Front Sight, Press

Pinelake Health and Rehab: More killings in ‘gun free’ zones

On Sunday morning, gunman Robert Stewart barged into Pinelake Health and Rehab in Carthage, North Carolina, and killed seven patients and a nurse, wounding three others. As in previous massacres, the killer picked a so-called “gun free” zone where firearms are officially prohibited. According to an employee of Peak Resources Incorporated, which operates Pinelake and five other health care facilities, all of their facilities are posted against concealed weapons.

Read the whole thing here

I feel compelled to add at this point, that as sympathetic as I am to the point of view expressed above, these crazy shootings are a disaster for our gun rights. I can’t really see a day when workers at nursing homes, day cares, and schools will be armed to the teeth and adequately trained to repel an attack such as this. Consequently, each of these crazy shootings provides ammunition to the gun grabbers and strengthens the political of will of a growing number of Americans who are tired of having their “safe places” turned into shooting galleries. We know that there aren’t any real safe places, but that crystalline logic is not enough to dissuade those who feel a need to “do something” to make their world “safer.” They will do something, even if it’s wrong.

As gun owners, we need to do more than just rely on the old clichés: “See, if everyone had a gun, this wouldn’t have happened,” or “Nobody ever shoots up a gun shop.” When we do this, we are “preaching to the choir” but no one else is listening. I don’t pretend to know the answer, but I do know that our easy answers, as logical as they may be, are wearing thin on a lot of folks.

This is just so typical:

"Our inability to prevent weapons from being illegally smuggled across the border to arm these criminals causes the deaths of police officers, soldiers and civilians. So, yes, I feel very strongly we have a co-responsibility."…

…The United States needs to stop the flow of guns, body armor and night-vision goggles to the cartels, Clinton said.

"These criminals are outgunning the law enforcement officials," she said.

"When you go into a gunfight or are trying to round up these bad guys and they have military-style equipment that is much better than yours, you start out at a disadvantage. Since we know the vast majority of that comes from our country, we are going to help stop it from getting there in the first place." Source: CNN

So our newly-minted Secretary of mis-STATE-ment has decreed that it isn’t the murderous Mexican drug gangs who are responsible for the butchering of hundreds of their own people; it’s America. We’re at fault. How utterly stereotypical. What classic liberal “blame America first” double-speak. The Hildabeast is becoming a Doonesbury caricature.

And how do you think she is going to “stop it from getting there in the first place”? (As if America is the only or even the best place to buy an AK)? Can you say, “Assault Weapons Ban,” boys and girls? I thought you could.

You lose yourself, you reappear
You suddenly find you got nothing to fear
Alone you stand with nobody near
When a trembling distant voice, unclear
Startles your sleeping ears to hear
That somebody thinks
They really found you.

A question in your nerves is lit
Yet you know there is no answer fit to satisfy
Insure you not to quit
To keep it in your mind and not fergit
That it is not he or she or them or it
That you belong to.

- Bob Dylan

I’m not adjusting to this new reality very well. Obamaworld is a strange place indeed. I feel disoriented and disappointed. I’m not really sure what to say or which way to go. That’s the reason I haven’t had much to say lately.

You see, I’m angry. Of course I’m angry at what the Obamatrons threaten to do to our civil rights, but I’m angry too at the Bush Republicans. They screwed up by the numbers, starting with the mistaken justification of the war in Iraq, and on to the perversely named “Patriot Act,” the Department of Homeland Insecurity that probably has me classified as a dangerous subversive by now, the botched rebuilding of Iraq, the failure to capture Bin Laden, the mismanagement of the financial system… the list just goes on and on. The failures of the Bush administration and its congressional rubber-stamp leadership have put us in this position. The people were so angry by the time the election came around that I think the Democrats could have run Brittany Spears for president and won. I’m angry. I’m angry at just about everyone.

I have spent the past twenty five years working for the cause of gun rights. Now, I’m faced with the specter of watching everything that we have worked for turned back and dismantled by the newly empowered nanny-staters.  It’s infuriating.

This was an ominous portent:

In Thursday’s ruling, Federal District Court Judge Colleen Kollar-Kotelly issued the preliminary injunction against the Department of the Interior rule that took effect on January 9, 2009. The revised rule allowed individuals to carry concealed firearms for self-defense in national parks and national wildlife refuges located in states that allow the carrying of concealed firearms.

I’m sure this is just the first of a long series of setbacks we will face. A new “assault weapons ban” is already in the works and it will be a whole lot worse than the last one. Our new attorney general was the Clinton administration’s point man on gun control and I expect plenty of fun and games out of him – you know, the guy who accused us of being a nation of racial cowards right after we elected the first African-American president. That same jerk, Eric Holder, is also in charge of the ATF. I can hardly wait.

