The Truth About Guns

Subscribe to The Truth About Guns feed The Truth About Guns
Exploring the ethics, morality, business, politics, culture, technology, practice, strategy, dangers and fun of guns
Updated: 1 week 1 day ago

Self-Defense Tip: Carry Your Gun

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 20:00

DGU Of The Day: Loss Prevention Injection Edition

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 19:00

An armed customer wasn’t quick enough to prevent alleged transient junkie Joshua Silva, above, from sticking a Home Depot loss prevention employee in the hand with a dirty needle, but the un-named Samaritan didn’t even have to fire a shot to stop the attack. 

From the Detroit Free Press:

Roseville Police Chief James Berlin said that Silva claimed he is addicted to heroin, but it is not believed he was on the drug at the time of the assault.

Berlin said Silva began to fight with store loss prevention officers in the parking lot when they tried to apprehend him for stuffing a $179 battery-powered drill under his coat. Silva pulled a concealed syringe from his jacket and used it as a weapon, swinging it around in a slashing motion, police said.

OMG! Liberal Gun Owners! OMG!

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 18:00

ABC News recently published an article that wasn’t inherently hostile to the Second Amendment, and most amazingly, to gun owners. And yes, that’s news. What’s the catch, you ask? The topic was liberal gun owners, and ABC took pains to point out that they are not members of the NRA. “Gun owner and Second Amendment advocate Marlene Hoeber isn’t your typical member of the National Rifle Association. In fact, she isn’t a member of the NRA at all.” . . .

The Oakland, Calif., laboratory equipment mechanic regularly visits firing ranges, where, along with other members of her gun club, she shoots a variety of weapons. ‘Guns a

AL Rep. Congressional Candidate Will Brook Shoots a Bunch of Paper. Big Whoop.

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 17:00

While it’s good to see a politician exercising his natural, civil and Constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms in the pubic eye, it behooves voters in Alabama’s Sixth Congressional District to remember that West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin did the exact same thing in a campaign ad – and then attempted to usher in universal gun registration as part of the post-Newtown push for civilian disarmament. That is all. Well that and Bill’s handgun stance sucks. And he should have known that Tannerite was required.

CA Senate Leader to Yee: Resign or be Suspended

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 16:00

Senate President Pro Tem Darrell Steinberg said he was shocked and sickened by the allegations brought against a member of his caucus Wednesday, saying Sen. Leland Yee has until Friday to resign from office or face certain suspension.” Looks like California’s legislators have as much regard for the principle of “innocent until proven guilty” as they do for Second Amendment rights . . .

But when you’ve shined as bright a spotlight on the corrupt nature of Golden State politics — and damaged the cause of rolling back gun rights — as Yee has, the fierce moral urge

BREAKING: DC Resident Mark Witaschek Found Guilty of Attempting to Possess Illegal Ammo

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 15:01

“After two years of sheer and complete legal lunacy, businessman and recreational hunter Mark Witaschek has been found guilty in the District for attempting to possess illegal ammunition without having a gun registered in DC,” commdiginews.com reports. “The biggest problem with the verdict, aside from the fact that the trial was held at all, is that the ammunition in question is for antique replica muzzle loading weapons which are not required to be registered in the Nation’s Capital.” Emily Miller at

GRNC Objects to ATF’s Proposed Expansion of “Mental Health Institution” Definition

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 14:00

March 26, 2014

Mr. George M. Fodor
Room 6.N-S23, Enforcement Programs and Services
Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives
U.S. Department of Justice
99 New York Avenue, NE
Washington, DC, 20226

Re:             Docket No. ATF 51P

GRNC comment on proposed redefinition of “committed to a mental institution”

Dear Mr. Fodor:

