Pre-reader warning: If some of this seems like sentimental rambling it probably is, and I offer no appologies for it. I get that way with certain firearms, especially when I am preparing to hunt with them.
The weather is looking good for a nice day at the range this Saturday. In anticipation of a Hog Hunt in late March my oldest son, a hunting buddy and I will be target testing the firearms we plan to use. Also Accompanying us on the Oklahoma hunt will be my younger brother from New Mexico and a friend from Kansas. My Brother will be using a Pre-64 Model 94 30-30 and Mike will be using a Ruger 1B in 25-06 that he got for Christmas.
Enter the Glock
My oldest son is adamant about only using his Glock 23, 40 Smith & Wesson Caliber. We have done considerable research on the right load to use for hogs and have settled on the Remington Express 155 grain offering. Ballistically this appears to be a good load. It is also one of only a few loads in that caliber that meet the criteria to hunt Whitetail deer with in Nebraska. (handguns that deliver at least 400 ft. lbs of energy at 50 yards)
I was originally intending to use a Glock 23 as well, and the Remington 155 grain load has been very accurate in both firearms in the past. We are anticipating shooting distances from a few feet to a maximun of 30 yards So this load in the G 23 should by all accounts give good service if the hunter does his part.
My Buddy's guns
My buddy (he is shy and doesn't like his real name or picture on the net) whom I previously wrote about here will be bringing a short barreled Magna-Ported 44 Magnum 629 Smith & Wesson and a Marlin lever action in 45-70. He hasn't clued me in as to the loads he intends to use yet but he is an experienced shooter and hunter so what ever he has will be up to the task.
As for myself I am suffering the bane of all gun owners that own more than one gun. I am torn as to which to use. Since I had made my original decision to use one of my Glock 23's I have recently (in the last six months) aquired two firearms that each came with its own suitcase load of sentimentality.
Grandpa's Old Winchester
The first is a rifle I have written about previously here. It belonged to my Grandfather who passed away in 1977 and never got to see even a picture of his first great-grand son who had been born only days earlier. (My oldest son) This long barreld rifle is a made in 1907 Winchester Model 94 and sports (probably from the factory) a Lyman tang peep sight. It is in Winchester 32 special caliber and is the rifle featured in the picture at the top of this Blog being fired by my oldest son.
I had decided that this was going to be my primary firearm and aquired several boxes of Federal's 170 grain ammunition. I wanted to use this firearm simply because of the history that I have with it, but there is also a certain satisfaction that comes with adding your own history to a family heirloom. Now that we have that settled right??
Now enter the second baggage laden firearm.
A very dear friend that is also a veteran of the South East Asian conflict bestowed upon me a Smith & Wesson Model 629 44 Magnum round butt revolver. This particular non-fluted firearm originally came with a 4 inch barrel. Jerry sent the firearm to the Smith & wesson Custom Shop and had the action worked over and tuned. While it was there he had them install a 3 inch Magna-ported barrel on it. The first time I ever saw this gun replete with its rosewood grips I told jerry that it had to be about one of the most ugly pug-nosed guns I had ever seen and contemplated on the joy or lack there of in shooting such a beast.
This will be the primary firearm I use
Jerry has been insisting that I take the gun and hunt with it for more than a year now. He is also insistant that I use it in bowling pin competitions. I finally relented and accepted the gun over coffee a month or so back and the first pin shoot of the season is next weekend.
Jerry's disabilities preclude him from getting out and hunting like he used to and other than shooting this gun at the range he has never hunted with it. All he has asked from me is that I give him an 8x10 of me, a hog and the gun in the same picture. That readers is my intention.
I will also have the old 32 along in case I opt for the opportunity to harvest a second hog or in the rare event I don't have any within the range of the 44.
Having been a handgun hunter since the early 70's I have amassed considerable experience with (among other calibers) the 44 Magnum. Whitetail deer in the north east, Moose in Alaska, Mule deer in New Mexico and Montana, to name but a few. I have also spent hours casting bullets and reloading for this caliber.
For this hunt however I'm keeping it simple and sticking to factory ammunition. I have no doubt that Winchesters 240 grain Jacketed soft point will do its job if I do mine.
Why I chose the way I did
My Grandfather has been gone for many decades and knew that one day I would inherit the rifle from his son, my uncle Paul. I'm sure he also knew that I would put that firearm out in the field and use it as he had. This is something I can do another time.
My friend Jerry is still alive and even when he can't be in the field, he is with us in spirit. He has asked me to do something that he has not had the opportunity to do with that handgun and Jerry has always been the kind of friend that on the rare occassion he asks a favor I am happy to deliver.
Later this year
I am also planning a Whitetail deer hunt in Ohio this season. If the wife will be able to go it will be after Christmas for the Muzzle loading season. If her schedule won't allow that I will go for the regular firearms season in November for the sole purpose of providing Jerry with a picture of me, the 629 and a good sized Whitetail Buck. Yea Jerry is the kind of friend you go above and beyond for.
Hopefully I will be able to post a full range report complete with a few pictures either Sunday or Monday at the latest.
Thursday, February 24, 2005
Monday, February 21, 2005
New Blogroll Addition
As I indicated in a post sometime back I had been reading Head's Bunker Blog for some time and that it needed to be added to the blogroll.
For all the Gun Bloggers out there, Head has a challenge for us. It involves introducing a new shooter to the sport in the form of a competition based on the honor system.
Check it out.
For all the Gun Bloggers out there, Head has a challenge for us. It involves introducing a new shooter to the sport in the form of a competition based on the honor system.
Check it out.
Friday, February 18, 2005
Indoctrination vs. Education
Felon disfranchisement
Could this be the latest buzz word or politically correct expression used to envoke sympathy for the poor convicted "it wasn't their fault they had a rough childhood" criminals?
In this weeks Opinion piece in the Daily Nebraskan, Alex Clark uses that combination of words to state his case for the restoration of voting rights for convicted felons.
Alex a sophomore political science major plays the race card in the very first paragraph, again in the third and the fifteenth. One gets the feeling the only reason Alex or anyone else cares about this is that it has an effect on minorities. If it were only white American males that were "victims of felon disfranchisement" would student Clark be so passionate and out spoken on the issue?
This is what they are learning in college these days?
The purpose of election law is not to make sure good citizens are running the country. The purpose of election law is to gauge the sentiment of the people ruled and translate their attitudes into actions.
That is the most accurate and complete recipe for Sodom and Gommorah I have ever read. That truely illustrates the point many of us have been making for years; That a segment of our society genuinely wants the inmates running the asylum.
In the very next paragraph Alex writes;
If we have a rehabilitative justice system, then how can we justify not trusting those rehabilitated with the most important civic right? In many states, disfranchisement is permanent.
Why stop there Alex lets take it one step farther? You are all for the restoration of rights for those persons that have paid their debt to society, why not make it total and complete. If they have earned the right to our unbiased trust allow me the latitude of re-writing one of your paragraphs in my own words;
I don’t understand the danger in letting ex-offendersvoteposess firearms. Are we afraid they would steal their voting booths or accost pollworkers rob a bank or accost a Kwik-Shop employee? I feel the only people that cannot be trusted to vote are the permanently violent who shouldn’t be allowed out of prison anyway. It seems nonsensical and duplicitous to claim we can trust someone with physical liberty but not with voting the ability to protect and defend themselves, something far less dangerous.
Hey Alex, how about it there buddy lets not go about this with any halfway tripe, lets jump right out there and show the world what big hearts we have for the reformed of our society. After all if they have paid their debt, why should they be denied any right?
After all as you put it "we trust them with personal liberty" don't they have the same right to protect that personal liberty as you and I do? You shouldn't have a problem with that since as you so eloquantly state "the permanently violent who shouldn’t be allowed out of prison anyway".
Do I think that felons, that have paid their debt to society, be allowed to vote? Yes I do. I also favor the current system to have their rights restored, in some cases even the right to own firearms, gradually over a period of time as they prove they can become a continuing contributing member of society.
LOB53 is just another handout that panders to a restricted segment of society. A segment that is composed of all races and nationalities of people. It is just another touchy feely way of telling those that prey on the law abiding public that hey no sweat don't worry about having to earn anything.
To all the Cons in Nebraska;
When this bill passes you can just sit around with all your convict buddies remenicing the old days and planning new capers and as long as you don't get caught you can vote for me in two years. And if you vote for me in two years I will continue to make it easier for you to prey upon those I have taken an oath to protect.
Sincerely Yours,
Senators Feelgood and Onthetake
P.S. Remeber to vote once but vote often.
I wonder just how many people this law will benifit anyway. One would think that with the recidisism rate among felons very few would ever make it to the two year mark without being arrested for another equally henious crime.
And if you care to respond Alex, and as a next to final point I just got to ask what Hagel and Bereuters comments about President Bush have to do with the topic of your essay?
Are you trying to imply that if the felons were autonimously allowed the vote that Al Gore or John Kerry would be President now and all would be well with society?
Come on Alex put your keyboard where your heart is. If the "reformed felons" deserve one right restored they deserve all of them restored. Don't be a piker about it Alex let's campaign for all or nothing, if they have the intelligence and the trust to vote they ought to have the intellgince and trut to own firearms for their own self protection.
How about it bud are you in for the end game???????????????
Could this be the latest buzz word or politically correct expression used to envoke sympathy for the poor convicted "it wasn't their fault they had a rough childhood" criminals?
In this weeks Opinion piece in the Daily Nebraskan, Alex Clark uses that combination of words to state his case for the restoration of voting rights for convicted felons.
Alex a sophomore political science major plays the race card in the very first paragraph, again in the third and the fifteenth. One gets the feeling the only reason Alex or anyone else cares about this is that it has an effect on minorities. If it were only white American males that were "victims of felon disfranchisement" would student Clark be so passionate and out spoken on the issue?
This is what they are learning in college these days?
The purpose of election law is not to make sure good citizens are running the country. The purpose of election law is to gauge the sentiment of the people ruled and translate their attitudes into actions.
That is the most accurate and complete recipe for Sodom and Gommorah I have ever read. That truely illustrates the point many of us have been making for years; That a segment of our society genuinely wants the inmates running the asylum.
In the very next paragraph Alex writes;
If we have a rehabilitative justice system, then how can we justify not trusting those rehabilitated with the most important civic right? In many states, disfranchisement is permanent.
Why stop there Alex lets take it one step farther? You are all for the restoration of rights for those persons that have paid their debt to society, why not make it total and complete. If they have earned the right to our unbiased trust allow me the latitude of re-writing one of your paragraphs in my own words;
I don’t understand the danger in letting ex-offenders
Hey Alex, how about it there buddy lets not go about this with any halfway tripe, lets jump right out there and show the world what big hearts we have for the reformed of our society. After all if they have paid their debt, why should they be denied any right?
