Hunters and competitive marksmen and women thinking about traveling overseas for their next adventure should keep in mind that the Biden administration’s new rule targeting firearm exports also puts their personally-owned firearms in the crosshairs.
The Commerce Department’s Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) published an Interim Final Rule that makes permanent a freeze on firearm and ammunition exports. NSSF is deeply critical of the rule and is working withWashington, D.C., lawmakersto push back against the Biden administration’s attack on the firearm and ammunition industry.
That rule will change the license policy for a group of 36 countries considered to be “high risk” and BIS will revoke any current licenses held by exporters. There are a bevy of new restrictions, including a requirement that licenses that were once valid for four years are now only good for one year. Every company applying for a license is being told that all licenses will be considered only on a “case-by-case” basis under a new human rights-centric review policy and to expect a “presumption of denial” for commercial sales in those “high risk” countries even if they’ve legally been exporting to an overseas firearm dealer for decades.
Hidden in some of the fine print, though, are new restrictions for hunters traveling overseas. That lifetime dream of hunting in the African plains, Scottish Highlands or New Zealand mountains is going to come with more challenges than just arranging travel, passports, guides and getting on the animals. Now, there’s a new maze of legal paperwork too.
Pack Your Patience
Starting May 30, if a hunter is packing a gun to travel overseas, they’re going to need to pack along patience and limit their firearms to just three total and no more than 1,000 rounds of ammunition.
Until now, hunters traveling overseas were allowed to carry their personal firearms as follows: three shotguns with barrel length 18 inches or more and shotgun shells with no quantity limit, and three firearms (rifles and handguns) and related ammunition up to 1,000 rounds, without a requirement for an export license. That is Export Administration Regulations (EAR), License Exception 740.14 Baggage (BAG), which allowed sportsmen and women to travel with their personal firearms as long as those firearms and ammunition were personal baggage, intended for personal use, would not be sold or transferred to a foreign person and that were returned to the United States – the point of origin. Now, it’s a little trickier.
Hunters traveling overseas will now be limited to just three firearms total and 1,000 rounds for temporary export for personal use. There is an allowance for related parts, components, accessories and attachments. The new Interim Final Rule adds new Export Classification Control Numbers (ECCNs) specific to semiautomatic firearms so BIS can track them. The new ECCNs are: 0A506 for semi-automatic rifles, 0A507 for semi-automatic pistols and 0A508 for semi-automatic shotguns. The revised language in the BAG exception references these ECCN numbers, and states “Not more than three firearms may be taken on any one trip (this includes shotguns in ECCNs 0A502 or 0A508, as well as firearms in ECCNs 0A501, 0A506, or 0A507).”
Final Destination Matters
There’s more fine print, though. Hunters planning destinations which are in Country Group D:5 (with the exception of Zimbabwe) will require an export license to travel with personal firearms. Those D:5 countries are Afghanistan, Belarus, Burma, Cambodia, Central African Republic, China, Democratic Republic of Congo, Cuba, Cyprus, Eritrea, Haiti, Iran, Iraq, North Korea, Lebanon, Libya, Nicaragua, Russa, Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan, Syria, Venezuela and Zimbabwe (Again – Zimbabwe is excluded from this export license requirement under the Interim Final Rile).
Likewise, Caribbean countries will also require an export license for personal firearms. That includes Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, Suriname, St. Kitts and Nevis, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago; associate members: Anguilla, Bermuda, British Virgin Islands, Cayman Islands, and Turks and Caicos, as well as any other state or associate member that has acceded to membership in accordance with Article 3 or Article 231 of the Treaty of Chaguaramas for members.
BIS & NSSF Want Individuals to Comment
BIS is seeking comment on the Interim Final Rule – especially for two issues that are important to hunters and sportsmen traveling overseas with firearms. BIS wants comments to know whether there should be imposed time limits on the use of the exceptions that allow for firearms to be temporarily taken overseas. BIS is considering 45, 60, 90 or 180-day limits on how long a personal exporter of firearms is eligible to keep a firearm overseas.
Individuals are strongly urged to make comments in response to the above. Comments may be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov. The regulations.gov ID for this rule is: BIS-2024-0003, and refer to RIN 0694-AJ46 in all comments.
There’s more. BIS also wants to hear about revisions to license exceptions that would require individuals to submit electronic export information (EEI) in the Automated Export System (AES). This requirement was quietly placed in the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) in 2012 but was not enforced by Customs and Border Protection (CBP) until 2015. Implementation in 2015 created many problems because of the need for individuals to: obtain from IRS an Employer ID number and list themselves as a business even when they were not; and having to gain entry to the AES system and accurately enter the required data elements in a commercial system meant for exports by companies. Individuals cannot obtain an Employer ID number from the IRS without falsely stating they are a business. And submitting false information to the federal government is a crime. AES is intended for businesses exporting goods, not consumers who will not be able to pass the certification test.
Several gun organizations, including NSSF, pushed back against this regulation. As a result, when BIS published the final rule in 2020 transferring firearm controls to Commerce Department, the BAG license exception did not require individuals to file export information in the AES system. The current regulation, since 2020 for license exception BAG, requires individuals to complete the CBP form 4457 and submit it to CBP officials when the firearms are inspected prior to export. This system has been working well for several years and it is not clear why BIS is considering a change which would make the process much more difficult for individuals.
BIS is asking for comments on the impact of this change on individuals, and they welcome comments “that provide alternative suggestions for increasing transparency and reducing diversion risk without imposing a mandatory EEI filing requirement in AES for exports authorized under License Exception BAG.”
Individuals are strongly urged to make comments in response to the above. Comments may be submitted electronically to www.regulations.gov. The regulations.gov ID for this rule is: BIS-2024-0003 and refer to RIN 0694-AJ46 in all comments.
NSSF will be arguing against these changes in the comments letter to be submitted and would be happy to include information from individuals or other organizations to strengthen those arguments against this unnecessary and burdensome potential regulatory change.
Screenshot of viral video showing Chicago teens armed with GLOCK-type handguns equipped with full-auto switches.
New legislation proposed in New York aims to be the first in the nation to prevent gun manufacturers from selling pistols that can be modified to shoot like machine guns, according to The Wall Street Journal. The bill, targeting the use of “pistol converters” or “Glock switches” as they are more commonly called, would make it a felony to sell, transport or ship such convertible pistols as merchandise, though law enforcement and military sales would be exempt.
Introduced by State Sen. Zellnor Myrie, a Brooklyn Democrat, the bill responds to police concerns about the rising use of these devices in violent crimes across the United States. The converters allow a pistol to fire continuously while the trigger is held down, mirroring machine gun fire.
