Archive for the 'Firearms' Category

News & views.

The Violence Policy Center (VPC) today released a new slide show of firearms industry ads and catalog images exposing the common themes that gunmakers use in their marketing of militarized weapons such as the Bushmaster XM-15 assault rifle used in the mass shooting this past weekend at a Tops supermarket in Buffalo, New York.

In the introduction to the three-part slide show, the VPC explains, “Militarization dominates the public face of today’s gun industry, whether in magazine ads, manufacturer catalogs and websites, or the content of firearm magazines that cater to gun owners. In these outlets, three themes are consistently found”—

• Language and images that equate military-bred weaponry as the virtual embodiment of freedom. In this context, gun owners are often portrayed as brave men (and it is almost always men) standing alone, a front-line force against oppression, often from the government. Some companies harken back to the era of the Founding Fathers, encouraging these gun buyers to view themselves as modern-day patriots.
• The use of terms and images drawn from military or law enforcement extolling the virtues of the potential gun buyer, including hero. These descriptions are supplemented by words such as “bravery,” “honor,” and similar terms to describe an undefined “mission.” The accompanying images most often feature users outfitted in military-style gear.
• Language and images touting that the guns being sold are identical, or virtually identical, to the weapons carried and used by law enforcement or the military. Many manufacturers highlight the military and/or law enforcement pedigree of their firearms. Often, the only difference is that the weapons sold to civilians are semiautomatic, firing one bullet per trigger pull, as opposed to being able to fire in burst or fully automatic mode.

This is almost amusing due to its ignorance.

First of all, I reject out of hand the notion that something that’s military is somehow bad.  I do so for very good reasons that the VPC refuses to acknowledge.

Second, having watched hundreds of people – many of whom are new gun owners – purchase firearms over the last several years, I will observer that they tend to purchase the less expensive firearms, not the more expensive (which would be the corollary to highly marketed “military” firearms).

Third, women tend to seek out the simpler firearms, which tend to be wheel guns, or in other cases, subcompacts (for hiding in purses).  A full size pistol or rifle wouldn’t have impressed them.

Fourth, true gun guys aren’t impressed by sales pitches.  For example, videos like this one or this one don’t in the least make me want drop a wad of cash on the new Sig squad rifle.  I have no desire to own that weapon, nor to shoot ceramic cartridges.  Let it prove itself in a half century of war.  I’d rather have a lever action Marlin 30-30.

Fifth, the AR style platform is still so highly regarded and sought after because Eugene Stoner engineered it so well, not because of marketing.  If firearms manufacturers are spending a ton of money on marketing, they’d do better to improve their QA.  Parts failures and lack of 1 MOA shooting make it to the forums and cause users to pan the weapon.  Advertising gimmicks don’t matter.

They’re looking for a boogieman in the dark, and finding one every time they bump into a lamp.

News.

The last thing we need in this world is more guns. But we’re getting them whether we like it or not, so wouldn’t it be nice if those guns had safety mechanisms like our phones, making them impossible for anyone but their owners to use? That’s what Biofire is building, and it has raised $17 million to finalize and commercialize its biometric-secured firearm.

Founder Kai Kloepfer said he began looking into the idea after the Aurora mass shooting in 2012.

“I started to think, what could I possibly do to have an impact on this? How can I apply product building skills to what would appear to be a public health challenge? The problem of children and teens finding guns, accidents and suicides — that was the place where I really saw tech and a physical, product-based solution having an impact,” he said.

Good.  I hope the investors raise even more money than that, and I hope this becomes a money hole.

I will never buy one, but I’ve said what I will do.

“Perform a fault tree analysis of smart guns.  Use highly respected guidance like the NRC fault tree handbook.

Assess the reliability of one of my semi-automatic handguns as the first state point, and then add smart gun technology to it, and assess it again.  Compare the state points.  Then do that again with a revolver.  Be honest.  Assign a failure probability of greater than zero (0) to the smart technology, because you know that each additional electronic and mechanical component has a failure probability of greater than zero.

Get a PE to seal the work to demonstrate thorough and independent review.  If you can prove that so-called “smart guns” are as reliable as my guns, I’ll pour ketchup on my hard hat, eat it, and post video for everyone to see.  If you lose, you buy me the gun of my choice.  No one will take the challenge because you will lose that challenge.  I’ll win.  Case closed.  End of discussion.”

To date no one has taken the challenge, and no one will in the future.

Oooo … an Ashville MSM journalist writes a breathless article about ghost guns.  We should all be askeerd.

“In the case of the pistols here that you see, these were all purchased in undercover investigations by ATF,” Mein said.

The area of the frame or receiver where a manufacturer is required to add crucial serial numbers on these kits is blank.

