The Daily Digest is back by popular demand! You might even say some members of TTAG’s Armed Intelligentsia have wood for the feature. Which is a pretty horrible, sexist way of introducing our first story: New Scientific Breakthrough Makes ‘Super Wood’ that can Stop a Bullet . . .
The team from the University of Maryland are taking a natural material and making it ten times tougher. Their chemical treatments may soon take soft woods, like pine, and make these fast-growing trees much more useful.
“This new way to treat wood makes it twelve times stronger than natural wood and ten times tougher,” says Liangbing Hu, head of the research team said in a press release. “This could be a competitor to steel or even titanium alloys, it is so strong and durable. It’s also comparable to carbon fiber, but much less expensive.”
Gun News of the Week: American Gunmakers Poised For Growth (Even Without Obama, Hillary) – Unfortunate timing and choice of photo for Outdoor Life, if you know what I mean . . .
While early indicators show declining gun sales in 2017 following the election of Second Amendment-friendly Donald Trump as president, “the industry seems positioned to begin growing again,” writes John Sommers of Reuters, who reports some experts predict the firearms business will return to an upward trajectory and could even eventually eclipse 2016.
“The numbers clearly will come back from the current levels,” Moody’s financial analyst Kevin Moody told Sommers. “Will they ever surpass 2016 levels? I don’t know. Maybe over time, but a lot of that will depend on politics.”
Tell the Senate to reject the dangerous ‘concealed carry reciprocity’ act – Post-60 Minutes anti-gun rights bandwagoneeering . . .
A week ago, the Twin Cities welcomed an estimated 125,000 people from across the country to experience all that we had to offer and celebrate an American tradition. Thanks to the Twin Cities, U.S. Bank Stadium, 10,000 volunteers and the work of law enforcement, Super Bowl weekend was safe, with none of the major incidents that can come with a huge influx of visitors.
One of the biggest events of the year went off without any major clashes in part because of Minnesota’s standards on concealed carry. Our common-sense Minnesota gun laws allowed our police officers to do their jobs and allowed football fans to partake in festivities without fearing for their safety.
Argument over size of dog leaves one man dead in Missouri sports bar, reports say – Defensive gun use? . . .
Beary and the alleged gunman reportedly exchanged numbers after talking about construction jobs. As Beary (above) was leaving, according to Leavy, he allegedly jokingly told the shooter not to have hard feelings regarding their disagreement.
The witness claimed that the gunman called Beary a rude name, and added that Beary allegedly threw a punch and the suspect then fired.
The suspect is not yet facing any charges due to insufficient evidence, despite four hours of surveillance video and more than 20 interviews from those who witnessed the incident, St. Louis County Prosecuting Attorney Bob McCulloch said.
Republican, Democrat team up to restore voting and firearm rights to Iowa’s felons – One side wants gun rights restoration, the other votes. Fair enough? . . .
Wolfe said the bill is a work in progress, but that it seeks to restore felons’ right to vote after they have completed their sentence, including probation. Currently, they can apply to the governor’s office to have their rights restored, but Wolfe said it’s a cumbersome process and does not always result in a restoration of rights.
For firearms, the bill would allow those convicted of most Class “D” felonies to apply to the Department of Public Safety to have their gun rights restored 10 years after the offense occurred. The applicant could have no pending criminal charges or felony convictions during that time and must be otherwise be legally allowed to carry firearms.
“I really do believe that they’re all rights,” Wolfe said. “And while some are more important than others to certain people — for good reasons— in the end, unless we’re willing to stand up for all of them, then you lose credibility.”
Law enforcement struggling to combat unregulated, DIY “ghost guns” – Peaceful slavery over dangerous freedom!
“ATF can’t go shut down the people who are selling these parts because these parts are not regulated,” said Colbrun.
There’s no limit on the number of ghost guns one person can own.
“It’s really up to those companies to be responsible,” Colbrun said. “They’re the ones that are going to have to live with themselves.”
