NRA
You’ve undoubtedly heard the news that the NRA’s embattled and some say corrupt EVP Wayne LaPierre has filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy (reorganization) petitions for the NRA in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court in Dallas, in an attempt to move it to Texas. But one source says it’s against the law for any New York-based charity to dissolve and regroup in another state without the state Attorney General or Supreme Court signing off. However, such a law would seem to violate the free association protections of the First Amendment. Justice Joel Cohen of Manhattan Supreme Court (not the state supreme court) has rejected the NRA’s motion to dismiss or move a lawsuit by NY Attorney General Letitia James seeking to dissolve the gun rights group. While the NRA is a New York incorporated nonprofit, its headquarters is in Virginia (go figure). The NRA Board of Directors has clearly abdicated its responsibilities (see link below) and should be removed for cause.
More:
- NRA Declares Bankruptcy to Facilitate Move from New York [Ammoland]
- Major NRA donor to challenge gun group’s bankruptcy over alleged fraud [The Guardian]
- NRA Bankruptcy [Credit Slips]
May I suggest that the NRA and its membership move to Texas, and dismiss Mr. LaPierre and the board members, to be left in New York to face the state attorney general’s charges?
Duane Liptak, Executive VP of Magpul, resigned from the NRA Board of Directors earlier this week. Mr. Liptak was reportedly one of the “good” board members and will be replaced by Mr. R.B. “Rocky” Marshall, Jr., of Texas, about whom I know nothing.
Litigation
The Second Amendment Foundation, joined by Rainier Arms, LLC and two private citizens, has filed a lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division, against the BATFE and the Department of Justice, alleging violations of the Administrative Procedures Act relating to its flip-flop regulation of arm braces on semiautomatic pistols. The lawsuit also names acting ATF Director Regina Lombardo and Acting Attorney General Jeffrey Rosen, in their official capacities. The case is known as SAF et. al. v. BATFE, et. al.
If you’re not a member or financial supporter of SAF, you should be.
Lott returns
Dr. John Lott was run out of Washington by the incoming Democrats objecting to his appointment at the Department of Justice and has returned as president of the Crime Prevention Research Center. If you haven’t read Dr. Lott’s books on gun issues, get started.
Trump expands CCW rights for federal LEOs
Not that federal LEOs need much help in that area. Besides, I don’t expect Shotgun Joe Biden to continue Mr. Trump’s executive orders. In fact, it’s already started.
Biden
President Joe Biden’s nomination of Kristen Clarke as the Assistant Attorney General in the Civil Rights division of the DOJ sounds more alarms. Clark has written supporting the need to “get rid of the Second Amendment.” Since the Second Amendment is a civil right and Ms Clarke is to head up the civil rights division, I suppose it follows that she wants to get rid of herself. Works for me.
Meanwhile, Mr. Biden is getting a new Secret Service team, because he doesn’t trust the old one. Gee, I wonder why.
And did you notice that in a lot of the photos of the National Guardsmen assigned to protective duty at the U.S. Capitol this week, they did not have magazines in their rifles?
Enemies
Facebook already prohibits ads for weapons, ammunition and “weapon enhancements like silencers.” Now it also prohibits ads for accessories such as gun safes, vests and gun holsters in the U.S. But apparently not for other countries where there is no Second Amendment.
We understand that several other airlines besides Delta banned the otherwise legal transport of checked firearms on flights into the Washington, D.C. area this week.
The Only Ones
Cole James Bridges, 20, currently assigned to Fort Stewart in Georgia with the U.S. Army’s 3rd Infantry Division. He was arrested on charges of attempting to provide material support to a designated foreign terrorist organization and attempting to murder U.S. military service members. He faces up to 40 years in prison.
Big Brother
An officer with the Novi, Michigan Police Department responded to an anonymous complaint about Covid mask order violations at the Fenix ammunition company, and cited the company for violating the mask order of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, within Fenix’s own building. Now, Fenix says it will never again sell any ammo to any law enforcement agencies. FWIW, I think folks who don’t mask up around other these days are either insane or offensive, but that doesn’t mean they don’t have that right on their own private property. They do have a sign posted advising visitors of the policy before they enter.
The numbers
We heard this week that according to one widely quoted analysis, the United States military possesses about 4.5 million firearms, while U.S. civilians purchase nearly that many guns in just two months. Do the math.
Tips
- Carjacking reminder
- De-escalation (a weird word meaning “reduction”). We need a LOT more of this.
Rimfire Loads
My advice? Don’t. Just don’t.
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About the ammo shortage
If you didn’t stock up years ago when I told you to, now is not the time.