Grass Roots North Carolina (GRNC) was created in 1994 as an independent, all-volunteer, 501(c)(4) not-for-profit organization dedicated to preserving constitutional freedoms. Many of the organization’s projects are devoted to defending the individual right to keep and bear arms. GRNC submits this comment on the ATF’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking regarding the redefinition of the statutory phrase “committed to a mental institution” in the Gun Control Act of 1968[1] (GCA). GRNC opposes the proposal, and offers

ATF to Halt NFA Batch Processing, Re-Design eForms System

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 13:00

A few days ago we reported on the assertion by the ATF and a couple of FFL holders that one of the reasons the ATF’s new NFA paperwork processing system is almost completely unusable at times is that Austin’s Silencer Shop is killing it by automating the uploading all of their paperwork in a very short time frame. The Silencer Shop disagreed, saying that they have timed their activities to have the least impact possible on the rickety system and actually free up resources for other FFL/SOTs to do their business. The ATF, however, still seems dead-set on putting the kibosh on batch processing, and is about to break out the rulers and start smacking some wrists . . .

Housekeeping: Where To Go If You Can’t Get Enough TTAG

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 12:00

For the first four years of this website, TTAG’s Facebook page was a red-headed stepchild. We programmed WordPress to automatically post on Facebook whenever we pressed play on the main site. And…that’s it. At this year’s SHOT Show I ran into a red-headed social media manager named Celby Richoux. Ms. Richoux recommend we manually post on Facebook and hire her for more tips. Unfortunately, she fell off our radar. Fortunately, we followed her advice . . .

In less than three months our Facebook likes have soared from 5k to today’s 67,559. More than that, we’ve discovered the joys of Bookin’. Specifically, posting material that would otherwise end-up on the cutting room floor.

So if you c

Choosing a Competition Rifle: SCAR 16S versus PWS Mk114

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 11:00

If you had asked me a couple years back what platform was the best for 3-gun competitions, there wouldn’t have been a moment’s hesitation from me — the AR-15 uber alles. But after spending a year with Team FNH USA and running the SCAR 16S exclusively in competitions, I’m starting to question that analysis. With that rifle, I’ve posted better scores and faster times than I’ve ever been able to before, and as this season is starting up I find myself facing a very important question: do I keep running the SCAR, or switch back to an AR-15? . . .

After my stint with Team FNH USA ended, a bunch of readers asked me that very question. And at the time I still hadn’t made a decision. They asked that when I do finally figure it out, I write up an article about how I decided, one way or the other. So for those who are curiou

Random Thoughts About Gun Control Advocates’ Hate

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 10:00

Gun lovers love liberty. Well, unless they work for the ATF. See what I did there? I took a shot (so to speak) at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (and Really Big Fires) without calling them a name. OK, sure, I’ve called them “goons” before. A few times. But there’s a difference between the take-no-prisoners rhetoric deployed against gun control advocates by TTAG’s writers and the buckets of bile thrown at pro-gun folk by people who support civilian disarmament. Just lately, I’ve noticed it getting worse . . .

I’m not referring to the image above. That’s bog standard stuff for gun-hating editorial cartoonists; artists who can no more make a living without malicious mischaracterization than a firearms trainer can without mnemonic acronyms. (FWIW) I’m talking about people like Shannon Watts, whose Moth

“The ink is barely dry on the Illinois concealed carry law…”

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 09:00

TTAG reader Curtis P. Newport writes:

The ink is barely dry on the Illinois concealed carry law, which makes it a Class B misdemeanor (up to $150 fine & 6 months in jail) for carrying into any of the twenty or so “prohibited areas.” [Click here to read HB3669  in its current form.] A bill introduced by State Rep. Deborah Conroy would make carrying onto a prohibited area a felony. Slip up once, someone sees the gun

Quote of the Day: I’m Not Lara Croft Edition

Thu, 03/27/2014 - 08:00

“’I don’t want to be made out to be some tomb raider,’ said Ros, 37 and a single mom of three. ‘I am a woman who would like to have an opportunity to protect herself.’” Carrying gun to Wells Fargo got branch manager fired [at marketwatch.com]