Myrie noted the legislation specifically addresses Glock pistols, which are notably susceptible to these conversions. The measure comes amid several gun control efforts by the Democratic-led New York Legislature, including laws against ghost guns and bump stocks.
The bill will face significant opposition from gun-rights advocates and legal challenges from gun manufacturers, who argue it unfairly targets them for how their products might be misused. Tom King, president of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, criticized the bill as a misunderstanding of firearms’ functionality and a step toward banning Glock pistols entirely.
Glock, whose U.S. headquarters is in Georgia, has not commented on the proposal. The legislation has been drafted with input from the anti-gun group, Everytown for Gun Safety, whose officials label the misuse of Glock pistols with switches as a national crisis.
The legislative session in Albany continues for five more weeks, during which the fate of this pioneering bill will be decided.
It’s no secret to TTAG readers that municipal officials in many cities—both large and small—are prone to concocting their own anti-gun schemes to infringe upon the rights of gun owners when visiting those cities. That’s why many states have passed preemption laws making it illegal for municipalities to pass firearms ordinances more restrictive than state law.
Iowa has long had such an law on the books. And now legislators in the Hawkeye State have passed, and the governor has signed, a measure putting teeth to Iowa’s preemption law.
On May 1, Gov. Kim Reynolds signed House File 2556, providing an enforcement mechanism for the state’s preemption law.
Iowa’s existing preemption law prohibited local jurisdictions from passing any ordinance, motion, resolution, policy, or amendment that is inconsistent with or stricter than state law. The newly signed law provides an enforcement mechanism—read as, financial penalty—to help ensure that cities comply with the law.
According to the new laws’ text: “A court shall assess against the political subdivision of the state damages in the amount of not more than five hundred dollars and not less than one hundred dollars per day after providing written notice to the political subdivision of the state of the violation, not to exceed five thousand dollars.”
The penalty is increased for those who know passing such a law is a violate of the code but do so anyway.
“However, if the political subdivision of the state knowingly participated in such a violation, damages shall be assessed against the political subdivision of the state in the amount of not more than two thousand five hundred dollars and not less than one thousand dollars per day after providing written notice to the political subdivision of the state of the violation, not to exceed twenty-five thousand dollars,” the law states. “These damages shall be paid by the political subdivision of the state directly to the adversely affected person.”
HF 2556 also includes a provision allowing the state to assess damages in excess of the amounts listed in the language. The measure had passed the state House by an 84-to-11 vote and the Senate by a vote of 40 to 5.
Most states have preemption laws on the books to help protect citizens’ Second Amendment rights by preventing a patchwork of regulations that make it nearly impossible to know what the law is as they move throughout a state. The new Iowa law will go into effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
Rifle manufacturers came out strong this year with more than a score of new deer-worthy rifles. Here’s a quick rundown.
Bergara MgMicro Lite
Bergara’s MgMicro Lite weighs a mere 5.8 lbs. and sports an 18-inch Cure carbon barrel. An ultralight magnesium micro chassis provides stability and accuracy. Features like a Bergara Premier action, foldable XLR Atom magnesium chassis, carbon fiber buttstock and grips, along with a TriggerTech Trigger making this gun a lightweight powerhouse. The MgMicro Lite is chambered in 6.5 CR, .308 Win, and 6.5 PRC and comes with an AICS-style detachable magazine.
Bergara B-14 Squared Crest Carbon
Bergara’s B-14 Squared Crest Carbon features include a stock crafted entirely in carbon fiber with an internal spine. The Crest stock also incorporates their M5 cutout, that’s swapable from an AICS magazine to a traditional floorplate. This stock is combined with the Bergara CURE carbon fiber barrel. It comes in several popular chamberings including the new 7mm PRC.
Bergara B-14 Squared Crest
The new B-14 Squared Crest is built on a lightweight and Monte Carlo carbon fiber stock. Bergara combined this new stock together with their B-14 action and their well-known barrels, resulting in a rifle weighing 7 ½ pounds before optics mounting. The B14 runs AICS-pattern magazines, and this one came with a 3-round mag. This writer’s rifle in 6.5 PRC averaged 1.279 MOA for 5-shot groups at 100 and 300 yards.
Bergara’s Wilderness Sierra
The Wilderness Sierra offers an adjustable comb, offering shooters the freedom to personalize their comb height for an optimized and comfortable shooting experience.
The Sierra is chambered in .22-250 Rem, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win, 6.5 PRC, .30-06 SPRG, .270 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm PRC, .300 Win Mag, and 300 PRC. This gun tips the scales at 7.4 lbs. and is backed by a sub-MOA guarantee. Left-handed models, too. MSRP is a mere $1,099.
Bergara Introduces the B-14 Stoke
Bergara’s Stoke joins the B-14 lineup crafted for smaller-statured shooters. Setting itself apart from other compact rifles that merely shave an inch off the length of pull, the Stoke features a12.25-inch length of pull. The Bergara compact stock comes with three 1/4” LOP Spacers.
The Stoke is chambered in .223 Rem, .22-250 Rem, .300 BLK, .350 Legend, .243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, .308 Win, 6.5 PRC, and 7mm-08. Magazine options include a floor plate or AICS detachable style. Weighing in at 6 pounds, the Stoke also features a graphite black Cerakote finish. With a MSRP of $899 this gun is affordable.
Ruger Gen 2 American
Ruger’s American series of bolt-action rifles are proven tack drivers at an affordable price. After a dozen years on the market, the famed gunmaker just launched their American Gen 2 with a lot more bells and whistles.
Professionally applied Cerakote coating on barrel, muzzle brake, receiver and bolt handle results in a durable, easy-to-maintain finish. Length of pull can be adjusted from 12 to 13.75 inches as well as interchangeable comb height. A fluted barrel and more features make up the differences in those found on the Gen 1 models. MSRP is $729.
Beretta BRX1
Beretta’s first straight-pull bolt-action rifle, the BRX1 offers cold-hammed forging and deep drilling. The rifling and chamber are created in a single step. The bolt is configured with an 8-lug rotating bolt head, complete with extraction claw and ejector derived directly from military technology.
Interchangeable barrels come in varying calibers, three trigger weight options, and fully ambidextrous bolt and extraction offer the ability to change from right to left hand without any tools.
With a $1,399 MSRP the BRX-1 is a few hundred dollars cheaper than comparable entry-level straight-pull rifles, and is as accurate and smooth handling as rifles of this type costing $5,000 or more. This writer fired several sub-MOA 5-shot groups with an early BRX-1 in 6.5 Creedmoor.