“Those markings give us the ability to trace that gun. By tracing the firearm, we’re finding out who manufactured it, who retail sold it and who the original purchaser is,” Mein said.

The firearms anonymity is driving up their presence at crime scenes.

Let’s stop right there.  Firearms anonymity cannot possibly do or cause anything.  Maybe they don’t teach journalism or logic in college any more.

If unserialized firearms (that’s what we should call them) are more prevalent than in years gone by, that could explain an increased prevalence in crime scenes.  It would only stand to reason if the firearms at crime scenes are a cross section of the firearms in circulation.

As for the notion that serialization is “crucial,” that’s preposterous.  Person-to-person sales are still legal and the work to trace a firearm all the way back to the original buyer means absolutely nothing.  This is a raw ploy to scare the ignorant and easily scared into demanding laws against manufacture of their own weapons and person-to-person sales, and the ATF isn’t just going along with it all, I wouldn’t be surprised if the idea for the story came from them.

A federal rule change in April now makes those kits easier to trace. It will require serial numbers to be included on the frame or receiver. Sellers must also be licensed.

“It would provide that background screening,” King said.

Licensed manufacturer Phil Flack agreed serial numbers help investigators with cases.

“I think so, in one sense for the law enforcement community,” said Flack, owner of P.F. Custom Guns in Buncombe County.

Still, Flack continued, “The law has always allowed for individuals to manufacture their own firearms.”

He is worried new rules could impact enthusiasts and hobbyists more than criminals.

“If you’re going after somebody who’s not really a threat, what have you accomplished,” Flack said.

Phil, haven’t you learned how this works yet?  Don’t talk to the press – nothing good can come of it.

Via correspondent Roger.

News from Texas.

A Texas mother of three shot and killed a man who broke into her home while her children were asleep — but police say she won’t face any charges.

The woman was at her home with her kids on Kashmuir Place in San Antonio about 10 p.m. Thursday when she heard the man trying to enter the main door from the laundry room, News 4 San Antonio reported.

She opened fire and struck the man, identified as 41-year-old Roman Rodriguez, twice in the chest, according to KSAT. It is unclear if the intruder was armed.

When police arrived, they found the bloodied Rodriguez sitting on a chair in the backyard. He died on the way to the hospital, police said.

No one else was physically hurt in the incident.

The probe continues, but the unidentified homeowner is not facing charges because of the so-called Castle Doctrine, which allows a person to use force against an intruder who breaks into their home, News 4 San Antonio reported.

As I’ve said before, “Wait.  Something must be wrong with this report.

I thought guns magically turned and killed the owners rather than home invaders?  I thought that no one except the “only ones” (LEOs) were able to use weapons for self defense?  I thought that fine motor skills totally collapse when confronted by danger?  I thought that people had to go through tacticool training with former JSOC guys to be able to defend their life?  I thought you were supposed to “run, hide and fight?”  I thought that you were supposed to call 911, lay on the floor and grovel, and wait for help to arrive after they got through eating their sandwich?  I thought only former military understood enough about firearms to use them?  I hear that all the time when I read articles that begin with “I’m pro-2A and I shot guns in the military, but … blah, blah, blah, you’re not good enough … blah, blah, blah … I know what I’m talking about because I was in the military or a LEO, you’re in danger, don’t buy a gun … blah, blah, blah.”

And not only all of that, you’re just going to shoot up innocent people around you.  Only the cops and tacticool operators with classes from former SEALs are good enough to kill the bad guy.  “I guess we’re all going to have to recalibrate after this.

The narrative is busted once again.”

And in high winds.

At Outdoor Life.

The only one that holds any interest for me is the CZ.

It was more accurate than a number of rifles costing twice as much (or more). The average 5-shot group from the Alpha measured .814 inches, with a number of groups measuring less than .75 inches.

The best part is the price point: $749.

David Petzal has some thoughts on the use of backup iron sights for the user of optics.

This is a breezy read-through on a number of related things like how to mount scopes in order to get them off quickly if you really want to be able to use iron sights, various types of iron sights and how to protect them in the field, and so on.

I think being flip-up sights on an AR style rifle suits that particular need very well.

I found it informative.

I could probably watch him dig a ditch and make it interesting.  On top of that, I learned something.

At Shooting Illustrated.

Peruse them as you wish.  I’ll make several remarks.

First, I’m not a fan of the skeletonized stocks.  I think they look strange and incomplete, and they’re simply not something I consider to be heirloom quality firearms.

Second, I and readers have remarks before on how the transition away from fine Walnut stocks has change the face of long guns, and not for the better.

Finally, I’m astounded at some of the prices.  And you can’t convince me that these prices are necessary for the gun to shoot 1 MOA or better, even much better.

Maybe this is just a fad.