Tuesday, February 11, 2025

TSA Found 6,678 un-authorized Firearms from 904 million Passengers in 2024



During the year 2024, the Transportation Security Agency (TSA) discovered 6,678 firearms in the baggage of 904 million people who were screened at TSA checkpoints in the calendar year. This was slightly lower than the 6,737 firearms discovered in 2023 when 858 million people were screened.

The rate of people who were found to possess firearms at the airport security checkpoints was down from .0000785% to .0000739%, a minor reduction in the tiny percentage of firearms discovered at airport security checkpoints.  The reduction amounts to 59 fewer firearms discovered, a bit less than 1% of the total.

Given the hundreds of millions of passengers screened, and the tens of millions of passengers who may legally carry concealed weapons, the few thousand found show overwhelming obedience to the law and care in people checking their baggage.

All people make mistakes. In the USA about 21 million people legally carry concealed weapons with concealed carry permits. 47 million people live in states where no permit is required to carry a concealed weapon.  Those state are:

Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Florida (permitless), Georgia, Idaho, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Hampshire, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, West Virginia, and Wyoming.

A survey conducted in 2023 found 15.6% of voters in general elections carried concealed handguns.

About 155 million people voted in the 2024 election. If the survey was correct, there would be about 24 million voters in the United States who carry concealed handguns on a regular basis. That is about 7.3% of the total population. If we assume the percent of legal concealed carriers is the same among the population of passengers screened at airport check points, the number of screenings of legal concealed handgun carriers would be 7.3% of 904 million. 7.3% of 904 million amounts to 66 million passengers who legally carry concealed handguns who were screened in 2024.

To clarify, there were 904 million screenings at TSA checkpoints. The 904 million number is the number of passengers who were screened. One person could be screened multiple times as they were a passenger on different flights throughout the year. It appears 66 million of those screenings were of passengers who routinely, legally, carry concealed handguns.

Most people who are discovered to have a firearm in their carry-on luggage violated the law without intending to do so. If 100% of the incidents occurred without the intent to do so, then 6,678 out of 66 million passengers who normally concealed carry,  made serious and terribly inconveniencing mistakes when getting ready to fly. It amounts to .01% or about one of every ten thousand such people.

Everyone makes mistakes. Mistakes are not intentional. They are often the result of the of an combination of events, which resulted in an unfortunate, unwanted, and unexpected situation.

Here is a hypothetical example:

A husband normally carries a small semi-auto in a small pocket of a travel bag/briefcase. He is getting ready for a trip. In his home office, he removes the pistol and sets it on his desk. At that critical moment, his young daughter appears in his doorway and excitedly exclaims: Brandon fell in the pool! The man rushes to the pool to see what is going on.  His wife now enters the office, and sees the pistol on the desk, next to the open briefcase. Knowing where the pistol is normally kept, she replaces it in the small pocket which is reserved for it in the bag.

Because of the excitement at the pool, and the need to take a child to urgent care, the normal routine is disrupted. On returning, the man finishes packing the bag for carry-on. He is running late. He knows he removed the pistol, but time is short. In the rush to get to the airport on time, he does not check the bag again, as is his normal custom.

At the checkpoint, the X-ray machine shows the pistol.

When people do things often enough, the rare and unusual event will happen. People have expressed this as Murphy's law: If anything can go wrong, it will.

When 99.99% of people follow a law, it is an incredible success. This is what is seen on the rules for carrying firearms on commercial passenger aircraft. This fact reinforces the research showing people who legally carry firearms are incredibly law abiding and responsible.

 

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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NH: Gunfight in Somersworth, Gabriel Leandry Arrested

SOMERSWORTH — Gabriel Leandry, 38, was arrested Saturday, charged with firing a gun in the direction of a person in the area of Green Street and Indigo Hill Road.

Somersworth police said a caller reported he had been fired on at about 10:45 a.m. Moments later, police said, a second caller reported they had fired a gun at someone who was trying to break into their home.