After all as you put it "we trust them with personal liberty" don't they have the same right to protect that personal liberty as you and I do? You shouldn't have a problem with that since as you so eloquantly state "the permanently violent who shouldn’t be allowed out of prison anyway".
Do I think that felons, that have paid their debt to society, be allowed to vote? Yes I do. I also favor the current system to have their rights restored, in some cases even the right to own firearms, gradually over a period of time as they prove they can become a continuing contributing member of society.
LOB53 is just another handout that panders to a restricted segment of society. A segment that is composed of all races and nationalities of people. It is just another touchy feely way of telling those that prey on the law abiding public that hey no sweat don't worry about having to earn anything.
To all the Cons in Nebraska;
When this bill passes you can just sit around with all your convict buddies remenicing the old days and planning new capers and as long as you don't get caught you can vote for me in two years. And if you vote for me in two years I will continue to make it easier for you to prey upon those I have taken an oath to protect.
Sincerely Yours,
Senators Feelgood and Onthetake
P.S. Remeber to vote once but vote often.
I wonder just how many people this law will benifit anyway. One would think that with the recidisism rate among felons very few would ever make it to the two year mark without being arrested for another equally henious crime.
And if you care to respond Alex, and as a next to final point I just got to ask what Hagel and Bereuters comments about President Bush have to do with the topic of your essay?
Are you trying to imply that if the felons were autonimously allowed the vote that Al Gore or John Kerry would be President now and all would be well with society?
Come on Alex put your keyboard where your heart is. If the "reformed felons" deserve one right restored they deserve all of them restored. Don't be a piker about it Alex let's campaign for all or nothing, if they have the intelligence and the trust to vote they ought to have the intellgince and trut to own firearms for their own self protection.
How about it bud are you in for the end game???????????????
Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Shooting Blanks or Paying Homage to the Moron?
The most recent edition of the Nebraska Universities Campus paper The Daily Nebraskan features an article penned by Senior physics and chemestry major Adam Scheer.
In his opinion piece entitled "Shooting Blanks" Student Scheer shamelesly pays homage to Michael Moore, by basing his diatribe entirely on "facts he gleaned from the movie "Bowling for Columbine".
"Facts" that have been credably proven false time after time since the release of Moore's "documentry".
I am not even going to bother to fisque his rant, it is not worth re-writing what has already been written by countless other legal scholars like David Kopel, et al.
Whether Scheer took the easy way out and just sat down with a laptop, a bowl of popcorn and the movie or whether he has had his head stuck so far up a test tube for so long that he didn't know that the entire movie had been seriously debunked is a moot point. The point is that Adam seems to get all of his current events education from the box office.
What's next Adam? Should we appeal to the Jedi High Councel urging them to send Obi-Wan to settle the Iraqi problem? Or maybe the situation is so desparate that Yoda himself must go.
Adam is there anything pressing that we need Jason Bourne for?
The Daily Nebraskan does have a section where readers can submit their comments. After they have been approved by the editorial staff they will be posted under the article in question.
In his opinion piece entitled "Shooting Blanks" Student Scheer shamelesly pays homage to Michael Moore, by basing his diatribe entirely on "facts he gleaned from the movie "Bowling for Columbine".
"Facts" that have been credably proven false time after time since the release of Moore's "documentry".
I am not even going to bother to fisque his rant, it is not worth re-writing what has already been written by countless other legal scholars like David Kopel, et al.
Whether Scheer took the easy way out and just sat down with a laptop, a bowl of popcorn and the movie or whether he has had his head stuck so far up a test tube for so long that he didn't know that the entire movie had been seriously debunked is a moot point. The point is that Adam seems to get all of his current events education from the box office.
What's next Adam? Should we appeal to the Jedi High Councel urging them to send Obi-Wan to settle the Iraqi problem? Or maybe the situation is so desparate that Yoda himself must go.
Adam is there anything pressing that we need Jason Bourne for?
The Daily Nebraskan does have a section where readers can submit their comments. After they have been approved by the editorial staff they will be posted under the article in question.
Wednesday, February 09, 2005
Passing a broke bill
It has been no big secret that I do not like LB454 in its current form. I along with several other hard working and dedicated people have been addressing our concerns for the shortcomings of LB454 with the various members of the judiciary committee. If certain sections of the bill would be amended and/or changed it could provide for a serious working model for future enhancement.
In previous posts I have addressed the most serious of those issues and won't bore you with a re-hash of that.
Mostly what I am hearing from people that support LB454 as it is written, including several of the Senators and the NRA is that "it is essential that we get THIS bill made into law. Once we have the law it will be easier to get it changed."
Excuse me!!!!!!!!!!!
Pardon me while I dissagree.
How in hell would anyone think that? Especially about Nebraska.
If this bill passes this year it will be because nearly every Senator in the Unicameral has been dragged kicking and screaming to the podium to vote for cloture of a Senator Chambers filibuster. And it will have taken the better part of a decade to get that done.
Previously I have written of my conversations with Senator Chambers. He is a very intellegent and well read Senator and citizen of Nebraska. He opposes CCW because he has researched the subject and based on his life experiences has come to the conclusion that it is not necessary. That is one man speaking from his own heart and not the voice of those Senators that hide behind him.
If there is one thing Ernie Chambers is not it is a liar. When Ernie Chambers tells you that there are any number of Senators that supposedly support CCW to their constituency and count on him to successfully filibuster it into oblivion every year because they really do not want the people that vote for them to have the ability to protect themselves YOU CAN TAKE THAT CHECK TO THE BANK.
Most of Nebraskas Senators don't really seem to favor or want it, how are they going to be when we go back to them in two years and tell them we want changes to it that make it easier for law abiding citizens to protect themselves?
It ain't gonna happen folks!!!!!!!!!!!!
If we do not get a good bill out of the gate then we will spend the next 10 years trying to change it all the while whining, crying, pissing and moaning about how restrictive it is and how it is better to take your chances under 28-1202 than to jump through all of the hoops like a good little state trained puppy dog for that permission slip to exercise a right. Waaaa waaaa waaaa
Sure we get a bill and the Unicameral has an out; they delegated all of the authority for its enactment to non-elected, non-accountable bereaucrats.
Dear Citizens,
You wanted a bill, we gave you a bill. A bill that was backed wholey and completely by the NRA, we might add. We delegated the powers in this bill to agencies that are trusted and viewed as responsible. Since that is a separate branch of Government we have no authority over them. Any changes that you deem necessary must be addressed by the supervisors of those individual departments, or take it up with the NRA since we gave that organization the bill that they asked for on your behalf.
Signed,
Your Unicameral
This bill allows the Senators to have it both ways. The ones that are not truely in favor of it get to pass a CCW law that will surely get some of them re-elected. By leaving the admistration of the law up to departments run by non-elected, and possibly anti-gun bereaucrats, they can disavow any responsibility when the majority of the citizens can not get a permit.
Which you can bet your bottom dollar that most of them want it that way anyway.
To re-cap; If it passes this time it will have taken nearly 10 years for it too happen. What the hell makes anyone think that it will take any less time for any changes however minor to be effected?
Get a grip on reality people; most of your Senators DO NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS. If you insist on it they will pass the most benign bill they can.
If your Senators were genuinely as supportive of this as they claim to be, it would have been law 8 years ago and we would be arguing about the changes that need addressing today not the enactment of the bill itsself.
I know there are is a very intellegent group of law abiding people that are working very hard to make a silk purse out of this sows ear, concerning LB454. I have met them. THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING, but they can't do it all or bring to bear the kind of pressure only large numbers of people can bring.
To the rest of you:
Get off your asses and do something. Start making some phone calls. Write some letters. If you live within 50 miles of Lincoln take some time and visit your Senators office in the unicameral and tell them that you made the trip just to let them know how you feel about LB454 and what you EXPECT them to do about it if they want your vote for re-election. Hell take two or three friends with you.
If you can't make it to Lincoln, find out when your Senator will be home or in your area, put together a meeting and invite that person to attend. If they don't show up tell the media about it, write letters to the editor of your local papers suggesting that your Senator is dodging his/her constituency. You are suppose to tell them what you want, not have them tell you what you are going to get.
One of the biggest reasons a CCW law has not been passed in Nebraska is not Senator Ernie Chambers, it is the apathy of the citizens in the state of Nebraska. If a majority of Nebraskans do not want CCW then that is fine with me, that is the way the system is suppose to work. If there are a large number of Nebraskans that want it but are unwilling to put forth any effort to get it passed then it will never happen, and that is the way the system works too.
The system works and will continue to work whether you are a part of it or not. But if your not a part of it don't expect anything from it. The reason our elected officials get away with so much is because so many of us are not a part of it and they count on that.
In previous posts I have addressed the most serious of those issues and won't bore you with a re-hash of that.
Mostly what I am hearing from people that support LB454 as it is written, including several of the Senators and the NRA is that "it is essential that we get THIS bill made into law. Once we have the law it will be easier to get it changed."
Excuse me!!!!!!!!!!!
Pardon me while I dissagree.
How in hell would anyone think that? Especially about Nebraska.
If this bill passes this year it will be because nearly every Senator in the Unicameral has been dragged kicking and screaming to the podium to vote for cloture of a Senator Chambers filibuster. And it will have taken the better part of a decade to get that done.
Previously I have written of my conversations with Senator Chambers. He is a very intellegent and well read Senator and citizen of Nebraska. He opposes CCW because he has researched the subject and based on his life experiences has come to the conclusion that it is not necessary. That is one man speaking from his own heart and not the voice of those Senators that hide behind him.
If there is one thing Ernie Chambers is not it is a liar. When Ernie Chambers tells you that there are any number of Senators that supposedly support CCW to their constituency and count on him to successfully filibuster it into oblivion every year because they really do not want the people that vote for them to have the ability to protect themselves YOU CAN TAKE THAT CHECK TO THE BANK.
Most of Nebraskas Senators don't really seem to favor or want it, how are they going to be when we go back to them in two years and tell them we want changes to it that make it easier for law abiding citizens to protect themselves?
It ain't gonna happen folks!!!!!!!!!!!!
If we do not get a good bill out of the gate then we will spend the next 10 years trying to change it all the while whining, crying, pissing and moaning about how restrictive it is and how it is better to take your chances under 28-1202 than to jump through all of the hoops like a good little state trained puppy dog for that permission slip to exercise a right. Waaaa waaaa waaaa
Sure we get a bill and the Unicameral has an out; they delegated all of the authority for its enactment to non-elected, non-accountable bereaucrats.
