Archive for the ‘Guns’ Category

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Suggestion: Offer Texas Enterprise Fund Money to Blue State Gun Manufacturers Who Relocate to Texas

Thursday, December 20th, 2012

I’m not a fan of the Texas Enterprise Fund, because I don’t think government should be picking economic winners and losers; let them succeed or fail on their own merits rather than getting a boost from the Aristocracy of Pull. Some liberal critics have accused the Enterprise Fund of being Rick Perry’s slush fund for donors, but in truth all federal business subsidies are slush funds, and I think the Texas Enterprise Fund is markedly less corrupt than the Obama Administration’s green energy pork for contributors, or its $25 billion Government Motors bailout gift to the United Auto Workers.

Given that the Texas Enterprise Fund does exit, I can think of at least one good use for it: Helping gun manufacturers relocate from Blue States to Texas.

After all, it’s obvious that Blue State sentiment is running (at least right now) against legal gun ownership by law-abiding Americans, and that pressure (legal and otherwise) will be brought to bear on them to stop manufacturing certain types of perfectly legal weapons, or to cease business entirely.

So why not invite them to relocate to Texas? We have a skilled and highly educated non-union workforce, a broad and deep manufacturing base, a thriving economy, a culture that appreciates firearms ownership and their place in American history, stautory protection against frivolous lawsuits against firearms manufacturers, and no state income tax. While it’s a pain in the ass to move a manufacturing facility, doing so now could both increase a firearms manufacturer’s profit and prevent political pressure and legal harassment further down the line.

Companies that might be targeted include:

  • Colt Firearms of Connecticut
  • Kimber Manufacturing of New York
  • Smith & Wesson of Massachusetts
  • Springfield Armory in Illinois

    • Among many, many others.

    Texas could gain millions of dollars worth of economic boost at the expense of state that don’t appreciate firearms manufacturers anyway.

    Worth considering.

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    Posted in Guns, Obama Scandals, Texas | 3 Comments »

    Democrats Can’t Help Wanting to Ban Guns. It’s What They Do.

    Tuesday, December 18th, 2012

    Like a foolish dog returning to eat its own sick, liberals can’t stay away from expressing their long pent-up desire to disarm law-abiding Americans. Their central governing principle is to give more money and power to the federal government (or the UN, when they can get away with it), and independent gun owners stand in their way. The Sandy Hook shooting victims weren’t even in the ground before Democratic lawmakers were calling on Obama to “exploit” (their words) the tragedy to push for more gun control.

    Liberals seem to regard guns like Sauron’s One Ring: as an evil object of magical power that automatically warps and corrupts the user. Frequently, they also seem to see people disagreeing with them as a sign of mental illness. (Check Twitter for how many call 2nd Amendment activists “sick” or “insane.”) I suspect that makes it harder for them to recognize real mental illness. And when they say they want a “dialog” over guns, what they really mean is “Shut up and hand over your guns and I’ll temporarily stop calling you deranged, bloodthirsty killers.”

    When the plan to deter gun use by the criminal and insane starts out “Step 1: Disarm the Sane and Law-Abiding,” I think I see a flaw in their brilliant scheme. It’s as if there were a rash of food poisonings from unlicensed food carts, and the liberal solution was to ban an all food carts.

    Two years ago I said that when push comes to shove, there’s no such thing as a pro-gun Democrat, and this week West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin is the prime example, “A” rating from the NRA notwithstanding. Expect any pro-gun Democrats to either undergo a mysterious conversion to the gun-grabbing cause, or get pushed out of the party, just like nominally “pro-life Democrats” either caved (Bart Stupak and his bloc) or were pushed out (pretty much every national election over the last 20 years).

    Other Sandy Hook shooting fallout:

  • David Kopel notes that “Today, Americans are safer from violent crime, including gun homicide, than they have been at any time since the mid-1960s.” (Kopel is author of The Samurai, the Mountie, and the Cowboy, which I recommend for anyone serious about looking at both sides of the debate over gun control.)
  • Remember that the problem of random mass murder is not a new one. “Mass murder was just as common during the 1920s and 30s as it has been since the mid-1960s.”
  • It’s hard to tell from the media reports, but the .223 Bushmaster reportedly used by shooter Adam Lanza does not appear to have any of the cosmetic features covered by the Clinton-era “assault weapons” ban (i.e., any two of a folding stock, pistol grip, bayonet mount, barrel shroud or flash suppressor). Therefore it’s not an “assault weapon.” (The liberal definition of an “assault weapon” is “any gun that looks scary.”)
  • And the result of the Clinton “assault weapon” ban? As per Clayton E. Cramer, “he policy has been tried and found wanting.”
  • Every single recent mass killing save one has taken place in a “gun free” zone.
  • John Lott, author of the essential More Guns, Less Crime, says that we should arm teachers and ban “gun free zones.”
  • Notice how the repeated failure of gun control is always used as the justification for more gun control? Which is pretty much liberal policy on every issue (welfare spending, regulation, etc.) in a nutshell.
  • The record of gun control in reducing crime in other countries is also generally one of failure as well.
  • Here in Austin, the owner of Thai Noodle House (probably the worst Thai restaurant in town) declared that “I don’t care if a bunch of white kids got killed.” Strangely enough this did not win him many friends, and the restaurant is currently closed.
  • For still another view of the problem, read “I Am Adam Lanza’s Mother,” probably the most passed-around article in the blogsphere and Twitter this week.

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    Posted in Crime, Democrats, Guns | 2 Comments »

    Firearm Releated Homicides Have Declined for Five Straight Years

    Saturday, December 15th, 2012

    So sayeth the FBI.

  • 2007: 10,129 Firearm Homicides
  • 2008: 9,528 Firearm Homicides
  • 2009: 9,199 Firearm Homicides
  • 2010: 8,874 Firearm Homicides
  • 2011: 8,583 Firearm Homicides

    • They may have declined for longer than that, but the table only goes back to 2007, and the 2012 data period obviously hasn’t ended yet.

    Between concealed carry laws and DC. vs. Heller, more law-abiding citizens are carrying guns than ever before, but gun violence isn’t up, it’s down.

    I guess John Lott was right.

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    Posted in Crime, Guns | No Comments »

    Syria and Guns

    Thursday, November 29th, 2012

    OK. Thanksgiving break over.

    I’ve come across a couple of blogs from the world of international conflict you may want to take a look at:

  • Brown Moses tracks developments in the Syrian civil War, with a special focus on the ordinance expended and captured there.
  • The Gun follows the more general word of international military arms, including transfer and use in combat.

    • Both are worth checking out.

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    Posted in Foreign Policy, Guns, Jihad, Military | No Comments »

    Sexy Girls (With Bad Judgment), Sexy Guns

    Monday, November 12th, 2012

    So it turns out that Paula Broadwell, purported mistress of (now) former CIA director David Petraeus, used to moonlight as a machine gun model:

    While not my favorite of the genre, who doesn’t like a woman who can handle a firearm? (Though she’s more in the “wouldn’t kick her out of bed for eating crackers” than “jaw-dropping gorgeous” category; then again, this seems sadly common in today’s Democratic sex scandals.)

    As for the video itself? Whenever a gun manufacturer starts talking about “revolutionary” designs, I start rolling my eyes. It’s an obvious PR/grant bait reel, and should be viewed as such.

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    Posted in Guns, Military, Obama Scandals, video | No Comments »

    Texas Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-umbass) Actually Forgets the Second Amendment

    Thursday, October 25th, 2012

    There’s this thing called the Constitution. Perhaps you’ve heard of it. Fundamental law of the land, guiding document for the federal government, etc. Sorta important.

    There’s this section of it called “The Second Amendment.” “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” Gives citizens the right to bear arms. Kind of a big deal. Especially in Texas.

    Perhaps someone needs to tell that to Texas Rep. Ruben Hinojosa (D-umbass), who actually managed to forget what the Second Amendment was during a debate:

    “I’m drawing a blank on the Second Amendment, but I think it’s the weapons, isn’t it? The NRA?”

    Note: This being the Internet and all, I think I should emphasize that the above actually happened. My snarky self didn’t invent it out of whole cloth. An incumbent Democratic congressman from Texas, who’s been in office since 1997, forgot the Second Amendment. “I’m drawing a blank on the First Amendment, but I think it’s the churches, isn’t it? The Pope? Any maybe newspapers?”

    There shouldn’t be a high school senior who doesn’t know what the Second Amendment is, much less a United States Congressman. Either Rep. Hinojosa is woefully ignorant of the Constitution, or else he’s suffering from some sort of debilitating mental illness. In either case, he’s unfit for office.

