Category Archives: Guns, Ammo & Shooting

Kinda self-explanatory.

Ruger SR1911 CMD

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I have always wanted a 1911 for no other reason than that it’s one of those handguns you must have in your collection (technological innovation, history and military significance and such). I have previously owned a GSG 1911 in .22 LR which in almost every aspect is as close to a “real” 1911 in .45 ACP as you can get; most of the parts are interchangeable with the real thing. I grew tired of it and eventually sold it (kicking myself today since after the new gun regulations in CT it can’t legally be sold here for whatever reasons only gangster daddy, I mean Governor, Dannel Malloy and his henchmen know).

German made ATI GSG 1911 in .22 LR commemorative edition. Moral of the story: Never sell a gun. You will regret it.

German made ATI GSG 1911 in .22 LR commemorative edition. Moral of the story: Never sell a gun. You will regret it.

A month or so ago I had finally done all my research and it was down to a Kimber 1911 Pro Carry II (4″ barrel) and an all-steel Ruger SR1911 CMD (Commander 4.25″ barrel). I tested both out at Hoffman’s Gun Center in Newington, CT and ended up with the Ruger. Partly because the Kimber isn’t completely true to the original design (doesn’t have a barrel bushing), and because the lightweight alloy frame of the Kimber makes the recoil feel more intense than the full-weight Ruger. The sales guy also more than strongly hinted that the Kimber was inferior. Both were similarly priced at ~$730.

I’ve taken it to the range a few times and have about 200 rounds through it and it’s disappointingly un-fun to shoot. It’s a wonderful gun, looks great, seems to be well made, and I can easily make a fist-sized hole center mass in a stationary paper silhouette that isn’t shooting back at seven yards. But it’s just a little blah, if you know what I mean. Compared to my polymer 9 millimeters it feels like chunky, dead weight in my hands and when you pull the trigger it’s a dull, thumpish boom and recoil. Nothing negative about Ruger here, I guess it’s just the nature of the 1911 platform.

Surprisingly, the trigger is the one thing that doesn’t feel refined about the gun. It’s not too heavy, the pull and break are smooth and crisp, but the reset is crunchy, and we can’t have that. I’ve watched a ton of YouTube videos to figure out how the pistol works and how to take it apart, and, more importantly, put it back together (see pics below, completely broken down except for the mainspring housing, ejector, and hammer strut).

I’m fairly confident about the mechanics of the gun (I only needed to consult the book to figure out how the disconnector and sear mate together upon reassembly). All I need to do now is find out exactly which parts rub on each other for that millimeter or two from when the trigger is fully to the rear and when it resets, polish out whatever burrs or tooling marks that cause the crunch, and hopefully that will fix the issue. I’ve purchased a jig and some stones from  Brownell’s for that purpose.

I’ll update when such time comes. In the mean time I’ll practice disassembly/reassembly until I’m fully confident (as opposed to “fairly”) about the inner workings of the gun. No matter what, I think my new 1911 will spend most of its life in the safe. But at least I have one.

As it came out of the box.
Basic field strip.
Out with the firing pin and extractor.
Grips off.
Fully disassmbled.
Got it back together, yay!

Get 1911 parts here.

Sam Harris On Guns + My Own Thoughts

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Anybody interested in the problem of gun violence and America’s unique relationship to firearms (should be all of us), should take the time to listen to this podcast by Sam Harris. It’s probably the most sane and level-headed analysis I’ve heard on the subject in a media landscape dominated by hyperbolic zealots on either side of the spectrum. It’s one-and-a-half hours well spent.

Let me share, briefly, my own feelings on the subject. To set things straight from the get-go, let’s agree to the following: It is indisputable that America has more guns per capita than any other western civilized country we care to compare ourselves to. It’s also indisputable that we have more gun deaths (total and per capita) than any other advanced  nation. It is much easier to get hold of a gun in America than in any other modern, first-world nation. The correlation between the number of guns in our society and the high occurrence of gun violence can hardly be denied. If we cannot agree on these things, don’t bother reading further; you are not a reasonable-minded person.

