Rational consumers reacting to the threat of prohibition . . . How an ‘ugly,’ unwanted weapon became the most popular rifle in America
The lines at Hyatt Guns, his shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, snaked out the door. The deep, green-walled warehouse bills itself as the largest gun shop in America, but even then Hyatt had to stretch to meet the demand.
At one point, he dispatched 37 salespeople to man the cash registers. He put up velvet ropes and hired a police officer. He even put a hot dog stand outside.
It was just after the Sandy Hook massacre — and customers were lined up to buy AR-15 semi-automatic rifles, like the one the shooter Adam Lanza used.
That the boom in business happened after one of the most heinous mass shootings in American history was no coincidence. Mass shootings, rather than temper gun sales, only feed the hunger.
Some attorneys are more equal than others . . . Probation for attorney caught with arsenal of guns after DUI arrest
A Crystal Lake attorney who had dozens of guns seized from his home after a DUI arrest in early 2017 pleaded guilty to reduced charges and was sentenced to probation and alcohol and drug treatment this week.
McHenry County Judge Sharon Prather sentenced Donald F. Franz, 51, to 24 months of probation, five days in jail, treatment, and $2,845 in fines and costs after he pleaded guilty this week to felony obstruction of a peace officer and failure to surrender his Firearm Owner’s Identification card, a misdemeanor, according to court records.
Other charges — such as the most severe charge of aggravated battery to a police officer, which carried a top penalty of seven years in prison; a felony DUI charge; and a host of weapons charges — were dismissed in exchange for the guilty plea, records show.
Some politicians are more equal than others . . . No charges for Colo. State Rep. Lori Saine who ‘totally forgot’ about handgun
The Boulder County District Attorney has decided not to press charges against Colorado State Rep. Lori Saine, R-Firestone, who was arrested December 5 after carrying a loaded gun through security at Denver International Airport.
In a statement released Thursday, Boulder District Attorney Stanley Garnett’s office said a criminal case against Saine could not be proven beyond a reasonable doubt and charges “are not appropriate.” She was facing a possible class 6 felony charge.
According to the statement, Saine told Denver Police officers she “totally forgot” about the 9mm semi-automatic handgun inside her purse, which TSA agents discovered as it passed through an x-ray machine. She refused to be interviewed and requested an attorney during the arrest, the statement read.
Speaking of which . . . Looks like it’s another bumper crop of seized guns at U.S. airports this year, TSA says. Plus: How Texas does it.
The number of firearms seized at security checkpoints in U.S. airports is on its way this year to setting yet another record, security officials said Wednesday.
The Transportation Security Administration seized 3,939 firearms through November, spokeswoman Lisa Farbstein said, citing preliminary figures. If those numbers stand, that already puts the TSA ahead of the record-breaking 3,391 firearms seized in 2016, which was ahead of a record-breaking 2,653 in the previous year, which was ahead of a record-breaking 2,212 in the previous year, which … you get the picture.
Space cadet vs. the right to armed self defense . . . An Astronaut Reaching For The Stars … And Grasping At Straws
Gun grabber Mark Kelly is an astronaut, as the mainstream media so sympathetic to his efforts loves to remind us each time they run a story about him. I get it. It’s cool that he’s been in space four times, but it doesn’t mean he’s right in his crusade to strip his fellow Americans of their essential freedoms guaranteed by the Constitution. It doesn’t make it OK that he works relentlessly every day to render me and other good people defenseless against the evil that he sadly knows all too well exists in the world.
Being one of NASA’s select few does not give him license to constantly mislead the public. At every press opportunity, he touts his “strong support for the Second Amendment” and desire to “protect responsible gun ownership” while working to kill every policy that makes the right to keep and bear arms stronger and conditions for gun owners better.
An object lesson in the futility of gun control . . . Exclusive: Tracing ISIS’ Weapons Supply Chain—Back To The US
Spleeters carefully picks through the stacks of warheads until he finds what he’s been looking for: “I’ve got a PG-9 round, habibi,” Spleeters exclaims to al-Hakim. It is a Romanian rocket marked with lot number 12-14-451; Spleeters has spent the past year tracking this very serial number. In October 2014, Romania sold 9,252 rocket-propelled grenades, known as PG-9s, with lot number 12-14-451 to the US military. When it purchased the weapons, the US signed an end-use certificate, a document stating that the munitions would be used by US forces and not sold to anyone else. The Romanian government confirmed this sale by providing CAR with the end-user certificate and delivery verification document.