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VA: 17-Year-Old suspected of Shooting Three Men, was Wounded by Shot fired in Defense

RPD says after their preliminary investigation, they believe the 17-year-old pulled a gun and shot the other men, one of whom fired back and shot the teenager.

Police say charges are pending.


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NC: Lincolnton Store Employee Shoots, Wounds Robbery Suspect

LINCOLNTON, N.C. – An attempted robbery was stopped thanks to an employee who fought back. Lincolnton Police say two men went into Dave’s vape shop to rob it Thursday afternoon, while a third waited outside in a getaway car. At least one had a gun.

Police say they assaulted an employee in the store, stole merchandise and cash. But as they ran from the store, the employee fired a gun at them, hitting one of the robbers. The two robbers later showed up at a local urgent care to get medical help, where they were arrested.


More Here

Sunday, February 09, 2025

Greenland, Polar Bears, and President Trump


In his first term, and approaching his taking of office in his second term, President Trump spoke of the importance of Greenland to American security, and the desirability of purchasing Greenland.

Historically, the United States of America has been interested in Greenland because of its strategic position. Attempts have been made to purchase the island. In WWII, the United States became the de-facto protector of the island. The USA maintains a military base on Greenland.

It is uncertain if President Trump will acquire Greenland for the United States. This may be the opening gambit in a negotiation for more control over Greenland's future.

What might it mean for hunters if Greenland became part of the United States polity?

People in Greenland have seals, Muskox and polar bears to hunt. The most interest would likely be in polar bears. Greenlanders have hunted polar bears since the time there were people on Greenland. One researcher in Greenland assembled records of polar bear harvests from 1796 to 1998. The research was published in 2002. In essence, there was a rise in polar bear harvests from about 1900 to about 1930. In between the harvest dropped and rose. It is impossible to tell how much of the drop and rise happened because of the price of polar bear hides, polar bear populations, technological innovation to allow more access to polar environments, and war.

From about the 1970 to 1998, the harvest averaged about 162 bears per year. This is a long sustained harvest. It indicates more bears could be harvested without a negative effect on polar bear populations.

In 2005, significant restrictions were placed on the hunting of polar bears in Greenland. Only native Inuit who are full time hunters are allowed to hunt polar bears. Hunters cannot use airplanes, snowmobiles, or boats over a certain size. Most hunting for polar bears involves the use of dogsleds and dogs. Quotas have been established for polar bears in each village. One village might get a quota of 4 bears, another a quota of 24 bears. The overall quota has been 156 bears. A quota cannot be exchanged from one location to another.  This leads to some quotas not being filled, and a drop in the number of bear harvested. From swedenherald.com August 26, 2024:

This year, the quota for polar bear hunting in Kujalleq has risen to 4 individuals and the limit was reached as early as March 13. Local politicians claim that at least 10-12 polar bears would be desirable.

The total quota for all of Greenland is 156.

The number of polar bears seen appears to be increasing. Polar bear advocates claim this is happening because of "climate change". Susan Crawford cogently disputes that assertion.

 

 


 

Link to Crockford interview.

Local hunters believe it is because the population of bears is increasing. Prices for polar bear hides rise and fall. From nunatsiaz.com, Nov 1, 2024:

Polar bear harvest quotas are compromising food security and making hamlets more dangerous places, says the chair of Arviat’s hunters and trappers organization.

If the USA takes over administration of Greenland, it is plausible more hunters will be allowed to take more polar bears in Greenland. It would make sense to remove polar bears from the "endangered" species list. They were placed on the list because of fanciful forecasts based on "climate change". Those forecasts have been proven to be incorrect. President Trump could champion taking all species off the endangered list which were incorrectly put there because of false forecasts of "climate change."

Because sport hunting focuses on large male trophy bears, it would make sense for local hunters to sell hunts for trophy polar bears. The harvest of large mature males is least likely to have an impact on overall polar bear populations. Polar bear hunts sell for about $20,000.  This is more than ten times what current Inuit hunters can realize from the sale of polar bear pelts.