Dear Citizens,
You wanted a bill, we gave you a bill. A bill that was backed wholey and completely by the NRA, we might add. We delegated the powers in this bill to agencies that are trusted and viewed as responsible. Since that is a separate branch of Government we have no authority over them. Any changes that you deem necessary must be addressed by the supervisors of those individual departments, or take it up with the NRA since we gave that organization the bill that they asked for on your behalf.
Signed,
Your Unicameral
This bill allows the Senators to have it both ways. The ones that are not truely in favor of it get to pass a CCW law that will surely get some of them re-elected. By leaving the admistration of the law up to departments run by non-elected, and possibly anti-gun bereaucrats, they can disavow any responsibility when the majority of the citizens can not get a permit.
Which you can bet your bottom dollar that most of them want it that way anyway.
To re-cap; If it passes this time it will have taken nearly 10 years for it too happen. What the hell makes anyone think that it will take any less time for any changes however minor to be effected?
Get a grip on reality people; most of your Senators DO NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE THIS. If you insist on it they will pass the most benign bill they can.
If your Senators were genuinely as supportive of this as they claim to be, it would have been law 8 years ago and we would be arguing about the changes that need addressing today not the enactment of the bill itsself.
I know there are is a very intellegent group of law abiding people that are working very hard to make a silk purse out of this sows ear, concerning LB454. I have met them. THEY ARE DOING SOMETHING, but they can't do it all or bring to bear the kind of pressure only large numbers of people can bring.
To the rest of you:
Get off your asses and do something. Start making some phone calls. Write some letters. If you live within 50 miles of Lincoln take some time and visit your Senators office in the unicameral and tell them that you made the trip just to let them know how you feel about LB454 and what you EXPECT them to do about it if they want your vote for re-election. Hell take two or three friends with you.
If you can't make it to Lincoln, find out when your Senator will be home or in your area, put together a meeting and invite that person to attend. If they don't show up tell the media about it, write letters to the editor of your local papers suggesting that your Senator is dodging his/her constituency. You are suppose to tell them what you want, not have them tell you what you are going to get.
One of the biggest reasons a CCW law has not been passed in Nebraska is not Senator Ernie Chambers, it is the apathy of the citizens in the state of Nebraska. If a majority of Nebraskans do not want CCW then that is fine with me, that is the way the system is suppose to work. If there are a large number of Nebraskans that want it but are unwilling to put forth any effort to get it passed then it will never happen, and that is the way the system works too.
The system works and will continue to work whether you are a part of it or not. But if your not a part of it don't expect anything from it. The reason our elected officials get away with so much is because so many of us are not a part of it and they count on that.
Monday, February 07, 2005
Been way to busy
It has been a little over a week since I last posted.
We have had decent enough weather that I needed to get some outside work done, that included pruning and cutting back the dormant fruit bearing trees, rechecking and repairing the protections for water pipes and numorous other asundry chores that pile up when I spend to much time on the internet.
I have also, as time permits been working on several firearms. Chief among them is the restoration of a Waffenfabrik/Styer model 1909 tipup barrel 25. ACP. This is a "relic" of WWI and still shoots quite accurately by the way. It came to me in rether sad shape though. The internals and rifling are in great shape but the exterior is all patina and pitted in places.
One other project I have been working on is the complete refinishing of a Mossberg single shot target rifle. It certainly was not in as bad a shape as the styer when I got it but it too had languished in someone elses closet for years without the proper attention it is due.
Possibly when I get done with them or nearly so I will post pictures of them.
As if I don't have enough to do already, I aquired a two piece monte carlo stock with cheek piece for a 303 enfield that I have had since 1 was thirteen years old. It is in the raw, has never been on another firearm and is a real fine Walnut.
Hopefully I will have more time this week to do some writing, till then thank you all for checking in on a regular basis.
We have had decent enough weather that I needed to get some outside work done, that included pruning and cutting back the dormant fruit bearing trees, rechecking and repairing the protections for water pipes and numorous other asundry chores that pile up when I spend to much time on the internet.
I have also, as time permits been working on several firearms. Chief among them is the restoration of a Waffenfabrik/Styer model 1909 tipup barrel 25. ACP. This is a "relic" of WWI and still shoots quite accurately by the way. It came to me in rether sad shape though. The internals and rifling are in great shape but the exterior is all patina and pitted in places.
One other project I have been working on is the complete refinishing of a Mossberg single shot target rifle. It certainly was not in as bad a shape as the styer when I got it but it too had languished in someone elses closet for years without the proper attention it is due.
Possibly when I get done with them or nearly so I will post pictures of them.
As if I don't have enough to do already, I aquired a two piece monte carlo stock with cheek piece for a 303 enfield that I have had since 1 was thirteen years old. It is in the raw, has never been on another firearm and is a real fine Walnut.
Hopefully I will have more time this week to do some writing, till then thank you all for checking in on a regular basis.
Friday, January 28, 2005
LB 454 and the Future of Concealed Carry in Nebraska
History
Anyone that has been reading this Blog for a period of time knows that I and many other people in Nebraska believe that concealed carry is and always has been legal in this state. In past postings I have articulated that fact and provided links to articles of the constitution, statutes and case law to re-enforce that position.
Being a realist I understand that the only way this can be put to rest and to ensure that a Nebraskans ability to carry is not contravined by local ordinance and, recognized in other jurisdictions is for the subject to be legislated as a matter of state wide concern.
LB454
The citizens of Nebraska deserve more than this from their representitives. Considering what has been legislated in other states in recent years the Senators of Nebraska consider their constituants to be nothing more than children that are not deserving of the same laws that have passed in those states.
Personally I am offended by that abhorent demeanor of the Senators, as should every Nebraskan that is of the age of majority and capable of independant rational thought. Whether one supports this legislation or not anyone that recognizes the under current of arrogance and condemnation at work here should be mad, damned mad. If the Senators are of this tact on LB454, it has to be asked how many other bills do they hold their constituancy in such contempt on?
Their proposed legislation is an antiquated attempt to appease both sides of the issue and the result is a compromise that infers that the citizens of Nebraska are not as responsible as those of the other 46 states that do have some form of concealed carry laws.
To our Loyal SubjectsConstituancy,
We the Senators of the Unicameral hold that the citizens of Nebraska are not equal to and are therefore undeserving of the forms of legislation that has been enacted on behalf of the citizens in several of the other states. We shall provide you with LB454 and in the ensuing years should you demonstrate to us that you can be subserviant subjects accepting of our dominance responsible citizens led by our devine guidance we may at our leisure reward you with a change in this law. Be forewarned however that these changes if effected will only occur in years that require your vote for our re-election.
Sincerely, Your Royal Family Unicameral
P.S. - Do not attempt to influence us to change this bill. The NRA in the form of the representitive lobbying this body supports LB454 in it's present form and, in their recognized infinate wisdom, they have informed us that they do not wish to see it trifled with. We have therefore appeased the largest organization that represents a threat to our individual existence as Senators. The NRA has spoken for you on this matter and in wishing to maintain viable opportunities for our own individual re-elections we will be resisting your attempts to influence change prior to passage of LB454.
In not any specific order of relevance, because they are all equal, I will address the major points of concern that make LB454 unsuitable legislation for the citizens of Nebraska.
This bill does not address the issue of pre-emption.
There is nothing in it that will prohibit any political subdivision from restricting, banning or requiring their own licensing scheme. The ramifications are obvious and that the cities of Omaha, Lincoln and others will address this at city council is without doubt. Once a local law is passed any and all local ordinances are generally grandfathered when new state statute contravines. Once these local laws are instilled they can only be changed with local action.
Granted the CI-1 of the state Constitution is suppose to prevent that from happening, but it has yet to do so and it will doubtless prevent local ordinance in this respect either.
Training Requirements
The entire mandate for training has been designated to the State Patrol for establishment and implimentaion. Under LB454 as it is written the State Patrol could in it's judgement require the applicants for a Nebraska license to carry a concealed firearm undergo any number of hours of training. At their discretion they can also rewrite the requirements when ever they want to without approval of the Unicameral.
As it is now written there is nothing in LB454 that prevents the Patrol from manadating a minimum 40 hours of training be conducted at the Grand Island Law Enforcement Training Center, on a lottery basis and as space provides, to 40 individuals per year at an individual cost of 2000 dollars.
That it would be that extreme is doubtful, but the point is that the Patrol has utter and complete authority lacking any and all oversite from the Unicameral to establish anything they see fit at any time they see fit. That is just not good governement and is far too wide open for bereaucratic abuse.
A stated number of hours of training must be written into this bill. That is and has been the practice in all of the other states. The number of hours, within reason is inconsequential be it 10, 12, 14, 16 or even 20, but the number must be written in the bill.
Time limit for issuance
Under LB454 as it is written a Sheriff must issue a permit within 5 days of the completion of a background check. It is also pretty much up to the Sheriff to establish the entire scope and length of the background check.
Should a conceincious Sheriff determine that a complete and thorough background check take 6 months to a year, or more to complete for certain residents, there is nothing in this bill that hinders that efficiancy. One could profitably wager that friends, associates and campaign contributors would be the kinds of upstanding citizens that qualify to receive their permit in mere days.
This bill must be amended to reflect a maximum number of days the Sheriff has to issue from the receipt of an application. This requirement has not been a problem in any other state and the Sheriff is held harmless by the LB454 for problems arrising from the issuance of the permit anyway.
Reciprocity/Recognition
In the last year or two, the states of Missouri and Ohio have enacted CCW legislation that included recirpocity/recognition. New Mexico a state whose law predates Ohio and Missouri does not yet have that provision.
In recent years many of the other states have changed their laws to create or enhance the reciprocity and or recognition of other states permits. Arizona, Colorado and Oklahoma come immediately to mind.
That reciprocity/recognition cannot be a provision of LB454 is an affront to not only the responsible citizens of Nebraska but to those of the other states as well.
There is more that needs to be addressed in LB454, but the aforementioned articles of the bill are the most agregious, insulting and infringing. Virtually none of the topics addressed in the present form exist in the laws of any of the other states. (Any number of states may have one of these issues, but in their entirety there is no shall issue state, that I know of, that still emcompasses all of the items addressed above.)
This bill is a supposed model that has been passed in many other states. Given that being true, those states have in the last 2-20 years made the necessary changes and their laws no longer represent the original work.
That the citizens of Nebrsaka be required to submit to an original bill that many states have spent at least the last decade rewriting clearly demonstrates the regard in which the Unicameral holds the citizens it is suppose to be responsible to.
Informative point: Yes the NRA supports this bill in it's present form and does not want to see it trifled with. There may be more to report on that in the coming weeks.