Springfield 2020 Redline
The Model 2020 Redline from Springfield Armory delivers a lightweight, custom-grade hunting rifle available in .308 and 6.5 Creedmoor. Featuring a minimalist Grayboe Trekker stock and outfitted with a 16-inch carbon fiber barrel, the Redline is suppressor ready or handles well with a supplied brake.
Combining light weight with unyielding performance, the 28-ounce Grayboe Trekker stock features an adjustable length of pull system — featuring .25-inch adjustment increments, with a range of 13.25 inches to 14.25 inches and adjustable up to 16 inches with additional spacers. The free-floated BSF barrel of the Model 2020 Redline is jacketed in a roll-wrapped carbon fiber sleeve and loaded under tension.
Two popular features among my evaluator friends are a flush-fit AICS-pattern magazine, and the bubble level behind bolt.
Wilson Combat NULA Model 20
Released in Q4 2023, Wilson Combat’s NULA Model 20 has won several prestigious awards already. I put a lot of rounds down range from a 6.5 Creedmoor version with frequent sub-MOA results. It’s 5.3-pound weight punches above the competition.
A Timney Elite Hunter Trigger set at 2.75 pounds breaks cleanly and crisply every time. A light-weight carbon fiber stock fitted with a Limbsaver recoil pad also features Nitride-coated sling studs. Scope Base Torx Screws are a beefy 8-40 TPI. The receiver is machined and EDM cut from 4140 bar stock with an Armorlube DLC coating. Barrel threading is 5/8-24 with a nitride-coated thread protector to make it suppressor ready. Topping everything out, the rifle comes with corrosion resistant 17-7 stainless springs.
Weatherby 307 Range XP
The 307 is Weatherby’s first newly designed bolt-action rifle in more than 50 years. It gets its moniker from the 307 Area Code at the company’s new factory in Sheridan, Wyoming.
The M307 action is a 2-Lug, fully cylindrical action compatible with many aftermarket accessories. Model 307 is designed to accommodate the vast offerings of stocks, triggers, rails, mounts, and magazines that exist in today’s marketplace.
The overall impression is that this rifle sports a smooth action, clean lines and a lot of versatility. We’ve shot it and it’s capable of sub-MOA accuracy.
Mossberg Patriot 400 Legend
Mossberg is now chambering its Patriot bolt-action rifle in .400 Legend. Delivering impressive down-range penetration, accuracy and extremely low recoil, the .400 Legend is ideal for deer in states where straight-walled cartridges are legal and for a variety of big game including hogs and close cover bears. Walnut-stocked or black synthetic stock versions with 20-inch threaded barrels are now available. MSP: $484 – $669.
Uberti Model 1873 Hunter Rifles
Uberti USA brings the legendary 1873-pattern rifle into the 21st century with their all-new 1873 Hunter Rifle series. Now, 150 years after the original 1873 Winchester’s introduction, Uberti has developed two fresh models intended for the modern hunter. Chambered for the legacy .45 LC and the popular .44 Magnum cartridges, Uberti designers took advantage of their half-octagon barrel profile to install a conventional Picatinny rail. With this factory mounting solution, shooters can install a scout-style, long-eye-relief magnified scope or a conventional red dot optic for hunting applications.
Franchi’s Momentum and Momentum Elite
The Momentum Elite (pictured), Franchi’s headliner bolt-action rifle for discerning big-game hunters, is now available in .30-06 Springfield and .450 Bushmaster chamberings. Both models come with a 22-inch free-float barrel dressed in Midnight Bronze Cerakote and are joined to a True Timber Strata camo Evolved Ergonom-X stock. Hunters who favor the more traditional uni-color stock and blued barreled action style will want to check out the three new-for-2024 variants of the original Franchi Momentum.
Benelli Lupo Long-Range
Bucking conventional expectations that a precision, long-range rifle must necessarily be too heavy and cumbersome for practical hunting use, Benelli introduces the all-new Lupo HPR long-range rifle chambered in popular long-range calibers.
This Lupo’s ¾ MOA 5-shot guarantee coupled with a 2.2 to 4.4-pound adjustable trigger put this rifle into the “Bean Field Rifle” class. MSRP for Lupo HPR models is $2,949. BenelliUSA.com
CVA Cascade LRH
CVA launches their Long Range Hunter version of the Cascade model this year. MSRPs start at $900 for an 8.6-pound rifle chambered in several calibers. These include 308 Win, 7mm Rem Mag, 7mm PRC, 6.5 Creedmoor, 300 Win Mag, 6.5 PRC and 300 PRC. Features like an adjustable cheek piece, a fluted barrel with suppressor-ready 5/8-24 threads and a muzzle brake cover several “must haves” for a modern hunting rifle.
CVA Cascade SR – 80 Scout Rifle
CVA announces their Cascade SR – 80 Scout Rifle with versatile sight options. With a high-capacity magazine, radial muzzle brake, and adjustable length of pull with a removable spacer, the SR-80 offers a tailored and affordable solution for those seeking a top-tier Scout Rifle experience.
The SR – 80 weighs 7.3 lbs, and with an 18-inch barrel it gives you all the maneuverability you could want from a Scout Rifle. This gun is chambered in .308 and .350 Legend and has a MSRP of $925.
Henry Single-Shot in .360 Buckhammer
Henry’s Single Shot Steel Rifle .360 Buckhammer offers a 22-inch barrel made of blued steel. Overall length is 37.5 inches and it weighs 6.69 pounds. It comes with a brass bead front sight and is drilled and tapped for a Weaver 82 scope base. The stock material is American Walnut. MSRP $597.
Henry Side Gate Lever Action Rifle .360 Buckhammer
Henry new Side Gate Lever Action Rifle will retail for $1,298 and comes chambered in .360 Buckhammer. The 7.5-pound rifle holds five rounds and sports a 20-inch barrel. The receiver is polished brass, the barrel blued steel and it’s drilled and tapped for a Weaver 63B scope base if you don’t want to rely on open sights.
Colt’s CBX TACHunter
Colt’s claims that their flat-bottom receiver on the CBX TACHunter reduces flex and increases accuracy. The button-rifled barrel comes with a nitride finished and a thread protector for its 9/16″-24 threads. Another feature that’s a plus is compatibility with AICS magazines. Removable length-of-pull spacers and cheek risers allow for a custom fit. Their CBX Precision in 6.5 Creedmoor could also pull duty as a long-range deer rifle.