In 2016, however, Spleeters came across a video made by ISIS that showed a crate of PG-9s, with what appeared to be the lot number 12-14-451, captured from members of Jaysh Suriyah al-Jadid, a Syrian militia. Somehow, PG-9s from this very same shipment made their way to Iraq, where ISIS technicians separated the stolen warheads from the original rocket motors before adding new features that made them better suited for urban combat. (Rocket-propelled grenades can’t be fired inside buildings, because of the dangerous back-blast. By attaching ballast to the rocket, ISIS engineers crafted a weapon that could be used in house-to-house fighting.)
Everytown’s head honcho opines . . . NRA hijacks first bipartisan gun bill in years. Now it’s too dangerous to pass.
“Fix NICS” would decrease the chance that the next domestic violence call to which a cop responds involves an abuser with a firearm. “Concealed Carry Reciprocity” would leave local police powerless to stop people with dangerous histories from carrying guns.
In short, “Fix NICS” would strengthen our gun laws. “Concealed Carry Reciprocity” would eviscerate them. The bad far outweighs the good, and it isn’t a close call.
“Concealed Carry Reciprocity” would gut our gun laws because it would force each state to accept the concealed carry standards of every other state — even states that have weaker standards, or worse, no standards at all. And it would not establish a national standard for who is allowed to carry a hidden, loaded gun in public.
Dress for success . . . Inside America’s Growing Bulletproof Clothing Industry
Within this industry is a small but growing sector of manufacturers and retailers that, like Caballero, are proffering upscale bulletproof apparel that’s light-years beyond the standard bulletproof vest, both sartorially and functionally. From bespoke suits to safari jackets, the new breed of bulletproof clothing is comfortable and undetectable.
The NIJ sets the only nationally acceptable standards for body armor, ranked by level. According to the Justice Technology Information Center, a subsidiary of the NIJ, Level II body armor is tested to stop 9 mm and .40 S&W ammunition fired from short-barrel handguns (no rifle ammunition protection); Level IIA is tested to stop 9 mm and .357 Magnum ammunition fired from short-barrel handguns (no rifle ammunition protection); Level IIIA is tested to stop .357 SIG and .44 Magnum ammunition fired from longer-barrel handguns (no rifle ammunition protection); Level III is tested to stop 7.62 mm FMJ lead core rifle ammunition; and Level IV is tested to stop 30-caliber steel core armor-piercing rifle ammunition.
MILITARY IMPOSTERS / STOLEN VALOR
So TSA is getting better at spotting guns…what about all the tests they FAIL?
If that is any indication, then they MISSED about 8-10 times as many guns as they found.
And yet…have not heard of a single gunshot on a plane since 9/11. Anywhere in the world, in fact.
Where do all the confiscated weapons go?
I know someone could buy Belize on just the confiscated nail clippers alone. So. . .?
There hasn’t been a gun shot in a plane since EgyptAir Flight 648. 9/11 used box cutters (which to be honest im surprised people found threatning)
you have to understand 3 things.
First, box cutters will ruin your @ss.
Second, the hijackers made fake bombs out of materials they brought with them to further assure compliance.
Third, the first two factors made people decide to be compliant because in most terror attacks up to that point, at least in the west, terrorists made demands and ransomed hostages for them. Most terror attacks saw few people killed unless negotiations broke down and hostage rescue attempts were botched.
The third plane that the passengers took over and crashed in a field in PA had contact with the outside world and found out that the other hijacked planes were being used in suicide attacks. Then they decided to take their chances to take the plane back or at least stop the attack. Not mitigating what they did by any means, they did the traditionally smart thing until it was clear it wasn’t; they’re all hero’s in my book.
Hmmm… I’ve never “forgotten” that I have my weapon on me. …ever. I am also highly aware of places that could be problematic if I am discovered with it.
A person saying they forgot about it, is either lying, or a special kind of stupid.
Hmmph.
Yeah, I kinda feel like I want to put it in the same category as the parent who “forgot” they had an infant in that baby seat of a parked hot car.
At the same time, I understand that we’re only human and therefore sometimes mind-bogglingly thick headed without truly deserving the title “stupid”.
So what’s the answer? I figure it is to revamp the TSA policies to lighten the hell up – tell the moron to take their gun back to their car (or buy one of the lockable travel cases conveniently provided by the airline at a 600% markup). Simply no need to make a criminal case out of it and doing so is a waste of law enforcement resources.
🤠
this 1000%. I’ve been in LE for a little now and I still absolutely cannot stand nor understand the desire to make criminals of every [email protected] body. Seriously, tell them their and idiot and send them back to their car. The punishment and embarrassment of having to exit the airport then go all the way back through security should be deterrent enough. Progressive punishment could apply here; repeat offenders could be fined, then temporarily banned from flying, then on a no fly list. That’s about the only no fly list I could get behind.
Seems like this “make criminals if there are none” come from a desire to boost arrest and citation numbers to give the appearance of competence. That and petty bullying
Well that makes me a special kind of stupid. I forgot I was armed, entered a “gun free zone” and the owners called the cops. D’oh!
