TN: Teen robber shot: "A 60-year-old man who lives in Antioch, which is actually in south Nashville, arrived home about 9:30 p.m. Saturday night and, as he talked to a friend in his car, two younger men approached the automobile where they sat. One, who is 17, had a handgun in his hand while another, age 19, stood nearby with a shotgun. There is no doubt they intended to rob the driver of the car, but the 60-year-old immediately drew his own 38-caliber handgun and shot his 17-year-old assailant in a clear act of self-defense. The younger teenager was shot in the chest, but ran in terror. The older would-be robber, who we have since learned was Kevin Negron, grabbed the wounded kid and they roared away in Negron’s car, going to a nearby convenience store to request assistance after saying they had just been the victims of a crime. But the 60-year-old shooter had already called police and, with a witness present, told the officers what had really happened. He showed the police his valid “handgun carry permit,” which has since been credited for saving the older man’s life, and while he expressed remorse for shooting anyone, it was offset by the fact he wasn’t shot himself. It turns out the 19-year-old who was holding the shotgun was already on parole for an April felony where he evaded arrest. His history also includes theft and domestic assault charges. Further, he admitted his role in the botched robbery minutes after the 17-year-old was said to be in satisfactory condition and awaiting charges, which will be filed in Davidson County Juvenile Court."


Smith & Wesson making a packet: "Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation, parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 157-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection and sport, today announced financial results for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009. Net sales for the first fiscal quarter ended July 31, 2009 were $102.2 million, which was $23.8 million, or 30.3%, higher than net sales of $78.5 million for the first fiscal quarter last year. Gross profit of $35.6 million, or 34.8% of sales, for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 increased by 43.4% compared with gross profit of $24.8 million, or 31.7% of sales, for the first quarter last year. Net income for the first quarter of fiscal 2010 was $12.6 million, or $0.21 per diluted share, compared with $2.3 million, or $0.05 per diluted share, for the first quarter of fiscal 2009. Smith & Wesson President and CEO, Michael F. Golden, said, "Ongoing consumer demand for handguns and tactical rifles fueled our strong growth and allowed us to deliver record financial results in the first quarter. Higher production levels in our Springfield factory allowed us to capture additional revenue in the quarter, and a focus on controlling costs helped translate that revenue into profitability."


Afghanistan: Gun prices soar: "The reliable measure of stability in many countries is the value of the currency or the price of equities, bread or fuel … but not in Afghanistan: here the key indicator that nearly every Afghan keeps tabs on is the price of a Kalashnikov AK-47 assault rifle. And the bad news is that the market is bullish. The stepped-up Taliban offensive and mounting discord over the outcome of last month’s election have seen the price of a Chinese-made AK smuggled in from Pakistan rise to $400 from $150 in just three months. ‘People are arming themselves,’ a Western official in Kabul noted with alarm.”


Open carry 101: "Many people around the world are interested in learning more about the growing open carry movement in the United States, particularly when and where they can open carry too! … Key points everyone should know about open carry, i.e., the practice of carrying holstered unconcealed functional handguns (functionality includes being loaded): * 42 states permit open carry in public * 26 states require no license to open carry * Only 7 states ban open carry in public * California allows open carry in many or most parts of rural areas, but figuring out precisely where it is banned (i.e., that guns must be unloaded) is so difficult that as a practical matter, open carry is not a realistic option.”