Savage 110 Scout
Savage Arms’ 110 Scout with Magpul Hunter Stock offers a multipurpose firearm. Whether you’re an experienced marksman or a novice looking to elevate your shooting game, this rifle is designed to meet and exceed your expectations. With its updated iron sight system and full length extended picatinny rail, setting this rifle up for any application will be an ease.
Savage 110 Ultralite Elite
Savage is taking innovation and accuracy to new heights at faster speeds with the 110 UltraliteElite. A Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel and MDT HNT26 folding carbon fiber stock make the 110UltraliteElite put this rifle in the Alpine Hunter class. At about 5 pounds, the 110 Ultralite is designed to combat elevation and elements while maintaining the performance of a factory blueprinted Savage 110 action.
Savage Impulse KLYM
Savage takes innovation and accuracy to new a new level with their Impulse KLYM. With its exclusive Proof Research carbon fiber wrapped stainless steel barrel and FBT carbon fiber stock, the Impulse can achieve lighter weights for higher altitude hunts and longer treks for big game. Every inch of the Impulse rifle encompasses breakthrough technology for repeat accuracy and enhanced safety. The straight pull action provides quick follow-up shots and the ability to stay on target in a high-adrenaline hunting scenario.
Savage 110 Trail Hunter
Savage Arms announced the launch of the 110 Trail Hunter, an all-around hunting rifle that can handle the elements. A full coverage OD Green Hogue rubber overmold stock provides the user with a superior hold on the rifle in all conditions. A Cerakote ceramic coating on the barreled action helps to seal out moisture. The 110 Trail Hunter is available in popular predator, varmint and deer calibers.
Smith & Wesson Model 1854
The Model 1854 is Smith and Wesson’s first foray into the world of modern lever actions. The standout feature of the Model 1854 is its smooth action.
These rifles are as functional as they are sleek. The polymer version’s furniture maintains a light weight 6.8 pounds with the forend featuring M-LOK slots at true 3, 6, and 9 o’clock positions for ease of mounting accessories like bipods and tripods.
A Picatinny rail allows for a choice of optics and scopes. However, if you want to stick with the classic look of irons, a fully adjustable XS ghost-ring rear sight and a gold bead front sight come installed on the Model 1854.
A .44 Magnum 9+1 capacity, 11/16”-24 threaded 19.25-inch barrel, and removable magazine tube gives you a lever gun ready for the 21st century.
The Model 1854 is launching with two versions. First is a utilitarian stainless-steel bead-finish gun with polymer furniture. The second is an extremely limited-edition black version with high-grade walnut stocks where only 1,854 units will be available for sale.
Christensen Arms Evoke
The Evoke is an innovative rifle from Christensen Arms that offers four distinct, feature-rich models. Featuring a proprietary Christensen Arms action with a 3-lug bolt and 60-degree bolt throw, detachable magazine, hybrid grip angle, premium adjustable trigger, 416R stainless steel suppressor-ready barrel with an RFR-style brake, integrated Picatinny rail, swivel sling studs, and adjustable cheek riser. MSRP $948.
Christensen Arms MHR
Built on an aluminum mini-chassis with V-block bedding, Christensen’s Modern Hunting Rifle (MHR) provides the accuracy potential of a chassis rifle and the ergonomics of a hunting rifle. Its FFT stock, forearm, and grips can be swapped out to create configurations that suit any shooter and situation.
A 416R stainless steel barrel wrapped in carbon fiber helps shed ounces, helping it achieve a trim weight of 7.4 pounds for the 7mm PRC model.
The Ridgeline FFT offers a match chamber, and the barrel’s hand lapped button rifled profile get the free-float treatment.
Some other pluses for this rifle include standard Rem 700 optics base compatibility, a skeletonized bolt handle, black Nitride finish, an enlarged ejection port and a superb Trigger Tech Trigger.
Christensen Arms MCR
The Modern Carbon Rifle, or MCR, is a masterpiece of innovation. Starting with a lightweight carbon fiber stock, the MCR features an adjustable push-button cheek riser, full-length M-LOK on the forearm, front and rear QD attachment points, adjustable length of pull via spacers, and an integrated forward Picatinny rail section. The Remington 700-style action is topped with an optic-ready 20-MOA Picatinny rail and features a skeletonized bolt handle with an FFT carbon fiber bolt knob.
Married to the action is a free-floating, hand lapped, button rifled Christensen Arms Aerograde carbon fiber barrel with a Match chamber and suppressor-ready threaded muzzle equipped with a premium side-baffle brake. Rounding out this powerhouse of a rifle is an ergonomically designed hybrid grip and a crisp, adjustable TriggerTech trigger. The MCR is the Future of Carbon Fiber. This carbon gem tips the scales at 6.7 pounds and sells for $2,400.
CZ 600 American
CZ’s newest addition to the CZ 600 rifle series, the CZ 600 American, honors the American hunting heritage with its hardwood stock and blued metal rifle. Available in seven popular hunting cartridges, the 600 American integrates the refined lines and traditional styling of a classic Our range experience with a CZ 600 synthetic-stocked 6.5 Creedmoor last summer proved that this rifle is capable of 5-shot sub-MOA accuracy all day long.
Need Ammo? Check outAmmo To Go, the ammunition retail sponsor of TTAG gun reviews and simply a cool online place to fulfill all your ammo needs.
A Cleveland Amazon driver was busy delivering his daily run of goop Hyaluronic Acid Serum, Stanley cups, James Patterson novels, leggings and Manspot Manscape Groin Hair trimmers last Saturday afternoon when he was approached by an armed thug waving a gun in his face. As if it wasn’t bad enough that he had to work on a Saturday, now he was being faced with an idiot who wanted to highjack his truck full of packages.
According to police and WKYC News, an altercation ensued.
The driver, apparently thinking, “screw this,” managed to deliver a shot into his assailant during the struggle. The carjacker, despite receiving a delivery of lead to the body free of charge and in less than two days, wasn’t interested in the deals the Amazon employee was offering and decided he wanted to play driver instead.
As he took the wheel of the Amazon truck, however, his injuries proved too much, and the 17-year-old bandit coasted to a smashing end like Mr. French in the Departed. The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene by Cleveland EMS, and while the case remains under investigation, all signs point to this being a righteous delivery.
There was no word from Amazon on if the deliveries of any of the other packages were late.