As soon as you say / think it can’t happen to you. . .
To be fair, its much easier to inadvertently do it in a sandwich shop, than going through metal detectors and x-ray machines at the airport.
A really good ham sammidge does something to the brain.
When I started traveling, I wore IBM standard uniform, then business casual, then jeans and polo. Now, I’d go with shorts and a tank top with flip flops if I could.
RF, I suppose I didn’t frame it well enough to highlight that I was referring to going through metal detector equipped security check points manned by staff who will freak out and gleefully make it their mission to turn you into a criminal if they can.
I had the story above of Lori Saine in mind with that first post.
Rick thankfully pointed this kind of thing out. Thanks Rick.
I don’t forget I’m carrying (because I am almost 100% of the time) but I do forget there are a few places I’m not allowed to. Had to renew my license this summer and didn’t realize I’m not supposed to have it until I was already inside. The DMV is one of the very few places in my state where carrying a gun is a criminal offense.
Special Snowflake explains the pass she got.
In case you haven’t noticed. We are now ruled by government snowflakes.
Denver almost never charges ANYONE who carries a gun through security at the airport. I think it’s around 2% charge rate. My sales manager got popped with ammunition in his carry on. TSA wanted to make a big deal. DPD officer rolled his eyes, pocketed the errant 10MM cartridge, and waived him through to his flight.
ISIS got there weapons from the CIA? I can’t believe it! Next you’ll tell me our politicians, like the honorable John McCain, actually had photos taken with ISIS members and said they were “the good rebels”. /sarc off/
Didn’t the Ohole admin “mistakenly” air-drop weapons DIRECTLY TO ISIS ? ? ? ?
MORE THAN ONCE ? ? ? ? ? ?
Those were rhetorical questions.
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/isis-we-have-our-hands-on-weapons-ammo-air-dropped-by-u-s/
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2014/10/21/u-s-accidentally-delivered-weapons-to-the-islamic-state-by-airdrop-militants-allege/?utm_term=.72f60713a30a
http://www.hangthebankers.com/us-weapons-airdrop-goes-straight-to-isis-again/
The ATF&E must have been too busy to run guns to the enemy that week.
Hmmm…I remember the Crystal Lake cretin. Not surprised. He probably had political connections…like that dumb Colorado dumbocrat. Likewise I have NEVER not known I am armed-even pepper spray or a knife. Get out of jail free pass😖
Lori Saine is a Republican who has sponsored bills to eliminate Colorado’s magazine size restrictions.
I remember one time I simply forgot that I had packed a .380 auto in a locked gunvault mini with a cardboard box containing 7 whole rounds of ammunition into checked baggage, and the TSA didn’t catch it. Fearing what would happen if they did and I said nothing, I approached a TSA suit and lead with where the gun was, before I said gun. “In a locked box, inside my checked baggage, is a gun I forgot to declare at the ticket counter, how would you like to proceed?
That probably earned me a longer talk with the Airport police than a Colorado politician got for carrying a loaded gun through the metal detectors.
Speaking of checking firearms…
Can someone tell me the rationale behind having to disclose that your locked, checked baggage contains a locked case containing a firearm?
And further—and of more interest to me—explain to me the rationale behind the *secondary* inspection said checked baggage has to endure before it gets put onto the conveyor belt on its way to get loaded on the plane?
I’ve only ever had my luggage lost twice in my life. The second time was flying to the in-laws for Christmas; we were spending a few days in the Big Easy—specifically a reportedly possible sketchy part of town—beforehand, so I wanted my piece with me. After declaring at the counter, I was escorted to the secure inspection area, and after inspection then the escort informed me that I was free to proceed to my gate and he would deliver my bag to the appropriate location. Stupidly, I agreed to do so.
That bag did not arrive with the others in NO. Besides my firearm, it also contained half of the Christmas presents were we taking with us, and 90% of my clothes. Since the escort knew why he was escorting me (which I consider a huge security flaw), I was virtually sure that my bag would never be seen again. Thankfully, however, three days later it showed up at my hotel, with all contents intact and accounted for (but no explanation of where it’d been).
I now escort the escort back to the baggage delivery area after the secondary inspection, ruffling my family’s feathers because we now separate after checking in—they go to the gate and I meet them later, because they don’t want the extra walking/delay.
OK, I can kind of see why I need to declare it—CYA on the part of the airline. Fine. But why the secondary inspection? I’ve already declared it, the counter agent has seen the case is locked and in a locked bag, which is then checked so I no longer have access to it until arrival at baggage claim at my destination. Do they think I’m faking the declaration and have instead packed an altitude-sensitive explosive device (after honestly alerting them fact that I have packed a firearm)? Does the bag get “tagged” somehow (I’ve not noticed) that it has a declared firearm in it? (I’m slightly tempted to apply to the TSA *just* so I can learn the background to some of their procedures…)
If the answer is “security theater”, that’s OK; that’s my assumption anyway, given how the rest of the process/TSA works.
