There are a number of inconvenient truths about guns. Truths that you don’t seem to hear our friends in the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex utter very often. For some reason.
Truths like the fact that firearms used at least 1.1 million times per year (and probably closer to twice that number) in defensive situations. Situations where they prevent violent crimes like robberies, assaults, rapes and murders. That’s many multiples of the number of people who or either injured or killed in incidents involving firearms.
And there’s the recent study by anti-gun activist Dr. Garen Wintemute, whose own research revealed that the requirement for universal background checks in California had no — zero, zilch, nada, nul — effect on the state’s homicide or suicide rates.
Also, don’t forget that the number of firearms-related homicides has plummeted to record low rates over the last quarter century, a period of time during which the number of guns in private hands in the US has soared.
It’s almost as if all the work that people like Michael Bloomberg, Shannon Watts, Ladd Everitt, Diane Feinstein and all the rest of their gun-grabbing pals have been doing for decades hasn’t had any practical results at all.
Now a recent post at reason.com is highlighting yet another inconvenient fact about the never-ending effort of the anti-gun left to relieve people of the means of armed self defense.
DIY firearms ranging in sophistication from muskets to grenade launchers exist in the millions across the planet, according to a new report that should (but won’t) finally demonstrate to government officials the futility of efforts to disarm people who insist on being free.
…(D)efiance of restrictive gun laws is far more common than compliance with them, and not just in the United States but in countries as far apart as Australia and Pakistan. People refuse to register their firearms, they modify them, they smuggle them, and they make them at home and in illegal workshops.
Apparently people all over the world are willing to do whatever they have to to ensure they have the means for armed self defense, whether that’s to protect themselves and their families from criminals or tyrannical governments. If only someone in this country had the vision and foresight to enshrine that right on our founding documents.
A technology that is already making a major difference in easing DIY gun manufacturing is the internet. “The online sharing of expertise and instructional videos is facilitating the craft production of increasingly sophisticated weapons, including sub-machine guns and anti-materiel rifles,” the authors write. But you don’t need to take their word for it; instead, you should check out Reason‘s handy-dandy guide to making your own off-the-books handgun. Video instructions are included.
Click here to view Reason’s handy-dandy guide to building your own GLOCK 17 at home.
Of course, it’s always been legal to make your own firearms in the US and still is, though a few states have enacted mandatory serialization (read: registration) laws. How many people in those states do you think actually comply with those requirements?
As Reason points out and their video makes clear, though, you don’t need a 3D printer to make your own guns at home. Just about anyone can do it. But if you have a 3D printer, you can get plans for your very own guns right here.
Of course, none of these inconvenient facts are likely to slow the gun-grabbers’ roll. It’s never really been about reducing “gun violence” or “common sense gun safety” for them, the object has always been control. Which means, depending on the uncertainties of politics, we may have still more restrictions on what we can own and carry in our future. But if the results of this study are any indicator, that won’t stop people here or anywhere else around the world from thumbing their noses at those who would disarm them.
“Regardless of how they are made,” the authors conclude, “improvised and craft-produced weapons … will continue to pose global challenges to law enforcement and policy-makers.” Some of us might say that, in a world inhabited by people who view the governments that would disarm them with well-earned distrust, that’s exactly how it should be.
No argument here.
Can’t stop the signal.
“Mal, guy killed me Mal. Killed me with a sword. How weird is that?”
More importantly…
“It’s not over, you know. I can’t guarantee that they won’t come after you, the Parliament. Your Broadwave about Miranda has weakened them, but they are not gone, and they are not, forgiving.
“If you want a vision of the future, imagine a boot stamping on a human face – forever.”
– Orwell
I’ve always loved the optimism, but barring a serious disruption of the fabric of human life on earth, the march towards authoritarian/totalitarian continues unabated. Not only do people grudgingly trudge on, they march quite willingly.
The American Experiment was the last bump on the road, and it’s being smoothed over as we speak.
The American experiment was the FIRST bump in the march to a “one world order”, as GHW Bush called it, not the last. That’s the very definition of the word “experiment”.
And its not in the process of being “smoothed over”, it’s in the process of exploding in the face of those attacking it.
Or perhaps I just choose to believe the glass is half full, instead of half empty.
From an engineer’s standpoint, the glass is twice as big as it needs to be!
IT IS TIME THAT THE AMERICAN PEOPLE PUT A BOUNTY ON TREASON,SEDITION,AND ANTI-CONSTITUTIONAL TALK BY POLITICAL PARACITES. JACKASSES LIKE JEFF FLAKE NASTY PELOUSY THE WITCHES OF WESTSANFRANSHITSCO, THE COMMUNIST ENCLAVE OF NYC LEADS WITH BLOOMBERG AND HIS COMMUNIST MINIONS, COMRADE STUPID UP IN MAINE,THE BUG-EYED AMERICAN-HATING BLACK CAUCUS OF SOCIALIST IDIOTS AND FELONS WITH CUMMINS AS THEIR COMRADE-LEADER,, IF WE GET RID OF THIS STINKING PILE OF TRASH , THE COUNTRY JUST MIGHT MAKE IT 250 MORE YEARS.
beep boop.