So, I’m considering my options:

1. Denial: Pretend that John McCain won the election.
   My sense of reality is a bit too strong for this one.
2. Insurrection: Form a militia unit and die in a hail of gunfire in a few weeks.
   Doesn’t really sound like a whole lot of fun.
3. Convert to Socialism: Have a red star tattooed on my butt.
   Not really my style.
4. Keep on Keeping On:
   The only real choice.

There’s another thing that makes me crazy: just when I get my motivation together to rejoin the fight, some “failed personality” kills ten innocent people in Alabama, or a preacher in Illinois, or four cops in Oakland. Every time one of these incidents happen, our job gets more difficult. For those of us who support armed self defense, these events simply confirm the need for us to be armed. Yet, for a growing number of people, a simple if flawed logic prevails: if they didn’t have the guns, they couldn’t do these things. I sense that the political will is growing to put in place far more stringent forms of gun control in response to these incidents. The National Firearms Act of 1934 and the Gun Control Act of 1968 were political responses to high-profile gun mayhem. It can happen again.

In my town, it seems that almost every night there is another killing. Most of these crimes are done with illegal guns, and most of the perps and victims are young African Americans. This scenario plays out daily in all of our urban centers. The carnage is senseless, tragic and happening on a large scale. Two days ago, a young black woman was gunned down in broad daylight in a city park with lots of people around her. Was she a crack dealer or gangster? No, under pressure from a judge, she had agreed to testify in a murder trial about another shooting she had witnessed last year.  People are getting tired of this kind of thing and it’s happening way too often. It may not be right, and it may violate the Constitution, but if people get frightened enough, they can do some wrong and irrational things.

I haven’t changed my stance on anything, and I certainly haven’t sold my rifle, but I will confess that I have grown tired of defending “assault weapons” in the face of these horrendous crimes. With each successive horror, the constitutional argument seems weaker, and I fear that the day will come that people will stop listening to it altogether. Actually, that day may have already arrived. I believe that the only thing which stays the hand of the new administration is that the financial crisis is far more urgent. The new administration must succeed in turning the economy around or its credibility is down the toilet. They know they cannot afford a gun control fight right now. That’s the only thing standing between us and a gun control act of 2009, the likes of which we would have not thought possible only a few short years ago.

So, that’s what I dealing with, thinking about and struggling with. That’s why I have been so quiet of late (and also, I’m susceptible to burn-out). Where to go, what tone to take, what picture of the future should be guiding me – these are the questions which bring me to the word processor but leave me staring at a blank page. I hope I’ll achieve some clarity, but I can’t say it has happened yet.

Darkness at the break of noon
Shadows even the silver spoon
The handmade blade, the child’s balloon
Eclipses both the sun and moon
To understand you know too soon
There is no sense in trying.

Pointed threats, they bluff with scorn
Suicide remarks are torn
From the fool’s gold mouthpiece
The hollow horn plays wasted words
Proves to warn
That he not busy being born
Is busy dying.

An afternoon shootout at a busy Burger King restaurant in Miami left a potential robber dead and the customer who shot him seriously wounded.

The bloody event unfolded about 4 p.m. Tuesday at the restaurant at Northeast 54th Street and Biscayne Boulevard. It was a time, employees said, when it is usually crowded with schoolchildren and people getting out of work early.

The robber entered wearing a ski mask. He approached a clerk, showed his gun and demanded money, said Miami police spokesman Jeff Giordano.

A customer eyed him and the two started arguing. The customer had a concealed-weapons permit and his gun — and the two exchanged gunfire.

The robber crumpled to the floor and was pronounced dead at the scene.

The customer, with several gunshot wounds, was in serious but stable condition at Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center. Source: Miami Herald

At the risk of a charge of armchair quarter backing, I want to make some observations on this one. I have serious objections to receiving gunshot wounds. They hurt a lot. They heal very slowly and often incompletely. And, they may be fatal.

Since I was not on the scene at the time of this incident, I can’t form any opinions about the appropriateness of the defender’s actions. They only thing I can say for sure is that this is not the way we want things to turn out. “Job One is to go home with no bullet holes,” as Jim is fond of saying.

“Would’a, Could’a and Should’a” are really popular games to play, and perhaps if we had the police report we could do that with some accuracy. As it is, what we can glean from this incident is that this is the reason we practice tactics like lateral movement, “moving off the X” and explosive presentation.

By Gabe Suarez

How many of you carry wheelguns?

Jeff Cooper once told me that, in the old days of training, half of a typical pistol class would be comprised of auto-loading handguns - Typically Browning/Colt types. The other half, usually police officers, would be armed with revolvers. He said that this trend slowly began to change in the early eighties. By the time I attended his courses in the late eighties, it was rare to see a revolver-armed student.