Still, a few years ago, for whatever reason, I got it into my head that I wanted to own a pistol. The local gun shop in the neighboring town of Monroe informed me that the state of Connecticut requires one to have a gun permit in order to buy a handgun. They kindly offered to provide the training necessary to get the certification. After a six-hour course, including firing a total of twelve shots (the only shots I had ever fired in my life at that point) with a .22-caliber revolver at a shooting range, and passing a 30-question written “test” (open-book, discussion with the other people taking the class allowed, and self-grading of said test), I was given a diploma certifying that I had fulfilled the state-mandated requirements. At the local police station I submitted my application and finger prints for a criminal background check and after about six weeks received notification that I could pick up my pistol permit at the state police facility in Bridgeport. I now had the state’s blessing to own and carry a gun in public.

That very same day I headed off to a gun shop and, on the advice of the store clerk, bought a 9mm Springfield XDM semi-automatic pistol with a total capacity of 19+1 rounds (legislation passed after the Sandy Hook massacre now prohibits me from loading it with more than ten rounds when not on my property, which is rather good news for the 11th person I plan on killing).

Next stop was the shooting range where I had previously “qualified” by shooting a revolver twelve times. The inadequacy of this qualification soon became apparent when I discovered that I didn’t know how to load the magazine of my newly acquired pistol; small wonder as this was the first time I’d ever held a semi-automatic pistol in my hands. Let me repeat this since it’s not insignificant: I was licensed by the state to own and carry any kind of legal firearm, yet I had never operated, and did not know how to load my pistol.

No matter how hard I tried I could only stuff a couple rounds into the magazine before it jammed. I finally sought the help of the range officer on duty, and after he also failed to load up the magazine, he finally discovered the problem: the store clerk had sold me two boxes of .40 caliber ammunition to go with my 9mm pistol.

What I’m trying to say here is that even in Connecticut (and even after Sandy Hook), the requirements to own and carry a pistol, are woefully inadequate. It is absolutely crazy to allow somebody with the training I received to own, buy and carry, openly or concealed (which is the law in CT) any kind of firearm.

I agree with most, if not all, of what Sam Harris said in his podcast, and have become more convinced than ever that what I said in a previous post is true: we need to repeal the second amendment of the US constitution. Or rather, repeal and replace, since I don’t want to ban guns. But the way 2A is worded makes it very difficult to come to any kind of consensus as to what it actually means in practical terms. The gun nuts (the Ted Nugent fan boys) will always point to “the right of the people” and “shall not be infringed”, while the gun grabbers (Bloomberg et al.) will emphasize “a well regulated militia”, and they will both be right. My own vision for a revised 2A might include words to the effect that gun-ownership is indeed an individual right, but not any gun for anybody at any place, and the power to regulate requirements and limitations is given to congress. I believe Sam’s analogy to the requirements to get a pilot’s license is appropriate and sound. I say this knowing full well that any member of Congress who proposes a repeal of the second amendment will have committed political suicide more effectively than declaring an unbelief in Jesus.

Update October 3rd, 2019: Since posting this my opinion on the matter has evolved. I now consider the 2nd amendment to the US constitution to be my permit to own and carry a gun. I still recommend taking classes and learning as much as you can about gun safety and general usage, as well as the laws related to guns where you live. Practice handling and shooting your gun regularly. Don’t be that guy that shot himself in the foot on YouTube.

Withdrawing Support for Connecticut Citizens Defense League—Repeal The Second Amendment

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I am removing my link to Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL) from OGNDY.

I joined the National Rifle Association (NRA) after the mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school right here in Newtown where I live almost 3 years ago. That might sound like a counter-intuitive move from a guy that by no means is a die-hard gun enthusiast. Although I am a gun owner, I don’t identify as such; it’s not who I am. Politically most people who know me would say I’m a (far) Left-leaning, liberal/progressive with a dash of Libertarianism. I wouldn’t be offended if you added some kind of Socialist to the mix.

The reason I joined the NRA was in response to the dishonest politicking that took place in the wake of Sandy Hook, nationally in general, and more specifically here in CT where governor Dannel Malloy used downright unconstitutional bully tactics to force through meaningless, feel-good legislation.