Thursday, January 27, 2005
Yes I know I have been lazy and not posted anything since Monday.
But hey;
- It is my 48th birthday this week.
- I have been busy with the Unicameral trying to make a silk purse out of the sows ear they call a CCW law (LB454)
- I had to travel out of town Tuesday
- And in General I have just been to busy to do most of my daily reading let alone write to my own Blog.
- I am trying to get a post out today or tomorrow, but there is a really good gunshow in town this weekend and I am trying to put together my shopping list. (Don't expect much over the weekend ..hehehe)
- I appreciate everyone that keeps stopping by to check if anything new has been posted, if there are days you don't find anything new click through the links on my Blogroll. Those folks have good things on their sites.
All for now. Be safe & Keep the faith.
Gun
Monday, January 24, 2005
To what do we owe the honer??
History
Long time readers and residents of Nebraska are familiar with Matt Connealy. Matt, a Democrat, recently lost the election for the 1st District United States Congressional Seat vacated by retiring RINO Doug Beureter and now held by republican Jeff Fortenberry.
Concealed Carry legislation has as usual been introduced in the Unicameral and was given the designation LB454. Introduced by Jeanne Combs and co-sponsored by 23 other Senators the bill now boasts 25 sponsors.
Connealy is on Board
It seems that in the last week Matt Connealy has officially added his name as a co-sponsor of LB454.
After one of the Congressional debates last fall I had the occassion to ask the Senator why he opposed the previous bill LB256. His response was that it did not mandate training. Anyone remotely familiar with LB256 knows that there was a training requirement as part of that bill.
What ever the reason that brought Matt to the light is moot at this point and the bill has one more vote than I would have counted last week.
I could change my mind. It has been known to happen
In previous posts I have avered that I could not support this bill in it's current form, even before any attempt to attach agregious amendments that usually come from the floor.
I have spent this morning in meetings and negotiations with several Senators and their aides, some of whom are on the Judiciary Committee that will hear public comments on LB454. For the most part they were receptive to the concerns that were expressed about the bill and these items will be addressed when the bill is discussed in committee.
Many of the concerns can be fixed or changed with amendments that add or take away a few words here and there or simply line through ommissions.
In theory this could shape up to something I could support.
The Judiciary Committee
There are 8 Senators on the Judiciary Committee. There are definately 2 no votes to advance it to the floor, those being Chambers and Bourne. There are 6 yes votes that include the person that introduced the bill Combs, 2 co-sponsors Flood, Friend and one Senator who has co-sponsored the bill in the past Aguilar. Pedersen and Foley have said that they support the bill.
Lb454 will make it to the floor, it is there that the real work begins; Preventing the scurolous amendments that Senators like Chambers, Bourne and Schimek will attempt to attach to it.
I didn't think I would ever be saying this but it seems that there is a faint glimmer of hope that it could be a reality this time.
Senator Chambers promised to filibuster LB454
Lastly count on a Chambers filibuster. I spoke with him personally and asked him directly if he intends to do so.
From his own lips;
"I have to. They are counting on me, they need me to do it. It would suprise you the number of Senators that don't want it, that tell their constituency that they are for it to get votes, knowing that I will filibuster it. It makes me the scapegoat when they go back home and tell their voters hey I tried but that darn Ernie did it to you again."
Tell me you haven't heard that from me several times in the past.
Know thine enemy. It is not the Honorable Senator Ernie Chambers (D-Oma)
Long time readers and residents of Nebraska are familiar with Matt Connealy. Matt, a Democrat, recently lost the election for the 1st District United States Congressional Seat vacated by retiring RINO Doug Beureter and now held by republican Jeff Fortenberry.
Concealed Carry legislation has as usual been introduced in the Unicameral and was given the designation LB454. Introduced by Jeanne Combs and co-sponsored by 23 other Senators the bill now boasts 25 sponsors.
Connealy is on Board
It seems that in the last week Matt Connealy has officially added his name as a co-sponsor of LB454.
After one of the Congressional debates last fall I had the occassion to ask the Senator why he opposed the previous bill LB256. His response was that it did not mandate training. Anyone remotely familiar with LB256 knows that there was a training requirement as part of that bill.
What ever the reason that brought Matt to the light is moot at this point and the bill has one more vote than I would have counted last week.
I could change my mind. It has been known to happen
In previous posts I have avered that I could not support this bill in it's current form, even before any attempt to attach agregious amendments that usually come from the floor.
I have spent this morning in meetings and negotiations with several Senators and their aides, some of whom are on the Judiciary Committee that will hear public comments on LB454. For the most part they were receptive to the concerns that were expressed about the bill and these items will be addressed when the bill is discussed in committee.
Many of the concerns can be fixed or changed with amendments that add or take away a few words here and there or simply line through ommissions.
In theory this could shape up to something I could support.
The Judiciary Committee
There are 8 Senators on the Judiciary Committee. There are definately 2 no votes to advance it to the floor, those being Chambers and Bourne. There are 6 yes votes that include the person that introduced the bill Combs, 2 co-sponsors Flood, Friend and one Senator who has co-sponsored the bill in the past Aguilar. Pedersen and Foley have said that they support the bill.
Lb454 will make it to the floor, it is there that the real work begins; Preventing the scurolous amendments that Senators like Chambers, Bourne and Schimek will attempt to attach to it.
I didn't think I would ever be saying this but it seems that there is a faint glimmer of hope that it could be a reality this time.
Senator Chambers promised to filibuster LB454
Lastly count on a Chambers filibuster. I spoke with him personally and asked him directly if he intends to do so.
From his own lips;
"I have to. They are counting on me, they need me to do it. It would suprise you the number of Senators that don't want it, that tell their constituency that they are for it to get votes, knowing that I will filibuster it. It makes me the scapegoat when they go back home and tell their voters hey I tried but that darn Ernie did it to you again."
Tell me you haven't heard that from me several times in the past.
Know thine enemy. It is not the Honorable Senator Ernie Chambers (D-Oma)
Friday, January 21, 2005
Movies you won't see in a theater near you review
It has been a while since our movie critic elaborated on those movies that are only shown on the backside of his eye lids. So without further fan fare here is the Bar Wars Saga avaiable in the Special Collectors imaginary box set;
1. Bar wars: Liberal menace
After a drunken car crash left his pregnant padowan learner, Bubbles Pfatt (Mary Jo Kopechne) dead, a drunken Senator Palpitation (Teddy Kennedy) realizes he will never be elected High Council. Turning deeper to the Democrat side the Senator schemes to oust the leaders of the Republican led High Councel, Spaced Window (Gerald Ford) and Yodel (Nelson Rockefeller). The Senator backs Count DooDu (Jimmy Carter) and Boss Mess (Walter Mondale) intending to control them from behind the scenes.
2. Bar wars: Attack of the Clowns
A troubled Senator Palpitation (Kennedy) has sucessfully installed Count DooDu as High Council. Much to the Senators dismay DooDu (Carter) and Mess (Mondale) bumble their way through a four year administration seemly immune from the effects of Palpitations influence. Selling everything the Empire stands for down the river DooDu and Mess, will stop at nothing to ensure that Empire credits buy them another election
3. Bar wars: Return of the GOP
When all of the shinanagans of DooDu (Carter) and Mess (Mondale) come to light they are ousted at general election by Qui-Ray-Gun (Ronald Reagan) and his padowan apprentice Obi-Brush-Kanobi (George Bush Sr.). A comfortable period of security reins over the Empire as Qui-Ray-Gun holds steadfast to the principles that the Empire was founded on. Qui-Ray-Gun's leadership is so enspiring that the citizens elect Obi-Brush-Kanobi to replace him on the High Council. While not the leader that his predecesor was Brush-Kanobi maintains the peace for a four year term.
4. Bar wars: Bubbas from Hope
After his dibilitating defeat at the hands of the Republicans years before Senator Palpitation crawled further into the bottle rueing his defeat and plotting revenge. Sobering up long enough to locate a suitable padowan puppet to run the Council, Senator Palpitation finds a new apprentice that has already gone to the Democratic side. Bubba Klingon (Bill Clinton) aided by his trusty sidekick Har Har Blinks (Al Gore) are swept onto the High Council on a madate for change.
5. Bar wars: The GOP Fights back
Two years into Bubba's (Bill Clinton) leadership, Jabber-the Butt (Newt Geingrich) is thoroughly disgusted with the scandals that plague the Bubba Administration. Representive Jabber seeks to change the policies and lower taxes that were forced upon the people by Bubba. He forms alliances and establishes a 100 day contract with the Empire. This effort succeeds in Jabber-the Butt's gaining control of the necessary seats to effect the needed changes, even though it was not supported in the Senate by leader Opie Bob Kanope (Bob Dole). Discontent with the eight year leadership of Bubba Klingon the citizens of the Empire, in a closely contested election deny Har Har Blinks his assention to the highest seat in the Empire, by electing Scrub Brushwalker (George Bush Jr.) in his place.
6. Bar wars: Return of the GW
In this episode, said to be the final, in the Bar Wars saga, coming from almost relative obscurity Scrub Brushwalker (George Bush Jr.), the reletively unknown son of Obi-Brush-Kanobi ( George Bush sr.), takes the helm of a troubled Empire. The economy is in a downward spiral and within months of his election the Empire is visciously attacked by the Nemuslidians lead by Nuetered-Gun-Ray (Osama bin Laden). Scrub Brushwalker calls in all of his markers and on all of his Generals to throw back the opressive Nemuslidians and hunt down the evil Gun-Ray. Will Brushwalkers efforts be successfull? The Empire again trusts the helm of power to him, for a second term, as he continues his quest to eliminate the the threat of the Nemuslidians? Surely the audiance won't be left hanging on this point, there must be an episode seven being written.
1. Bar wars: Liberal menace
After a drunken car crash left his pregnant padowan learner, Bubbles Pfatt (Mary Jo Kopechne) dead, a drunken Senator Palpitation (Teddy Kennedy) realizes he will never be elected High Council. Turning deeper to the Democrat side the Senator schemes to oust the leaders of the Republican led High Councel, Spaced Window (Gerald Ford) and Yodel (Nelson Rockefeller). The Senator backs Count DooDu (Jimmy Carter) and Boss Mess (Walter Mondale) intending to control them from behind the scenes.