A 50-year-old gun law makes homemade guns legal to own, and the only way to regulate the firearms is for Congress to take legislative action.
‘Black Panther’ is on track to have a bigger opening weekend than ‘The Dark Knight,’ ‘Rogue One,’ and every single ‘Hunger Games’ movie – Black people — good guys — with guns! Will miracles never cease? [/sarc]
For class D felonies? Fair enough.
Speaking of that, I’ve always enjoyed the term “Class A felony.”
I haven’t had “bullet proof wood” since this morning
I can’t recall ever getting titanium or carbon fiber in the morning. Although I hear getting the regular fiber in the morning is supposed to be good for you.
Incidentally, “Super Wood” was my nickname in high school.
For the very reason ironicatbest mentioned it too I’m sure. 😉
But did you drive a silver Escape with a baby Groot wearing headphone and a SIG sticker on the back window?
there was something about swim class…
“…“Super Wood” was my nickname in high school.”
Jeremy, at that age, *every* male has “Super Wood”…
*snicker* 😉
*Boing!*
I can’t imagine why all non-violent fellons shouldn’t have both their voting and gun rights restored.
It can depend, but just because a felony isn’t violent doesn’t make it somehow ok. Certain felonies can speak volumes about someone and their regard for others. Such as burglary or grand theft auto. Just because they didn’t commit violence in the commission of those crimes doesn’t mean they’re generally ok people. Someone who commits that type of crime is a still a danger to others. Now, there are also felonies for much lesser crimes that probably shouldn’t be felonies in the first place, however.
If an adult with control of their faculties cannot be trusted with a firearm, they should be incarcerated or executed.
On the other hand, I trust no one to vote properly for the benefit of others, so I think the franchise should be revoked for everyone. If we don’t vote for politicians, how can they say that they are doing the will of the people?
Agree on every point, except that politicians will simply drop the pretense.
People seem to be under the impression that prison is supposed to be a punishment. They couldn’t be more wrong. The whole purpose of the institution is that some people are too dangerous to be a part of society.
People should be able to petition the court or a judge who can actually make a decision about it.
As I understand it the ban on guns for felons originally was for violet crimes, not the broad application it is today and certainly not for misdemeanor offenses or blind accusations in TROs
african violets.
Like money laundering? Tax Evasion?
Conspiracy to Commit [whatever]? Don’t kid yourself. You would have has much blood on your hands in that end of the business as your business partners out on the streets actually pulling triggers and cracking skulls would.
Con men and swindlers don’t deserve voting or 2nd Amendment rights either.
CBS is running a story full of lies about 80% guns…this is my suprised face
Yep 2 scare stories by the same network in one week??
must be trying hard to frighten all the snowflakes!
Just watched that CBS story.
A good scare story with pictures for all the snow flakes.
I mentioned the CBS BS earlier. I guess CBS is the new CNN…interesting story about super wood. There are some very hard woods but density generally makes them too heavy.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lignum_vitae
unlike ivory soap.
The super wood is really interesting. I can see many uses in airplane and boat building, skis, surfboards, who knows what else. Probably no radar reflection. Perhaps a ceramic or carbon layer of some sort could be bonded to it and it could be formed into a gun barrel. And the wood itself could be formed and then machined into a frame. I suppose the hammer or striker spring might have to be steel, but that small a part would almost certainly pass through a metal detector. The ultimate non-metallic gun, the ultimate fear of the grabbers.
[wood]
“Probably no radar reflection”
Wood can return radar, but at a greatly reduced ‘signature’ compared to metal, for example. The drier the wood, the more ‘transparent’ it is to radar sweeps…
And it’s going to depend on the treatment process, too. If the conductivity is increased, well, there goes the radar signature.
Your comment reminds me of a story that has nothing to do with your comment save the fact that radar was involved.
Long story short: Painting concertina wire flat black makes it basically invisible to night vision devices and this fact really, really pisses off the people who stumble into the wire. [Don’t try that at home, the police/DA may not find it amusing.]