Boston Corbett stood ready, Colt 1860 Army revolver in hand, and had a split-second decision to make that would determine whether his fellow troopers would live or die. After a lifetime of sin, he would be the one to render judgement. It was a long climb up after finding religion and his way into the Union Army at the outbreak of the Civil War. War’s end found Sgt. Corbett and the men of the 16th New York Cavalry Regiment in Northern Virginia. But within days of Lee’s surrender at Appomattox Courthouse, the 16th was put on high alert and sent to patrol the countryside, milling around roads teaming with civilians and paroled rebel troops in search of one man.
That search came to an end in the early morning hours of the 26th of April 1865, with their target held up in an old tobacco barn. The man they were seeking was John Wilkes Booth, the great thespian who had been on the run for 12 days after assassinating President Abraham Lincoln. Booth was joined by co-conspirator, David Herold.
The death of John Wilkes Booth as seen in a period depiction. (George Eastman Collection)
With torches lit and pistols drawn, the 16th New York surrounded the barn and demanded Booth’s surrender. As flames consumed the structure, Booth allowed Herold to give himself up. But Booth himself was prepared to shoot his way out. Through slats between the boarded walls of the barn, silhouetted against the glare of the flames, Boston Corbett saw Booth drop his crutch and raise a Spencer carbine. In that moment, Corbett leveled his pistol between the slats and fired.
Booth dropped to the ground and was dragged out of the barn. Booth died several hours later from a shot through the neck, which had severed his spine. Corbett claimed he intended to disarm Booth with a shot to the arm, but he had made previous statements about wanting to avenge the fallen president.
As what had marked the final hours of Lincoln’s life, souvenir hunters stalked the 16th for any tangible piece to history in the making. Pages from Booth’s diary went missing. In a matter of days, Corbett’s Colt 1860 Army revolver also disappeared, but it likely was not missed.
Colt’s 1860 Army revolver, otherwise known as the New Army revolver, was the most common sidearm issued during the American Civil War. The U.S. Cavalry adopted it readily in 1860 and it remained the Army’s standard issue handgun until it was replaced by the famous Colt Peacemaker in 1873. It never gained the sales status of the earlier Colt 1851 Navy model, and it lives permanently in the shadow of its successor. I always preferred the Navy, but I decided to purchase a new Cimarron Colt 1860 to see if I could be persuaded.
Cimarron Colt 1860 revolver.
How the U.S. Army Arrived at the Colt 1860
In the mid 1850s, Samuel Colt and the Colt Manufacturing Company were facing the problems of aging designs and an expiring patent that enabled competition in a market Colt had created from the ground up. Colt invented his first revolver in 1835 and after the Mexican War, the U.S. Army was a reliable buyer of .44-caliber revolvers.
The .44 caliber was deemed powerful enough to stop a horse at 75 yards, while the smaller .36-caliber guns proved lacking. Unfortunately, the .36-caliber Colt 1851 Navy was light enough to carry on a belt. The existing .44-caliber Walker and Dragoon pistols were designed to be carried in holsters on a horse.
The 1860 Army has a rebated cylinder that allowed Colt to use the same lock work and frame from the 1851 Navy while upping the caliber to .44.
Colt spent the 1850s trying to cut down the Dragoon, when a solution was found to simply upscale the Navy. The Colt 1860 Army model that handily won the cavalry trials that year featured a Navy frame and internal lock work, but the cylinder frame is relieved for a flared cylinder that could accommodate six rounds of .44.
The hinged loading lever and octagonal barrel of the Navy were switched for a lighter and more economical rack and pinion loading lever and an 8-inch round barrel. The Colt 1860 was also made of the latest silver steel alloys made possible by the new Bessimer process that made steel production cheaper. Although Colt had issues getting the new alloy initially, the final product was as light and pointable as the Navy but was stronger and had the hitting power the Army wanted.
The first Colt 1860 revolvers hit arsenal shelves on both sides of the Mason Dixon line just as the secession crisis reached its fever pitch. Ultimately, more than 127,000 units were delivered to the Union Army before a fire put Colt’s plant out of commission for the duration of the war. By the end of its total production run in 1873, over 200,000 were made, making it an everyman’s gun in its own time. Samuel Colt, however, would not live to see it as he died in January 1862, making the Colt New Line the last handguns Colt himself worked on. But his last revolver would be the mainstay of the Union through the Civil War and see the post-war Army through until the Colt Peacemaker was adopted in 1873 at the height of the Indian Wars.
Cimarron’s Colt 1860 Army Revolver
Cimarron calls their Colt 1860 Army revolver a “civilian” model because of its brass trigger guard and grip frame, but most 1860s have this. But the casehardened loading lever and cylinder frame, as well as the laser engraving on the blued cylinder are refinements you likely won’t find on military contract handguns.
Otherwise, Cimarron’s 1860 is functionally identical to an original down to the size and shaping of the lock work up to the basic features. It wears a one-piece walnut grip that is similar in shape to the Navy’s grip, but longer for bigger hands. The 1860 features an 8-inch round barrel with a fixed brass front sight to pair with a rear sight that consists of a notch in the hammer face.
The sights on Colt guns are small and difficult to adjust.
Like most Colt cap and ball revolvers, it is an open top design and uses a captive wedge to retain the barrel or remove it for cleaning. The 1860 is a single-action revolver and is a six-shot .44-caliber revolver. There is no safety on the 1860 except for a set of pins that allow you to safely lower the hammer in between cylinders so you can carry the revolver fully loaded.
Historically, Colt converted some of their 1860s to fire .44 Colt cartridges in the 1870s, but almost all originals and replicas, including this one, is in the original percussion configuration that requires powder and ball to be loaded from the front of the cylinder and percussion caps installed from the back. As it happens, Kirst and Howell produce ready-made conversion cylinders to shoot .45 Colt ammunition.
Quick Specs
Model: 1860 Army
Caliber: .44
Capacity: 6
Barrel Length: 8 in.
Overall Length: 13¾ in.
Weight: 2 lbs., 11 oz. (unloaded)
Loading the Colt 1860
Cap and ball revolver replicas tend to come out of the box as a kit gun in more ways than one. Although finished and ready to shoot, many require some minor work or modifications to run smoothly and reliably. But Cimarron seems to vet the revolvers that come in. Out of two Cimarron 1860s I’ve owned, neither required work to get onto the range. This particular 1860 has gone over two hundred rounds with sparce cleaning and no malfunctions of any kind. But shooting percussion revolvers is just as much of the journey to that round count than the end result.
Percussion revolvers were generally sighted to hit to the point of aim at 75 yards. But for most of us, we will be shooting at much closer ranges so, these revolvers tend to shoot quite high. After taking some offhand shots to get reacquainted, I set up a target at 20 yards and settled in at the bench to put the gun on paper.