2. Bar wars: Attack of the Clowns
A troubled Senator Palpitation (Kennedy) has sucessfully installed Count DooDu as High Council. Much to the Senators dismay DooDu (Carter) and Mess (Mondale) bumble their way through a four year administration seemly immune from the effects of Palpitations influence. Selling everything the Empire stands for down the river DooDu and Mess, will stop at nothing to ensure that Empire credits buy them another election
3. Bar wars: Return of the GOP
When all of the shinanagans of DooDu (Carter) and Mess (Mondale) come to light they are ousted at general election by Qui-Ray-Gun (Ronald Reagan) and his padowan apprentice Obi-Brush-Kanobi (George Bush Sr.). A comfortable period of security reins over the Empire as Qui-Ray-Gun holds steadfast to the principles that the Empire was founded on. Qui-Ray-Gun's leadership is so enspiring that the citizens elect Obi-Brush-Kanobi to replace him on the High Council. While not the leader that his predecesor was Brush-Kanobi maintains the peace for a four year term.
4. Bar wars: Bubbas from Hope
After his dibilitating defeat at the hands of the Republicans years before Senator Palpitation crawled further into the bottle rueing his defeat and plotting revenge. Sobering up long enough to locate a suitable padowan puppet to run the Council, Senator Palpitation finds a new apprentice that has already gone to the Democratic side. Bubba Klingon (Bill Clinton) aided by his trusty sidekick Har Har Blinks (Al Gore) are swept onto the High Council on a madate for change.
5. Bar wars: The GOP Fights back
Two years into Bubba's (Bill Clinton) leadership, Jabber-the Butt (Newt Geingrich) is thoroughly disgusted with the scandals that plague the Bubba Administration. Representive Jabber seeks to change the policies and lower taxes that were forced upon the people by Bubba. He forms alliances and establishes a 100 day contract with the Empire. This effort succeeds in Jabber-the Butt's gaining control of the necessary seats to effect the needed changes, even though it was not supported in the Senate by leader Opie Bob Kanope (Bob Dole). Discontent with the eight year leadership of Bubba Klingon the citizens of the Empire, in a closely contested election deny Har Har Blinks his assention to the highest seat in the Empire, by electing Scrub Brushwalker (George Bush Jr.) in his place.
6. Bar wars: Return of the GW
In this episode, said to be the final, in the Bar Wars saga, coming from almost relative obscurity Scrub Brushwalker (George Bush Jr.), the reletively unknown son of Obi-Brush-Kanobi ( George Bush sr.), takes the helm of a troubled Empire. The economy is in a downward spiral and within months of his election the Empire is visciously attacked by the Nemuslidians lead by Nuetered-Gun-Ray (Osama bin Laden). Scrub Brushwalker calls in all of his markers and on all of his Generals to throw back the opressive Nemuslidians and hunt down the evil Gun-Ray. Will Brushwalkers efforts be successfull? The Empire again trusts the helm of power to him, for a second term, as he continues his quest to eliminate the the threat of the Nemuslidians? Surely the audiance won't be left hanging on this point, there must be an episode seven being written.
Thursday, January 20, 2005
Michael Moron's Gun Bearer Busted
Duped by Fox news; As with most things that seem to good to be true, alas so apparently is this one. The actual truth of the arrest appears here. Pat Burk was not a body Guard for Michael Moore at the time of his arrest, but had apparently peformed that service in the past. The former Marine in question has also peformed protection service for a number of public figures as well.
Although this erronious report should probably have been more deeply researched before Fox News published it. (If you can't trust Fox who can you trust?)
I apologize to Pat Burk for reporting such inaccurate information.
The Fact still remains that Michael Moore does avail himself of paid personal protection while, publically calling for the prevention of private individuals to do the same. In that regard I stand by the comments I made concerning the Slothen One.
It seems that one of Sleaze Bag Moore's gun toters has been slammed in a New York Jail for illegal possession of a firearm. If nothing else this ought to show what a two-faced hypocrite the pompous blow hard really is.
This is just another example of a self made publicity rat spouting off the tired old mantra of; Do as I say not as I do.
Of course this low life scum bag has people around him with guns, he can afford to pay for someone else to carry them for him.
There in lies the hypocracy; People like this can afford bodyguards and security people to protect them with guns, but you the commoner since you can't afford that you can't or don't need the protection.
IF YOU CAN"T AFFORD TO PAY FOR PROTECTION YOU DON'T NEED IT.
That is the message that the likes of Moore, Clinton, Schumer, Boxer, Fienstien, Chambers, Schimek and a host of others are sending you.
What is really is;
A proclamation that our lives are more important than yours is, we are your leaders (self appointed or otherwise and we need to be protected. You of the common class are expendable. In fact there is an acceptable number of you that MUST die in a violent manner so we can use your deaths to further enact the restrictive laws that we envision for your future.
For those of you that seek to fall down in the presence of the gargantuan one and worship the sweat that runs off his fat ass, you should really know that Michael Moore couldn't give two hoots of a train whistle for you as an individual. Mikie Moron has an agenda, that agenda is to make money, your money.
If most people could see past what ever infatuation they have for the fat guy they would see the truth.
Moore does what he does for your money. If the eronious liberal crap that he espouses didn't sell he would be making Conservative documentaries instead. The only thing in it for him is relieving you of as much of your hard earned money as he can get you to part with.
I had already seen this and was going to write about it, but I saw that Head who penns Head's Bunker Blog beat me to it. I have been reading his blog for a few days and will surely be adding Head's Bunker Blog to the Blogroll in the near future.
Although this erronious report should probably have been more deeply researched before Fox News published it. (If you can't trust Fox who can you trust?)
I apologize to Pat Burk for reporting such inaccurate information.
The Fact still remains that Michael Moore does avail himself of paid personal protection while, publically calling for the prevention of private individuals to do the same. In that regard I stand by the comments I made concerning the Slothen One.
It seems that one of Sleaze Bag Moore's gun toters has been slammed in a New York Jail for illegal possession of a firearm. If nothing else this ought to show what a two-faced hypocrite the pompous blow hard really is.
This is just another example of a self made publicity rat spouting off the tired old mantra of; Do as I say not as I do.
Of course this low life scum bag has people around him with guns, he can afford to pay for someone else to carry them for him.
There in lies the hypocracy; People like this can afford bodyguards and security people to protect them with guns, but you the commoner since you can't afford that you can't or don't need the protection.
IF YOU CAN"T AFFORD TO PAY FOR PROTECTION YOU DON'T NEED IT.
That is the message that the likes of Moore, Clinton, Schumer, Boxer, Fienstien, Chambers, Schimek and a host of others are sending you.
What is really is;
A proclamation that our lives are more important than yours is, we are your leaders (self appointed or otherwise and we need to be protected. You of the common class are expendable. In fact there is an acceptable number of you that MUST die in a violent manner so we can use your deaths to further enact the restrictive laws that we envision for your future.
For those of you that seek to fall down in the presence of the gargantuan one and worship the sweat that runs off his fat ass, you should really know that Michael Moore couldn't give two hoots of a train whistle for you as an individual. Mikie Moron has an agenda, that agenda is to make money, your money.
If most people could see past what ever infatuation they have for the fat guy they would see the truth.
Moore does what he does for your money. If the eronious liberal crap that he espouses didn't sell he would be making Conservative documentaries instead. The only thing in it for him is relieving you of as much of your hard earned money as he can get you to part with.
I had already seen this and was going to write about it, but I saw that Head who penns Head's Bunker Blog beat me to it. I have been reading his blog for a few days and will surely be adding Head's Bunker Blog to the Blogroll in the near future.
Tuesday, January 18, 2005
Neal Knox June 20th, 1936 - January 17th, 2005
Rest in Peace Neal
Neal Knox, former vice president of the National Rifle Association and long-time leader of the gun rights movement, died at his home on January 17, 2005 following a year-long battle with colon cancer. He was sixty-nine. He is survived by his wife, Jay Janen Knox (Shirley) and his four children; Christopher, Shan, Jeffrey, Stacey, and seven grandchildren.
The last time I saw Neal, my wife and I had the pleasure of spending a most relaxing evening of dinner and conversation with him and his son Chris.
Neal was a wonderfull human being and a genuine American that stood up for what he so strongly believed in.
That he will be missed is without question.
Chris if you read this and Pam and I can't get in touch with you please know that our thoughts are with you and our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to you and your family in your hour of grief.
Respectfully Yours,
Gunscribe
Note: For those that read this and either knew or respected Neal Knox, I received an e-mail from Chris that I'll excerpt here only changing my real name to that of Gun;
Friend Gun --
Thanks for your kind words and your friendship. This is a difficult
time, but it has been tempered by the support of so many good people....
I am sure I'll see you again in the times to come.
Chris
Neal had a year long battle with colon cancer, that his passing was not unexpected given the circumstances, does little to squelch the grief of the Knox family and those that knew him.
It is asked that contributions be made to the Rainbow Childrens Home
Neal Knox, former vice president of the National Rifle Association and long-time leader of the gun rights movement, died at his home on January 17, 2005 following a year-long battle with colon cancer. He was sixty-nine. He is survived by his wife, Jay Janen Knox (Shirley) and his four children; Christopher, Shan, Jeffrey, Stacey, and seven grandchildren.
The last time I saw Neal, my wife and I had the pleasure of spending a most relaxing evening of dinner and conversation with him and his son Chris.
Neal was a wonderfull human being and a genuine American that stood up for what he so strongly believed in.
That he will be missed is without question.
Chris if you read this and Pam and I can't get in touch with you please know that our thoughts are with you and our heartfelt condolences and prayers go out to you and your family in your hour of grief.
Respectfully Yours,
Gunscribe
Note: For those that read this and either knew or respected Neal Knox, I received an e-mail from Chris that I'll excerpt here only changing my real name to that of Gun;
Friend Gun --
Thanks for your kind words and your friendship. This is a difficult
time, but it has been tempered by the support of so many good people....
I am sure I'll see you again in the times to come.
Chris
Neal had a year long battle with colon cancer, that his passing was not unexpected given the circumstances, does little to squelch the grief of the Knox family and those that knew him.
It is asked that contributions be made to the Rainbow Childrens Home
Monday, January 17, 2005
For Anyone that doesn't know who Claire Wolfe is
Claire Wolfe, writer and professional troublemaker. .... The focus of the blog is freedom (what they're doing to it and how to grab some of it back). But on any given day you can eavesdrop as I (and occasionally a guest commentator or two) ramble, maunder, ruminate, fulminate, babble, grouse, or exclaim about Beauty, Truth, self-sufficiency, Really Stupid People Tricks, government (speaking of Really Stupid People Tricks), justice, Attitude, life, privacy, books, monkeywreching, gun rights, things that make me laugh, and dogs.
Claire's writing is witty and to the point. If you haven't ever read any of her writings, there is no time like the present to start. She has her own Blog entitled WolfesBlog and is a regular columnist at Backwoods Home Magazine.
For an introduction and a good dose of common sense check out The Law in Hardyville.
Claire has been added to the Blogroll as well.
