Trumped

• Commenter David Codrea notes that because now-President Trump’s convictions involved crimes that were notionally punishable by more than a year of incarceration, they made him subject to a federal law that bars him from possessing firearms. But not the nuclear football.
• President Trump shut down the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which was a Biden administration gun control operation.
• President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon more than 1,500 criminals, including hundreds of those convicted of assaulting police or other violent offenses, restores gun rights to the people who stormed the Capitol Building in a failed effort to keep Trump in power after he lost the 2020 election. At least one of the pardoned criminals was never released, but instead arrested on pending weapons charges. Apparently a judge is holding up release of the pardoned convicts from the D.C. jail. And there are prisoners who never got a trial.
• Meanwhile, former (man, I love saying that) President Joe Biden commuted the life sentence of American Indian activist and convicted double murderer Leonard Peltier just minutes before leaving the White House Monday. Peltier was in federal prison for murdering FBI Special Agents Jack R. Coler and Ronald A. Williams on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation nearly 50 years ago.
• Trump’s FBI overhaul puts “untouchable” feds on notice: former agent.

Litigation

• The Minnesota Attorney General’s Office will appeal a famous gun control case to the US Supreme Court. Worth v. Jacobson resulted in multiple courts striking down a state ban on handgun carry permits for adults ages 18 to 20. Even though Minnesota lost in District Court and the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, the law has been allowed to remain in effect until every possible venue considers it, thus proving the nonsense known as the presumption of constitutionality. (The nonsensical legal principle that the judiciary should presume statutes enacted by the legislature to be constitutional.)
• The Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals has DENIED a motion by anti-gun state attorneys general to intervene in NAGR’s lawsuit challenging the reclassification of forced reset triggers as machine guns.
• Apparently these same litigious buffoons also recently filed a request to intervene as defendants (replacing the ATF) in a lawsuit challenging the “engaged in the business” rule promulgated by the ATF last year.
• These ATF rules are federal; there is no state involvement. But the anti-gun state AG’s argue in their brief that “federal defendants can no longer be counted on to defend the Final Rule.” Of course even if the anti-gunners won the case, the new administration can still reverse the administrative rules.
• The Riverside [CA] Police Department seized (stole) firearms owned by an innocent homeowner in the course of arresting his apparently not-so-innocent houseguest – and, four years later, haven’t given them back. The Ninth US Circus Court of Appeals says it’s totally reasonable to keep the guns until the victim pays a fee and provides sufficient proof of identity. I say the cops should be in jail for felony theft. (The attachment reads “Not for publication.” I suppose they will be coming after me now.)
• The Ninth Circus also issued a pair of decisions last week denying a petition for en banc rehearing of a case that restricts where people can carry firearms in Hawaii and California. This one may be going to SCOTUS.
• A three-judge panel of the Fifth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that a federal law barring people under felony indictment from buying firearms remains valid even after a SCOTUS decision that expanded gun rights, reversing a Texas judge’s conclusion that the statute is unconstitutional. “Our nation has a long history of disarming criminal defendants facing serious charges (burglary and jumping bail) pending trial,” US Circuit Judge Priscilla Richman wrote for the panel. This ruling seems to be consistent with the Circuit’s similar ruling last month upholding gun bans for accused domestic abusers in the case U.S. v. Perez-Gallan. The case is United States v. Quiroz, 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, No. 22-50834.
• (We reported just two weeks ago that an Ohio Court of Appeals struck down that state’s categorical prohibition on gun possession by people under criminal indictment (robbery in that case).)
• Firearms Policy Coalition has filed a new Second Amendment lawsuit challenging federal laws prohibiting licensed firearm dealers from selling handguns to otherwise qualified out-of-state buyers. The case is Elite Precision Customs v. ATF.
• Grassroots Judicial Report.

ATF

• Facing defeat in a lawsuit, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives under President Biden has reversed its policy that required inspectors to revoke the federal firearms license of American gun stores over simple paperwork errors and other non-willful violations of the Gun Control Act. No word on criminal prosecutions for the federal employees complicit in this tyranny.
• With Steve Dettelbach officially out as the head of the ATF, anti-gun Deputy Director Marvin Richardson will return as the default head of the embattled agency. Hopefully he will soon be Trumped.
• ATF Reportedly Ignoring Trump’s DEI Executive Order. Well, we already knew the ATF can’t do right.