Conical bullets and paper cartridges were the primary ammunition issued with the Colt 1860. You can make your own, but most of us stick with loose powder and bullet, either a conical or a round ball.
The U.S. Army loaded the 1860 almost exclusively with combustible paper cartridges that included powder and bullet in one package that was rammed wholesale into the chamber. But just about all of these replicas require the loading port under the loading lever to load in such a way. So, I loaded like most modern shooters do, with loose powder and ball.
Loading the Colt 1860 starts by thumbing the hammer to half-cock so the cylinder will spin for loading.
Loading starts by thumbing the hammer to half-cock so the cylinder will spin for loading. Then you can introduce a measure of powder, followed by the bullet. Rotate the bullet under the loading lever and push it home. If you plan to shoot much or are going for best accuracy, some grease over the bullet or a wad between bullet and powder will help keep the fouling soft for prolonged shooting. With the cylinder loaded, you can then place a percussion cap on the cones, or nipples, at the back of the cylinder. With all that out of the way, you can shoot.
On the Range
I shot my first group using 25 grains of FFFg blackpowder and a 143-grain .454-inch round ball. The balls were easy and fast to load and recoil was minimal, although there was plenty of smoke. I put five rounds into a 3-inch cluster about 4 inches above my point of aim. Using the same charge, I switched over to a cast 200-grain Lee conical bullet. These longer bullets had to be started into the chamber mouths, but otherwise seated just as easily. Recoil was more pronounced and these heavier bullets struck about 8 inches high, but all within a respectable 2-inch group. Both loads also shot about an inch and a half to my right. This is close, which is fortunate because there is no way to adjust the sights for windage.
Percussion revolvers were generally sighted to hit to the point of aim at 75 yards. But for most of us, we will be shooting at much closer ranges, so I set up a target at 20 yards. Groups were high but all within 2- and 3-inch groups.
I later upped my powder charge to 30 grains, which is the prescribed Army load using a conical bullet. I shot the round ball and conical over my chronograph and got an average velocity of 764 feet per second with the round ball and 728 feet per second with the conical. Although there was a gain in power, my groups and accuracy with both rounds inverted. Still, a six-o’clock hold on any target gave me a hit as started shooting offhand. Whether I was shooting 8-inch plates at 10 yards or ½ size steel silhouettes at 35, the hits came easy as long as I remembered my hold.
The sights are low profile, but finding the front brass blade is easy enough to do quickly, although lining it up with the rear notch does take an additional split second. Fortunately, the 1860 is one of the more balanced guns Colt made, and it points like a finger would. The trigger, although thin at the shoe, was light, breaking at just over 3 pounds. All of this combined to make the 1860 a more shootable gun than it ought to be by modern standards.
The Colt 1860 Army Revolver: An Underrated Six Shooter
The Colt 1860 Army revolver was a paradox of its time. It represents the pinnacle of Colt’s cap and ball revolvers alongside the Colt 1861 Navy and 1862 Pocket Police that came out in the same year. It took advantage of the latest steels and was wholeheartedly adopted by the Cavalry. But it lacked the solid frame that modern shooters have since become familiar with on the contemporary Remington New Model Army and the Colt 1873. It was also a percussion revolver adopted just as cartridge handguns were coming onto the scene.
Still, it served hero and villain alike amongst those who could get one and keep one from the earliest days of the Civil War for decades onward, well after the cartridge gun became truly viable. It was safe to carry with all six rounds loaded, had the perfect power to size ratio and was as pointable as a finger—and it still is. Although an authentic cartridge conversion might deliver a lot of the satisfaction, when it comes to reliving the Civil War shooting experience, there is nothing quite like a Colt 1860, and Cimarron is bringing an excellent one to our mitts.
Check out Ammo To Go,the ammunition retail sponsor of TTAG gun reviews.
A slightly watered-down version of Colorado Democrats’ onerous gun tax bill was approved on Monday by the Senate Appropriations Committee.
The version of HB 24-1349 passed by the committee would levy a 6.5% tax on the sale of all firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in the state. The original measure proposed a 9% tax, but that number was amended in the Appropriations Committee.
Authors of the legislation seem to feel like it is the duty of lawful gun owners and law-abiding gun purchasers to fund programs that help victims of violent crime. In fact, the measure states: Colorado needs consistent and reliable funding from the state to sustain the services crime victims depend on, including wraparound services, housing assistance, legal advocacy, emergency shelter, long-term safe housing, case management, on-site crisis response, emergency financial assistance, counseling and more.”
One of the biggest problems with the measure is that it is kind of a “sin tax,” although aimed at those who have committed no “sin,” in this case violent crime. Since the tax is levied at the manufacturer and retailer level, it will be passed on to the consumer as a higher price to purchase a firearm from a licensed dealer.
However, since those purchasing guns will undergo a federal background check proving they are not criminals, proven law-abiding Colorado citizens will be paying the additional fee to take care of crime victims. In the meantime, the criminals who harmed those victims will continue to get their guns on the street or by stealing them, thereby not helping foot the bill to protect the victims they created.
Of course, a federal excise tax of 11% has been collected on gun sales by the federal government for decades, with proceeds doled out to state wildlife agencies for conservation projects. Promoters of the bill try to compare the new tax measure to that tax, with the measure stating: “This act will similarly place a reasonable state surtax on firearm and ammunition industry members that profit from the sale of firearms and ammunition in order to generate a sustained revenue for programs that are designed to remediate the devastating impacts of these products on families and communities across the state.”
Such a statement, of course, blames violent crime on guns and ammunition, not on violent criminals who prey on the law abiding. Colorado Democrats, as in many states, are hesitant to blame criminals for their illegal misdeeds since it could negatively affect those politicians’ re-election chances.
In the end, the proposal is nothing more than an assault on lawful gun owners, law-abiding prospective gun buyers and the Second Amendment. The measure now heads to the full Senate for consideration, which is controlled by the Democrats.
If passed by the Colorado legislature and signed by Democrat Gov. Jared Polis, the proposal will go on the ballot for voter approval in November.
Justin Trudeau, Canada's prime minister, is a driving force behind more failing gun control in his country.
In Canada, despite stringent gun control measures and a recent national handgun freeze, firearm-related crime continues to surge, highlighting potential gaps in the current strategy, particularly around handguns and the illegal gun market from the U.S., as reported by the Toronto Star and Breitbart.