In negotiations with residents of Greenland, the United States could offer a more reasonable and sustainable harvest of polar bears. A growing population of polar bears could be controlled with more hunting permits. Locals could act as guides, bringing in more than 10 times the revenue of current polar bear hunts.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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TX: Customer Complies with Robber, is Pistol Whipped, being tied up, Draws Gun, Shoots, Kills Attacker

That's when the customer spoke up, offering a reason there wasn't much money in the salon.

"He told him that the person who had all the money had already collected it and left for the day," she said. "The man got even more mad when he saw there wasn't anything to take. So, he hit my customer with his gun. Pistol-whipped him."

Nancy says right after he pistol-whipped the customer, the would-be robber ordered him onto the ground and started to Zip-Tie him. He was about to tie up the customer's legs when the customer – still on his knees – pulled out his own gun, swung around and shot the robber at least three times. He was taken to the hospital where he was pronounced dead.

"It was impressive," Nancy said. "It was like he was Agent 007."


More Here

NC: Charlotte Door Dash Driver Shoots 15-Year-Old, is Accused of Murder

CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- The family of a 15-year-old shot and killed in North Carolina is expected to speak out on Friday.

The DoorDash driver who admitted to shooting him is claiming self-defense and faces a first-degree murder charge.

That suspect says the teen was trying to steal his car on 8th Street in Uptown Charlotte.

Keshawn Boyd, the 27-year-old suspect in this case, is accused of trying to protect their property and not their life.


More Here

Saturday, February 08, 2025

WI Legislature Approves Removal of DNR rule which Violated Second Amendment

 

On Wednesday, January 29th, 2025, the Wisconsin legislature Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules (JCRAR) approved of the repeal of Wis. Admin. Code § NR 20.05(2) .

“No person may…[p]ossess or control any firearm, gun or similar device at any time while on the waters, banks or shores that might be used for the purpose of fishing.”

The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR) rule had been in place since 1999. The rule had effectively banned the possession of firearms over wide areas of the State of Wisconsin.

The repeal took place because the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty  (WILL) filed a lawsuit on June 6, 2024, as reported on AmmoLand.

Because the violation of the United States Second Amendment and Wisconsin Constitution Section 25, was obvious, Acting Secretary of the Wisconsin DNR, Steven Little, agreed to to repeal Wis. Admin. Code § NR 20.05(2) as soon as possible.

The website of the Wisconsin administrative code shows the rule has been suspended since December 17, 2024.

Bureaucracies move slowly. Changes in administrative rules in Wisconsin must be approved by the legislature, specifically the Joint Committee for the Review of Administrative Rules. On January 29th, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported the JCRAR had approved of the repeal of the rule. From jsonline.com:

After announcement of the lawsuit last year, the Department of Natural Resources pledged to repeal the rule, and said it already didn't enforce the rule. But, the agency said, anglers still won't be allowed to use guns to shoot fish, just simply carry them for protection.

The rule applied to everyone, not just anglers. "No person" is everyone. There was no exception, even for law enforcement.

This reporter was unable to confirm the approval at the Wisconsin Legislature website.  Skylar Croy, a lawyer with the Wisconsin Institute for Law & Liberty, was intimately involved in the case. Skylar was contacted. He confirmed JCRAR had approved of the repeal of the rule by the DNR, on a vote of 7-3. Eventually, the proceedings of the committee will be published. We may be able to determine the three Wisconsin legislators who voted to keep the obviously unconstitutional restriction in place.

The origin of the rule is shrouded in mystery. It appeared as part of a general restructuring of the administrative code in 1999. To the knowledge of this correspondent, no one has been willing to admit to changing the language to such a broad and unconstitutional prohibition.

Analysis:

Citizens must constantly guard against this sort of unaccountable activism in legislatures. WILL is to be congratulated for their victory in Wisconsin.

