Justin Trudeau canada
(Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)
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This Week in Gun Rights is TTAG’s weekly roundup of legal, legislative and other news affecting guns, the gun business and gun owners’ rights. For another look at the topics discussed here, check out this week in gun rights at FPC

Gun and ammo sales surge, more diverse gun buyers

Coronavirus gun sales surge boom
Brian Xia, 44, picks up his gun at a gun store in Arcadia, Calif. Sunday, March 15, 2020. Xia who is a first-time gun buyer, says he buys the gun for protecting himself and his family. (AP Photo/Ringo H.W. Chiu)

Continuing the trend we’ve observed over the last few months, gun and ammunition sales are continuing to climb, leading to shortages of both. According to the NSSF, retailers across the country saw an 87% increase in gun sales for the first half of the year, accompanied by a 92% increase in the sale of ammunition.

Shelves across the country are bare, and it’s also getting difficult to find components like parts kits. You don’t have to take my word for it though–go out and try to buy an AR and some 5.56 ammo to go with it.

It’s interesting to note that despite the old, tired “only white men buy guns” narrative, there’s been a 42.9% increase in purchases by Asians, 49.4% increase by Latinos, and a 58.2% surge in purchases by African Americans, which exceeded the increase in purchases by whites (51.9%).

From March to June, there were 7.8 million NICS background checks conducted, and many of the new purchasers are first time buyers. The increase in demand for guns and ammo is almost certainly tied to both civil unrest and mounting uncertainty related to the upcoming presidential election, with Joe Biden pitching a massive gun control plan.

The surge has been so intense that NICS had to undergo maintenance in the middle of the week, shutting down background checks for part of Wednesday. Sounds like it’s time to start spooling up those 3D printers and ammo presses, folks. 

Senate refuses to stop flow of military gear to police departments

Warren County, NY Undersheriff Shawn Lamouree poses in front of the department’s mine resistant ambush protected vehicle, or MRAP (AP Photo/Mike Groll)

In the Anti Federalist Papers, Centinel expressed his concern for the existence of standing armies and militias as instruments of tyranny. At the time of the founding, there were no government-run police forces as we currently understand them.

Now, though, thanks to the modern Congress, resources from the “Global War on Terror” have fallen into police hands to arm them like an occupying force. Despite the cries from the People and politicians alike about abuses of police power, the Senate failed to kill the 1033 program, which has been responsible for the transfer of more than seven billion dollars worth of equipment, such as MRAPs, from the military to police forces.

Virginia sheriff taking steps to deputize thousands of residents

Sheriff Scott Jenkins
Courtesy Jeff Hulbert and YouTube

The Sheriff of Culpeper County, Virginia is standing up to Governor Ralph Northam’s slew of new gun control laws in an interesting way. Sheriff Scott Jenkins is now asking current and former law enforcement officers to serve as background investigators to help the county sheriff’s office process applications for thousands of residents so that they may begin serving as “reserve deputies,” a status that would nullify some of Northam’s new gun control measures for those residents. 

Deputizing them would particularly counter new laws affecting possession of so-called assault weapons and what most of the rest of the country knows to be standard capacity magazines. I’m sure it’s going to bring relief for the insurance companies that were anticipating all of those unfortunate boating accident claims. That said, it’s important to stress that “special rights for special people” are not a way to fix bad laws.

Canadian Human Rights Commission rejects complaint regarding Trudeau’s racist gun grab

Justin Trudeau canada
(Jeff McIntosh/The Canadian Press via AP)

In America we hold the government accountable when it discriminates against people based on race, sex, national origin, and certain other features (or at least we try our damndest). Having established a national Human Rights Commission, you’d think Canada would do the same, but you’d be wrong.

The Canadian HRC has just rejected a complaint pertaining to Prime Minister Justin Zoolander Trudeau’s new gun ban. The complaint filed with the HRC explains that the PM’s recent unilateral decision to seize firearms will be disproportionately applied, discriminating against citizens based on an individual’s status as an aboriginal or non-aboriginal Canadian.