I hadn’t paid much attention to the NRA prior to becoming a member, but I quickly discovered that they were a bunch that held values so far removed from my own that I didn’t want to be associated with them.

Then I tried Gun Owners of America and dropped them quickly for the same reason.

Finally I discovered CCDL, who, on the surface seemed like a less rabid organization, a local group of people who promoted safe gun-ownership, sensible gun laws and a polite way of conveying their ideas. I made a small contribution, put their sticker on my car and linked to them on my blog

I later found out, through various interactions with other members, that the same vitriol, the same hatred, the same fanaticism that is the trademark of the NRA, also permeates CCDL, but I didn’t disown them formally and kept the sticker on my car.

After Thursday’s shooting in Oregon at he Umpqua Community College I had to ask myself why it was important for me to belong to an (any) organization that promotes gun-ownership. I couldn’t come up with a reason. There are more important things for me to do than spend time and money to support the cause of private gun ownership in America.

I’m not strong pro-gun. I’m not strong anti-gun. I’m not getting rid of my guns (even though I haven’ fired any of them in almost two years), but I could live a happy, fulfilling life if I got rid of them all this minute. However, I do see quite clearly that America has a problem with guns. There are a lot of guns out there—I’m not going to say too many, but I am saying too many in the wrong hands. I will also say that the level to which some people fetishize their guns borders on a mental disorder.

To deny that America has a gun problem is to be delusional in the extreme.

Let me be clear: I don’t know what the solution is. The reason we have evolved this gun culture peculiar to America is historical. There is no easy fix. I do know (by my own reasoning; I’m not going to link to polls and academic studies) that limiting magazine capacities, expanding background checks and imposing registration (all of which I have no objection to) will make a very small dent at best in the number of gun killings. I also know that there is an obstacle that will hinder any legislation that will significantly and within reasonable time reduce the level of gun violence. That obstacle is called The Second Amendment To The Constitution Of The United States.

A well regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.

This is one of the most shoddily written pieces of legal text we have and practically begs for a wide range of interpretations, all the way from regulated militias, and only regulated militias (conveniently leaving out what constitutes a militia, much less a well regulated one) has the right to own guns, all the way to a free-for-all to own and carry whatever they want, wherever they want, whenever they want. The current interpretation (by SCOTUS, the only one that counts) is that gun-ownership is a personal, individual right. My right (and yours) to own and carry firearms, is protected by the Constitution Of The United States. Do you begin to see why gun-control reform is an uphill battle?

I cringe when I hear fellow Liberals argue against guns, argue for stricter gun control laws, cry about dead babies, and in the same breath say they’re not for bans or abolishing 2A. This is cowardly, distasteful dishonesty at best, or downright stupidity at worst.

As long as The 2nd Amendment stands, there is zero chance of any meaningful change to our gun laws. So let me be the first Left-leaning gun owner to say: I support a repeal of the 2nd amendment.

I understand that it is a next-to-impossible task, but just like the obscene amount and importance of money in politics will always stand in the way of a functioning government, so will 2A always stand in the way of meaningful reform of our gun laws.

  • Get rid of money in politics or accept that our democratic institutions are bought and paid for by corporate interests.
  • Get rid of the second amendment or accept that mass shootings is the new normal.
Spot the difference.

Spot the difference.

For clarity: I am not advocating banning guns. I am simply pointing out that our problem with guns can’t be solved as long as the nation’s founding document specifically lists gun ownership as something akin to a natural right imbued in us by our Creator (don’t get me started). Personally, I see no good reason for a modern, advanced society in 2015 to have such a statute on the books. In 1791, yes. 2015, no. But that’s just me.

Glock 43 – Release For The Blue-Balled Glock Fanboys

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Glock 43

Finally! Glock is introducing a single stack 9mm – the Glock 43 – to a market where this niche is badly under-serviced. And the MSRP is reported to be only higher than the G19 and the G26. Get in line; there will be waiting lists!