Claire's writing is witty and to the point. If you haven't ever read any of her writings, there is no time like the present to start. She has her own Blog entitled WolfesBlog and is a regular columnist at Backwoods Home Magazine.
For an introduction and a good dose of common sense check out The Law in Hardyville.
Claire has been added to the Blogroll as well.
Gun Show Alert; February 5th & 6th (Yes another one)
Yes it is my pleasure to purvey information concerning another Gun Show if the Lincoln area.
Sponsored by the Optimists the show is held annually at the Gage County Fairgrounds in Beatrice, (pronounced Bee - at - riss) Nebraska.Admission is $3.00.
This is the show I wait for every year. It is held in much smaller confines than any of the shows in Lincoln, but that does not detract one iota from the quality. I think the close proximity add to the atmosphere and experience.
There are so many great exhibitors with a large variety of merchandise that it is a must attend for any gun aficionado.
I won't bore you with any great deals I managed to facilitate in past years, except to say;
If you pass or miss this one your genuine interest in firearms could seriously be called into question.
Sponsored by the Optimists the show is held annually at the Gage County Fairgrounds in Beatrice, (pronounced Bee - at - riss) Nebraska.Admission is $3.00.
This is the show I wait for every year. It is held in much smaller confines than any of the shows in Lincoln, but that does not detract one iota from the quality. I think the close proximity add to the atmosphere and experience.
There are so many great exhibitors with a large variety of merchandise that it is a must attend for any gun aficionado.
I won't bore you with any great deals I managed to facilitate in past years, except to say;
If you pass or miss this one your genuine interest in firearms could seriously be called into question.
Tidbits From Around the part of the Blogosphere that I read
Gunner at No Quarters has a piece up about legislation in Washington (the state) that makes it a crime to have a water barrel without a license. It seems that Paull Shin (sponsor) believes that the govenrment OWNS all forms of hydrogen-twice-oxygen no matter where it comes from. Translation; You can not collect OUR government OWNED rain, snow or sleet without our permission and/or before you pay the requiset Tax permit fees on it.
Kevin at The Smallest Minoritywaxes eloquent has an indepth and much more detailed piece on the fallicies of "ballistic fingerprinting" than I wrote a few days ago. Get a 2 liter bottle of something and a big bowl of popcorn and prepare to learn something. It is not as lengthly as Tolstoys "War and Peace", but by the time you get done reading it and all of the associated links you will truely understand why "ballistic fingerprinting" does not work.
Just a snippet of what Kevin covers;
Jed at Freedom Sight is considering re-implimenting the Weekly Fusillade.
Excerpted from Jed's original presentation;
So, it seems an opportune time for me to launch an idea I've had in my head for a while. I call it The Weekly Fusillade. It's yet another sort of a Carnival of the Vanities clone, except it's focused on firearms and the right to keep and bear arms.......... This will be a weekly feature, published on Saturdays. I'll probably just host it here most weeks, unless there's some reason I won't be able to be online on Saturday.
Jed initially started the Fusillade about the time I began Blogging and it was extremely beneficial to me that Jed accepted several of my dissertaions on Firearms issues in Nebraska for inclusion to his project. (as long time readers will note I have on numorous occassions profusely noted my appreciation to Jed for that)
Jed if my humble opinion counts for anything;
BRING BACK THE FUSILLADE
Jeff at Alphecca has an article that I can really identify with concerning remakes of movies and television shows. He aptly points out that a show should only be remade IF it can be done better.
Bad acting can not make a movie repleat with the latest in special effects a good movie, how ever good acting can make, amovie lacking special effects a great movie.
Well that is some of what I have been reading lately, check out any of it you find interesting.
Kevin at The Smallest Minority
Just a snippet of what Kevin covers;
Jed at Freedom Sight is considering re-implimenting the Weekly Fusillade.
Excerpted from Jed's original presentation;
So, it seems an opportune time for me to launch an idea I've had in my head for a while. I call it The Weekly Fusillade. It's yet another sort of a Carnival of the Vanities clone, except it's focused on firearms and the right to keep and bear arms.......... This will be a weekly feature, published on Saturdays. I'll probably just host it here most weeks, unless there's some reason I won't be able to be online on Saturday.
Jed initially started the Fusillade about the time I began Blogging and it was extremely beneficial to me that Jed accepted several of my dissertaions on Firearms issues in Nebraska for inclusion to his project. (as long time readers will note I have on numorous occassions profusely noted my appreciation to Jed for that)
Jed if my humble opinion counts for anything;
BRING BACK THE FUSILLADE
Jeff at Alphecca has an article that I can really identify with concerning remakes of movies and television shows. He aptly points out that a show should only be remade IF it can be done better.
Bad acting can not make a movie repleat with the latest in special effects a good movie, how ever good acting can make, amovie lacking special effects a great movie.
Well that is some of what I have been reading lately, check out any of it you find interesting.
Saturday, January 15, 2005
ACLU deliberately re-writing the Constitution or least intentionally misquoting it?
Kevin at The Smallest Minority and several of the people he has linked seem to think so.
Their contention and one that I agree with is that the ACLU is selectively defining what they see as a right or civil liberty.
In explaining that the freedom of speech is the first right enumerated in the First Amendment the ACLU legal geniuses provide the following on their web site;
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Ellipsis are those little dots after "Congress shall make no law". Ellipsis means that there is something not deemed germaine to the subject that has been dliberately omitted out by the author/s.
Here is an unedited version of the First Amendment;
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The part that was INTENTIONALLY omitted by the brilliant legal minds of the ACLU is highlighted in bold.
Is the ACLU is dilerately lying to the people of the united states and the world?
Clearly the first right enumerated is the "Free exercise of Religion".
Even if one does not believe in a creator how can the First Amendment be read any other way?
If the scholarly minds ACLU are being intentionally deliberate in their deceit one has to wonder why.
That the ACLU is conducting and/or capable of this tactic is no suprise to many that have been conciously aware of that organization over the years.
That they are now becoming so publically blatant about it should make that many more people sit up and take notice at what the ACLU is really about.
Their contention and one that I agree with is that the ACLU is selectively defining what they see as a right or civil liberty.
In explaining that the freedom of speech is the first right enumerated in the First Amendment the ACLU legal geniuses provide the following on their web site;
“Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press, or of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”
Ellipsis are those little dots after "Congress shall make no law". Ellipsis means that there is something not deemed germaine to the subject that has been dliberately omitted out by the author/s.
Here is an unedited version of the First Amendment;
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.
The part that was INTENTIONALLY omitted by the brilliant legal minds of the ACLU is highlighted in bold.
Is the ACLU is dilerately lying to the people of the united states and the world?
Clearly the first right enumerated is the "Free exercise of Religion".
Even if one does not believe in a creator how can the First Amendment be read any other way?
If the scholarly minds ACLU are being intentionally deliberate in their deceit one has to wonder why.
That the ACLU is conducting and/or capable of this tactic is no suprise to many that have been conciously aware of that organization over the years.
That they are now becoming so publically blatant about it should make that many more people sit up and take notice at what the ACLU is really about.
Flaws in LB-454
As promised here are a few of the reasons why I am not getting all googley eyed with excitement over the Currently introduced CCW legislation known as LB454.
Sec 4 (3) (page 4 line 3) The Sheriff has five days to issue the permit AFTER the completion of the criminal history check.
Turning in your App does not start the clock. The Clock only starts when someone tells the Sheriff you check out. If the Sheriff being of the anti persuasion wants to take a year to do a throrough background check what in this bill will stop him/her.
Sec 6 (1) (page 4 line 22) The Nebraska State Patrol shall prepare and publish minimum training and safety standards and adopt rules governing training, safety courses an instructors.
Since the legislature has not specified a minimum number of hours, the truely safety minded personel in the Patrol have the authority to insure that any one with a CCW is well trained. Say as in a 40 hour training course taught at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island once a year to 40 people on a lottery basis at a cost of $2000. Or perhaps they allow instructors as they do in other states and mandate that the training only be a minimum of 25 hours.
Addittionally any new administrator of the Patrol can change any of those requirements at anytime. It is my understanding that the person that would now be responsible for these rules is a very fair minded individual that IS NOT against the citizens excercising their desire to go armed and would I believe set up a very impartial and fair system based on models in existance in other states. What happens when that person retires? The next administrator, who may not be as reasonable or Constitutionally minded, has the authority WITHOUT legislative approval to revamp the entire system.
Granted Sec 6 (2) (page 5 line 17) authorizes the patrol to approve a person or entity.
How many permits will be issued if the only people approved where Senior Patrol Officers or for entities any one of the state certified Police training academies. (THINK IOWA HERE FOLKS)
Sec 7 (l) (page 7 line 8) At the time of application you can not be under investigation for any offense that would prohibit you from receiving the permit.
Oh gee how hard is this one to figure out? How would you know whether you are under investigation or not at the time you fill out the app.
NEWSFLASH: With or without your knowledge you can be under investigation for anything at any time. How about that off-duty cop you ticked off cause he was hitting on your wife in the bar News Years Eve. You have applied for a CCW and suddenly he informs the Sheriff that he has you under investigation for an as yet specified crime that could effect issuance of you Permit.
Think that is far fetched? How about the cop that stopped you last week and wanted to search your vehicle and legally you prevented him from doing so? Or how about the one that gave a citation that yougot dismissed in court?
Ok Maybe that is a bit extreme I'll grant you that, but cases like that have occurred
Consider something more simple in that the same cop sees you at the local "watering hole" two weeks in a row. He/She could than use that information to make a reasonable case and articulate that you HABITUALLY use intoxicants and meet the requirement to have your permit revoked.
Are there cops like that out there? Your damn right there are.
Are most cops like that? YOUR DAMN RIGHT THEY ARE NOT. As I have always maintained there are but a degenerate few that make the rest look bad. When a Public Servant messes up it makes news and we hear about it. When a Public Servant does their job to the best of their ability and a little beyond we seldom hear about it. That is truely shamefull.
Sec 13 (1) (page 8 line 24) Any Peace Officer having probable cause that a permitholder is no longer in compliance with the requirements with one or more requirements of section 7 of this act SHALL BRING an application for revocation....
Sec 13 (2) (page 9 line 1) It is the Duty of the County attorney to prosecute a revocation case. If he/she refuses then the duty SHALL be upon the Attorney General.
Sec 13 (3) page 9 line 8) It SHALL be prosecuted as a civil case and the permit SHALL be revoked for violation of the requirements in section 6.
"Well your honor I Officer Bigcity had the occassion to ask the accused what the federal law was for the lowest degree of assault. At that time I also questioned the permitholder on the legalities of transporting a firearm into and through the various states. That said Permitholder could not articulate an immediate answer to these questions caused me to suspect that permitholder is in violation of Section 6 (e) and (f) of the Concealed Handgun Permit Act and immediatelly filed this action to have her permit revoke on those grounds your honor."
