January 26, 2018 Newsletter by Jeff Pittman
Litigation
A three-judge panel of the U.S. 5th Circuit Court of Appeals last week ruled the federal law prohibiting handgun sales to out-of-state residents is in the public interest, reversing a ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Reed O’Connor. The plaintiffs, a couple from Washington, D.C. who tried to buy handguns from a licensed dealer in Texas but could not due to federal law adopted in the 1960s, argued that since the inception of the National Instant Check System there was no longer a need for the ban on interstate transfers of handguns from FFLs to buyers. The appeals court disagreed with that concept, holding that handguns often have additional regulatory pitfalls in many states, and that gun dealers can’t be expected to be familiar with those in distant areas. (We note that there is no such ban on interstate long gun sales, even though some are banned or restricted in some jurisdictions, but apparently the court’s logic isn’t logic.)
The plaintiffs, supported by the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (a good place to make a donation), may ask the court for an en banc review of the latest decision and continue fighting it to the Supreme Court.
http://14544-presscdn-0-64.pagely.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/15-10311-CV0.pdf
Kabul
- Observations of the Kabul hotel terrorist attack last weekend, from John Farnam
It boils down to three things:
1. Lots of people who depended on anything or anyone other than themselves to take care of themselves, died.
2. It ended only when the terrorists were shot to death.
3. This same hotel was attacked, in an identical manner, in 2011.
Apparently nothing was learned.
Gun Free Zones
Jamaica declared an emergency over parts of island as gun crime soars, and called out the military. Jamaica also reportedly has “universal background checks,” licensing, registration, “genuine reason,” and ammunition limits.
School shooting in Kentucky. Gun free zone.
Celebrity Killers
[Study] “Findings indicate that the mass killers received approximately $75 million in media coverage value, and that for extended periods following their attacks they received more coverage than professional athletes and only slightly less than television and film stars.” — Adam Lankford, associate professor of criminology and criminal justice at The University of Alabama.
The FBI on active killers
https://www.wildsafe.org/active-shooter-lessons-learned/
The Only Ones
We have a report of three incidents in which unidentified French police officers (part of the CSPR – French presidential security detail guarding the Palais de l’Elysée, the official residence of the French President) have inadvertently fired their submachine guns. Two have put rounds into the walls of sentry booths and a third reportedly put several rounds into his own leg as he got into a vehicle.
An airline passenger was accidentally given a suitcase with a training bomb (a “deactivated” real explosive used to train dogs) by airport officials (police, probably) after Australian Federal Police apparently forgot about it.
From the Las Vegas massacre report:
“Immediately following the explosive breach [of the hotel room door], SWAT Officer O’Donnell, had one negligent discharge of a three round burst from his rifle.
Officers in the hallway heard the shots fired and broadcasted shots had been fired inside the room.”
In Houston, TX, this week, an unidentified FBI agent fatally shot a hostage they were supposedly rescuing from a kidnapper. Kidnapping is not a crime of federal interest. A spokeswoman said “I can’t tell you specifically why we were here, but I can tell you it was an FBI operation.” If history serves, the shooter will be promoted.
Off-duty Drexel, MO, Police Chief Jonathan R.G. Carpenter, 39, was arrested Wednesday by Cass County deputies in Drexel and booked into the Cass County jail on charges of unlawful use of a weapon while intoxicated and resisting or interfering with arrest after he allegedly pointed his gun at another man during an argument he started at his house.
Kentucky officer leaves rifle leaned against a car in a neighborhood
Man bites dog. Literally.
“If you get into a biting competition with a police dog, you’re not going to win.”
Welcome to Jacktown
Industry news
Weatherby will be leaving the state of California, where the company has been headquartered since its 1945 founding, and moving to Sheridan, Wyoming. Weatherby President Adam Weatherby, founder Roy Weatherby’s grandson, cited strong economic incentives from the Wyoming Business Council, as well as more freedom to develop new products without onerous legal restrictions as reasons for leaving California. Duh.
Products
Free book downloads
SHOT show week. We have a report of a protest. ONE protester showed up.