Legislation

• US Rep. Michael Cloud (R-TX) and Sen. Jim Risch (R-ID) introduced legislation last week to block the formation of any federal gun registry. But the ATF already has a registry and it’s already illegal. I presume if this bill passes, it will be more illegaler. It’ll never work unless there is sufficient real life punishment for the offenders. You know, the same punishment they impose on us for breaking one of their paperwork laws.
• Freedom? We have a report that Americans who have rushed to the new CCP-controlled social media app Xiaohongshu (aka RedNote) in the wake of a looming TikTok ban are teaching the app’s Chinese users how to 3D print guns. Cool.

The Only Ones

• FBI Director Christopher Wray gave outgoing Attorney General Merrick Garland a Tommy Gun with a high capacity magazine as a going away present. I’m guessing a semi-auto version or a dummy replica.

• The Jacksonville [FL] Sheriff’s Office is moving to fire Officer Mindy Cardwell after she negligently shot a man with his own gun during a routine traffic stop last month. An Internal Affairs investigation resulted in a sustained charge of incompetence against Officer Cardwell and JSO has begun termination proceedings. The motorist was fully compliant with officers on the scene and had informed the cop who originally pulled him over that he did have a gun holstered in his waistband. After he had exited his car, Cardwell went to remove his firearm, but while she was trying to take the gun, it discharged shot the man in his upper thigh, causing a serious wound and arterial bleed. Video and lawsuit included.

DGUs

• A mountain lion was shot and killed in Downieville, California, last week by two residents who came to their neighbor’s aid. The cougar had a pet dog in its mouth when it was killed.
• Front End Loader Attack Stopped with Gunfire
• The Armed Citizen:
  • America’s 1st Freedom – January 17, 2025
  • American Rifleman – January 17, 2025
  • American Rifleman – January 20, 2025
• Not a DGU. A tragedy. FYI you can’t shoot a non-threatening guy for walking up to knock on your door in broad daylight.

Enemies

• No Matter How Much You Hate the Media, You Don’t Hate Them Enough. True, that.

MS Deer

• The Mississippi Commission on Wildlife, Fisheries, and Parks voted to extend the 2024-25 either-sex white-tailed deer season through 30 minutes after sunset on Sunday, February 2, 2025, for this year only. Officials said this extension shall apply to private lands only in the Delta, Hills, and North Central Deer Management Units (DMUs). The Southeast DMU is not included or affected by this season extension and will still end on Saturday, February 15, 2025.

Tactics & Stuff

• Castle Doctrine Facts vs. Fiction: Massad Ayoob on Self-Defense.
• Be the victim.
• Handling the dark gray zone of uncertainty. You know this.
• 7 Keys to Winning a Use-of-Force Lawsuit. Also good info for citizens.
• Wadcutter loads: Hardcast .44 Special wadcutters and .38 Special Penetration
• Flying with guns. Being familiar with this could save you a lot of grief. Me, I just drive.
• Between 2018 and 2024, 57% of all firearm-related deaths in the US were suicides.

Technical

• Glock answers the question of how to keep an optic mounted on a pistol slide. (I will note that the presumption that the mounting screws in a conventional arrangement are supposed to bear the shear loads during firing is erroneous. While that loading does happen, it is an indication of an insufficient design or improper installation. If the screws are big and numerous and tight enough, they receive no shear load, and that is how you are supposed to design such things. But it may not be possible to tighten those few tiny screws enough to work. Mechanical engineers know this.)
• .32 ACP rim lock.

• If such “experts” are proposed to testify in a case, during voir dire the opposing counsel should challenge them to respond to the known problems with the science as discussed in the article. If the expert is allowed to testify, counsel should attempt to get those same problems in front of the jury. “Reasonable doubt” would certainly seem to enter the picture.
• You really should read the entire article.

