Litigation
Judge Holly A. Brady of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Indiana denied a request to have a felon’s gun possession charge tossed on constitutional grounds. She found the Second Amendment does not protect a convicted felon’s ability to own a firearm. She further ruled that barring felons from owning guns is consistent with historical gun restrictions. However, the case does not make the distinction between historical bans for violent criminals and current bans for nonviolent white collar felons.
Judge Stephen P. McGlynn, of the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Illinois says that Illinois is likely stepping all over folks’ Second Amendment rights with its new gun bans and that pistol arm braces are also arms protected by the Second Amendment, at least for disabled people. Lines have formed at Illinois gun stores.
Is the Chevron deference going down? It certainly should.
Will the Naperville, IL, gun ban case be taken up by SCOTUS?
The Second Amendment Foundation, joined by a bunch of plaintiffs, has filed a federal lawsuit in U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California challenging that state’s 10-day waiting period for firearm purchases on Second Amendment grounds. The case is known as Richards v. Bonta. One wonders where the legal challenge is to the federal purchase waiting period.
The Second Amendment Foundation and Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms, and their CEO Alan Gottlieb, along with others, have filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against Washington State Attorney General Bob Ferguson and members of his staff, alleging that Ferguson has used the power of his office to chill the activities of SAF, which are aimed at protecting and expanding Second Amendment rights, and for trying to give Alan Gottlieb a heart attack. The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington. The case is known as Second Amendment Foundation v. Ferguson.
Legislation & Regulation
Action item: The federal TEACH Act would empower armed school defenders. Take action here.
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is expected to publish regulations that would limit the equipment allowed on public refuge properties and expand the area where cost-effective lead ammo and fishing tackle is banned.
Newsletters
The May ACLDN and Rangemaster newsletters are out.
Second Amendment Roundup
The Second Amendment Foundation has partnered with RoundUp App – a “spare change” platform that lets you painlessly donate the rounded-up change from everyday transactions to help our cause. The SAF has 48 active cases in court right now, with two more that are being readied to be filed. Cases which are appealed as far as the U.S. Supreme Court each cost around $750,000 in legal fees.
Webinar & Conference
The NRA-ILA is offering a Grassroots Webinar on Second Amendment grassroots programs, resources, outreach opportunities, and how you can be best prepared for the fight. Join NRA-ILA Grassroots Staff on Tuesday, May 23rd, at 7:00 p.m. Eastern Time, 6:00 p.m. Central Time. Register at the link.
The FREE 38th Annual Gun Rights Policy Conference (GRPC 2023) will be held September 22nd – September 24th, 2023 in Phoenix, AZ, at the Sheraton Phoenix Crescent. You can register here. FREE.
NRA update
In this case, the comments below the article are interesting.
ATF
- Operation Fast and Furious, still giving
- ATF fraud
Other enemies
- The Nazi Left’s re-education plan is working.
Department of Idiocy
John Farnam reports that the 1.5k Army troops being sent to address our southern “border” crisis will all be unarmed. So, what are they supposed to do? Stand around and draw a paycheck?
Miscellaneous
DGUs
Buy that man a box of ammo…
A robbery suspect leading Florida police on a high speed chase was shot 8 times by a convenience store clerk he was attempting to carjack after he crossed into Georgia. “I also commend the Georgia store clerk that put a swift end to this dirtbag’s crime spree. If he survives his injuries, he should spend a long time in prison.” – Flagler County (FL) Sheriff Rick Staly
The Armed Citizen
- American Rifleman – April 24, 2023
- American Rifleman – April 28, 2023
- American Rifleman – May 1, 2023
Not a DGU
About that Texas shooting. We also hear that the man whose wife and child were slain in last Friday night’s Texas mass shooting said that his family called 911 five times in the minutes before their neighbor opened fire, but of course those calls may have been before anyone recognized an attack was coming.
Tactics & Stuff
About social media. You know this.
Local training
- Note that Tom Givens’ Rangemaster has scheduled a Combative Pistol course at Boondocks FTA in Raymond, MS, June 10-11. Other opportunities are listed in the newsletter linked above and on the Boondocks calendar.
- Instructor tip: Managing the Unsafe Student in a Firearms Class
The Only Ones
A 20-year-old U.S. Marine was killed during an active-duty training exercise in California when a gun discharged unintentionally while he was with other Marines in the back of a Medium Tactical Vehicle Replacement, or 7-ton truck. Marines from the platoon had been ordered into the back of the truck and told to set their service rifles at “condition one,” meaning with a loaded magazine and a round in the chamber. No word on whose rifle went off, how, or where it was pointed. Those trucks have a lot of hard surfaces which facilitate ricochets. Speculation is that the safety was off. We note that the position of the safety device has no bearing on adherence to or effectiveness of the 4 rules.
Mississippi Sheriff’s candidate Marshand Crisler, who has previously held offices in Hinds County, MS, of interim sheriff, sheriff’s investigator, Utica police chief, and Jackson city councilman, as well as being a retired USMC major, has been indicted by a federal grand jury for selling ammunition to a convicted felon and theft or bribery in programs concerning federal funds. He pleaded not guilty and has been released from federal custody on bond.
Waveland, MS, assistant police chief Phillip Pavolini and his wife, Cynthia, have been arrested on simple assault charges after allegations that the assistant chief fired a gun during a domestic fight with their estranged son-in-law. Mrs. Pavolini allegedly slapped her son-in-law. The alleged incident happened at their daughter’s house in Stone County.
Fun
An actual “high caliber” rifle. I finally found a gun I don’t need. Well, except for defense of course.
Industry News
- Could it be? The Savage AccuTrigger is 20 years old.
- Lapua is 100 years old.
- Argentine gun maker Bersa has opened a new 45,500 square foot manufacturing plant in Kennesaw, GA, to make all of its new models.
- SAAMI standard muzzle threads
Products
- Need a new peep sight aperture?
- John Farnam reports that the new and updated Mossberg 590S shotgun is now smooth and elegant instead of clunky like previous models, and the 940 Pro Tactical looks and operates just like the Remington 1187 and, like the 590S, comes with a seven-round tube.
- Springfield Armory now offers drop-in threaded barrels for its Hellcat 9mm and XD-M 4.5″ 9mm, 10mm, and .45 ACP pistols.
- Federal Premium’s new Action Shotgun 12 gauge competition ammunition is roll crimped for more rigidity to improve cycling and contains 1-1/8 oz. of #7.5 lead shot at 1235 fps. $170 per 200 rounds.
What I’m reading.
Textbook of Pistols and Revolvers by Major Julian S. Hatcher
Quotes
“Insofar as hardware choices, it’s less likely to come down to what type or caliber gun you have, nor how many rounds it holds or how many more you have on your belt. It will probably come down to ‘Did you have a d*** gun?'” – Mas Ayoob
“We are told that these (AR-15) semi-automatic rifles are ‘weapons of war,’ even though there is no nation on the face of the Earth which issues semi-auto ARs as primary infantry weapons.” – Ayoob
We also note that the Second Amendment was installed precisely to protect civilian citizens’ right to keep and bear weapons of war. So there is that. – me
“No vun vas killed in de Holocaust!…… Dey ver murdered!” – Mr. Dov Marhoffer, holocaust survivor
“Hilarious are the weak who think they are ‘good,’ because they have no claws!” – Nietzsche