Tell me HONESTLY do you think there isn't an anti-gun cop or several that would not pull a stunt like that? By you possibly not knowing all of the most obscure laws that MIGHT apply to your continued possession of a permit any cop in the state can have your permit revoked, or at the very least have you hauled before the judge to justify why it should not be revoked. (Can you say lost time from work etc...? Don't worry the cop will be paid to be there, possibly even on overtime.)
How many anti-gun judges are there in Nebraska that just enjoy legislating from the bench and would just be tickled to slap down a commoner by revoking their permit?
If you can convince me that there is NOT ONE SINGLE cop, District Attorney or Judge in Nebraska that would not try or succeed at this I will quit writing and delete this blog.
That they have been ignoring the tenents of Initiative Measure no.403 for the last 16 years, what makes anyone think that they will go easy on this?
Where in this bill does it prevent municipalities from enacting ordinances that mandate their own training requirements and or local permits for carry in addittion to the statewide permit? This bill does not indicate that concealed permits are of a Statewide concern and that the Unicameral shall have exclusive power over the subject.
Oh wait I know it says so in CI-1. Oops my bad they have been ignoring that for years as it is.
Think it can't happen? Under the statutes that created home rule and charters the legislature has granted power to it's political sub division TO BAN THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED WEAPONS. ( I have covered that in previous post folks)
So now you have a permit issued by a a very pro-gun Sheriff in a rural county, but you are forbidden from carrying in the places you would likely need it most, because the cities of Lincoln, York, Grand Island and Omaha have enacted local ordinances (past or present) that ban Concealed carry within the Corparate limits.
There are just a few things that I find repugnant about this bill.
And there is much more but that will be in a future entry.
Sec 4 (3) (page 4 line 3) The Sheriff has five days to issue the permit AFTER the completion of the criminal history check.
Turning in your App does not start the clock. The Clock only starts when someone tells the Sheriff you check out. If the Sheriff being of the anti persuasion wants to take a year to do a throrough background check what in this bill will stop him/her.
Sec 6 (1) (page 4 line 22) The Nebraska State Patrol shall prepare and publish minimum training and safety standards and adopt rules governing training, safety courses an instructors.
Since the legislature has not specified a minimum number of hours, the truely safety minded personel in the Patrol have the authority to insure that any one with a CCW is well trained. Say as in a 40 hour training course taught at the Law Enforcement Training Center in Grand Island once a year to 40 people on a lottery basis at a cost of $2000. Or perhaps they allow instructors as they do in other states and mandate that the training only be a minimum of 25 hours.
Addittionally any new administrator of the Patrol can change any of those requirements at anytime. It is my understanding that the person that would now be responsible for these rules is a very fair minded individual that IS NOT against the citizens excercising their desire to go armed and would I believe set up a very impartial and fair system based on models in existance in other states. What happens when that person retires? The next administrator, who may not be as reasonable or Constitutionally minded, has the authority WITHOUT legislative approval to revamp the entire system.
Granted Sec 6 (2) (page 5 line 17) authorizes the patrol to approve a person or entity.
How many permits will be issued if the only people approved where Senior Patrol Officers or for entities any one of the state certified Police training academies. (THINK IOWA HERE FOLKS)
Sec 7 (l) (page 7 line 8) At the time of application you can not be under investigation for any offense that would prohibit you from receiving the permit.
Oh gee how hard is this one to figure out? How would you know whether you are under investigation or not at the time you fill out the app.
NEWSFLASH: With or without your knowledge you can be under investigation for anything at any time. How about that off-duty cop you ticked off cause he was hitting on your wife in the bar News Years Eve. You have applied for a CCW and suddenly he informs the Sheriff that he has you under investigation for an as yet specified crime that could effect issuance of you Permit.
Think that is far fetched? How about the cop that stopped you last week and wanted to search your vehicle and legally you prevented him from doing so? Or how about the one that gave a citation that yougot dismissed in court?
Ok Maybe that is a bit extreme I'll grant you that, but cases like that have occurred
Consider something more simple in that the same cop sees you at the local "watering hole" two weeks in a row. He/She could than use that information to make a reasonable case and articulate that you HABITUALLY use intoxicants and meet the requirement to have your permit revoked.
Are there cops like that out there? Your damn right there are.
Are most cops like that? YOUR DAMN RIGHT THEY ARE NOT. As I have always maintained there are but a degenerate few that make the rest look bad. When a Public Servant messes up it makes news and we hear about it. When a Public Servant does their job to the best of their ability and a little beyond we seldom hear about it. That is truely shamefull.
Sec 13 (1) (page 8 line 24) Any Peace Officer having probable cause that a permitholder is no longer in compliance with the requirements with one or more requirements of section 7 of this act SHALL BRING an application for revocation....
Sec 13 (2) (page 9 line 1) It is the Duty of the County attorney to prosecute a revocation case. If he/she refuses then the duty SHALL be upon the Attorney General.
Sec 13 (3) page 9 line 8) It SHALL be prosecuted as a civil case and the permit SHALL be revoked for violation of the requirements in section 6.
"Well your honor I Officer Bigcity had the occassion to ask the accused what the federal law was for the lowest degree of assault. At that time I also questioned the permitholder on the legalities of transporting a firearm into and through the various states. That said Permitholder could not articulate an immediate answer to these questions caused me to suspect that permitholder is in violation of Section 6 (e) and (f) of the Concealed Handgun Permit Act and immediatelly filed this action to have her permit revoke on those grounds your honor."
Tell me HONESTLY do you think there isn't an anti-gun cop or several that would not pull a stunt like that? By you possibly not knowing all of the most obscure laws that MIGHT apply to your continued possession of a permit any cop in the state can have your permit revoked, or at the very least have you hauled before the judge to justify why it should not be revoked. (Can you say lost time from work etc...? Don't worry the cop will be paid to be there, possibly even on overtime.)
How many anti-gun judges are there in Nebraska that just enjoy legislating from the bench and would just be tickled to slap down a commoner by revoking their permit?
If you can convince me that there is NOT ONE SINGLE cop, District Attorney or Judge in Nebraska that would not try or succeed at this I will quit writing and delete this blog.
That they have been ignoring the tenents of Initiative Measure no.403 for the last 16 years, what makes anyone think that they will go easy on this?
Where in this bill does it prevent municipalities from enacting ordinances that mandate their own training requirements and or local permits for carry in addittion to the statewide permit? This bill does not indicate that concealed permits are of a Statewide concern and that the Unicameral shall have exclusive power over the subject.
Oh wait I know it says so in CI-1. Oops my bad they have been ignoring that for years as it is.
Think it can't happen? Under the statutes that created home rule and charters the legislature has granted power to it's political sub division TO BAN THE CARRYING OF CONCEALED WEAPONS. ( I have covered that in previous post folks)
So now you have a permit issued by a a very pro-gun Sheriff in a rural county, but you are forbidden from carrying in the places you would likely need it most, because the cities of Lincoln, York, Grand Island and Omaha have enacted local ordinances (past or present) that ban Concealed carry within the Corparate limits.
There are just a few things that I find repugnant about this bill.
And there is much more but that will be in a future entry.
Thursday, January 13, 2005
Nebraska CCW Legislation Officially Labeled LB 454
The long awaited introduction of CCW legislation by By Senator Combs has been introduced in the Unicameral as LB 454. (ed... pdf file)
As expected this is nothing but a mirror of previous bills tendered by Senator Tyson, that have typically been loaded down with so many constrictive amendments that it would be meaningless if it were ever made law.
I have been withholding comment on the Combs bill until I had a chance to read it.
The truth that too many people that favor CCW in Nebraska fail to see is that the proposed legislation in it's unaltered form is already to restrictive to be of any use.
At this time without changes to the original bill, that I will try to address in the next weeks, I do not support this bill.
One very minor observation; The original of this bill requires the disclosure of an individuals Social Security number. That can simply be change with anamendment that mandates a line through the words Social Security.
Several of the other contentions I have with the bill can be addressed in the same manner. In that those considerations are addressed and there are not any amendments that further restrict the Act I could at some future date change my mind.
But don't hold your breath. I'm not. It is not good now and it will only get worse. If this passes it will, as has always been, be worse than the staus quo.
There are those that profess that something is better than nothing and/or this is a good start. In this case nothing should be the prefered choice to this bill and it's anticipated amendments.
The thought that what ever is wrong with it can be fixed in succeeding years is wishfull thinking. Consider that if it passes this year nothing can realistically be introduced to "fix" anything until 2007
The next session of the Unicameral (2006) will be a short session primarilay dedicated to cleaning up what ever is not completed this session. There is generally no new bills allowed to be introduced during a short session unless they are virtually assured of passage.
Remember anything the Unicameral passes this year you will have to live with for the better part of two years.
As expected this is nothing but a mirror of previous bills tendered by Senator Tyson, that have typically been loaded down with so many constrictive amendments that it would be meaningless if it were ever made law.
I have been withholding comment on the Combs bill until I had a chance to read it.
The truth that too many people that favor CCW in Nebraska fail to see is that the proposed legislation in it's unaltered form is already to restrictive to be of any use.
At this time without changes to the original bill, that I will try to address in the next weeks, I do not support this bill.
One very minor observation; The original of this bill requires the disclosure of an individuals Social Security number. That can simply be change with anamendment that mandates a line through the words Social Security.
Several of the other contentions I have with the bill can be addressed in the same manner. In that those considerations are addressed and there are not any amendments that further restrict the Act I could at some future date change my mind.
But don't hold your breath. I'm not. It is not good now and it will only get worse. If this passes it will, as has always been, be worse than the staus quo.
There are those that profess that something is better than nothing and/or this is a good start. In this case nothing should be the prefered choice to this bill and it's anticipated amendments.
The thought that what ever is wrong with it can be fixed in succeeding years is wishfull thinking. Consider that if it passes this year nothing can realistically be introduced to "fix" anything until 2007
The next session of the Unicameral (2006) will be a short session primarilay dedicated to cleaning up what ever is not completed this session. There is generally no new bills allowed to be introduced during a short session unless they are virtually assured of passage.
Remember anything the Unicameral passes this year you will have to live with for the better part of two years.
Maryland State Police want the Ballisitic Fingerprinting law repealed
In a News release from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, Alan Gotlieb reports that Maryland State Police;
In its progress report on the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division recommends that "this program be suspended, a repeal of the collection of cartridge cases from current law be enacted and the Laboratory Technicians associated with the program be transferred to the DNA database unit." So far, Maryland has spent $2.5 million over the past four years, with nothing to show for it. The report admitted, "Guns found to be used in the commission of crime...are not the ones being entered into" the system.
