Daily Digest: Slicing & Dicing Edition

Your Lockdown of the Day™ for today is brought to you from Washington, D.C., where American University was locked down for about 85 minutes on Thursday evening. The security alert was prompted by a call from a student who saw a man wearing a holster on a university shuttle bus. No weapon was displayed, no threats were made, no crime was committed, and there were no arrests or injuries. In fact, it could not even be confirmed that the holster had a gun in it. Police have identified the man, and determined that he was an off-duty police officer. “See something, say something” is turning this country into a warren of panicky rabbits.

Matt writes: “Howdy, Just wanted to request a quick post directed at all your California readers who may or may not be aware that as of Jan. 1, 2014, the CA long gun registry comes into effect, making every single newly purchased long gun a ward of that enlightened state. I have found that many gun owners here don’t know about this, and some don’t care. But they should — one needs only look at the ongoing APPS confiscation campaign, which only works because handguns are registered. Given the 10 day wait in CA, gun owners in CA should be advised to stock up on their unregistered holiday gifts before the law kicks in. Aspiring gun owners who have been thinking about that bolt action plinker or a home defense piece should act now, or, in my opinion, forever hold their peace while this law in effect. So far as I know, there are no efforts in the wings to stop, reverse, or enjoin this measure. Please help get the word out. Much appreciated.” [This bill was signed into law back in October, 2011, to take effect on 1/1/14, and applies only to guns transferred after the effective date; there is no retroactive registration.]

Shoulda been a DGU? Man invades an occupied home, stabs a resident in the arm, neck, and chest, grabs some unidentified item and flees, warning the man, “Move and I’ll kill you.” Not far away, he attempts to jump some train tracks as a Union Pacific freight train rolls through; he falls, and is cut in half by the train. The conductor never knows it happened, and is flagged down and the train is stopped some 12 miles away. The resident is expected to recover. So, shoulda been, or good enough? After all, he might have survived the gunshot.

Residents of Vermont (all eight of ’em) often tout their state as one of the best in the country when it comes to gun rights, and with absolutely no permit required above the age of 16 to carry open or concealed, and a fairly short list of prohibited places, they’re not often wrong. However, even in the best state in the union, vigilance is still required. In Burlington, City Councilman Norm Blais is pushing for new gun regulations, including a prohibition on carry where there’s a liquor license and instituting a city-issued concealed carry permit, even though those regulations appear to be against state law. Vermont has state level preemption of gun laws, with a passage that begins “Except as otherwise provided by law…” and Mr. Blais is of the opinion that his proposals fall under the exception of “by law.” He’s clearly mistaken, but he’s trying, and it’s a lesson that even in the best of circumstances, we must remain watchful.

I normally try to avoid these longer videos for the Digest, but given the rather vigorous debate over the last 24 hours about the superwhamodyne $1776 Maximus Arms Gladiator (yet another) 1911, I thought this might interest some of you. It even interested me, and as I said in that post, I just don’t get 1911s. It’s a bargain 1911 at only $400, made by Tisas of Turkey. I know at that price point it’s a competitor for some Rock Island’s products, and saying that pretty much exhausted my knowledge of 1911s. Anybody shot one of these, or know anything about them? Hickok seemed like it pretty well, especially at that price point.

Maybe those guys that have been saying the .45 is superior to all, and the 1911 is the best form of .45 are right. I’ve never seen a Hickok video where more “extra targets” fell when he hit was he was aiming at than in this one.