The abomination above, which likely looks familiar to our embattled brethren in California, is a prototype for a new style of AR-15 that is purported to be NY SAFE Act legal. It has a fixed stock and no pistol grip, which makes it 150,000% less lethal than a conventional AR. Although you can’t see the muzzle, you can be assured that it also doesn’t have a deadly flash hider, the mere presence of which would have rendered the rifle immediately and irreversibly lethal to anyone within a 50-foot radius. Just to put a nice cap on the rank stupidity of this entire exercise, I offer the following, which was at the top of the comment section when I read the story: “The ban on flash suppressors was there for good reason.” Of course, he doesn’t offer what that reason was. [h/t DR] Read on . . .
Your Lockdown of the Day™ comes from Gladstone, Missouri, and this one makes sense. Police received reports at about 1 p.m. Friday of shots fired in the vicinity of Linden West Elementary School. When police arrived and located the home where the gunshots were heard, directly across the street from the school, another round of gunshots could be heard coming from inside the house. Linden West Elementary was placed on lockdown in the interim, and the kids were moved to the gymnasium on the northeast side, putting the bulk of the building between them and the idiot. The man “barricaded himself inside the home” (which I think means the door was locked and he wouldn’t come out) for some four hours. His mother told police that he’d purchased two “AK-47 style assault rifles” and a large amount of ammunition, and was heavily intoxicated. After about four hours without contact, he surrendered himself about 6 p.m. without incident. His blood alcohol level was tested and found to be .261. He’s been charged with multiple felonies and is being held on $250,000 bond. [h/t JA]
LEGISLATIVE ALERT – The Kansas legislature will be considering House Bill 2473 on Tuesday, a bill which would make it legal to open carry throughout the state, striking down any municipal laws that prevent it. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Jim Howell, got some pushback from Democrat Rep. Louis Ruiz, who was concerned about people carrying who have been drinking. So Howell added an amendment that would prohibit possession by people who are under the influence. That provision is already in place for concealed carry permits in the state. But now he’s getting flack from Republican representatives, who are concerned that someone who had a drink and was attacked would be prevented from using a gun for self defense. Once again, I’m glad I live in Florida. You can drink while carrying, you just can’t have a loaded gun in your hand if you’re “impaired.” However, that doesn’t apply if you’re acting in self-defense. Seems to cover all the bases. Somebody ought to send the Kansas lawmakers a copy of the Florida statute.
When all else fails, plead stupidity and throw yourself on the mercy of the court. A 37-year old man in Dublin, Ireland was arrested on the way to a party and found to be carrying 300 euros worth of cocaine. A subsequent search of his home turned up three blank-firing pistols and 400 rounds of ammunition for them. He told gardaí he’d bought the guns from a “junkie” five years ago, and later told the judge that he bought them “to play around with them” and he wasn’t aware they were illegal. Telling the judge he had “a stupid, infantile interest in guns” and that he was like “a kid with a toy,” he plead for mercy. The judge sentenced him to three years in prison, suspended, on the condition that he “keeps the peace and be of good behaviour” for that period.
A fire broke out at the Winchester ammunition plant in East Alton, Illinois, northeast of St. Louis, at about 3:30 a.m. on Sunday. It was reported by a passerby who saw the flames and called authorities. Firefighters say the blaze occurred in a maintenance building, exploding some propane cylinders, but the cylinders were isolated from more dangerous materials. They did not state a cause, but said that it was large enough that seven departments came to help put it out. [h/t KM]
Jerry Miculek has an answer to California Senator Kevin de León, and his “30 caliber magazine clip.”
The funny part is that’s actually one of the least stupid things I’ve seen hanging off an AR. (See the lead photo.)