This trend was also seen in law enforcement. I went through my original Police Academy pistol training, back in the old days, with a revolver (S&W Model 67). The most common sidearm for many officers, at that time, was some sort of Smith & Wesson or Colt revolver, usually .38 Special or .357 Magnum. Today, however, you rarely see revolvers in the field, and then only in the holsters of older officers, usually just months from retirement. Most of the newer breed sport Glocks, Berettas, and other ultra-modern handguns. The feeling among many officers is that the "wheelgun" is obsolete. For many, its only true role is that of last-ditch backup in the form of a 2" Barreled .38 snubbie. Is the revolver obsolete? Let’s think about this.

While, I am one of those who favors a modern handgun (Glock in my case), I am not so quick to dismiss a good revolver. The revolver is very effective as a fighting tool. All you need do to verify that is study your history. A fighting handgun, regardless of design, is intended for a specific mission. That mission, specifically, is to allow its operator to respond to unanticipated threats, quickly and in a powerful manner. That mission is the same today, as it was 50 years ago. These confrontations have always been characterized by high intensity, short duration violence, where so-called firepower is rarely an issue. Of greater importance is the ability to deal the adversary a solid and powerful blow, before he does the same to you. Most revolvers designed for anti-personnel use fulfill that mission as well as any other handgun, but no handgun is powerful enough to come with a 100% guarantee. Sometimes a follow-up shot…or two is needed. So controllability becomes an issue.

Many fighting revolvers are of the .38/.357 caliber family. This will do fine as long as careful ammunition selection takes place. Some .357 magnum loads, for example, are dramatically over-penetrative and exhibit excessive muzzle flash. Other loads, which are just as effective against humans, do not share the same characteristics of penetration and muzzle flash.

Revolvers are also available in .40/.44 caliber. In my opinion, although larger than their 357 caliber cousins, provide a greater potential of creating damage to the adversary. Be careful with load selection again. It is a rare individual who can control a full-house .44 magnum in hammers and multiple target engagements. Don’t trust your life to "magic bullet" propaganda. A thorough study of the literature available from forensic specialists on wound trauma, and terminal ballistics should be your guide.

While on the issue of weapon control, mention must be made of the grips on a revolver (Yeah, I know.  Cooper used to call them "stocks".  I don’t care.  To me stocks belong on a rifle). Many of the wooden grips originally sold on revolvers were there as almost an after thought. This has changed in recent years as revolver manufacturers attempt to regain a share of the market. These weapons are now being sold with more suitable grips from the factory. Whether you retain the factory standard or purchase some type of after-market grips, be certain that the left-side panel allows clearance for speed-loader insertion and manipulation. If this is not the case, either change them, or modify them.
Additionally, any sharp edges or points on a weapon intended for combative use are to be avoided. Briskly rub your hands all over the revolver. Anyplace you find a sharp edge, remove it. Do this even if refinishing the weapon is needed as a result. This is not an issue with the stainless steel revolvers, but it may with a blue steel weapon.

Skill requires practice, both dry and live-fire. This is something you’ll probably avoid if your gun tears up your hands so much that you need to keep some bandages and plasma around when you practice.

Along with control, accuracy is of great importance. The two things on a revolver affecting this the most, assuming that everything is in working order, are the sights and the trigger. Revolver sights come in adjustable and fixed varieties. Either one is acceptable, as long as they are easy to see quickly under stress, and in dim light. Avoid any sights that are extremely high profile, or which have sharp edges. Again, sharp, hand-slashing points may be rounded off with a file. For those who operate in low light environments, tritium sights are available for many revolvers.

The actual trigger on most revolvers is suitable as issued. It should not be excessively wide, nor should it have grooves or other additions on its face. Smooth and polished is the best type of trigger face. Remember, most combat revolver shooting will be done in double action, so a trigger that allows easy double action work is preferred. There is little that the individual can do in order to alter the actual weight of the trigger press. This is the realm of the revolver-gunsmith. Whatever you do, do not cut the springs on your revolver. If you wish a lighter, smoother trigger, you can have one, but there are no shortcuts here.

Revolvers are issued with all sorts of barrel lengths. Again, keep sight of the mission. These weapons will be carried in and presented from a holster. A very long barrel will be slow and difficult to maneuver. Similarly detrimental, an extremely short barrel will sacrifice other mission requirements. A good compromise is something in the 4 inch to 6 inch range. If concealment is the paramount concern, I don’t think the adversary at three feet will care what length the barrel is so go for a 3 inch or 2 inch version.

Those are all the requirements of a fighting revolver. I have found that when compared to the auto-loading pistols, unless the test is slanted toward the auto-loader, the revolver is just as useful. With proper ammunition, the revolver gives away nothing to the auto-loader in terms of terminal ballistics. The only area where it is surpassed by the auto-loader is when long strings of fire are faced, which may be a requirement in the fight.