My SEO plugin says the word count of this post is far too low and should be increased, which is why I am adding some meaningless filler text to make sure that this (sarcastic) post about the long-awaited release of the Glock 43 isn’t penalized in the SERPs for having too little text.

This is a picture of the long-awaited Glock 43, 9mm single-stack semi-automatic pistol.

This is a picture of the long-awaited Glock 43, 9mm single-stack semi-automatic pistol.

99 words is till not enough so I thought we might talk some about the rules of inference and logic proofs.

A proof is an argument from hypotheses (assumptions) to a conclusion. Each step of the argument follows the laws of logic. In mathematics, a statement is not accepted as valid or correct unless it is accompanied by a proof. This insistence on proof is one of the things that sets mathematics apart from other subjects.

The above scissored from Millersville.edu.

189 words is considered adequate, but apparently still a bit on the short side, therefore:

Blue balls is a slang term for the condition of temporary fluid congestion (vasocongestion) in the testicles accompanied by testicular pain, caused by prolonged and unsatisfied sexual arousal in the human male. The term is thought to have originated in the United States, first appearing in 1916. Some urologists call the condition “epididymal hypertension”. The condition is not experienced by all males.

The above is borrowed from the Wikipedia article on Blue Balls. And yes, I am aware that instead of being penalized for inadequate text, I might now be penalized for duplicate content (lifting other people’s stuff), but since I linked and cited, I think I should be OK.

Election 2014 – Update On CT State Rep Dan Carter

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Surprise, surprise, State Rep Dan Carter actually responded personally to my request for more information (read here) before I considered donating to his reelection campaign. I found his answer to be on point and satisfactory, and I will, in my first ever contribution to a political campaign, donate a small sum to Republican rep Dan Carter’s reelection campaign. His donation page is here.

Dan Carter <repcarter@gmail.com>

12:46 PM (4 hours ago)

to me
Hi Lars!

Great reply!

The honest truth: you contacted me during the gun debate last year. I figure you are probably supportive of the way I voted, so I am looking for all the help I can muster.

The manner in which the law was passed last year was a complete disgrace to our system. The plan was to have a true bipartisan effort to look at legislation that could be passed quickly and benefit our state, while leaving more controversial issues to the normal committee process. Unfortunately, the process was quickly hijacked by members in the majority who had long standing agendas. This type of legislation should NEVER be put through the emergency certified process.

I am the only member of the Newtown delegation to vote against the legislation. I won’t lie and say I didn’t feel the pressure, since people I had genuinely respected wanted me to vote for the gun bill and the anti-gun groups in Newtown and Redding were all over me. But, I am serving in office to do my very best to make decisions that are best for my constituents by supporting good, well-thought-out policy. The bill passed last year has no chance of saving a life. It only creates a costly system that affects the people who actually follow our laws, versus those who would break them.

More importantly, I really do believe you should have the means of defending yourself, your family, and our country. I have spent my lifetime supporting the ideals that have made our nation great. I do not intend to stop that now.

As for begging for money, that is exactly what I am doing. I assure you it is necessary, as there are well funded groups who would prefer I not return to Hartford.

I have tried to be as direct as possible. If you would like more information on other issues, please email me or call me on my cell at 203-917-5027. Please consider meeting me in person on Thursday.

Best regards,
Dan

My response to his reply:

Lars Dahl <mothballviking@gmail.com>

4:39 PM (35 minutes ago)

to Dan
Hi Dan,

Wow, so you’re THAT guy! I sent out quite a few emails to “my elected representatives” in the run-up to the new law and your name (like many others) I’ve forgotten since. But I do remember reading about you after the fact; the lone contrarian from Newtown. Good for you!

Just a few words so you may understand where I’m coming from and the perhaps terse tone of my initial response to your email.

I am a gun owner, but not a fanatic 2nd Amendment gun-nut cowering in fear of the tyrannical government. If the good people and the legislature of Connecticut genuinely think the world is a better place if I am only allowed to load 10 rounds into my pistol designed to hold 15, I can live with that and still have a fulfilling life.