Daily Digest: Lost & Found Edition

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 21:00

A Missouri man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison after telling police he was gathering weapons for a mass shooting at a movie theatre or Walmart. His mom called police back in November 2012 and said her son had purchased weapons like those used in the theatre in Colorado. Blaec Lammers told police that he’d bought two AR-15s and 400 rounds of ammunition, and planned to use it to shoot up a movie theatre in Bolivar, MO. He also said he was worried about running out of ammunition, so he planned to go to a Walmart in Bolivar where he could stock up on ammo and shoot people there. He was convicted on charges of first-degree assault and armed criminal action. Missouri law allows the charges . . .

It Should Have Been a Defensive Gun Use: TN Teen Thugs Edition

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 20:00

“According to the latest reports from police, at least 17 incidents were reported after a group of approximately 200 teens began robbing and assaulting people Saturday night,” wdrb.com reports. “Police say it started around 7:45 p.m. when the teens gathered near the entrance of the Big Four Bridge. That’s where police say 12 teens assaulted and robbed a 13-year-old girl, as well as a man who came and tried to help her.” As the lead says, it gets worse. A lot worse . . .

Officers broke up the crowd, but shortly after that, there were more problems in the downtown area.

Police say once the large group left Waterfront Park, 70-80 teens were reported to be causing a scene at the White Castle on 1st Street. Nearby, a woman reported a gro

Giffords: Women Need More Gun Control

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 19:00

Thanks to an amendment the late Senator Frank Lautenberg attached to the 1997 budget appropriations bill, it’s illegal for those convicted of domestic violence to own a firearm. But now that they’ve staked out their own little corner of the Civilian Disarmament Industrial Complex, Gabby Giffords and her space cadet hubby, Mark Kelly, think more needs to be done. Giffords is shocked – shocked! – to have learned that criminals don’t always comply with the law. And sometimes their attorneys plead them down to a lesser charge. What’s their answer? More gun control laws, of course! Reader Chris W. just got this letter from the former Arizona congresswoman . . .

Chris -

Christin was a 35-year old mother of two from

Grandviewoutdoors.com: Where to Hunt the Biggest Bucks

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 18:00

I’ve already confessed my weakness for gun-oriented clickbait. So I was well-up for grandviewoutdoors.com‘s article Where to Hunt the Biggest Deer. You know how these things go: a protocol-heavy preamble followed by a top ten list extolling the virtues of each state’s advantages. Nope. Dr. Dave Samuel’s article is all about the variables: states with the highest buck harvests

BREAKING: Anti-Gun CA Senator Leland Yee Charged With Gun Running

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 17:29

 

It what would surely place his likeness prominently on the Mt. Rushmore of hypocrisy if the charges are proven in a court of law, famously anti-gun California state Senator Leland Yee has been charged with, in addition to bribery and public corruption…yes…gun running. Specifically conspiring with known organized crime lord Kwok Cheung “Shrimp Boy” Chow to illegally import firearms and sell them without a license . . .

The affidavit charges that the $2 million worth of weapons to have been secreted into the country from the Philippines included rocket launchers and machine guns, some of which Yee himself had fired while on Mindanao. A portion of the weapons Yee conspired to bring into the U.S. through New Jersey were to

New York Issues Revised SAFE Act Guidelines for Law Enforcement Officers

Wed, 03/26/2014 - 17:00

Are you an unlucky Empire Stater who’s feeling the effects Governor Andrew Cuomo’s pride and joy, the SAFE Act? Have you been flipping the pages on your calendar, noticing that the April 15 registration date is coming up fast, and wondering if or how cops in New York will be enforcing this marvel of civil rights abrogation? Never fear, the law enforcement brass are way ahead of you. The New York State Police has recently issued a revised SAFE Act guide (PDF) to its officers to – again – explain the law’s provisions and how they’re to to about enforcing it. And given the the December Western District ruling that the mag cap ban is unconst

Pages