This correspondent noticed a similar situation in New South Wales Australia. Draconian restrictions were placed on museums which displayed firearms. The restrictions were placed in an "administrative" change which was claimed not to include any substantive legal changes. When the change was noted, no one claimed responsibility for it. Unlike Wisconsin, Australia has no Constitutional protection for the right to keep and bear arms. When this correspondent contacted a previous minority leader in the New South Wales Parliament, he said he would look into the matter. Later, he declared "success" by obtaining an exemption for the Lithgow Small Arms Factory Museum.  No one in the New South Wales Parliament was willing to repeal the draconian rule.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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OH: Boardman Man Kicks in Apartment Door, is Shot

Police say Lawrence L. Simon, 58, of Shields Road, is charged with one count of burglary and is due in Mahoning County Boardman Court on Tuesday.

The police report states Simon was shot in the leg, and another bullet went through the floor into the apartment below. The man who fired the shots has not been charged, and police say he is a victim who apparently acted in self-defense.

Police arrived at the apartment building about 2 a.m. Tuesday to find Simon on the ground and the other man standing over him. Simon said he had been shot, and the man told police he had done it and told them where to find the gun. The man allowed police to detain him in handcuffs while they investigated.

The report states police applied a tourniquet to Simon’s left leg, where he sustained a gunshot wound to the shin.


More Here

AR: Teen with AR15 type Rifle, Pistol, Subdued by Private Pilot at Texarkana Airport

The Texarkana Arkansas Police Department says it all happened around 7:30 a.m., when a teen armed with a rifle and a handgun came up to Signature Aviation at the airport and demanded a plane.

“We want everybody to know the airport is safe and secure and flights will be going out as usual,” said Paul Mehrlich, airport director.

“Today, we are thankful that there were no injuries, no lives lost, but it really was through the actions of this pilot and the staff at Signature Aviation that their actions saved lives today,” Mehrlich said.

The teen then went to the airfield, where private planes are stored. A pilot for a local private business reportedly saw him, grabbed his own firearm, and ordered the teen to get on the ground. He complied and was disarmed. That’s when police officers arrived on scene and took the teen into custody.

More Here

Friday, February 07, 2025

Shovel handle carbine and Hi-Point pistol with brace

 

 

 

At the 2025 Shot Show, this correspondent stopped at the MKS Supply booth, attracted by the unconventional brace on the Hi-Point pistol, shown above. The display model was made up for the show. It may have been inspired by the man who made a workable AK47 receiver from a shovel with a D handle.

The D handle does not appear to be from an actual shovel.  The attachments to the cylinder appear to be less sturdy than those on common D handles. Hi-Point pistols and carbines are straight blowback semi-automatics. The pistols shown below were all chambered for the ubiquitous 9x19mm caliber. They have a shorter barrel than the carbine, which has a 16.5-17.5 inch barrel. These barrels appear to be about 12-14 inches, although this correspondent did not measure them.

The middle, camouflage pattern pistol has a traditional pistol brace. The lowest pistol does not have a brace, but has an attachment point to add one if desired.

At the KYGUNCO site, Hi-Point pistols ran about $200, and carbines with a 16.5 to 17.5 inch barrel were listed at about $318  -  $358 in 9x19 mm, the most common caliber. None of the pistols shown above were seen at the Hi-Point web site. The pistols and carbines are also offered in .30S .380, .40, .45 and 10mm calibers.

In this correspondent's years as an instructor, a fair number of students brought Hi-Point pistols to the class. They worked. The first essential for a defensive firearm is that it go bang when it is supposed to. The Hi-Point pistols seemed top heavy. The ergonomics did not equal a Glock, a 1911A1 or a Browning Hi-Power. But... they worked. They went bang when called upon to do so. They are inexpensive and have a lifetime warranty.