The HRC acknowledged that it has “received many similar complaints,” and even concedes that “[t]he threshold to show reasonable grounds in a complaint is low. However, the Commission is satisfied that in this case, the complaint does not demonstrate reasonable grounds that the federal government is engaging in a discriminatory practice.”

D.C. messing with Heller again

Dick Heller vs DC
Courtesy Jeff Hulbert

The man who brought us the key case for private gun rights in D.C. v. Heller may be at it again. Dick Heller (above, right), a long-time resident of the District of Columbia, is reportedly considering another lawsuit against the federal district for its refusal to process his firearms transfer in a timely manner.

If you’re wondering why the District is the one processing firearms transfers, it’s because the only FFL in the city has long since gone out of business, so the Metropolitan Police Department is now the only means by which someone can process a firearms transfer.

The issue isn’t particular to Heller — there are other residents who are experiencing significant delays, having waited several months to get their guns while the police drag their feet. With all the demand for firearms these days, it’s a surprise nobody is attempting to set up shop as a private FFL, but I guess we’ll see whether the department steps up or if there’ll be another round of Heller v. D.C. in our future. 

Biden hates the poors

joe biden mask
Democratic presidential candidate, former Vice President Joe Biden (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)

Guns aren’t just for the rich. The obligation of watch and ward standing, which began in medieval England, required all able-bodied men to bear arms for the protection of their families, homes, and communities, rich or poor.

That tradition, along with the increasing availability of firearms due to mass production are why a guy who lives in a rough neighborhood can adequately arm himself for a few hundred bucks. Unfortunately for that guy, Joe Biden, the so-called “working-class hero” of Scranton (or Delaware, whichever is most convenient or profitable in the moment), is pitching a plan to make it so arms will be a luxury toy for his class.

Shotgun Joe’s plan is pretty straightforward as government plans go — tax the ever-loving hell out of people by requiring them to register “assault weapons” and “high capacity magazines.” It’s basically an expansion of the National Firearms Act, but to a ridiculous extreme.

For example, a common AR magazine, which you can find almost anywhere (well, you could until recently) for under $20, would have to be registered with the ATF. How much money would it cost? Two hundred dollars. For. Each. Magazine. Just as if it were a suppressor or full-auto M-16. 

So let’s do the math. If you own, say, five magazines for which you’ve probably paid a grand total of $100 (or less if you got a good deal), you’re coming out of pocket for Creepy Uncle Joe to the tune of $1,000. That’s right, a pile of plastic and some springs is going to cost you a grand to stay legal.

Not only is Joe’s plan unconstitutional, it’s unconscionable. What I’ll never understand is how people can do things like become Vice President of the United States and not have a grasp on basic economics and constitutional law (especially when they’ve worked as a constitutional law professor at Widener University).

All Joe’s plan will do is discriminate against poor people while simultaneously creating a huge black market for magazines and arms. I guess Joe hasn’t heard that you can’t stop the signal. Boy is he in for a surprise.

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53 COMMENTS

  1. The author of this piece has literally no clue about what’s happening in Virginia. There are no laws currently that prohibit modern rifles or standard capacity magazines.

      • Tough call there and it gets confusing at that point… according to the ground rules, if he were right wing, yes, definitely racist, but he’s left wing, so theoretically no, even though it should be yes.

      • No, a politician is not being racist when dressing up under the direction of the ethnic group he is seeking votes from. That’s just politics. A slimy, slithery, low down and high smell’n occupation at the best of times and never one to be trusted. Trudeau is an ass for other reasons, not because of the damned silly feathers.

    • In the Indian culture a headdress is not made by the wearer. It is given by a tribe as a token of respect, honor and courage. If a tribe gave it to him. These attributes have been bestowed upon him by that tribe.

      • If that’s the case, well okay then.

        What is unforgivable are his positions, policies and plans to restrict, impede and deny the natural born right of all decent human beings (and a fair number of the indecent ones) to keep and bear arms for their personal and collective protection.

        That ain’t kosher!

        • Thomas, it works for me, in a limited fashion. I think their code is buggy with how it deals with browser configurations.

          I don’t dare change anything for fear I might lose mine, even as futzy as it is…

        • If you click on the: Save my name,email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The ability to edit feature after you post is available.