Industry News

• In a surprise development, Olin Corporation announced it has entered into a definitive agreement with AMMO, Inc. whereby Olin will acquire AMMO’s small caliber ammunition manufacturing assets for a purchase price of $75 million. The transaction will be funded through available liquidity. The assets will become part of Olin’s Winchester Ammunition business. The acquisition – scheduled to be completed in the second quarter of 2025 – includes AMMO’s brass shellcase capabilities and their world-class, 185,000 square foot production facility located in Manitowoc, Wisconsin, constructed in 2022. The Manitowoc facility and its employees will complement Winchester’s existing production capabilities, enabling greater specialization and broader participation across high-margin specialty calibers. Once fully integrated with Winchester’s industry-leading economies of scale and integration across the commercial ammunition value chain – from raw material sourcing, to projectiles, primers, and loading capabilities – the acquisition is anticipated to yield realized synergies of $40 million. Sale of the ammunition section of AMMO leaves that company with GunBroker.com, a significantly better performing business. It also leaves the company with a significant amount of capital that the company says will be used to “grow and scale GunBroker.com as the e-commerce space for the firearms and shooting sports industries.”
• An investigation is ongoing after an explosion occurred Wednesday morning at the Iowa Army Ammunition Plant in Middletown, Iowa, approximately 9 miles west of Burlington. The explosion, which took place at around 9:30 AM in the plant’s ammunition production area, fortunately resulted in no injuries. The plant is known for its production of medium and large-caliber munitions for the Joint Warfighter.

Obit

• Dr. Joanne D. Eisen

Products

• From John Farnam’s report of the first day of SHOT Show: “I neglected to mention that I saw the ‘binary trigger,’ currently marketed by Franklin Armory, demonstrated during Range Day yesterday. It’s a drop-in replacement fire-control assembly that makes your M4 [!] fire one round when you press the trigger, and a second, single round when you release the trigger. It’s popular with some Nimrods who want to approximate full-auto fire, but it is extremely dangerous, virtually a UD waiting to happen. Highly not recommended!” (I said that. – JP)
• .32 H&R Magnum snub guns. Very attractive.
• Smith & Wesson Releases Lineup of Lipsey’s Exclusive Revolvers (Note the Mountain Gun photos are swapped).
• And then there are the Lipsey’s Exclusive Smith & Wesson Ultimate Carry SOA Edition J-frames chambered in .38 Special (5 shot) and .32 H&R Magnum (6 shot).
• Speaking of snub guns, the Shield Arms ROC (Revolver Optic Conversion) – specifically designed for Smith & Wesson hammerless J-frame revolvers like the S&W 642 and 442 – allows you to seamlessly mount a red dot optic atop the revolver, thus converting it from a pocket gun into something else.
• In addition to Smith & Wesson’s announcement of three Classic Series No-Lock revolvers, we have a report that Vincent Perreault, S&W’s Director of Brand Marketing, confirmed to The Firearm Blog that S&W IS PHASING OUT THE INTERNAL REVOLVER LOCK ACROSS THE BOARD.
• KelTec’s new lightweight rotary barrel PR57 pistol chambered in 5.7×28 loads its 20-round fixed internal magazine from the top, individually or with innovative “enclosed” stripper clips. So you can’t carry extra mags, but you can carry extra clips or loose ammo. You won’t lose or damage or have to buy extra mags. You can top it off. Smooth trigger. $400.
• Kahr’s new X9 (11-shooter) is the same size as the SA Hellcat. Magazines are interchangeable with the Hellcat.
• The new stainless steel Diamondback Firearms SDR (Self Defense Revolver) is available in both 9mm 2″ and .357 Magnum 3″ barrel, and is reportedly smooth and well made. $800+ MSRP.
• Coming soon is Remington’s new line of Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun ammo, featuring the Big Green polymer tip for improved long-range ballistics, in-flight accuracy and initiation of rapid expansion. The legendary Core-Lokt jacket ensures optimal terminal performance on big game, and carefully chosen, advanced propellants provide a clean burn while maintaining premier accuracy.
  • R20041 / 360 Buckhammer 180 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 2400 FPS / $48.99
  • R21428 / .30-30 Win. 150 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 2390 FPS / $39.99
  • R21429 / .35 Remington 200 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 2080 FPS / $69.99
  • R21430 / .45-70 Government 300 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 1900 FPS / $74.99
  • R21431 / .444 Marlin 240 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 2350 FPS / $93.99
  • R21435 / .32 Win. Special 170 Grain Core-Lokt Tipped Lever Gun / 2250 FPS / $69.99
• Remington’s Standard V is their new best-price .22 LR plinking load.  It is subsonic, with a muzzle velocity around 1,080 fps. It comes packaged in 1,400-round buckets and 550-round bricks.
• Remington’s Ranch Hand line is claimed to be the most reliable .22 LR on the market. They even go so far as to say it has a failure rate that is three times less than the most comparable competitor product. It comes in both round nose or hollow point options in a 100-round box.
• Remington’s Performance Wheelgun .22 LR load uses a 39-grain heavily tapered bullet at under 800 fps, making it very quiet, even in revolvers. The unique bullet shape makes it easier to load into the little cylinder openings of single-action .22 revolvers. Due to the low muzzle velocity, it will not cycle most semiautomatics.

