The Truth About Guns
Exploring the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns
Updated: 1 week 2 days ago
Freedom Group Killing AAC?
Confidential sources tell TTAG that the Freedom Group is about to eliminate the Advanced Armament suppressor brand. [Note: we've put in a call to Remington.] According to our informant, TFG will merge AAC and TAPCO to create a new, as-yet-unnamed firearms accessory brand. If so, it’s a bold, not-to-say reckless move; both Tapco and AAC have considerable brand recognition. That said, Freedom’s shown itself to be a die-hard cost-cutter (e.g., their decision to move Marlin and Bushmaster’s manufacturing to Remington’s New York factory). Watch this space. Meanwhile, we’ve heard that the Model 700 and Seven recall will cost Remington . . .
some $20m. Gi
Chicago Police Supt. Blames Lax Gun Laws for Weekend Shootings, Murders
Last weekend at least 36 people were shot in Chicago, four fatally. chicago.cbslocal.com reports that Police Supt. Garry McCarthy’s getting heat for failing to curtail the “gun violence.” When pressed, McCarthy put the focus on the locus of the problem: Chicago’s gangs and the politicians who protect them. OK, the gangs. And weak gun control laws. “McCarthy said police have identified some gang rivalries at work in some of the most recent shootings, and were moving to intervene; but the superintendent said ‘lax state and federal gun laws’ thwart the department’s efforts.” You mean there aren
Quote of the Day: Spooking the Muggles Edition
“There is conflict within our ranks. Some feel the real in-your-face open-carry protests are detrimental because they scare middle-ground people.” – The Firearms Coalition’s Jeff Knox in New Push in State to Carry Guns Openly [at sfgate.com]
Daily Digest: Falling Down Edition
A doctor living in the tony Lincoln Park neighborhood of Chicago was jailed on Friday after he fired a shot from a revolver through the wall of his apartment and into the one next door on Wednesday. Luckily, he injured nothing but the kitchen backsplash in that apartment. Michael Olivieri (above) told prosecutors he thought he’d replaced the live ammo in the revolver with dummy rounds when he laid it on his kitchen island. For some reason, he decided to squeeze the trigger as it lay there, telling police he “squeezed the trigger as a nervous tic like squeezing a tennis ball.” Investigating officers confiscated eight guns, including at least one rifle, and prosecutors say none of them were registered. When police came to pick him up on Friday . . .
he
NJ Homeowner [Barely] Avoids Jail for Racking Shotgun at Intruders
“At about 2 a.m., [former firefighter 24-year-old Samuel] McGraw said he looked outside his home in the Deepwater section of the township and saw flashlights moving around outside near his truck,” nj.com reports. “He said he was nervous, as well as concerned for the safety of his parents, who were also home at the time. He opened the door and said he ‘racked’ his shotgun, hoping the sound would scare away what he thought were intruders.” Only the intruders weren’t intruders per se. In fact, the lights outside . . .
were no
Civil Disobedience Grows as NY “Assault Weapon” Registration Deadline Approaches
“Come Tuesday, owners of assault weapons in New York will be faced with a choice: Register those firearms with the state or potentially face a felony charge.” That’s the blunt, entirely accurate assessment of usatoday.com of the situation facing New York gun owners who possess unregistered “assault weapons” who are refusing to abide by the mandate created by the dead-of-the-night SAFE Act. And just in case you didn’t get the messag
On Respect for the Law and Respectable Laws
If we are to live in peace in a nation of laws, two things must happen. 1) Citizens must respect and obey the law, and 2) governments must make and enforce respectable laws. Every day Americans obey the laws that govern things from speed limits on the streets to keeping their lawn properly trimmed. Only a tiny fraction of a tiny fraction of laws require the intervention of police and the courts. This is a wonderful thing and reflects very well on the character of America’s people. I think one cannot be a good citizen without respect for the law and for those charged with writing them and enforcing them . . .
But this social compact is beginning to unravel. The breakdown we are witnessing is overwhelmingly a failure of the government to make and enforce respectable laws. In the standoff between Cliven Bundy, his family, and the assembled supporters who ultimately induced a fe
Moms Demand Action Demand Safety After KC Shooting
Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America released the following statement from Reverend Michelle Reed, a member of the Kansas chapter of Moms Demand Action in response to the shootings at the Jewish Community Center of Greater Kansas City and Village Shalom where at least 3 people were killed today . . .
Kansans are still reeling from the breaking news that, on the eve of Passover, a gunman has killed at least three people at the JCC and Village Shalom – our thoughts and prayers are with them and their loved ones,” said Reverend Reed. “We don’t know all of the details yet, but we know that events like this remind us how none of us is immune– gun violence knows no boundaries of religion, race, class or age. We won’t wait until our families or communities a
TTAG Exclusive: Kirsten Joy Weiss Peep Mayhem!