“…FELONS WITH CUMMINS AS THEIR COMRADE-LEADER…”
So then, you’re either a Duramax or Powerstroke guy. Which is it?
I always liked the 5.9 I -6 Cummins.
Cummins ISL FTW.
I have a powerstroke but I’m not terribly militant about it.
lets get rid of assault politicans,any more then 7 democraps in a magazine{oops}i mean any more then 7 democraps in one spot is illegal.and any more then 7 california democraps in a group should immediately,be reported to the atfs federal bureau of alcohol tobacco firearms and socialists.and also to the cdc/d,the center for disease control and democraps.and the dems should not be allowed with in1000 ft of normal people.if democraps are encountered.leave the area immediately and report to the cdc/d for further evaluation
Except that many if not the vast majority of submachine guns are made for criminal consumption, it really is not that hard to produce firearms, Which is the reason the Democrats have proposed a bill to ban parts. Not usre how that will work out for them… aside from an assured defeat int he Senate, how are people to repair guns that break?
“how are people to repair guns that break?”
That’s a feature, not a bug. The idea is to make repair difficult so the pool of civilian-owned firearms dwindles by attrition. Sure, it’ll take some time since guns are durable items, but in their mind it’s time well spent.
POD. stock up on lpk’s receiver’s as well as gas blocks , barrel’s , any parts that may fail. & magazines , ammo & lots of it. You can never have too many spare parts. Keep your powder dry . and your weapon’s clean , lubed , and at the ready. Just my 2 cents worth. I know we all know these important point’s.
Don’t forget springs. The number 1 failure parts. I keep two extra springs, of every type, for every firearm. Why not? Springs are cheap, and a real bitch to make if none are available.
A previous article discussed the need for “civil disobedience” by gun owners. I would say this article shows that happening to some degree already. But unlike the tantrums & riots which the left is famous for, this is constructive, not DEstructive.
Sure…people have called for “civil disobedience” for years. And when people do this the “people of the gun” are the first to condemn them as idiots and/or criminals for breaking some ridiculous federal ban and/or state statute. Take the guys in Kansas with the suppressors for instance. The state even passed a law that allowed it!
NRA and all the other supposed “pro 2A” groups, nowhere to be found.
Same goes for the many stories of people who carry constitutionally, even in states that don’t allow it. Gun people are quick to point out, “play stupid game, win stupid prizes” to anyone involved rather than stand up and protest along side them. Heck, even when people in Texas were protesting the right to have open carry, they all marched with empty holsters so as not to “offend”.
Civil disobedience only works if all the supposedly like minded people all act in accordance. We are a thoroughly divided nation on a myriad of issues so the likelihood of “people of the gun” standing together is almost naught.
Does anyone realize that the individuals that we call “founding fathers” and “patriots” of the revolution were branded as terrorists by the British crown and absolutely would be branded the same today? There ain’t no pro 2A groups with enough nuts to start throwin’ tea into a harbor let alone publicly disobey current firearm regulations.
It’s absolutely what we need to do, but it won’t happen.
I would disagree. The tantrums and meltdowns in the left are a national embarrassment, and should not be emulated. Those are effective only because of our weak elected leaders.
The “protest” from firearm community takes a different form. Look at the hundreds of online forums and resources. The open exchange of ideas, education, etc, does more than screaming in the streets and vandalizing property. Emotional outbursts and irrational rage (as seen on the left) would only feed the stereotype of “crazy gun nuts”.
But you are correct about not having the balls to do those things. I used to wonder why conservatives never assembled in large groups to be heard. My guess is that they worry about what they could lose. Would an arrest make them lose their job? Would publicity harm their family? Things like that.
The nuts on the left can assemble a mob of thousands on short notice. We need to learn how they manage that.
The left seems to be driven by some kind of herd mentality. Makes it all pretty easy to assemble them into a single group for a common purpose. Especially when they’re getting a paycheck from Geo. Soros & Co.
The right is heavily infused with a lot of libertarian values that makes it difficult to pull them together into a controllable mass. Kind of like trying to herd cats.
Reminds me of a libertarian/secularist meeting I went to many years back. When the meeting was called to order, half the room started arguing with each other, the other half said “F— You” and went out for beers.
Makes it kind of tough to get them all together to smash stuff up and burn things down. The left has the advantage there.