The revolver skills that an operator must have to be effective are the same ones he would need if equipped with an auto-loader. Constant attention must be given to double action trigger manipulation. This is the heart of the wheelgun, so dry practice the DA trigger day and night. Along with this, manipulating Speed Loaders is of great importance, as is developing ability to maneuver individual rounds during tactical reloads. This is the only weakness of the revolver, so make allowance for that. In order to be the best you can be with the revolver, it is essential to seek out and obtain professional instruction.

Is the revolver dead? In a word, no. I suspect that as we move deeper into the 21st century, however, we will see few revolvers in holsters as "primary weapons". For those who are required to carry it, or for those who favor its simplicity, the revolver will still allow them to do just as well in a confrontation as long as the operator does his part. As we’ve always said, It is the man, and not the weapon which makes the difference. 

Gabe Suarez
One Source Tactical
Suarez International USA
Christian Warrior Ministries

Wild Angels by Martina McBride

Written By Gary Harrison/Harry Stinson

Between the perfect world and the bottom line
Keeping love alive in these troubled times
It’s a miracle in itself
And we know too well what that’s about
Still we made it through, only God knows how
We must’ve had a little help

(Must’ve been)
Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Watching over you and me
Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Baby what else could it be

Well it must’ve been hard, it must’ve been tough
Keeping up with crazy fools like us
‘Cause it’s so easy to fall apart
And we still break each other’s heart sometimes
Spent some nights on the jagged side
Somehow we wake up in each other’s arms

(Must’ve been)
Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Watching over you and me
Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Baby what else could it be

There are some nights
I watch you while you dream
I swear I hear the sound of beating wings

Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Watching over you and me
Wild Angels, Wild Angels
Baby what else could it be

A good one on ballistics from Joe Huffman:

I have worked with the mathematics of exterior ballistics for so long that I sometimes forget the general nature of the path of a rifle bullet to it’s target is not mind boggling obvious. I was reminded of this by an email I received today:

Need a answer: I was told that when shot a 30 cal. bullet goes up and makes an arc to the target, when held level. What happens, say at 100 yards.?

This email caused me to have a flashback to when I was in grade-school (yes Kris, firearms had been invented by the time I left grade-school).

When I was about the fourth grade a friend of mind, Verl (yeah, kids had strange names back in those days), insisted that the bullet would rise after it left the barrel of a rifle. I didn’t believe it and asked how long it took before it when into orbit (or some such thing that pointed out the absurdity of his claim). He didn’t know but asked his dad and came back to school and explained it went up for a while then came back down. My knowledge of and ability to articulate the physics of gravity and moving objects was limited and although I was profoundly unsatisfied with this explanation I couldn’t refute his assertion that it was true.

Later I made sense of it and eventually I wrote a computer programs that accurately predicts the path of a bullet as it leaves the muzzle. I am now much more capable of articulating the physics and will now attempt do so.

Read the whole thing here

Another hit from Brigid:

Most of us remember our first love, but what about our first gun? I shot my first gun when I was just shy of 12. My parents were smart. Even out in the country, drugs were starting to pop up, and an occasional rural kids would get into grown up trouble early. Those of you with teenagers know what I am talking about. It’s hard being a young adult, the light weight of the few years you have seen are heavy enough to prevent you from taking off and flying free of a world that to you seemed too rigid and too ordered. But not weighty enough to keep your feet truly grounded in a life of solid choice and experienced judgment.

So, to give us something to learn and grow with, my parents gave us a gun. And taught us to use it. I remember that first gun. It was a single action "garden gun", one that found its way under many a Christmas tree in my generation. I held it, wood smooth under my hand, the sun at the quarry where we would shoot it shining off of the barrel. When I touched it, I felt an excitement of joy and promise whose reason I could not put into words at that age, being too young to articulate that. I felt responsible. Yes. Responsible. For something that cost most than many months allowance would ever replace. Responsible for the trust my parents put in me in handing over the legacy of guns in our house. Responsible for myself, my brothers. To use it properly…

Read the whole thing here

Two of the finest carry pistols yet designed, in my opinion are the Colt Defender and the Colt New Agent. That’s a pretty bold statement. Before I receive hate mail, let me explain that I am ruling out revolvers, which are not pistols. Let me also say that I believe the 1911 pistol is the finest fighting pistol ever designed. Quick, accurate, powerful. In a world of competing designs, almost a hundred years later, it remains the gold standard for the disciplined shooter, not the good enough gun for the lowest denominator.

Read the whole thing here

Every single day Martyn does a Second Amendment news wrap-up, providing links to blog and news articles with a brief commentary line. I don’t see how he does it, but he is a very consistent source of news and perspectives on the cause. I read him every day, and you should too.

The Liberty Sphere

Opinion and commentary on the news, human liberty, politics, gun rights, current events, and modern culture by D. Martyn Lloyd-Morgan, The Liberty Sphere.