May 12, 2017 Newsletter by Jeff Pittman
Litigation
MS Supreme Court reviewing judge’s overreaching courthouse gun-ban order.
Steyr Arms claims that it had the idea (and patent) for a modular pistol chassis first, and that Sig Sauer infringed on its patent with the production of Sig’s P320 and P250 series handguns without a license. Steyr Arms has filed suit against Sig, demanding preliminary and permanent injunctions against Sig selling any of these firearms.
The Sig P320 is the basis for the US military’s new modular handgun system. It is unclear what effect this litigation may have on that process.
Handgun purchase study
A recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine tried to “determine changes in handgun acquisition patterns after the mass shootings in Newton, CT (2012) and San Bernardino, CA (2015)” by evaluating California purchases, because that state keeps permanent records of all legal firearms transactions.
The study found that the number of handgun purchases increases after a tragedy like Newtown or San Bernardino, and that handgun purchases increased more in areas in close proximity to the tragedy. There was a larger increase in purchases in San Bernardino after the terrorist attack in that city than in San Bernardino after the far-away Newtown massacre. The lead author of the study, David M. Studdert, admitted the role of the need for self-defense: “This, I think, reinforces the idea that safety and security concerns are motivating these purchases.”
Well, duh. I guess he never took economics. This study was probably your tax dollars at work.
How to get dead
Two San Diego police officers responded to a 911 call requesting a welfare check on an “unarmed” 15-year-old standing in front of a school. The boy pulled a gun (a BB gun replica of a real pistol) from his waistband and pointed it at one of the responding officers as they exited their patrol cars. The officers drew their weapons and ordered the boy to drop the gun, but he refused and walked toward an officer, ignoring a second command to drop the gun and continued to walk toward one of them, with the predictable fatal result.
DGUs
UTex update — We have a follow-up report that the stabbing attacker at the University of Texas, Austin, last week was NOT confronted by anyone with a gun until the cops showed up. Our follow-up is also unconfirmed.
How to handle a drive-by. A good guy with a gun…
No charges against woman who fatally shot doper to save conservation officer. A good gal with a gun…
Police shoot, kill mass shooter in San Diego. A good guy with a gun…
Caught on camera: carjacking gone wrong. Chicago area. Dead perp, no charges against the good guy with a gun.
Home invasions
We have a report of another home invasion in Jackson, MS. This one included a resident fatally shot. Police said a man armed with a gun kicked open the front door and started shooting, hitting the victim multiple times. Another resident apparently got off at least one shot at the perp(s), without apparent effect.
Meanwhile, in Dallas, TX, police took 87 minutes to respond to a home invasion call.
But down the road in Houston, TX, a relative who lived next door to a family held at gunpoint and pistol-whipped during a home invasion burglary by four perpetrators heard the commotion. He grabbed a .223 rifle and shot and wounded an attacker who was beating one family member in the backyard. When the other three tried to jump a fence, one of them turned toward the defender with a pistol, so that perp was also shot. He died at the scene. The remaining two got away.
Folks, these things happen FAST. You won’t likely have time to go get your gun. You have to already have it on you.
Local TV report on MS church security
- WJTV:Â Protecting the Flock
We note that the report didn’t mention the alternate provision in state law for CCW-armed church security teams which are not required to have any carry permits, or the fact that state law also provides for legal CCW in churches with the enhanced permit, even if the person is not on the security team, and for legal open carry with no permit. It also didn’t mention that the “blood running in the pews” prediction made by many folks at the time of the law change hasn’t happened.
Movie Theater Safety Tips
- Active Response Training:Â Movie Theater Safety Tips
Enemies
Dominos Pizza has suspended a driver who was called to a vacant house for delivery and was set upon by two armed robbers, one of whom shot at him. The driver, an Air Force veteran with a CCW license, returned fire, killing the perp who shot at him. You can get another job, but not another life. He might ask why he should work for an employer who prefers dead workers.
Stacy Washington, former St. Louis Post-Dispatch columnist, explains the corrupt media.
Dept. of Idiocy
“Man fatally impaled himself after stealing knife and fleeing from Lowe’s”
Edgewood Middle School of Trenton, OH, suspended a student for 10 days after he “liked” a photo of an Airsoft gun on Instagram while at home. That’s it. No commentary, no threats. Just hit the “like” button. Superintendent Russ Fussnecker (I didn’t make that up) said that the “like” action amounted to “an alleged threat of a student bringing a gun to school.” The suspension was later dropped, just like the idiots running the school should be. Mr. Fussnecker, I like guns too, and I don’t like fools. Your move.
The Only Ones
Earlier this month, Balch Springs (Dallas), TX, police officer Roy Oliver shot and killed a 15-year-old boy as he, his two brothers and two other teenagers were driving away from an unruly house party when Oliver opened fire on their vehicle with a rifle. Police initially said the vehicle was backing up toward officers “in an aggressive manner,” but later corrected that statement after body camera video showed the vehicle actually driving away from officers. Oliver has been fired and charged with murder as the investigation continues amid allegations of racial conflict. Oliver is white and the victim was black.