In 2022, police-reported crime statistics from Statistics Canada indicated a 10 percent increase in gun-related crime from the previous year, with a total of 9,198 victims. This rate was also 60 percent higher compared to 2013. Handguns were the weapon of choice in 63 percent of gun-related homicides.
The federal government has taken several steps to curb this violence, including expanding background checks, banning 1,500 models of assault weapons, and imposing a national handgun freeze, which prohibits the sale, purchase, or transfer of handguns within Canada. Additionally, $250 million has been allocated to address the root causes of gun and gang violence.
However, Toronto Star contributor Shaquille Morgan highlighted the continuing challenge of illegal guns entering Canada from the U.S., which represent a significant portion of crime-related firearms. According to Public Safety Canada, about one-third of Canadian guns used in crimes between 2017 and 2021 were illegally exported from the U.S., with 85 percent of crime-related handguns in Toronto traced back to the U.S.
Morgan suggests that an effective strategy might include targeting gun smuggling at the Canada-U.S. border through zoned and randomized routine searches, focusing on hotspots with unpredictable routines while maintaining non-discriminatory practices.
Furthermore, there is a pressing need to focus on the roots of gun-related crime in communities where violence has become normalized. The $250 million in federal funding is seen as a start, but it is likely insufficient to make a meaningful and sustained impact. Morgan advocates for multidisciplinary, human-centered, and innovative strategies that offer benefits outweighing the costs of illegal gun ownership or use, rather than merely imposing longer prison sentences which may not address the fundamental issues driving individuals to own or use illegal guns.
In a tragic incident that saw a 5-year-old Michigan boy shot dead by a young relative, the grandparents of the 5-year-old are now facing felony charges under Michigan’s new safe storage law, WZZM 13 reported. That law is the same one under which James and Jennifer Crumbley, parents of a school shooter, were both found guilty and sentenced to prison for their child’s actions.
On April 1, Braxton Dykstra was at his grandparents’ home when he was shot and killed by his 6-year-old cousin, who found an unsecured 12-gauge shotgun behind a bedroom door. According to court documents, the fatal event took place while the children were watching a movie in their grandparents’ bedroom.
The grandparents, Karl and Theresa Robart, have been charged with one count of Firearms – Safe Storage Violation – with a minor present. Investigators found multiple firearms in the home, including a loaded pistol in a dresser drawer close to where the children were playing, and other unsecured long guns in a bedroom closet.
“This setup failed to adhere to laws necessitating unattended firearms to be unloaded and securely locked away, especially with children expected to be present,” stated the prosecuting attorney’s office, as reported by Fox 17.
Braxton’s father, Domynic Dykstra, has been vocal about the need for stricter enforcement of gun storage laws following his son’s death.
“My main goal right now is to obviously stop this from happening again,” Dykstra told WZZM 13. He is advocating for “Braxton’s Law” to prevent such tragedies and believes the mother of the 6-year-old shooter should also face charges.
The Robarts pleaded not guilty to the charges and are each held on a $50,000 bond, with further court appearances scheduled. If convicted, they face up to 15 years in prison.
Georgia’s Attorney General Chris Carr has declared Savannah’s new gun storage ordinance “void,” citing conflicts with state law, while Savannah’s Mayor Van Johnson remains defiant insisting his city intends to enforce the law, making gun-owning citizens who get victimized by criminals possibly just as equally as liable as the criminals themselves.
The ordinance, unanimously approved by the Savannah City Council and signed by the mayor, makes it illegal for gun owners to leave unsecured firearms in their vehicles, WSAV News 3 reported. Violators face a $1,000 fine and up to 30 days in jail. The law specifically outlaws leaving an unsecured, visible gun in an occupied car in Savannah. “Secure” is defined by the law as a gun that is stored in a glove compartment, console, locked truck, or area behind the last upright seat of a car when leaving it unoccupied.
Carr’s letter to Savannah city officials, including City Attorney Bates Lovett, stressed that Georgia law prohibits local governments from regulating the “possession, ownership, transport, or carrying of firearms.” He noted that the ordinance appears to be ultra vires and emphasized the city’s potential civil liability under state law.
“We have not undertaken any analysis of the potential consequences of adoption and enforcement of ordinances that are void. However, at minimum, it appears that the city should note the potential civil liability,” Carr wrote.
Despite the attorney general’s stance, Mayor Johnson remains defiant, urging enforcement of the ordinance.
“If a gun is stolen out of your car because of your negligence, we’ll prosecute the person that took it for entering your vehicle, but we’re also gonna prosecute you for recklessness,” Johnson said during a Facebook Live session that was reported by WJCL 22 News. “You have a duty to secure your firearm in this city.”
Johnson further challenged the attorney general’s directive on social media, stating, “The AG told me the new gun storage ordinance was illegal. Well, we don’t agree so we’re saying take us to court. Sue us, we’ll go to the Supreme Court and let the United States Supreme Court say it.”
The mayor also expressed confidence in the city’s legal representation.
“We got lawyers too, we pay good lawyers, we have some of the best lawyers and so we can agree with our attorney general so the gun ordinance doesn’t go anywhere. Sorry,” he added.
Carr mentioned that his office provides a courtesy review of proposed ordinances and had Savannah requested a review, they would have been informed of the legal conflict. Georgia has preemption statutes in effect in the state that does not allow municipalities to pass laws that exceed the state’s gun laws.
Pancho Villa armed for plinking his enemies in this photo. He did not use Aquila ammunition. Aquila would not come around until 38 years until after his assassination in 1923.
With May the Fourth Be With You and the weekend celebrations surrounding Cinco de Mayo, the Mexican-American version of St. Patrick’s Day, in our rearview mirror, hopefully the hangovers and upset stomachs from muchos tequila and over indulging on nachos and guac have finally subsided. Maybe the old noggin can even handle the soul jarring vibrations from a little recoil on the range.
But if you’re looking to still get in on a little soft shooting (think .22 rimfires here) that won’t upset the delicate balance your insides are still working to achieve, you can still take part in Aguila’s Plinko de Mayo celebration.
It’s a fun way to give a nod to the Mexican-inspired celebration (that honors a Mexican victory in one battle over the French, not the nation’s Independence Day) as well as to the top ammunition manufacturer in Mexico (and largest rimfire manufacturer in the world), Aguila.
Just grab some Aguila ammo, hit the outdoor range and have fun with some holiday-inspired targets from “balloons to piñatas and golf balls to hard Mexican candy” or anything virtually, snap photos of you and your friends and family having a good time, and post it on social media tagging @aguilaammo and any number of their hashtags they suggest on their Plinko de Mayo promo page.