Ain’t got no job to loose ……. stoopid
They manage that by paying swarms of un/underemployed morons to stand around with signs and chant. YouTube is full of videos exposing this. The regressives also are effective at tapping people’s emotions to get bleating morons to regurgitate their incoherent talking points so as to show how ‘woke’ they are.
Probably heresy to say this on a gun forum, but guns are noisy, require regular maintenance, and ammo, among other things. There are other options.
GUNNYGENE. True that. Otoh , buy as much ammo as you possibly can , while you still can , that and 80% lowers. Glock , AR , etc. Just to be safe.
Not to worry. 😉 But I do like to have options. 🙂
A little knowledge about chemistry, biology, physiology can go a long, long way…
When will Tyrants learn that they Can’t stop the signal.
Dan Zimmerman. Much respect for you sir. Thank you for this information. If the grabbers make it so we can not buy it , I say build it yourselves. It’s not rocket science !!
We’ve made the firearms, now we need the primers and powder , but since they’ve banned those I guess we’re back to flintlicks and black powder. Cool just what “They” was wanting. As comments on bumpstocks bring out the shoestring, belt loop, rubber band, who needs bumpstocks. Logically to save just one child I ban semi autos, because they all can be shot as fast as full auto. Now that the peasants have learned to make “ghost guns” and I can’t stop that, logically I must ban gun powder and primers. Just for shits and grins, I have made my own black powder. The hardest part was finding enough dirt that contained potassium nitrate, around here anyway, the rest was pretty easy. It took a lot of dirt, time and a little effort to make less then 1/2 ounce of BP. It worked but it sure wasn’t Goex. I think manufacturing homemade firearms should be on the hush hush.
Hint- you can make your own saltpeter using the French or Swiss method using urine as a primary ingredient and processing with ash. Tough to ban those.
Boiling urine makes uriah, a fertilizer a little hotter then nitrogen, yup it works. Salt Peter is potassium nitrate, you can make it from dirt in low lying areas with an abundance of decaying plant matter. The most productive dirt will have a silver looking crust on the top. Earlier this evening an acquaintence demonstrated that dried glycol anti freeze when struck with a hammer will explode. I had not seen or heard of that before.
Gun control isn’t about guns, it’s about symbolism. Gun controllers don’t much care whether or not their methods actually work. What they really care about is coming up with new ways of coercing their cultural enemies—that’s us folks—to behave in ways that reflect what they think is right and proper. Gun controllers don’t care that “universial” background checks won’t do much to reduce gun deaths, they just want to have the satisfaction of knowing that they are forcing gun owners to obey their wishes. As with Prohibition, so long as illicit gun making is kept out of sight, gun-controllers will continue to find satisfaction in observing that their laws are “working”.
…(D)efiance of restrictive gun laws is far more common than compliance with them, and not just in the United States but in countries as far apart as Australia and Pakistan.
Hey Reason, you want to back up that statement with some facts and footnotes?
All worries about who knows about what aside, making guns is just fun. Started on 80% builds and now I’m designing my own from scratch. My machining skills get a little better every time, my knowledge base expands, and I wind up with some new bit of cleverness to impress the range buddies with. Plus all the cool stuff that accumulates as a garage undergoes chrysalis and emerges a beautiful machine shop. The only downside is my living room carpet sparkles from all the embedded metal chips that got tracked in.
Large scale protests would only work (and only work for the left because of) if the mass media would honestly report on them.
It’s a fact that there is a large protest on the Washington Mall every year protesting Roe v Wade decision and promoting pro life but every year the media refuses to report on it or report the large numbers. Numbers that exceed the pro choice marches.
In that face of a complicit propaganda machine there is really no point at visible protest.
What CAN be done is to organize write ins, emails and other means of demonstrating the numbers of ppl who are in favor or not in favor of certain laws/regulations being proposed for being made law to our representatives.
This can and has been done to great effect. The difficulty is that many times the thrust of what needs to be done can be lost and the required outrage and concern may be diluted because of misreporting by the media (on purpose i’m sure) so that the required push back arrives too slowly or in not sufficient numbers.
This is where the reports of the numbers of back ground checks served a purpose of informing our representatives of how many gun owners there are and so any laws that would restrict that would be certainly opposed by those and older owners.
Bump stocks failed too gain the attention of most because it’s a niche market and a stupid accessory for anyone in the know. The hazard of banning them was in the slippery slope department and that’s hard to argue.
If the left is smart they will proceed to try and pass laws that are ambiguous enough that gun owners are divided, unsure or don’t care about the laws seeing nothing dangerous in them.
It needs to be stressed that ALL gun laws are dangerous to 2A rights and regardless of how they may seem innocuous or even reasonable, that ALL gun laws tend to lead to more laws. (see California and Chicago for examples)