The carbines also work. They make a useful home defense firearm. This correspondent has owned a 9mm carbine for a number of years. It has been reliable and reasonably accurate, capable of about 4" groups at a hundred yards. The front sight with the hood is rather exposed. It was not unusual to break the hood on the front sight if it falls on a hard surface. The new carbines use a different front sight design.

It is not clear when the Hi-Point pistols with 12-14 inch barrels and pistol braces will become available. The Biden administration's attempt to change policy and grant the ATF power to determine if a pistol with a brace is a short barreled rifle, or not, has been rebuffed by the courts.

Short barreled rifles were added to the National Firearms Act in 1934 because of the confused, ignorant, or machiavellian desires of Representative Harold Knutson of Minnestota. Knutson was a member of the powerful Ways and Means committee. Attorney General Cummings did not understand why Knutson was asking to add rifles to the NFA, as it appeared to be the opposite of what Knutson was arguing. However, Cummings acceded to Knutson's bizarre request.

The major thrust of the National Firearms Act was to license and register pistols. The effort failed when the NRA and people around the United States contacted their representatives and demanded removal of pistols from the act. Machine guns, short barreled shotguns, short barreled rifles and silencers remained as consolation prizes for the Franklin Delano Roosevelt administration in 1934.

It makes no sense  for short barreled rifles to be burdened with all the silly restrictions of the National Firearms Act when pistols are recognized to be Constitutionally protected by the Second Amendment in the Supreme Court decisions of Heller, McDonald, Caetano, and Bruen.

 

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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PA: Two Philadelphia Teen Car Theft Suspect Shot and Wounded

Both teens were taken to Children's Hospital of Philadelphia in stable condition.

The man who fired the shots was allegedly trying to thwart a car theft.

According to Philadelphia Police Chief Inspector Scott Small, the man got a call from a neighbor stating that four juveniles appeared to be breaking into his Honda.

When the man confronted the juveniles, police say one of them pulled out a gun.

"We're not certain right now if that one juvenile who pulled the gun fired any shots. We don't know at this time. That's when the owner of the vehicle pulled his weapon and fired, we believe seven shots, striking the two 13-year-olds," Small said.



More Here

TN: Nashville Robbery Resisted, Driver of Getaway Vehicle Shot, Killed

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Officers with the Metro Nashville Police Department (MNPD) continue their search for a victim of an armed robbery that happened Tuesday afternoon at Green Hills Mall.

Police say shortly after 2 p.m., 30-year-old Omari Moore approached a person leaving the mall carrying Louis Vuitton bags with a gun. After wrestling the bags away from the victim, Moore then fled to the Tesla waiting for him, which police said had an accomplice inside.

(snip)

Eventually, police found the Tesla crashed off Interstate 65 near the 440 interchange. The driver of the car was found with a gunshot wound. He later died at the hospital from his injuries.

MNPD identified the driver as 30-year-old Emmanuel M. Easley.



More Here

Thursday, February 06, 2025

TX: Two Cases of Young Adults Using Guns for Self Defense

  Link to video

 

On January 15th and January 16th, in Houston, Texas, two young men fired guns in defense of self and others. One young man was protecting himself and his companions in the car he occupied. The other was protecting his pregnant significant other. Both actions appear to be justified. Both young men are reported to be less than 21 years old. The Texas restoration of Constitutional carry, passed in 2021, generally excludes people under the age of 21. Here are the two incidents.  On January 16, 9:30 p.m. on I-610 in northeast Houston. From khou.com:

Police said the 20-year-old driver again tried to get away from the aggressive driver, but the truck drove into the oncoming traffic lanes to swerve in front of him and block them. That's when HPD said the truck driver got out and ran toward the car with his hands near his pocket. Police said the 20-year-old driver feared for his life and opened fire through the front windshield and through the side of the car, hitting the aggressive driver in the torso, arm and leg.

According to HPD, the 20-year-old driver used to be a security guard and had handcuffs on him. He detained the other driver and contacted police. HPD said he was fully cooperating with investigators.

The alleged aggressive driver was taken to an area hospital where he is expected to survive.