Resurrection? Rebirth? Renewal? Sure, those are traditional Easter themes, but it seems that in recent years, Peep hate has crept into the annual spring repertoire, too. And marshmallow markswoman Kirsten Joy Weiss has totally jumped on board the peep pejorative bandwagon. Now she’s lined up an array of the squishy little chicks ShootingTheBull410-style to test their lead-stopping potential. And the results may surprise you. [h/t Henry Repeating Arms]
MAC Confirms TTAG’s Take on the Remington R51
“The gun is just flawed.” “Unfinished.” “It just doesn’t feel good to me.” “I really hope this doesn’t blow up.” “It’s just dangerous.” These are a few of the phrases that Tim at the Military Arms Channel uses to describe the Remington R51. We published our two star review of the Remington R51 a while back and got a lot of flak from the fanboys, claiming that it was a “sandbag job.” They said we were just biased against Remington and that the gun was in fact fine. Tim is one of the few people outside of TTAG who I really trust to give a fair review, and in his recently posted video . . .
he describes and confirms every single flaw that I found in the gun…and then some. His gun malfunctioned even when he was 100% sure he assembled it properly. His T&E gun (sent by Reming
Question of the Day: Should TTAG Be Reporting This Story?
As you no doubt know, the vast majority of concealed carry permit holders are peaceable people. Well they would be, wouldn’t they? Concealed carry permit holders have gone through a criminal background check; past history is an excellent indicator of future performance. There are, of course, exceptions to the rule. Well there would be, wouldn’t there? We’re talking about millions of people. But should we be talking about those people who have a concealed carry permit and do bad, bad things? Take this story from nydailynews.com . . .
Antonio Seisdedos, who claims to be a former Marine,
Just Arrived from Taurus: View Revolver
Technically, Taurus calls their wee new wheel gun the 85VTA Revolver, but you probably know it as the View. It may be the snubbiest snubster you’ve ever seen. With that minuscule 1.41″ protuberance of a barrel and an uber-compact grip, there’s hardly a pocket it won’t happily call home. But besides its diminutive size and 9 oz. weight, (by comparison, a 642 Airweight tips the scales at a comparatively portly 15 oz.) what caught a lot of eyes at SHOT was its oh-so-revealing Lexan side panel . . .
Who are we kidding, though? While the View’s svelte nature — thanks to its titanium cylinder and barrel — would seem to ensure
Incendiary Image of the Day: Another Day, Another MRAP Edition
Fourteen years ago, the U.S. Census recorded the not-so-surprising fact that Washington, Louisiana was home to 1,082 souls. I’m guessing the town still has fewer residents than an average-sized LA housing project. The Washington PD needs an MRAP like the local airport needs a runway for a 747-700. So why in the name of Sam Hill do they have one? Never mind the rationale expressed by the Chief in the video above: protection for officers during an active shooter event. Here’s your answer [via Wikipedia] . . .
According to a 2007 report Washington was named one of the 10 worst speed traps in the state of Louisiana. W
Sons of Guns Gets Small and Goes Home. If Only . . .
“A WWII British 75mm Scorpion Tank pulls into Red Jacket’s parking lot and demands Will’s attention.” Demands? As in the tank commander rolls up, aims the 75mm gun at Will’s new digs and demands satisfaction? For what? Forcing Yanks to watch Kris flirt with Stephanie? That sounds vaguely interesting – if entirely scripted. And yet the preview video above features a gun so small The Lego Movie‘s Emmet could use it as a toothpick (and yes he’s that dumb). What are these Sons of Guns guys thinking? Are they thinking? I’m not sure I would be after 61 episodes of Frankengunning. Still, the cash cow must be milked until the thing drops dead. Any thoughts on what the SOG’s finale should look like?
Quote of the Day: NY Governor Claims Confiscation Fears Unfounded
“You have been registering your handgun for decades and decades and decades. When has government ever come and knocked on your door and said, ‘I know that you have five handguns because they’re registered’? It hasn’t happened. So I never understood the fear in the first place because it hasn’t happened.” – New York Governor Cuomo quoted in Gun owners say they’re state’s target [at democratandchronicle.com]
Irresponsible Gun Owner of the Day: Officer Daniel Dominguez
You at least have to give the San Antonio PD props for honesty. The vast majority of officer-involved negligent discharges are compliantly reported by local media, providing convenient stenography services for the local 5-0 and listing the officer involved as “unidentified.” And that’s all you ever hear about it. But after a San Antonio copter pilot blew a hole in his hand on Wednesday, the cop shop named names. The fly-boy with the see-through left hand is Officer Daniel Dominguez . . .
Here’s mysanantonio.com’s description of the result of Officer Dominguez’s Rule Two (at a minimum) violation:
Dominguez took his duty pistol, a .40-caliber Smith & Wesson, from his on-duty holster, which was attached to his flight vest, according to police. He was
Housekeeping: TTAG Facebook Page Crests 100k. MDA in our Sights
Once again, we have Celby Richoux to thank for putting the paddles to the TTAG’s formerly moribund Facebook page. Before her fateful advice at January’s SHOT Show, our Facebook page was trundling along at around 5k likes. This after more than three years of automatic postings from our main site. “Post your links manually she advised.” And so we did. Last night, our Facebook page crested 100k Likes – and beyond! Being the competitive folk that we are, we’ve set up the Insights widget to keep track of some of our competition. The most important of which is Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. As you know . . .