TNW Firearms announced the company would introduce a take down Aero Survival Rifle in .22 WMR. 21.5″ broken down, 6.55 lbs. Uses Remington Model 597 magazines. $370.
FN’s new FN15 Pistol has a 10″ barrel and an SB Tactical brace. 5.56 or .300 BLK. $1700.
Kahr now makes an AR rifle ($750). The Thompson is now available in a tactical model blacked out with rails. A suppressed .22 rimfire rifle is also new.
Mossberg’s 590M™ Mag-Fed 12-gauge pump shotgun now uses the world’s first double-stack shotgun magazines; 5, 10, 15 and 20-round capacity available. $721 for the base model, $801 for the Tactical.
Pro Mag’s new Archangel QBD is a cool folding & takedown stock for the Ruger 10/22.
Dickies now has a line of tactical clothing.
Under Armour has some new tactical pants.
Dead Air Armament has some new flip-up (front and rear) 3-dot sights for standard-sized Glock pistols which allow the shooter to sight over the body of a suppressor and fold down and out of the way when not using the can. Available soon. Presumably other models will follow. About $150.
Franchi’s new Momentum bolt action rifle is available in .243 Win., 6.5 Creedmoor, .270 Win., .308 Win., .30-06, and .300 Win. Mag., in three configurations — with a threaded, free-floating barrel, with a threaded barrel and a Burris Fullfield II 3-9×40 scope package, or with an unthreaded barrel and no scope. It has a single-stage trigger than can be adjusted from 2 to 4 lbs. It has a 3-lug bolt with a 60-degree lift. $609 for rifle only, $729 with the scope package.
Franchi’s 16-gauge Instinct SL over/under shotgun weighs just 5.8 lbs. with 28″ barrels, has a polished and brushed silver aluminum alloy receiver, AA-grade satin walnut Price of Wales stock, tang-mounted automatic safety and barrel selector, and comes with 3 choke tubes. $1,729.
Savage has some new left-handed bolt rifle models, and Benelli has some new left-handed SBE3 models.
Winchester ammo:
- The new Super Suppressed ammo line is loaded to sub-sonic velocities for suppressor use but is also made to run reliably through non-suppressed firearms.
- The calibers that will be available for consumers are as follows:
- .300 Blackout | 200 Grain | 1,060 FPS | SUP300BLK
- .308 Win | 168 – 180 Grain | 1,060 FPS | SUP308
- 9mm Luger | 147 Grain | 990 FPS | SUP9
- .45 Auto | 230 Grain | 835 FPS | SUP45
- .22 LR | 45 Grain | 1,060 FPS | SUP22LR
- .22 WMR | 45 Grain | 1,060 FPS | SUP22M
The new defensive Hybrid-X ammo uses multiple bullet technologies (polymer tip, copper jacket, segmenting lead core) to provide rapid incapacitation of a violent attacker. As the bullet strikes the target the core is designed to break into smaller projectiles and, according to Winchester, “deliver massive energy transfer.” The exterior of the bullet is fluted like the new non-hollowpoint PolyCase or ARX bullets. 9mm only at this time.
New Deer Season XP® Copper Impact™ rifle ammunition uses a solid copper bullet design that offers improved weight retention for deeper penetration and an extra large red, reinforced polymer tip.
The WWII Victory Series vintage-looking and performing ammo includes Ball M2 .30 Caliber (.30-06 Sprg.) with appropriate pressures for the M1 Garand, and Ball M1911 .45 Caliber (.45 ACP) for model 1911 variants.
- .30-06 Sprg. | 150 Grain | 2,740 FPS | X3006WW2
- .45 ACP | 230 Grain | 855 FPS | X45WW2
A new 3″ 12 ga. Xtended Range Bismuth (XRB) load features ShotLok Technology and #5 bismuth shot for turkey, waterfowl and upland hunting in areas that require nontoxic shot. Winchester claims that when compared to standard lead loads, XRB puts twice the number of pellets in a 20-inch circle at 60 yards.