        • Edit feature has never worked for me, regardless of browser or device used while testing. Not once. So if it works for any of you, consider yourself blessed. The rest of us are relegated to double-proofreading our comments before posting, and living with any errors that slip through.

  2. Up until quite recently I was tacitly against the militarization of local po-leece departments. Not anymore…would that my local 5-O grew some gonads during the recent Black Lies Maim riots & looting spree. I felt somewhat alone knowing my calls would go unheeded. Cowardly cop’s suck.

    • I honestly don’t even understand the “police militarization” at this point, because when it’s legitimately time for the police to use that gear to put down a riot, they’re instead ordered to retreat and cede the city to the rioters.

      • It’s simple: when the riot is bought and paid for by the same guy who paid for the Mayor, the police ignore it. But you can bet that MRAP is rolling through your front door if -you- so much as say you’re going to start a riot. Or maybe even a protest without a loicense.

    • I’ve heard most police MRAPs end up breaking down and are pushed to the far corner of the police car park.

      So that’s why they are used. Better get some use before they break down.

  3. “Jabba the Sheriff sure is keeping himself in fighting trim!”

    Nice touch- dis the guy who’s standing with the regular citizens for appearance. Keep it up, you’ll certainly gain favor with others who might go out on a limb for everyday Americans.

  4. “All Joe’s plan will do is discriminate against poor people while simultaneously creating a huge black market for magazines and arms. I guess Joe hasn’t heard that you can’t stop the signal. Boy is he in for a surprise.”

    Braindead Joe doesn’t know or comprehend which side is up, his DemoCommie handlers put something in front of him to read.
    If he can read it without wandering into stories of his leg hairs or nurses blowing air in his nostrils, it’s considered a success. He probably is aware that he has always hated Arms and the peoples natural/God given right to keep and bear them and this is the best the DemoCommies can come up with for a candidate.

  5. There is striking beauty to Biden’s plan. Think about it. If you own an “assault weapon” or any components (anything related to semi-auto firearms), you either turn them in, or register them as covered under NFA. Think about that process, and who knows what, where and when.

    Because I came of age during the ’60s, I know how marxists, liberals, leftists, authoritarians think (went to college with many of them). They love themselves some word games (for instance: Biden never says he supports “de-funding” police, only that he agrees with “re-allocating the funds”).

    So, I suspect that not only will authorities know who owns what (there will be ancillary legislation making it a crime to use your unregistered “assault weapon for any purpose”, buying ammunition, buying re-loading equipment (likely to be defined as “constructive possession” of an “assault weapon”, range time, formal training, entering national and state parks….heck, the room for mischief is almost unlimited.

    And the sweetest element of all? While waiting years to register your “assault weapon”, you will run afoul of the law that prohibits possession of an “assault weapon” while you await your registration certificate.

    The people out to end private gun possession are not dullards. They are quite adept at treachery and duplicity. Indeed, they live for it.

    Trump and some of the courts may stave off disaster as long as Trump is president, and the Senate remains opposed to most everything the Demoncrats propose. But what happens after Trump leaves? Where is the next politician on the republican side who can, and will, play smash mouth with the Demoncrats?

    • I *hope* the next ‘R’ president is Nicki “I don’t get confused” Haley. Seeing her in action in the UN has convinced me she has no problem playing “Smash-mouth” politics. And being a ‘woman of color’ will drive the Leftists even more enraged (if that is even possible).

      “Think about it. If you own an “assault weapon” or any components (anything related to semi-auto firearms), you either turn them in, or register them as covered under NFA.”

      I have been thinking about it, and if that is coming, I’ll pay the 200 and enjoy the legal ‘giggle-switch’.

      Now, if they tell us semi-autos are now ‘assault weapons’ it may be time to express to them how unhappy we are in a variety of ways. But the message will be clear, we’re unhappy… 🙂

      • “Think about it. If you own an “assault weapon” or any components (anything related to semi-auto firearms), you either turn them in, or register them as covered under NFA.”

        “I have been thinking about it, and if that is coming, I’ll pay the 200 and enjoy the legal ‘giggle-switch’.”