I am also not a single-issue voter; there is more to life than guns. I will not hold a grudge against anyone who votes their true conscience, however much I might disagree. So you may have already guessed that your actual vote on the matter is of lesser concern to me than your opinion about the abuse of procedural rules. What took place in Hartford those few days disgusts me to the bone. Though expected, I was really disappointed in how the Democrats hijacked the whole process in a way that surely violates the spirit and principles behind Emergency Certification.

I used to be a registered Democrat, but since the debacle in question I have changed my voter registration to Unaffiliated. I imagine you and I disagree on quite a few things, but it is refreshing to encounter a politician who still possesses a spine and who dares to answer a direct question with a straight, no BS answer. You may be surprised to learn (or not) that most reply with a form letter at best, filled with empty blather.

I hear you on the “begging for money” thing. You can’t play if you’re not in the game. Just let it be known that in my personal opinion money in politics is the single biggest factor hindering America from getting back on an even keel. I will therefore not attend your fundraiser (principle, nothing personal), but you can look forward to a small donation through your web page.

Thanks for your replies, for taking the time to hear me out, and I hope you bear my thoughts and concerns in mind (surely, I can’t be the only one) wherever your political aspirations take you. For obvious reasons I won’t be voting for you in November, but nevertheless I wish you good luck (and I’ve never, ever, said that to a Republican before an election!).

Best regards,
Lars Dahl

The proof:dan carter donation

Election 2014 – The Begging Begins – State Rep Dan Carter Wants My Money

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I just got an email from local politician Dan Carter of the Connecticut legislature:

Dan Carter <repcarter@gmail.com>

12:25 PM (53 minutes ago)
to me

Lars, I hope this email finds you well!

I am running for another term as representative in the State Legislature. While I am not your representative, I do represent Newtown. If you are happy with the job I am doing, I could really use your support.

I am having a fund raiser at the Putnam House in Bethel this Thursday, May 22nd, from 6pm to 8pm. Please reply to this email with an RSVP or regrets.

If you can’t make it, I have attached a contribution form that you could mail in, or you can use the link at the end of this email to contribute online. The maximum contribution I can accept is $100 per person, but any help you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thank you for your consideration, and I look forward to serving you for another two years.

Best regards,
Dan

Dan Carter
State Representative, 2nd District

dan carter ct state rep

Dan Carter, Connecticut State Rep.

My response:

Hi, Dan!

Thanks for contacting me on the matter of begging for my money.

I’ve never heard of you and don’t know the first thing about the job you’ve been doing. Please help me make up my mind whether or not to part with my hard earned money for your benefit by answering the following questions short and to the point. Any attempt at evasive, vacuous politician speech will be dismissed and I will double my contribution and give it to your opponent regardless of who that might be.

How did you vote on the changes to our gun legislation post Sandy Hook, and, regardless of how you voted, how do you feel about the manner in which the law was passed?

Looking forward to your prompt and sincere reply.

Regards,
Lars Dahl, concerned citizen and voter.

I will update when/if I get a reply.

Bye-Bye NRA

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I got an e-mail today from the NRA. It started out as such:

Dear LARS:

Your NRA membership has officially expired. I’ve e-mailed you several times and I haven’t heard back from you.

If you have a problem with NRA that’s keeping you from renewing your membership, please let me know what it is, and I pledge to you that I’ll do whatever I can to fix it.

It was signed by Wayne LaPierre and there was more to it, but this is the part that mattered. Below is my response.

Dear WAYNE:

The NRA is no longer a single-issue organization (if it ever was). I have come to understand that you are a full-fledged political manipulation machine supporting candidates and values contrary to mine. There’s more to life than guns. I don’t define myself as a gun owner. I joined the NRA in the wake of Sandy Hook reacting to the dishonest argumentation from those you would call the “gun grabbers”. But your own rhetoric when arguing your case(s) is so dishonest, vile and vitriolic, and some of the spokespersons (e.g. Ted Nugent) you hold up so repulsive and beyond the extreme, that I choose not to be associated with you and your organization for my own good name and reputation’s sake and will not be renewing my membership.

Get back to me when you’ve addressed these issues and we can talk.