"He's our victim, but again, more of a suspect, really," said Lt. R. Willkens with HPD. "Kind of a self-defense thing."

No charges are expected for the 20 year old.

On January 15, 2025 at 2:40 p.m. at 7050 Inwood Park Drive in Houston, a 19 year old defended himself and his friends. From CityofHouston.news:

The male shooter, 19, was not injured in the incident.

HPD Homicide Division Sergeant N. Lazo and Detective M. Providence reported:

HPD patrol officers responded to a shooting call in the parking lot of an apartment complex at the above address and found a male suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. He was in possession of a firearm. Paramedics pronounced him deceased at the scene.

Officers located the shooter at the scene. He stated that he and his friends were inside a vehicle when they were approached by the armed male, who raised a gun in their direction. The shooter stated he feared for his safety and fired shots toward the armed male, striking him. No one else was injured.

The incident will be presented to a grand jury. Because of an exception in the law passed in 2021, the 20 year old in the incident which started on I-610 was legally in possession of a firearm. The exception is for people possessing firearms in a vehicle or a boat, and on the way to and from the vehicle or the boat. 

The 19 year old's situation is not quite as clear, as he did not own and was not driving the vehicle. It is unlikely he will be charged with possession, because the prohibition on 18-20 year old people from carrying firearms was struck down in a court case in 2022.  No record of an appeal to the case was found. 

Analysis:

18-20 year old people are part of the people covered by the Second Amendment. As shown in these cases, they face serious dangers which can be mitigated by exercising their rights protected by the Second Amendment. It is expected the Supreme Court will eventually strike down infringements preventing 18-20 year old people from exercising their Second Amendment rights.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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AK: Road Rage? Teen Points Rifle (BB/Replica) at Man, is Shot, Killed

Police said an argument broke out between the two drivers and the 24-year-old man noticed the other driver had what appeared to be a rifle in his hands.

According to JPD, the younger driver pointed the rifle at the caller, who told police he pulled out a pistol and shot the teen. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

Officers said a pellet/BB-style CO2 rifle was found in the Volkswagon.

“It looked very realistic, very much like a firearm,” Juneau Police Chief Derek Bos said Monday. “Responding officers also held the initial belief that it was an actual firearm. It was determined much later in the investigation that it was not.”


More Here

Wednesday, February 05, 2025

Michigan Passes Law to Mandate Destroying Valuable Assets

Image from Grand Rapids Police facebook.com, cropped and scaled by Dean Weingarten

 

On January 22, 2025, Democratic Governor Whitmer of Michigan signed HB No. 6145 into law, as part of a package of bills. HB No. 6145 mandates the state destroy valuable assets as an ideological statement. The bill requires all parts of firearms which come into possession of the Michigan State Police be destroyed instead of being sold and the money used for the public good. From enrolled House Bill No. 6145:

 Sec. 14. ( 1) Subject to sections 5g and 14a, all pistols, weapons, or devices carried or possessed contrary to this act are declared forfeited to this state, and must be turned over to the director of the department of state police or the director’s designated representative, for disposal under this section.

(2) The director of the department of state police shall dispose of firearms under this section by destroying them. The director shall ensure that all parts of a firearm disposed of under this section are destroyed.

Republicans flipped the House from Democratic control to Republican control on November 5, 2024. On December 12, 2024, House Bill No. 6145 was introduced in the the Michigan House of Representatives. The bill was passed with partisan votes in the lame duck session in the House. The new office holders would not take office until January 1, 2025. The Senate passed the bill on December 20, 2024. Governor Whitmer signed HB No. 6145 into law on January 22, 2025. The law will go into effect on April 2, 2025.  From fox2detroit.com:

The New York Times reported in 2023 that buyback programs often don't lead to the complete firearm being destroyed.

Instead, a single piece that includes the gun's serial number is disposed of before the company that takes them in sells the rest of the firearm.