        Consider….NFA is simply legislation. How easy to change and completely ban automatic and “full semi-automatic”firearms. The “sell” will be that revolvers, and bolt action rifles are sufficient for “the militia”. (Congress is responsible for equipping “the militia”; i.e. setting “standard” gear for use)

        Thinking of Congress re-asserts its power regarding provisioning “the militia”, the courts will have a plausible excuse to render “in common use” reasoning about which type firearms “the people” of “the militia” may possess.

        • “How easy to change and completely ban automatic and “full semi-automatic”firearms.”

          ‘Heller’ found that “weapons in common use” were expressly protected by the 2A.

          The most common rifles are semi-autos, according to the BATF records of the manufacturers.

          So, no, they cannot do that. That doesn’t me they won’t *try* to get rid of them. They might, but the people will communicate to them that’s unacceptable…

        • ” ‘Heller’ found that “weapons in common use” were expressly protected by the 2A.”

          “Heller is ignored constantly.

          First, any law is constitutional upon passage. Between passage and the SC ruling the legislation and regulations unconstitutional, the law is in effect.

          Second, a Marxist regime will, as in will, expand the courts to their liking.

          Third, the nation didn’t just wake up one morning and find all the restrictions on personal liberty that exist today.

          Fourth, thinking the courts will preserve the constitution is folly. Look at where we are. Think the courts are unaware?

          In a world where one can “decide” they are male, female, or Mickey Mouse, anything is possible with the law.

      • Thanks to the Hughes amendment, the $200 giggle switch tax is only payable on the 140k, or so, machine guns that were registered before May 1986, which means paying $10k+ for most anything (MAC clones are a little cheaper).

        • “Thanks to the Hughes amendment, the $200 giggle switch tax is only payable on the 140k,…”

          Read the law. The ‘closed’ registry can be reopened by the stroke of a pen, and they did just that a time or two in the past.

          So they can do it again. If they do, buy stock in ammo companies… 😉

  6. “In the Anti Federalist Papers, Centinel expressed his concern for the existence of standing armies and militias as instruments of tyranny. At the time of the founding, there were no government-run police forces as we currently understand them.”

    There are no Constitutionally authorized police, ie alphabet agencies, there are but two Constitutionall stated forms of law enforcement the sheriff and marshall service.
    Anything else is extra Constitutional,ie un Constitutional,read it for yourself.

    https://constitution.congress.gov/constitution/

    • The proliferation of Federal alphabet soup police agencies, and the absurd number of SWAT teams they maintain, is a reasonable complaint.

      On the other hand the “Necessary and Proper clause” covers a lot of ground. There is nothing un-constitutional about Congress creating Federal law enforcement agencies. Sure, unwarranted, unneeded, excessive, poorly thought out, downright outrageous … but entirely within their power.

  7. “Virginia sheriff taking steps to deputize thousands of residents”

    So far this Sheriff is talking a very reasonable and carefully thought out approach. Right now he’s in the planning stages. His plan is to do a background investigation on every citizen apply to be a “Reserve Deputy”. The investigators would be volunteers who are retired from law enforcement.

    That approach covers a lot of lines of complaint. Next he needs to show a plan of training in the safe ownership, carrying and lawful use of firearms for a Reserve Deputy.

    It will be interesting to see what he comes up with. Even if it is all contingency planning on paper in case of worse laws handed down by the moron in the Governor’s Mansion, it’s still a good idea to get the planning down.

    If it becomes necessary to use his plans it’ll be a sweet “UP YOURS!” to the Governor and a fine object lesson to other county sheriffs.

  8. “Biden hates the poors”

    No, that’s false. Biden is riding the party narrative, defined and driven by Hoplophobia. It is the emotional need for an easy, simple solution to the complex problem of human violence. From the Hoplophobes’ point of view, removing the weapons seems all so simple and easy if only these foolish POTG would just let it happen. Combine that fear, that need of simplicity with the metastasizing effect of decades spent in this political conflict, and you have the current anti-gun Democratic platform.

    “Hating the poors” has nothing to do with it.

    • It seems overdone to use the word “hate” in the context of restrictive gun laws. “Fear” is historically more appropriate. US gun laws, for example those restricting concealed carry, were put in place to assure that freed slaves and their progeny could be jailed for carrying a pistol.

