Illinois Second Amendment Victory is a Good Start
IL General Assembly has 180 days to craft new concealed carry legislation
Given the anti-gun image that Illinois has, thanks in large part to Chicago/Cook County, people may not have had very high hopes when the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) filed suit in May 2011, suing the state over the prohibition of carrying firearms for self defense. Gun rights proponents and US Constitution/Bill of Rights fans got good news this week when the decision in Moore et al v. Madigan et al was handed down.
The lawsuit alleged that the statutes which ban carrying handguns for self defense are “inconsistent with the Second Amendment.” SAF executive VP Alan Gottleib pointed out that “Illinois is currently the only state in the country that imposes a complete prohibition on the carrying of firearms for personal protection by its citizens.” SAF attorney David Jensen said that it was “incredible that this situation has persisted even in light of the Supreme Court’s rulings in Heller and McDonald”
The 7th US Court of Appeals this week issued a ruling which stated Continue reading
BATFE to Accept Comments on Armor Piercing Ammo Through End of Year
The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) has posted a notification on their website soliciting comments regarding requests to exempt certain projectiles from regulation as “armor piercing ammunition.”
The posting states that ATF is “seeking public comments on specific projectiles or projectile cores which may be used in a handgun and which are constructed entirely from one or a combination of tungsten, alloys, steel, iron, brass, bronze, beryllium, copper, or depleted uranium, and whether these projectiles or projectile cores pose a threat to public safety and law enforcement, or are, ‘primarily intended to be used for sporting purposes” and therefore may be exempted from classification as “armor piercing ammunition.’” Continue reading
Costas Doubles Down on Anti-Gun Statements
By now, pretty much everyone has seen (or at least heard about) Bob Costas’ NFL Sunday Night Football gun control diatribe spouted as two families and countless friends mourned the murder/suicide involving Kansas City Chiefs’ Javon Belcher. While this may or may not qualify as a genuine “tragedy,” it is unfortunate that people like Costas take the “never let a tragedy go to waste” cliche to heart and use it as a means to push their own political agendas and viewpoints. It is also unfortunate that such an anti-gun viewpoint was pushed during prime time television on NBC Sports, one of the major sponsors of the upcoming NSSF Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trades (SHOT) Show.
For those of you who may not have seen or heard Costas’ anti-gun statements: Continue reading
NSSF Matches ATF Reward in NY, SC Firearms Theft Cases
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearms industry, is once again offering its resources in conjunction with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) to help bring criminals to justice in a pair of firearms thefts. NSSF has offered a reward of up to $5,000 – matching the reward offered by BATFE – for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or persons responsible for the theft of firearms in New York and South Carolina.
The first theft involved the theft of 10 firearms during a November 1, 2012, burglary at the Guns and Gold Trading Post in North Charleston, SC. According to the ATF release, three individuals crashed their vehicle through the storefront before absconding with the firearms.
The second, presumably unrelated, incident occurred on November 24, when thieves made off with 62 firearms from Tom’s Guns and Ammo in Sodus, NY. The ATF release may be found here.
ATF and local law enforcement are investigating the thefts in both cases and are seeking information from the public that would lead to the resolution of these investigations.
The matching reward payment by NSSF will be granted following payment of the initial ATF reward of up to $5,000 for information leading to the arrest and conviction of those responsible for the crime.
Any information regarding this burglary should be reported to the ATF hotline at 1-800-ATF-GUNS (1-800-283-4867). The ATF hotline is toll-free, and all information will be treated confidentially. Callers will remain anonymous upon request.
About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 7,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.
BREAKING: Streets Continue to NOT Run Red With Blood in Open Carry States
When Oklahoma’s open carry law went into effect earlier this month they became the 15th state to allow licensed gun owners to openly carry firearms. Nearly 30 more states permit anyone not prohibited from owning a weapon to openly carry a firearm. Oklahoma’s new law pushed the open carry movement back into the news and you won’t believe what is happening in those states with laws harkening back to the Wild West…
Nothing.
Nothing out of the ordinary, anyway. The streets aren’t running red with blood (unlike in Chicago – where guns are nearly impossible to get, let alone carry – which is averaging roughly 42 murders per month). We aren’t seeing shootouts in the streets (unless you count New York – where, again, firearms are difficult to legally obtain. Carry permits? Fuggedaboutit! – where police unleash a hail of gunfire on innocent citizens who happen to be standing behind a bad guy). The biggest change will likely be increased 911 call volume to report a MWAG (man with a gun).
What else is business-as-usual? The consternation and hand-wringing from the hoplophobes worried about someone so lowly as a mere subject – er, citizen – carrying a firearm. Continue reading
Businesses Say “Thank You” with Veteran’s Day Specials
Military members are owed a debt of gratitude for the sacrifices they make in order to secure the rights and freedoms that many take for granted. Since 1919, November 11th has been the day to honor veterans. President Wilson noted that the day was to be “filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country’s service and with gratitude for the victory,” referring to the signing of the armistice which ended WWI hostilities on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918. Since 1954, November 11th, formerly Armistice Day has been called Veteran’s Day and marks a day set aside to honor and celebrate the services rendered by all US military veterans.
As a way of showing gratitude to those who serve our country, many businesses offer special deals for veterans. Examples of some of these deals are below. Keep in mind that, although some of these businesses are nation-wide chains, not all locations may be participating. Be sure to check with your location to find out if they are participating, what type of proof of service they may require (military ID, uniform, DD214, etc.) and other terms (e.g. dine-in only). Continue reading