The original intent of the IBIS was to identify firearms used in crimes by having the firearms manufacturers provide a fired cartridge case for every firearm sold in Maryland.
As I have reported in the past, at this point in time it is an ineffective and scientifically unsound feel good measure that was doomed to failure from it's inception.
The gun grabbing populace that insist that schemes like this be adopted through out the states and at the federal level do not have a grasp on the physical aspects of basic metalurgy. Unlike human finger or retinal prints that never change, the simple fact that metal exists in an oxygenated atmosphere dictates that it will change. (Corosion)
In addition the actual use of the metalic object will change the structure of its existance.
Why ballistic finger printing does not work;
Firearms are metalic, Cartidge Cases are metalic, Projectiles are metalic.
Buy the time a new firearm is usually stolen, sold trough numorous hands and eventually used in a crime/s it has been fired and cleaned so much that it cannot be matched to a spent cartridge case provided to a Law enforcement Organization by the manufacturer.
Cartridge Cases and Chambers
When a firearm is discharged the softer brass metalic case swells in the harder steel metalic chamber. It is true that the harder machine marks of the steel chamber are embossed into the softer brass case and these markings can be immediately atributed to a specific firearm. However the constant insertion and removal of a soft brass case into and out of a hard steel chamber causes both metals to undergo changes. Over a period of time the machine marks in a steel chamber will be altered beyond recognition of the original cartridge case provided by the manufacturer.
Projectiles and Barrels
When a firearm is fired the softer metalic lead or copper jacket of the projectile is embossed with the lands, grooves and machine marks of the harder steel metalic barrel. Again it is true that the harder marks of the lands grooves and machine marks on a non deformed projectile can be immediately atributed to a specific firearm. The constant travel of projectiles through a barrel will over time will wear on the lands, grooves and machine marks making it impossible even after as few as fifty rounds to render indentification to a specific firearm possible.
Regular Maintance and Cleaning
The responsible and proper maintance and cleaning of a firearm will also change the microscopic structure of the chamber, bolt face, lands and grooves of a firearm. The fact that wire brushes are used to clean the various parts of a firearm that provide the ballistic fingerprints often negates matching a firearm with projectiles that were in fact fired from it.
People initially buy Firearms to Shoot Them
Individuals buy a new firearm to use it for a variety of activities such as hunting, target shooting, practice for personal or home protection. That the buyers use these firearms often discharging several hundred to several thousand rounds of ammunition there is no way that a fired cartridge case from a new firearm provided to IBIS can be matched to a firearm that has had an amount of ammunition fired through it.
This is why Maryland has nothing to show for the 2.5 million expended over a four year period and they admit it. How much more money has been wasted enacting scientifically unsound or unreliable laws at the behest of the Brady Bunch that could have been used in other areas to really make a difference in fighting crime?
Why Ballistic Comparison can and does work.
When a crime is commited forensic evidence in the form of spent projectiles and cartridge cases is often times recovered. Markings on the projectile, because of the different types of rifling and twists, may be identified as coming from a specific make of firearm or a narrow variety of firearms. It is possible to say that a projectile recovered from a crime scene was specifically fired from a Glock or Marlin.
This evidence, cases and projectiles, is microscopically examined and recorded and can be compared to and identified with evidence of the same type that has come or will come from other crime scenes.
The basic reason this verifiable comparison is possible is simply, that criminals gernerally do not expend a great deal of ammunition from their firearms.
Cartridge cases and/or projectiles discovered and typed at a crime scene can be attributed to a firearm used in a crime two years later mostly likely because those were the only two times that gun was fired in that two year time period.
Had that firearm been fired a few hundred times during that two year period it is highly unlikely or virtually impossible that a match could be made beyong the fact that the two firearms used were made by the same company.
I own a few firearms of the collectable variety that I have not shot in years. If you possessed a cartridge case from the last time I used that firearm I have no doubt that you could compare and match it to the very next round I expend from it.
Conversely I have a few that I use at the range with a certain regularity. I do not believe that you could match a cartridge case fired last week to a cartridge case fired from that firearm today. Scientific evidence provided by IBIS and in a California report of several years ago that the Attorney General sought to squelch prove that fact.
Ballistic Fingerprinting is a panacea whose time has not come. Will it? Maybe someday, but as long as cartridge cases, projectiles and firearms are manufactured using porous metalic compounds it is highly unlikely that it ever will.
Gunner at No Quarters has someting on this as well.
In its progress report on the Integrated Ballistics Identification System (IBIS), the Maryland State Police Forensic Sciences Division recommends that "this program be suspended, a repeal of the collection of cartridge cases from current law be enacted and the Laboratory Technicians associated with the program be transferred to the DNA database unit." So far, Maryland has spent $2.5 million over the past four years, with nothing to show for it. The report admitted, "Guns found to be used in the commission of crime...are not the ones being entered into" the system.
The original intent of the IBIS was to identify firearms used in crimes by having the firearms manufacturers provide a fired cartridge case for every firearm sold in Maryland.
As I have reported in the past, at this point in time it is an ineffective and scientifically unsound feel good measure that was doomed to failure from it's inception.
The gun grabbing populace that insist that schemes like this be adopted through out the states and at the federal level do not have a grasp on the physical aspects of basic metalurgy. Unlike human finger or retinal prints that never change, the simple fact that metal exists in an oxygenated atmosphere dictates that it will change. (Corosion)
In addition the actual use of the metalic object will change the structure of its existance.
Why ballistic finger printing does not work;
Firearms are metalic, Cartidge Cases are metalic, Projectiles are metalic.
Buy the time a new firearm is usually stolen, sold trough numorous hands and eventually used in a crime/s it has been fired and cleaned so much that it cannot be matched to a spent cartridge case provided to a Law enforcement Organization by the manufacturer.
Cartridge Cases and Chambers
When a firearm is discharged the softer brass metalic case swells in the harder steel metalic chamber. It is true that the harder machine marks of the steel chamber are embossed into the softer brass case and these markings can be immediately atributed to a specific firearm. However the constant insertion and removal of a soft brass case into and out of a hard steel chamber causes both metals to undergo changes. Over a period of time the machine marks in a steel chamber will be altered beyond recognition of the original cartridge case provided by the manufacturer.
Projectiles and Barrels
When a firearm is fired the softer metalic lead or copper jacket of the projectile is embossed with the lands, grooves and machine marks of the harder steel metalic barrel. Again it is true that the harder marks of the lands grooves and machine marks on a non deformed projectile can be immediately atributed to a specific firearm. The constant travel of projectiles through a barrel will over time will wear on the lands, grooves and machine marks making it impossible even after as few as fifty rounds to render indentification to a specific firearm possible.
Regular Maintance and Cleaning
The responsible and proper maintance and cleaning of a firearm will also change the microscopic structure of the chamber, bolt face, lands and grooves of a firearm. The fact that wire brushes are used to clean the various parts of a firearm that provide the ballistic fingerprints often negates matching a firearm with projectiles that were in fact fired from it.
People initially buy Firearms to Shoot Them
Individuals buy a new firearm to use it for a variety of activities such as hunting, target shooting, practice for personal or home protection. That the buyers use these firearms often discharging several hundred to several thousand rounds of ammunition there is no way that a fired cartridge case from a new firearm provided to IBIS can be matched to a firearm that has had an amount of ammunition fired through it.
This is why Maryland has nothing to show for the 2.5 million expended over a four year period and they admit it. How much more money has been wasted enacting scientifically unsound or unreliable laws at the behest of the Brady Bunch that could have been used in other areas to really make a difference in fighting crime?
Why Ballistic Comparison can and does work.
When a crime is commited forensic evidence in the form of spent projectiles and cartridge cases is often times recovered. Markings on the projectile, because of the different types of rifling and twists, may be identified as coming from a specific make of firearm or a narrow variety of firearms. It is possible to say that a projectile recovered from a crime scene was specifically fired from a Glock or Marlin.
This evidence, cases and projectiles, is microscopically examined and recorded and can be compared to and identified with evidence of the same type that has come or will come from other crime scenes.
The basic reason this verifiable comparison is possible is simply, that criminals gernerally do not expend a great deal of ammunition from their firearms.
Cartridge cases and/or projectiles discovered and typed at a crime scene can be attributed to a firearm used in a crime two years later mostly likely because those were the only two times that gun was fired in that two year time period.
Had that firearm been fired a few hundred times during that two year period it is highly unlikely or virtually impossible that a match could be made beyong the fact that the two firearms used were made by the same company.
I own a few firearms of the collectable variety that I have not shot in years. If you possessed a cartridge case from the last time I used that firearm I have no doubt that you could compare and match it to the very next round I expend from it.
Conversely I have a few that I use at the range with a certain regularity. I do not believe that you could match a cartridge case fired last week to a cartridge case fired from that firearm today. Scientific evidence provided by IBIS and in a California report of several years ago that the Attorney General sought to squelch prove that fact.
Ballistic Fingerprinting is a panacea whose time has not come. Will it? Maybe someday, but as long as cartridge cases, projectiles and firearms are manufactured using porous metalic compounds it is highly unlikely that it ever will.
Gunner at No Quarters has someting on this as well.
Wednesday, January 12, 2005
Sumatran Coffee Update
A few days ago I posted an article about buying coffee as a good way to help out the victims of the tidal wave.
In the Lincoln area there are at least two places that sell Sumatran Coffee, both of them located on P Street. I have patronized both places in years passed and experienced pleasurable experiences all around.
The Coffee House
1324 "P" Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 477-6611
The Mill
800 P Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
402-475-5522/800-475-5033
I am sure there are other places in Lincoln and this is not meant as a slight to any of those places that they are not listed. These two are simply places that I have been to, recommend and explained that I would be mentioning them on-line in a positive way.
If your into great coffeee you are probably familiar with these fine establishments and if your not and you enjoy a good cup of coffee why not broaden your horizens a bit and live a little.
In the Lincoln area there are at least two places that sell Sumatran Coffee, both of them located on P Street. I have patronized both places in years passed and experienced pleasurable experiences all around.
The Coffee House
1324 "P" Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
(402) 477-6611
The Mill
800 P Street
Lincoln, NE 68508
402-475-5522/800-475-5033
I am sure there are other places in Lincoln and this is not meant as a slight to any of those places that they are not listed. These two are simply places that I have been to, recommend and explained that I would be mentioning them on-line in a positive way.
If your into great coffeee you are probably familiar with these fine establishments and if your not and you enjoy a good cup of coffee why not broaden your horizens a bit and live a little.
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