Winners will be selected from those who post photos and can win a swag bag. The final day to post and win is May 10. But you can keep shooting, all year long!
Need Ammo? Check outAmmo To Go, the ammunition retail sponsor of TTAG.
In a demonstration that America’s outdoors and recreational shooting sports pastimes still bring people together, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 615 in a bipartisan vote, sending the Protecting Access for Hunters and Anglers Act over to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The bill is strongly supported by NSSF and would require the Secretaries of the Interior and Agriculture to provide site-specific peer-reviewed scientific data that demonstrates traditional lead ammunition or fishing tackle is causing detrimental wildlife population impacts before prohibiting their use on federal lands.
That’s pretty straight forward and it certainly makes sense to “follow the science” before implementing any detrimental policy.
Except that’s not what has happened under President Joe Biden’s administration. Actually, the exact opposite has taken place.
U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) spoke out against H.R. 615 in a House Rules Committee hearing prior to the legislation’s passage. During her testimony, the progressive firebrand recited a false statement that is demonstrably proven untrue by any examination of the data available about traditional lead ammunition.
Thankfully cooler and more knowledgeable heads prevailed and the bill, sponsored by outdoor advocate and House Natural Resources Committee member Rep. Rob Wittman (R-Va.), is moving on.
Poison Hysterics
There’s hardly a gun control restriction that wouldn’t garner Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s support and a ban on tradition lead ammunition is just that – an anti-hunting, anti-gun restriction that would have dramatic negative impacts on wildlife conservation efforts.
The congresswoman pleaded with committee members.
“H.R. 615 would prohibit the Bureau of Land Management, the Forest Service and the Fish and Wildlife Service from prohibiting or regulating lead ammunition or tackle on federal lands and waters – even though alternatives do exist that do not poison everything in sight,” Rep. Ocasio-Cortez read. Republicans on the Natural Resources Committee, she said, “are putting forward an agenda brought to you by G.O.P. – guns, oil and polluters.”
The problem with Rep. Ocasio-Cortez’s argument is that her so-called “facts” come from gun control activists and anti-hunting apostles set on eliminating hunting and restricting gun use, data and science be damned. Her two-pronged assessment is wrong on both accounts.
Double Dose of Deception
Numerous studies have shown that requiring the use of alternative ammunition would put a significant cost barrier to participation in hunting and fishingon public lands. Alternative ammunition is, on average, 25 percent more expensive than traditional ammunition and less available to find on retail counters. That barrier would “price out” many hunters and anglers and decrease the excise tax funding paid by firearm and ammunition manufacturers they support. And it’s not just an American issue, either. Data from the European Shooting Sports Forum in 2021 revealed that if a near-total ban on lead ammunition were instituted there, approximately one-in-four hunters would completely stop participating in hunting.
And that’s the goal. Alternative ammunition is so fervently pushed by Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and her anti-hunting, anti-gun allies because they know it would lead to dramatically fewer hunters. That’s their endgame.
The Congresswoman’s “poison everything in sight” remark is false as well. The facts are clear – traditional ammunition has been used in North America for over 400 years and there has never been one case of an individual suffering lead poisoning due to the consumption of wild game taken with lead ammunition. That’s not firearm industry “propaganda,” either. Accusations of denying science fall flat when studies conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in 2008 found that blood-lead levels in hunters consuming wild game harvested using traditional ammunition were actually lower than individuals in the same community that didn’t consume wild game. The CDC study showed that no hunters using traditional ammunition had elevated blood-lead levels even approaching the threshold of concern.
If Rep. Ocasio-Cortez still can’t be bothered to study the science, maybe she can look on the opposite side of the country in California – politically much more aligned with her progressive views – and see what has happened there. The Golden State implemented a lead ammunition ban statewide in 2019 and there is near 99-percent compliance rate with the ban among hunters. It’s been more than four full years but anti-hunting activists continue to blame traditional ammunition made with lead components for the deaths of the scavenger birds like the California Condor.
But even local media reports that after being extinct in the wild in the 1980s, California Condors number more than 300 in the wild today. That’s in addition to Secretary of Interior Deb Haaland announcing in a 2020 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) report that there are 71,400 nesting pairs of American bald eagles in the lower 48 states, and more than 316,000 individual birds. The bald eagle population has quadrupled since 2009 leading Sec. Haaland to deem bald eagle recovery as “one of the most well-known conservation success stories of all time.”
Despite what Rep. Ocasio-Cortez spouts, the science in crystal clear: American wildlife populations are healthy and American hunters – using traditional ammunition – have played the most significant role in that development.
Secretary Haaland Questioned
Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez wasn’t the only one to appear before a congressional committee to address the Biden administration’s push for traditional ammunition bans, including the most recent “bait-and-switch” ploy announced by USFWS. Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland appeared in front of the House Natural Resources Committee for a hearing on oversight and Rep. Wittman criticized the Biden administration’s continued push for banning traditional lead ammunition on public lands, demanding answers from the secretary. It did not go well for her.
“Can you tell me when you make a decision to ban lead in ammunition and fishing sinkers on a large number of refuges, can you cite the science you use for how there’s specific impacts on these properties and the resources on those properties? Because there’s nothing that I’ve seen that’s been published or that is out there that has been part of that decision making,” Rep. Wittman asked.
The secretary waffled and recited the same talking points, stating that “the best available data” shows that lead has had “negative impacts” on wildlife and human health. Rep. Wittman was having none of it and criticized her speaking in generalities.
“Can you name the studies and the specific authors of the studies, the journals that they’re published in to show the risk that is shown scientifically?” he pushed.
“I can’t cite those for you at the moment,” Secretary Haaland admitted. She promised to get back to the congressman after the hearing with the requested studies and citations but no one should hold their breath. Because those studies don’t exist.
True Conservationists
Rep. Ocasio-Cortez, Secretary Haaland and others who continue to push out America’s hunters on public lands better be careful – they could get what they wish for. That would be truly devastating for the very outdoors and public lands that millions of Americans cherish and visit every year – hunters and non-hunters alike.
The firearm and ammunition industry, supported by millions of hunters and outdoor recreational shooters, has contributed over $27 billion, when adjusted for inflation, towards wildlife management and conservation projects back in the states. No other group is more responsible for the resounding comeback and thriving populations for America’s wildlife populations – including bald eagles, California condors and more.
Pushing to eliminate hunting and fishing on public lands – activities which are enjoyed by Americans who own the public lands – is anti-science, anti-hunting and anti-outdoors.