The .44 Automag pistol, now made by Excel Arms, is back. $3800.
We hear that Surefire is making AR-15s.
Brownells is also making their own period-correct retro ARs.
Rock Island Armory’s Baby Rock is a downsized 1911 style pistol in .380 ACP.
Rock Island Armory’s 1911 XT is a fixed-barrel .22 Magnum 1911 style pistol.
Bula Defense of Cleveland, Ohio is making a left-handed M14, presumably semiauto.
Angel Armor of Colorado now has a chest plate that stops .308 rifle rounds and weighs only ounces.
Geissele Automatics has a new Remington 700 trigger line (R700) consisting of a single unit configured at the factory between two models: single stage and two stage, also adjustable for pull and overtravel.
The Fabarm STF-12 tactical pump shotgun has a modular design that allows the addition of different barrel lengths, magazine-tube extensions and furniture options. It has a continuous flattop Picatinny rail, ghost-ring sights and Picatinny-rail mounts on the forearm.
Standard Manufacturing’s SKO Shorty gas autoloading 12 ga. “shotgun” has an 18″ barrel and a 28.75″ OAL, AR-style controls and uses 2, 5, 10 or 25 round magazines. Pistol grip instead of buttstock, and a vertical foregrip, which presumably classifies it as a “firearm” rather than a pistol, shotgun, SBS, or AOW. 7.14 lbs. $600.
Franklin Armory’s Reformation “rifle” uses straight rifling in its 11.5″ barrel, which avoids the classification as a pistol or rifle. They claim 4 MOA with standard ammunition. New ammo specifically for the gun are fin-stabilized football shaped projectiles that can be loaded in standard 5.56/.223 cases, and according the Franklin they bring the accuracy to 1 MOA at 100 yards. I think the principles of economics will take care of this one.
Ion Productions’ XM42-M flame thrower (yep) has been updated. Runs on gasoline, gasoline/diesel mix, or ethanol. 30 ft. range, 60+ seconds. $900 on sale, including battery. 3 gal./3.5 minute backpack fuel tank available for another $400.
Streamlight’s new 18650 USB lithium ion battery (replaces two CR123-size lithium camera batteries) has an integrated micro USB charging port and charge indicator and recharges in 5 hours. Intended for use in the multi-fuel PolyTac X, ProTac 2L-X, ProTac HL-X and ProTac HL5-X (requires 2) lights.
Better Firearms Designs has a fixed barrel gas-retarded blowback system for 1911 style pistols. 32 to 45 calibers.
Sako is bringing its single-set triggers to US-market Model 85 rifles. Hopefully Tikka will follow.
Hornady now offers LEVERevolution ammo in .307 Winchester with a 160-grain FTX bullet at 2,650 fps.
Hornady also has a new line of Critical Defense centerfire rifle ammunition with an updated FTX bullet for use in short-barreled rifles with reduced muzzle velocities. Nickel plated cases. 55- and 73-grain .223 Rem. and a 155-grain .308 Win.
Marlin has a “new for 2018″ Model 1894 CB .357/.38 lever rifle. 20” octagon barrel, deep Ballard-style rifling. $1100.
Dillon Precision’s BFR 50 is a four station semi-progressive press suitable for the .50 BMG cartridge, and claims a loading rate of 300 rounds per hour. Not cheap.
Remington’s “not a shotgun” sawed-off-looking 12 ga. 870 is now available with wood furniture.
The new Charles Daly Honcho “not a shotgun” is a pump gun with a 14″ barrel, birds head pistol grip and 5+1 capacity, It comes in 12 ga., 20 ga. and .410 bore models. The .410 has a spring-assisted pump action: You pull the slide back on the .410 as you would on any other pump action gun, compressing the spring, which then closes the action for you. $369.
Cimarron’s 1862 Police/Navy Pocket Conversion Revolver is offered chambered in .380 ACP. 3.5″ barrel.
Les Baer’s Premier II is now available chambered in 10mm. If you want a 10, this would be a 10. $2940. Tell Les I sent you.