Lars Dahl

I will be severing my ties with the National Association For Gun Rights for the same reason. I still support Connecticut Citizens Defense League (CCDL).

Governor Malloy Incompetent And/Or Ignorant Or Just Plain Gangsta?

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I got a, frankly, disturbing email from my good friends at CCDL today pointing me to this article on their blog and am reposting it here to help get the word out. This is the kind of thing that happens when legislators meet in the dark back-rooms in the state capitol building in Hartford, sneaking through legislation under the false pretense of so-called Emergency Certification to bypass the normal procedures a bill goes through.

Governor Malloy was on the Chaz and A.J. show this morning where he took a call on the new gun law.

Caller:
Hey governor. I’m just curious about this new gun bill that came out especially with pistols with high capacity mags. Right now I’ve got two 14-round mags that are only loaded to 10 as required, but it’s unclear, can I carry both of them if they’re loaded to 10 or can I only carry one?

Malloy:
First of all what you have to do is disclose – there’s a way to disclose that you have them and you’re grandfathered in. So, that’s how our law works in Connecticut. You don’t lose the right to have them, you just have to say that you have them. “Hey, I’m Joe. I’ve got two of these.” and that’s it. So the limitations that you’re fearing aren’t necessarily in our bill. They are – I think you’re referring to New York’s law, quite frankly, and New York has a different set of laws than we do.

The Governor is mistaken. The law he signed into law back in April does indeed prevent someone from carrying a so-called ‘Large Capacity Magazine’ even if it is properly declared, and absolutely limits the number of bullets to 10.

Section 25(f)(7) of Public Act 13-3:
“Pursuant to a valid permit to carry a pistol or revolver, provided such large capacity magazine (A) is within a pistol or revolver that was lawfully possessed by the person prior to the effective date of this section, (B) does not extend beyond the bottom of the pistol grip, and (C) contains not more than ten bullets.”

By requiring the magazine be “within” a pistol or revolver you are limiting the number of declared ‘large capacity magazine’ one is able to carry, along with the number of bullets it can contain. For the governor’s statement to be true you would need to carry multiple guns or find a gun the holds 2 or more magazines.

The Governor and Legislators were in such a rush to pass SB1160 they did not even hold public hearings, denying citizens their due process. Maybe if Governor Malloy had given the people, you know, those of us he called the “fringe of the fringe” a chance to speak about the bill, we could have pointed out issues such as this. Maybe if Governor Malloy had listened to those of us he labeled as the “fringe” he would understand the points of these new laws that are so confusing to us, the ones that actually try to obey the law. But, apparently, he doesn’t know what he signed into law.

This legislation is so convoluted that lawyers and elected officials are not sure what’s legal and what’s not. Donate to the CCDL’s Litigation Fund as we work to overturn this nonsense.

I strongly doubt that the wording of the specific section in the law is a mistake. I think they worded it that way intentionally to obfuscate the law and further disarm law abiding citizens. I had previously noted this almost tricky language and was planning on going to my local police dept. and ask for a clarification. But if Governor Malloy doesn’t know what he signed into law (bad), or doesn’t understand what it means (worse), or knows AND understands, but deliberately misinforms (worst), what can I expect from the police who are supposed to enforce the law? If I ask five different officers, how many different answers will I get? How many good people are right now unwittingly in violation of the law the governor himself doesn’t comprehend, risking arrest and imprisonment, a permanent criminal stain on their records and quite possibly losing their right to own (and much less carry) firearms?

Foraging For Ammo In Connecticut

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I went on an ammo grazing trip today, covering 4 Walmarts (small, independent shops have nothing but very expensive self-defense ammo). Slim pickins. I was able to acquire 3 boxes of 9mm TulAmmo (that’s all they would sell me) @ $11/box (50 rounds), which is a really good price. I normally avoid steel ammo, but when it’s all that’s available you gotta do what you gotta do. I base that on anecdotal hearsay at the range and on Internet forums that it’s bad for your firearm, but so far the gun has gone bang each time I pull the trigger with no apparent ill effects.

