun activist in the length and breadth of the Union who does not accept the high likelihood that the Chicago ban will be reversed. Since hostility to the right to bear arms, guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the American constitution, was a characteristic of Obama's campaign, it seems ironic that his administration should see a liberalisation of firearms laws. So, why are the fanatics of the liberal/left not up in arms (metaphorically speaking), marching, protesting and generally frothing at the mouth over this reversal of their aspirations? Why, in fact, are some liberals even supportive of the gun lobby's case? ... (While the left likes to point out that there has actually been some recuperation of the RKBA so far under Big Brother's regime, they ignore the fact that this administration has peldged to seek ratification of the UN small-arms treaty.) http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/geraldwarner/100029699/has-the-us-gun-lobby-shot-itself-in-the-foot-by-unintentionally-undermining-states-rights/ -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. The tactics and skills to use a firearm in self-defense don't come naturally with the right to keep and bear arms. http://www.spw-duf.info .