      The very large trend in restrictive gun law creation seems to have flowed from the horrors of WWI. Germany, France, Britain, and the USA, among others, began passing restrictive gun laws as the anger among low-income working people manifested itself. The German Revolution and the local one in Bavaria triggered (…) the restrictive laws of the Weimar Republic, a short-lived government. In Britain, the number of horribly maimed men returned from the trenches likewise triggered for the first time restrictive gun laws. Brits (especially their police) have been brainwashed to think that highly restricting a fundamental right, the ownership of a rifle or pistol, was about “common sense safety” rather than the upper- and upper-middle class fears of communist or “socialist” revolution.

      It is somewhat ironic that Britain ended up with both socialism and the heavy restriction of gun rights, while the “higher orders,” the upper class, remains more firmly entrenched than ever.

        • It must be understood that the people of Canada are only Canadian citizens because the Mother Country (England). Allows them to be. The Queen still holds title to all the land in Canada and they are given the right to self govern by Her Majesty. Hence they follow the guidance and guidelines of English law for the most part. Like the colonist were allowed to self govern as long as they did so under the guidance of King George III. Once you understand all this. You know why things happen as they do under Canadian Law. If you don’t believe it. Look it up. It’s easy research on the Interweb.

  9. Clueless Joe has a plan, really? The only plan I have seen to date is for him to hide in his basement.

  10. That MRAP doesn’t have any glass in the turret, lol. Whatever, state funds… surely it will be modified and guess who pays for it. I honestly don’t have a problem with the evolution of tactics involving purchases like that. Plenty of civilians own far better. If you are complaining about it then you are either just a punk, or poor. I mean, I can’t go buy a fucken MRAP, but can certainly build an IED/EFP to render their useless if I need to. Plus, they gotta get out of it sometime. When we see them rolling down the streets on a daily basis like Mexico, then we have a problem. Right now, it’s pretty confined to the communist areas 😉

    • Anyone that did NOT go to the above mentioned links…STOP right there. Do yourself a favor. Do us all a favor. Check it out. I guarantee it is worth your time.

    • No, really, watch that. Make all your friends, family, and random folks you encounter in the store and on the street while you are waiting for the [walk] sign to light up watch that.

  11. If your semiauto AR becomes an NFA item then there is no significant additional risk/penalty for making your own auto sear, so why not do so? There is already lots of DIY stuff on the internet and people will be using it to do just that.

  12. $200 for each magazine?

    Unreasonable taxes required to exercise a constitutionally protected right are illegal.

    This is a poll tax.

    • If $200 tax on auto sear is OK, why not on magazines?
      In 1930s, when the NFA was enacted, that two bills were worth much more. Miller was about not paying this tax on $5 short barreled shotgun. It still stands.

  13. “It’s interesting to note that despite the old, tired “only white men buy guns” narrative, there’s been a 42.9% increase in purchases by Asians, 49.4% increase by Latinos, and a 58.2% surge in purchases by African Americans, which exceeded the increase in purchases by whites (51.9%).”

    Good.

    Gun rights are civil rights. Some of us want to extend *all* civil rights to *all* people.

    Some of us think that’s the main purpose of government: governing ourselves to our own advantage, mainly working together to hold safe, civil space better than we can manage each on our own.

    Govt is essentialy co-ops n militia, organized to move faster n codified to remember what works. Even so, organized agents can’t be everywhere, nor prior rules account for everything. Even with govt structures in place, individuals retain their prerogatives for the rest of everywhere the garndarmes can’t be.

    • Some want you armed to protect yrself, if you need n choose to.

      Some want you disarmed, n they’ll decide if you’re safe enough.

      Somehow, the folks who want you disarmed, always arm themselves when they feel unsafe: they’re less bugged when yr at risk, n if they don’t feel it, who are you to have a say?

      If the world’s not an entitely safe place, maybe vote accordingly.

  14. Diversity in a society is a weakness and always leads to violence. The US was founded as a country for a nation of men who shared the same blood and ancestors. Read The Federalist Papers #2 by John Jay, where he praises the fact that the US was peopled by one dominant nation.

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