I also assume that my history of checking/declaring firearms is the sole reason why I *NEVER* get automatically selected for “PRE check” while the rest of my family *usually* does get it. (Another question: does TSA really think that I—as the only adult traveling with my minor children—am going to let said minor children go through pre-check without me?! Idiots [but I repeat myself].)
She spent the night in jail.
Boulder State Rep. enough said. Lulz!
As for the Crystal Lake guy; I forgot you could get a felony DUI. Just another way to disarm the populace I guess.
Did you read where she had only 4 rounds in the magazine, nothing chambered?
Who forgets to reload?
Once years ago I got pulled out because I set off the metal detector at Hartsfield. No doubt the pre TSA (real airport security) guys must have gotten a laugh seeing me patting myself down trying to find what set off the detector. Huge relief when I found the old AA Maglite in my coat pocket, I can tell you! I thought I had somehow forgotten to take off my gun and just knew I was in for a really bad time of it.
Funny . . . It must be a class warfare thing.
They DON’T SEARCH PRIVATE FLIGHTS (even international Customs-checked) flights.
Granted, you could (potentially) F up more stuff if you got a loaded weapon on board a large passenger aircraft. However, you’re even less of a potential threat with an unknown (checked in luggage) weapon.
“And it would not establish a national standard for who can carry a hidden loaded gun in public.” Hmmm. I thought there was a national standard or laws or regulations or something.
They want the,strongest law possible with the most onerous, expensive, slowest , ugliest process with the ability to flag people for no reason forever.
Basically Hawaii or new York standards
“more equal” BS, Read the Constitution.
Art 1 Section 6 “They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.”
The arrest and detention was UnConstitutional.
I don’t believe that applies to state representatives, in fact, the rules of English say that it does not. Article 1 deals with the Legislative Branch of the Federal Government.
If you look at the original language the sentence before your quote says “The Senators and Representatives shall receive a Compensation for their Services, to be ascertained by Law, and paid out of the Treasury of the United States.”
That’s the original language of Art 1, Section 6. It was modified by the 27th Amendment to say “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened.”
So, in totality we have a paragraph that says “No law, varying the compensation for the services of the Senators and Representatives, shall take effect, until an election of Representatives shall have intervened. They shall in all Cases, except Treason, Felony and Breach of the Peace, be privileged from Arrest during their Attendance at the Session of their respective Houses, and in going to and returning from the same; and for any Speech or Debate in either House, they shall not be questioned in any other Place.”
There is no way to construe that as applying to State Representatives. It only applies to Congresscritters.
Why?
The purpose of this section is to prevent a state or other legal entity from arresting members of Congress for the purpose of preventing the Senator or Congressman/woman from voting on an issue and/or preventing a quorum via detention of enough Representatives or Senators.
Why is the TSA showing off as trophies property seized from peaceful, responsible people simply trying to get somewhere? Unless every single item there represents successful terrorism prosecution … what are they bragging about, again? That’s on top of the inconvenience and overhead of their procedures and protocols.
It’s like the point is the burden put on people who haven’t and wouldn’t practice actual maleficia. “Look what we were able to do to people who did nothing wrong! Woo-hoo!”
“because it would force each state to accept the concealed carry standards of every other state — even states that have weaker standards, or worse, no standards at all. And it would not establish a national standard for who is allowed to carry a hidden, loaded gun in public.”
OK, how about throwing them a bone on this?
Universal training standards in return for universal carry.
Discuss…
“…national standard for who is allowed to carry a hidden, loaded gun in public.””
As for who is allowed to carry concealed, it’s simple, are you a person legally prohibited from owning a gun? No gun carry for you.
Are you law-abiding? You can carry.
Easy-peasy… 🙂
No. The standard is we have a right, its not a drivers license, to own and shoot firearms.
I might accept standards if we impose standards and licensing on writing honestly for journalists or voting rights.
Its a pretty big deal when you give up your rights because its forever…
“Universal training standards in return for universal carry.
Discuss…”
He who controls the training standard controls the “right”. The powers that be can make the standards unattainable, which effectively reduces the right to a privilege.
Worse the standard can be applied arbitrarily. Bloomberg’s bodyguards will always qualify, and the hoi polloi won’t.
Nothing more to discuss.
As to the first story:
If anti-gun tards weren’t trying to ban semi-auto clones of military rifles after every tragedy then there wouldn’t be that many out in circulation to begin with.
That is all your fault. You all implemented the 1986, 1989, 1994-2004, and 1998 bans that made niche rifles into the mainstream.