That’s interesting – There is a new class “ultra-flat black” paints that reflect nearly *zero* light. They say something painted in it looks very strange.
Found it – It’s called ‘Vantablack’, and it absorbs 9.956% of light that hits it. Carbon nanotubes is an ingredient :
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-3493575/That-s-NOT-hole-picture-World-s-blackest-material-developed-spray-paint.html
Here’s a video that demonstrates the ‘strange’ blackness of Vantablack. Two Identical metal castings, one coated in Vantablack :
I would totally buy some wood plates for body armor. That wood be way lighter than current options.
I’m still waiting to see some studies on the machinability of that “densified wood”. If it can be worked easily without dulling HSS blades, I think it may be a winner.
From what I have read, the stuff is moldable rather like wet leather used in holsters. I am really looking forward to seeing how this plays out.
Twice in as many days?? Hot damn.
How many murders, or even crimes have been committed with 80% guns? Seems most bangers can get one cheaper and more quickly from Ray-Ray on the corner, or from Cool Breeze in the back alley.
This is just because under the O’Bama administration the Mexican drug cartels got all the weapons they needed directly from the ATF. Now that their mainline connection is gone, I wouldn’t be surprised if they secured a large shipment of 80% lowers and set up their own factories.
On that “densified wood”, didn’t the Germans play around with something similar during WW2? For some reason I recall resin impregnated plywood being used in their gliders.
West system boat builds using that method were popular at one point. Google it.
The German Horton flying wing bomber from WW2 is made of plywood and had a very small radar signature.
I got to see this up close at the Smithsonion Air and Space restorations facility years ago
There was also the Mosquito, from England. One of the fastest planes in the war. Played a major role in the Battle of Britain.
‘…lignin is what makes wood rigid and brown…’
Whoa, who says rigid wood has to be brown?!? Why can’t it be, say, purple?
“Why can’t it be, say, purple?”
Just the tip should be purple, if the rest is, see a doctor immediately… 😉
Q- What’s the difference between pink and purple?
A- Grip pressure
So that’s where the pinkos have it wrong! GRIP pressure not GRIPE pressure!
That just makes me feel like buying a Polymer80 lower.
I wish they made one compatible with .45ACP… Oh, well. I’m not brave enough yet to try one of the 80% polymer 1911s yet.
The .45 and 10mm frames should be for sale later this year.
The two drunks in Missouri deserved each other. Given the size of the dead guy, I can understand why the shooter thought his life was in danger. But he won’t be able to claim self defense because his gratuitous insult provoked the attack. Conversely, had he been unarmed, the guy he shot would have kicked his ass and gone to prison for it. Either way, one was going to the hospital or the morgue and the other to prison. Stupid assholes like them are why I stay out of bars.
One of the witnesses I had read said the shooter had made a movement with his hands (witness was behind shooter and could not see the movement) before the victim threw his punch.
Depending on how Missouri defines “under the influence” the shooter could have been committing a felony by carrying the firearm while drinking.
It might be self defense, but that needs to be for a jury to decide. I would not give this shooter “stand your ground” protections since he seemed to be a willing participant in the fight.
Well, there ain’t no such a thing as a 290 pound German Shepherd, so the guy’s a liar for starters.
If a person is not safe to own a gun, he should never be released from prison if he is still a threat to public safety. If he is released, he has paid his dues and should have all his rights restored immediately.
I really should get around to doing a 80% glock
as long as you leave it at 80.
“There’s no limit on the number of ghost guns one person can own.”
just like real guns.
Fuck their views on 80% guns. They aren’t the real danger. All of us being in a database is. Democide and all that.
In terms of the idea of a staggered return to rights for felons, I agree with that. Ultimately they should have all rights restored.
The wood is cool. We need a new Spitfire.
On the votes and guns for felons, that’s a bad deal. Dem voters now for some gun rights for a portion of the least worthy sometime later.