Industry news
We hear that Taurus now has a two-tenths of one-percent (0.2%) return rate on new products, and that warranty repair now averages a four-day turnaround. Both are significant improvements and better than a lot of their competition.
Products
As I write this, the SHOT show is underway. I got to look at some of it online.
Grabagun.com has a neat package deal: an M&P9 Shield 9mm pistol, four 8 round magazines, a 7 round magazine, an M&P branded bugout bag and face mask, and a first aid kit. No ammo included. $500.
Botach apparently has a little bit of Winchester Ranger T-Series RA9TA 9mm 127 gr. +P+ ammo in stock. This is the “Black Talon” style bullet and this load (1250 fps) has an excellent reputation, assuming your gun is suited for +P+ ammo.
FN America has introduced the FN 509 Compact, which compliments the FN 509 Compact MRD by offering low-profile rear blackout iron carry sights with high-visibility front sight to meet deep concealment needs, both designed to be snag-free. No optics mounting provision. The striker-fired 9mm comes with two interchangeable backstraps and one each 12-round and 15-round magazines, and will accept higher capacity FN 509 magazines. $679.
Benelli now offers its Super Black Eagle 3 shotgun in 3″ 20 gauge. Black synthetic or various camo patterns. 26″ or 28″ barrel. 5.8-5.9 lbs. $1700-1800. It also has some 3″ 12 gauge versions.
The Franchi Instinct LX O/U shotgun is now available in 3″ 28 gauge. Auto ejectors. AA grade walnut. 6 lbs. $1800.
Phoenix Weaponry has reproduction flip-up sights for 1873 Winchester Model No. 62B rifles, and a red dot sight mount for Henry rifles. This mount can be attached to Henry models 4, 5, 6, and 12 rifles by use of the factory mounting holes, and accepts Burris Fastfire 3, Holosun 507K, Vortex Venom, and Sightmark Mini Shot reflex sights. $350 for the sights, $55 for the mount.
PulTac magazines for easy loading.
SK Ammunition now has the SK Hi-Velocity Match .22 LR load, featuring a 40-grain RN bullet at 1263 fps. Yes, .22 LR “Hi-Velocity Match” sounds like an oxymoron.
Burris Optics has three all-new thermal sights for nighttime hunting, the Burris Optics Handheld (BTH), Clip-On (BTC) or Riflescope (BTS) Thermal Sights. Each thermal unit is available in 35mm and 50mm options. $2462-$5502.
Rock Island Armory Imports has introduced the AL22 Series of double action rimfire revolvers, with 4″ barrels and stainless steel or blued steel construction. 9-shot .22 LR and 8-shot .22 WMRF. $750-800.
Streamlight’s new Wedge EDC Pocket flashlight is a USB-rechargeable slim model with an ambidextrous pocket clip like a tactical knife. Battery charge indicator. 300 lumens for 3 hours or 1000 lumens for 1/2 minute. Available in April for about $84.
The DryFireMag is a dry fire training device that replaces the magazine and interacts with the drawbar of your striker fired pistol to reset the trigger during dry practice, without having to rack the slide. Available now or soon for Glocks in 9, .40, and .45, the Springfield XD line, S&W M&P 9 and .40, S&W Shield, and SIG P320.
Huglu, known for making very nice and affordable shotguns with nice Turkish walnut furniture (like the CZ doubles), is now offering the XR-7, a “black” AR-15 style 12 gauge.
U.S. Arms’ M-905 Talon muzzle brake is just cool. Prohibitively expensive at $330, but cool.
Agescan International now has Tungsten Super Shot (a typical hard metal alloy product made of 95% Tungsten powder, 5% Nickel and Iron powder, with a density of 18-18.3 g/cc, which is 60% denser than traditional lead shot) in sizes from 0000 Buck (0.380″) to dust (0.04″).
Browning’s X-Point Defense pistol ammo appears to be similar to Winchester’s new USA Ready Defense, except that Browning’s has a 4-pointed “X” polymer insert while Winchester’s is a 6-pointed hex. The Browning load is available in .380, 9mm, .40, .45, and 10mm.
Need to reload your 40mm rounds? Here ya go.
The Ka-Bar Space-Bar knife. Kinda cool.
Quotes
[We note that Poland still has pretty strict gun control laws. – JP]“It’s difficult for me to believe that, after narrowly escaping Communism in Poland thirty-two years ago, I am now back where I started, right here in the USA.
Today, Poland enjoys a thriving capitalistic economy, a truly free press. Who seriously mentions socialism or Communism there is promptly laughed out of the room.
I now look forward to a future when, once again, I will be celebrating, with millions of other Americans, while standing on the discredited ruins of leftist ideology, with its laughably, demonstrably unworkable social and economic constructs.
Of that I am certain.”
– A Polish ex-patriot
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