• Fiocchi’s new CovertX ammunition is crafted for CCW use in small defensive handguns and comes in 20-round boxes or 10 boxes per case. Available loads include:
  • .380 Auto: 95-gr. JHP, 1025 fps, #380CCWA
  • 9mm Luger: 124-gr. JHP, 1115 fps, #9CCWB
  • .45 ACP: 230-gr. JHP, 875 fps, #45CCWB
  • .38 Spl. +P: 125-gr. JHP, 1200 fps, #38CCWA
  • .357 Magnum: 125-gr. JHP, 1425 fps, #357CCWA
• Fiocchi’s Hyperformance Defense lineup includes precision-engineered SBR Enhanced ammunition, optimized for short barrels ranging from 7.5″ to 11.5″, and designed to deliver maximum ballistic and terminal performance. The line also features the cutting-edge 4.6x30mm cartridge – a high-velocity, low-recoil round favored by elite military forces and law enforcement, offering top-tier ballistic results with its 38-grain tipped hollow point.
• Winchester’s Long Beard ammunition line has been souped up with 18g/cc TSS small diameter (#8 & #9) shot, claiming 6-8X times the number of pellets compared to a typical lead load in a 10″ circle at 60 yards. Heavy payloads, .410 bore through 12 ga. 3.5″. I bet that 2-3/4 oz. load kicks. Expensive.
• Browning Golden Clays shotgun loads are intended to fit in between Winchester’s AA and Super Target lines. .410 bore, 28 ga., 20 ga. 16 ga. and five 12 ga. loads. Expected to MSRP at around $10.
• Benelli’s Super Black Eagle 3 now comes with the Advanced Impact (A.I.) barrel and choke system, comprised of an innovative barrel bore contour coupled with Benelli’s new Advanced Impact CRIO® chokes which work together to deliver a payload downrange with greater velocity and energy than standard shotgun barrels; up to 50% greater on-target penetration. The unique design of the barrel and choke enhances pattern density and promotes more uniform spread. So the shot not only hits harder and penetrates deeper, but also puts more pellets on the target. The only problem is these guns cost three times what I paid for my original SBE, going for around $3000+. But if you want only one shotgun, that would be the one. Benelli has also added more choices in the 28 gauge SBE 3 line.
• Pedersoli’s pump rifles. Cool.
• Henry Repeating Arms will be offering carbon fiber barrels on some of its modernistic tube magazine lever rifles.  Henry is also launching a new Special Products Division committed to creating an all-new series of customized firearms for specific applications, with its first products rolling out this spring.
• AirForce Airguns’ Tex-Rex is the latest evolution in the Texan line, delivering unprecedented power and performance. With the capability of generating over 1,100 foot-pounds of muzzle energy with 620 grain slugs and with velocities reaching over 1,250 feet per second, the Tex-Rex stands out as the most powerful American-made production air rifle. Initially available in .510 caliber to be followed by the .457. $1500.
• Viridian Weapon Technologies now offers a rechargeable grip laser specifically designed for the iconic Taurus Judge and Taurus Tracker revolvers.
• Burris Optics has introduced the completely redesigned fifth-generation Fullfield riflescope line.
• MTM now offers a suppressor case, the SC3.
• The American Tactical Imports Road Agent is a SxS double barrel and double trigger 12 ga. shotgun. One is a stainless receiver model and one has a black receiver with a silver inlay. The stainless model is the Road Agent Prime and it has 26-inch barrels compared to the standard model with 18.5-inch tubes. The guns are internal hammer-fired but feature a safety that acts as a dual hammer block. It’s on the left side, but the safety blocks both hammers. If you press the safety down, it switches off, but if you press it beyond the off position, the hammers de-cock. $600.
• Streamlight’s new MegaStream USB flashlight is 5.3 inches long, 1.1 inch diameter, weighs 5.4 ounces, and features three output modes: High (1,800 lumens, 26,000 candela, 322-meter beam distance), Medium (500 lumens, 7,200 candela, 170-meter beam distance), and Low (150 lumens, 2,100 candela, 92-meter beam distance). Run times range from 13 hours on the Low setting to two hours on High. The new light is powered by a 3,500mAh Streamlight SL-B34 lithium-ion battery pack, which can be charged inside or outside of the flashlight. $150.