Just for shits and giggles I checked out Cheaper Than Dirt on the Internet and they’re fleecing you with almost twice the price ($19.19 + shipping at the time of writing). I don’t care if we live in a capitalist society where prices are regulated by supply and demand; price gouging the gun community in their time of need is bad form and we will remember who you are when things eventually (if ever) get back to normal.

There’s plenty of ammo on the Internet, but most of it is over-priced and most places haven’t modified their sites yet so I can submit proof that I am one of the privileged few who can legally buy ammo in CT (boy, did that number drop overnight!?!), since the new ammo law went into effect October 1st. Although I’m not a single issue voter and politically for the most part am aligned with Democratic values, I think I may go Republican next election, just to balance things out and send a message THAT I AM NOT HAPPY!

9mm Ammo Shortage

There’s an ammo shortage in Connecticut. This may very well go the way of the woolly mammoth, the dodo bird, and the auroch (google it). Picture credit: Right-click, save as.

ACT TO SAVE THE M1 GARAND!

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I don’t know why I’m bothering (it won’t make any difference anyway), but I found this in my in-box today and thought I’d share. The email originated from wideners.com, an online retailer of ammo, ammo components and guns, mostly military surplus and used police lots. Feel free to pass this message on to the next guy.

For those who don’t know, the M1 Garand was the standard issue rifle for the US military, in production between 1936 and 1957. It is a fairly large rifle that holds 8 rounds in an internal magazine, semi-automatic without the ability to shoot full auto. Gun dealers import/re-import these military surplus rifles today and offer them to collectors and gun enthusiasts as a piece of American military curio and history. People buy these rifles for the same reason a stamp collector buys a rare or unusual stamp, or a numismatist a particular coin. This is not the gun of choice for your average criminal (or any criminal; it’s big, heavy, difficult to conceal, holds only eight rounds and takes long to re-load). Yet, the president  feels the need to act, you know, because of the children.

m1 garand

The legendary M1 Garand. You can’t have one.

I find it ironic that I receive this email on the same day they report yet another mass-shooting (13 casualties the last time I checked) in Chicago, no less, the president’s adopted home town where he served as a community organizer (I’m still not sure what that is). I’m willing to bet my left nut that the gun used was not an antique M1 Garand.

Anyway, the email I received asks me to sign a petition asking Obama to retract his executive order to ban the re-importation of a number of these rifles. I can tell you right away that the petition will have absolutely no effect, but if you want your voice to be heard (or at least noted and filed away in a database), you should go ahead.

Word of warning. You must register with whitehouse.gov in order to sign the petition, and you will automatically be added to their mailing list begging for money and donations. I’ve put them on my spam list.

ACT TO SAVE THE M1 GARAND!

Last week, the Obama Administration stopped the importation of M1 Garands, M1 Carbines and other U.S. produced curio & relic firearms through a “policy decision.” There were 84,000 M1 Garands almost ready to come in from Korea and President Obama stopped them with this order. UNREAL. PLEASE FORWARD THIS TO ALL YOUR FRIENDS.

We are writing to you regarding the recent Executive Action by the Obama Administration, specifically the policy decision in which The White House stated:

“Today, the Administration is announcing a new policy of denying requests to bring military-grade firearms back into the United States to private entities with only a few exceptions such as for museums.  This new policy will help keep military-grade firearms off our streets.”

Based on this Executive Action the following petition should be signed:

https://petitions.whitehouse.gov/petition/retract-executive-order-against-re-importation-us-military-firearms/Gw1Pc64d

American gun owners, collectors, dealers, distributors and retailers should sign the above online petition to The White House seeking reversal of President Barak Obama’s Executive Action against the importation into the United States of the WWII era U.S. M1 Garand rifles. The President’s recent decision will not allow the M1 Garand rifle to be imported into the United States. These firearms are highly sought after collectible guns and valued by U.S. veterans, sport and target shooters, and members of reenactment clubs devoted to bringing the History of World War II to life with public displays. These rifles are also used for participation in parades and  variety of other community activities. These are not modern military weapons such as machine guns, and present no public safety issue in America. Please sign the petition now and get your customers to do the same.

We thank you in advance for your support.