An unidentified 44-year-old Michigan firearms instructor from Lifechoice LLC was conducting a CCW license training class at a gun store/range in Livonia while another class was underway next door. Police said the “instructor” pulled his gun out of its holster, pointed it at the door separating the two classrooms (Rule 2) and fired a round (Rules 3 & 4). He reportedly was “unaware” it was loaded (Rule 1). The 9mm bullet struck a 39-year-old Detroit man in the leg, exited, and then struck his other leg. The instructor wasn’t arrested, but he’s hired a lawyer and the investigation will likely be presented to the Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office for possible charges. Perhaps the company should be named PoorChoice.
Cops stealing guns again…
Local cops win sniper competition
The Jackson-Hinds (MS) SWAT Team won first place overall in the 2017 Invitational Sniper Team Competition held in Ardmore, TN, between agencies from Mississippi, Tennessee, and Alabama.
The Jackson-Hinds SWAT Team is made up of officers from the Hinds County Sheriff’s Department, the Jackson Police Department, and the Clinton Police Department.
Clinton Police Officer Michael Even and Hinds County Sheriff’s Deputy James Leggette took first place overall, and were also first in the Poker-shoot and Range Estimation events.
Congrats, gentlemen.
Army Secretary nominee withdraws
- The Washington Post: Mark Green withdraws as Trump’s Army secretary nominee, citing ‘false and misleading attacks’
Every Marine A Rifleman No More?
- Marine Corps Times:Â Every Marine a rifleman no more?
Perhaps we should bring back the draft and train every sane, noncriminal, able-bodied man to shoot.
The Best Knife Steel?
Hint: It ain’t singular.
Cycling magnum bolt rifles under stress
Deer
I’ve heard of deer eating birds before — now we have a study.
NRA meeting
The NRA reports that 81,836 members attended this year’s meetings in Atlanta, with the largest exhibit hall so far — 15 acres.
Hayden update
Former “Sons of Guns” reality TV star Will Hayden, 51, was sentenced in Louisiana to two life sentences for two counts of aggravated rape to run concurrently, plus 40 years to run consecutively (after the life sentences) for one count of forcible rape, after his convictions last month for raping two young girls over the course of two decades. Hayden is not eligible for probation, parole or suspension of sentence. He looks to be Angola bound.
Similar charges are pending in another parish.
Obit
Bob Owens, 46, founder and editor of the pro-gun rights website BearingArms.com, passed away on a street corner early this week from a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. He lived in the Raleigh, NC area and died in a neighboring town. Bob was well known for no-holds-barred commentary on gun-related events and for calling a spade a spade. There’s not enough of that. He leaves a wife and two daughters, aged 9 and 17. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline number is 1-800-273-8255.
Gander Mountain
Camping World Holdings (Camping World) bought Gander Mountain at a bankruptcy auction for $390 million, bidding against Sportsman’s Warehouse. The deal requires Camping World to keep open at least 17 of the former 160 retail GM locations, but CW Chairman and CEO Marcus Lemonis hopes to keep at least 70 of the GM stores open (including Hattiesburg, MS). Lemonis partly blames GM’s doubling-down on gun sales. GM has since sent an email announcing a total liquidation/going out of business sale. Gift cards accepted until 5/18.
Products
- Savage-owned Fox shotguns has a new model out, the Fox A Grade. It’s a very nice Fox replica SxS, made in Connecticut by Connecticut Shotgun Manufacturing for only $5000, which is about what a used original Fox A Grade goes for. 100% American made, including the American Black Walnut furniture, blued barrels and color case hardened receivers. These shotguns also have hammerless boxlock actions with double triggers. 12 or 20 gauge, 26″ or 28″, no word on chokes. Available June 1.
- Swagger Bipods have Crazy Legs. $220-230.
- The new Ruger Mark IV 22/45 Tactical pistol has a lightweight polymer 1911-shaped grip frame with rubberized replaceable grip panels, a 4.4″ barrel with a threaded muzzle, fully adjustable sights and factory-installed Picatinny rails on both the top and bottom of the barreled receiver.
- Ruger’s new Mark IV Competition pistol has a cold hammer-forged, 6.88″ slab-sided bull barrel and hardwood laminate, thumbrest competition grips. The stainless grip frame is CNC machined. The fully adjustable target sights are mounted on the barreled receiver for greater inherent accuracy potential than moving-slide designs. 45.8 oz. I have an early Government Competition model, a MKII, and it is likely the most accurate firearm I own.
- Not to be outdone, Browning has released several new Buck Mark pistol models:
- The Buck Mark Field Target Suppressor Ready has a 5.5″ threaded barrel, adjustable Pro-Target rear sight and laminated Cocobolo target grips. $600. Same gun without the threaded barrel is the Field Target option. $579.
- The Buck Mark Lite Flute UFX and Lite UFX models have a steel barrel liner with an aluminum alloy sleeve, fluted and unfluted, respectively.
- Other models are available in stainless including the UDX, Stainless UDX, Rosewood UDX and Practical URX. These have Picatinny rails and 5.5″ barrels; stainless on the stainless model and matte blued on the other two. The Practical UDX has a tapered heavy barrel. $550 for the UDX and Rosewood models, $600 for the Stainless model and $480 for the Practical model.
Quote of the Week
“In these modern times, many are wounded for not having weapons, nor knowledge of their use.” — Achille Marozzo, 1536