    Rep. Hinojosa has a Republican challenger in Dale Brueggemann. He has an uphill struggle against an entrenched incumbent in a district that went 57% for Obama, but I doubt he expected his opponent to make such a huge gaffe. I’m sure he would appreciate any help fans of the Second Amendment could throw his way.

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    Posted in Democrats, Elections, Guns, Texas | 2 Comments »

    Assault Weapons Vital Topic Among America’s 23 Million Unemployed

    Wednesday, October 17th, 2012

    Hempstead, N.Y.: All across the country, millions of unemployed Americans expressed relief and gratitude that Obama finally addressed their most important issue at last night’s Presidential debate: assault weapons.

    “I’m glad Obama is finally tackling assault weapons,” said Barbara Rheems, taking a brief pause from brushing her teeth in the 1998 Honda Civic that has been her home for the last three years. “I think that’s the greatest concern facing our country.”

    “Thank God Nina Gonzales had the courage to ask about assault weapons,” said Richard Smith, an unemployed construction worker, speaking from the cot in his mother’s basement. “I can’t think of a single more pressing issue.”

    “Assault weapons terrify me,” said mother Gladys Castle, who was busy preparing an “Obama soup” made from pilfered ketchup packets for her three hungry children. “I’m afraid that at any moment they might burst out of closets and gun safes and start shooting people.”

    “Well it’s about time someone dealt with America’s biggest challenge, which is reinstating the Clinton-era assault weapons ban,” said Tom Feller, who spoke to us from behind his homemade cardboard WILL WORK ANY JOB/HAVE CHILDREN TO FEED/GOD BLESS sign. “The fact is that Americans just don’t need a weapon that has any two of a folding stock, a pistol grip, a bayonet mount, or a flash suppressor, and it’s high time we moved to disarm ordinary Americans citizens who purchased such weapons in a completely lawful manner.”

    A CNN poll of America’s unemployed showed that assault weapons were far and away the most pressing issue this election, with 78% citing them as their biggest concern, while those who said that their top issue was forcing Catholics to pay for contraception were a distant second at 19%.

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    Posted in Crime, Democrats, Elections, Guns | 4 Comments »

    To Glock or Not To Glock, That Is The Question

    Thursday, August 23rd, 2012

    I got my CHL in the mail today. (When I have time I’ll try to do a post on the process of getting one for those who haven’t.) I currently have a Kimber .45, which I think is a bit heavy to use as a carry gun.

    My instructor was big on the Glock, which I know a lot of people use as a carry gun and has some improvements over the M1911. So I thought I would ask my CHL-holding rreaders: 1. What concealed carry gun do you favor, and why, and 2. What experience (if any) have you had using a Glock?

    And speaking of CHL classes, here’s Karl Rehn of KRTraining on what to bring to class to make your instructor happy.

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    Posted in Guns, Texas | 5 Comments »

    Cute Japanese Girls Fire Guns

    Monday, August 20th, 2012

    (Been under the weather today, so instead of actual news and analysis, you get this.)

    Having been to Japan, I can assure you that, despite the many modern similarities between our two countries, there are indeed important differences:

  • Japanese law prohibits its citizens from buying any of the awesome guns the United States manufactures.
  • The United States has a distinct lack of Maid Cafes.

    • Is there anything that can be done to bridge this cultural gap?

    Yes. Yes there is.

    Important safety tip: Never fire more gun than you can handle.

    All those are in Japanese, but we’re really talking universal languages here.

    Tomorrow: Content that looks a lot less like the sort of video you could order from one of the ads in back of Soldier of Fortune magazine circa 1985…

    (Hat tip: Ace of Spades.)

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    Posted in Guns, video | 1 Comment »

    That’s a Hunka Hunka Hunka Blazing Steel

    Wednesday, August 15th, 2012

    Quick followup to last week’s story on the auction of three of Elvis Presley’ guns, which went under the gavel yesterday. The results (all prices include buyer’s premium):

  • A Field King Boxed Semi-Automatic Pistol chambered in .22 long rifle went for $5,000.
  • A Savage Arms Model 99A Takedown .250-3000 caliber Lever Action Rifle went for $4,062.50. .250-3000 isn’t a caliber I’m particularly familiar with, so here’s the Wikipedia entry for it.
  • And the gun I highlighted, a Colt .357 Magnum Python Double Action revolver went for a hefty $13,750.00.

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    Posted in Guns, Uncategorized | 2 Comments »

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