Articles by Herschel Smith

I don’t know where this was.  I paused the video enough times to see that he was using a pistol.  I’m guessing that this was a sow with two cubs on the larger end of things and felt a bit threatened.

He did the right things as best as I can tell.

Bro almost became a victim 💀😭 pic.twitter.com/V5HER3AzGM

— Simba (@m0e_almighty) September 4, 2022

David Codrea.

Licht’s Ronnie Barrett reference, of course, recalls a 2002 letter the President of Barrett Firearms Manufacturing, sent to then-Chief William J. Bratton of the Los Angeles Police Department, about his company’s .50 caliber rifles:

“I will not sell, nor service, my rifles to those seeking to infringe upon the Constitution and the crystal clear rights it affords individuals to own firearms.”

Barrett again sent similar letters, one to the State of California in 2005, the Honolulu Police Department in 2008, and the State of New York in 2013.

I recounted these and more in my 2018 AmmoLand article, “More in the Firearms Industry Should Follow Hornady’s New York Example,” documenting President Steve Hornady’s announcement saying in part:

“Hornady will not knowingly allow our ammunition to be sold to the State of NY or any NY agencies. Their actions are a blatant and disgusting abuse of office and we won’t be associated with a government that acts like that. They should be ashamed.”

Yes they could stop the disarmers, and yes they should be ashamed.  But they’re not – they are only interested in the revenue.  I’ve pointed out that Cloud Defensive has taken such a stand, and it cost them money to do it.

But here’s the question.  We can point to Barrett, Cloud Defensive, Hornady, and a few others, perhaps, but what pistols and rifles do the disarmers shoot?

Until Smith & Wesson, Glock, and a host of other large manufacturers can be persuaded to join the club of those who truly respect the 2A, this effort won’t go anywhere.  It will be symbolic, and not much else.

I think it would be a good thing to do if someone took it on to mail each and every CEO of the manufacturers, but this is too much time for me to spend.  If some enterprising reader wants to start a thread on this, I’ll find a way to host it.

This rifle is “unobtanium” except for used, and even then, simply not available.  The comments section features educated folks.  One commenter remarks that “I’ve been writing to Henry trying to get them to chamber one of their rifles in .454 Casull.”  So have it to no avail.

Another commenter questions “Did you get any blow back shooting the 454? When they first came out the only gun store here that had them. The counter man said every one they sold had to be sent back because of blow back from the action. And thats what made me get a 44mag instead back then.”

I don’t think Rossi makes this rifle anymore.

The cost is somewhere around $3000, which is right in line with their other rifles (unless you count the fancy Walnut upgrade).  This one is in S&W .500 Magnum.

But overpriced compared to other such rifles in my estimation.  This will limit the sales, but they seem to be fine with that.  I’d love to have a .454 Casull Rifle, but it’s too pricey for me.

Every engineer loves real data.

Here is the court decision.  Of course, it’s the right call, but that doesn’t mean it will stand the rest of the appeals through the cicuits of black robed tyrants.

I discussed this with friends today.  The source is here.

Mike does a good job of breaking it down.  I was just trying to recall the compliance rate with AR-15 registration when Connecticut tried this stunt.  As best as I recall it was < 10%.  This is different, i.e., declaring a SBR, but even worse because for those who comply, they can’t even carry the firearm across state lines without ATF approval.

I never got into the pistol brace scene, but there are a lot of them in circulation, many more than I suspect will be registered with the ATF as SBRs.

Ammoland.

According to UPS’ “How to Ship Firearms” webpage, nearly everything must have a serial number.

Any item that meets the definition of a firearm (including firearm mufflers or silencers) or a “frame” or “receiver” under federal law (including any partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver as defined by 27 CFR § 478.12) must be identified and bear a serial number in satisfaction of the requirements for identifying such items under federal law, including 27 CFR § 478.92 and/or 27 CFR § 479.102, regardless of whether any such items are otherwise exempt from or not subject to identification requirements under applicable law.  This prohibition applies even before the effective date of 27 CFR § 478.12.

UPS does not accept Firearm Products for shipment domestically unless (1) such shipments are in full compliance with all federal, state, and local laws, including, without limitation, age restrictions; (2) such firearms, including any partially complete, disassembled, or nonfunctional frame or receiver (as defined by 27 CFR § 478.12), have been identified and bear a serial number in a manner that complies with federal law; and (3) such firearm parts within a package cannot be assembled to form a firearm.

By far, the strictest document is the shipping agreement between UPS and a licensed firearm dealer.

Before making any Firearm Products Shipment under this Agreement, Shipper must submit to UPS, by email to customercompliance@ups.com complete, current and accurate licensing documentation of Shipper’s federal firearms license, as well as satisfactory completion of, and compliance with, any other applicable licensing requirements, including any applicable state requirements. Shipper may not tender Firearm Products Shipments to UPS unless and until UPS has confirmed receipt in writing of Shipper’s licensing documentation.

The agreement holds the dealer responsible for complying with all applicable laws, as well as developing their own “shipper compliance program.”

The compliance program must “include: (1) training for sales and marketing employees regarding lawful recipients, possessors, and purchasers of Firearm Products; (2) due diligence regarding customer licensure or authorization to receive, possess, and purchase Firearm Products under applicable federal, state, or local law; and (3) self-assessments of the Shipper Compliance Program to guarantee its effectiveness.”

That’s too bad.  That’s another option off the books.  Soon we’ll be limited to driving firearms where we intend for them to go.

I once gifted a revolver to someone in another state, and sent it to an FFL as per appropriate legal stipulations.  UPS won’t pick it up at your home, nor can you send it at a local office.  You have to go to a hub and declare it.

That’s all in the past now.  It all has to go through an FFL.  Only FFLs can ship through UPS.

Chalk another win for the anti-gun lobby and fear mongers.

I found this to be an informative video.  I still very much like the 6mm ARC round.  He does too, for its intended purpose (white tail, hogs, coyotes).

American Rifleman.

These five bullets cover most of the applications for which a .44 Mag. rifle can be used—from plinking to hunting. The projectiles are (l. to r.): Rim Rock’s 200-grain Cowboy RNFP; Hornady’s 200-grain XTP; Hornady’s 225-grain FTX; Northern Precision’s 250-grain Sabre Star and Speer’s 270-grain DeepCurl soft point.

The author goes on to outline some of the advantages and disadvantages of each bullet.

I’d like an educated take on what he says from experience hunting with this round.  Mainly I have .44 magnum from Buffalo Bore, choosing that since it tends to be some of the hottest round on the market (I haven’t tried Underwood, who has a monolithic round for sale).

I tend to think that a .44 magnum out of a lever action rifle would be lethal for eastern whitetail, bear, coyote, and about anything you could find east of the Mississippi.

What have readers taken with the venerable .44 magnum?