 HB 6144, 6145, and 6146 deals with any gun buyback programs, ordering the Michigan State Police to destroy all firearms that was purchased during one of those sessions.

This poorly conceived bill does nothing to stop crime or benefit the State of Michigan. Numerous academic studies have found gun "buybacks" to have no measurable positive effect on crime. One large study found "buybacks" to have a slight, but measurable negative effect.  "Buybacks" were associated with slight increases in crime.

Elementary economics indicate the primary effect of the bill will be to increase the number of new gun sales. Most of the firearms affected by the bill will be old firearms, many of them collectible. Parts for old firearms will now be destroyed instead of entering the market place.

The effect of destroying the firearms will be to increase the demand for new firearms. It is simple supply and demand economics. There is a demand for firearms. The demand can be met with new firearms or used firearms. If the supply of used firearms is reduced, the demand easily shifts to new firearms. When more old firearms are destroyed, more new firearms are sold.

With over 500 million firearms in the private stock in the United States, destroying a few firearms does not affect supply very much. During the last five years, over 15 million firearms have been sold each year. Approximately 87% of them are new stock. Since the Presidential election year of 2008, 208 million firearms have been added to the private stock.

 

Destroying guns or gun parts robs taxpayers in two ways: The state agency has to pay to have the firearms destroyed, and the state loses the value of firearms and parts which are destroyed, rather than sell them and pocket the money.

The number of firearms used in crime in a given year are a tiny percentage of firearms in the nation. There were less than three crimes committed with firearms per 1000 people in 2023. There were about 1,500 legal firearms per 1000 people in the United States.  If the absurd assumption is made that every crime committed with a firearm is committed with one firearm, which is never used in crime again, there are 500 firearms which are never involved in crime for every one which is, in any year. In fact, firearms are often used in multiple crimes. Other nations with much smaller stocks of firearms per capita have crime rates much higher than the United States. The number of legally owned firearms in a nation has no correlation to murder or suicide rates.

The legislation if founded on the false assumption that if you destroy guns, you are somehow limiting the supply of guns. Another assumption is more guns = more crime. Both assumptions are false.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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TN: Nashville Domestic Defense? Assault followed by Shooting

Blackmun physically assaulted a family member after a group of friends returned home from celebrating a birthday, said police. He then confronted 19-year-old Adrian Harvell, who attempted to intervene, by placing him in a chokehold and repeatedly threatening violence against him, as well as other guests.

Harvell pulled out a gun and told Blackmun to get away from him before he fired a shot, police said. Blackmun died at the scene.


More Here

TX: San Antonio Domestic Defense? Boyfriend and Family Member Gunfight

A woman told police that earlier in the day, she had been driving around with her boyfriend. He was drunk and shooting a gun out of his vehicle during the drive.

She said she went home alone, but called a family member when she said she didn't feel safe.

When the 19-year-old family member arrived, the 28-year-old suspect immediately opened fire on him, hitting him in the stomach. The family member returned fire, hitting the suspect in the chest and leg.


More  Here

Son Turns Grandparents and Parent's Weapons Cache over to Israeli Police

 


Image from video of mostly pistols

Link to video

An Israeli man turned over a cache of weapons, accumulated by his grandfather and father over decades, to Israeli authorities. The cache was discovered while the man was refurbishing his parents home.

Israel was born in military conquest, three millennia ago, rebuilt after Babylonian destruction 2.5 millennia ago, destroyed by the Romans as a nation two millennia ago, and reborn as the homeland of the Jews 100 - 78 years ago.

War, conquest and military strife have been part of the nation of Israel throughout its history. Before the Israeli war of independence in 1948, the Israelis had significant underground resistance forces against British rule, with shifting internal alliances, sometimes cooperating with the British, sometimes actively resisting and sabotaging the British rulers of the land. The ability to have and hide firearms was critical. Toward the end of WWII, the British issued a declaration of the death penalty if a person was found with a firearm.

The article/video from Israeli National News says the weapons were apparently collected by the man's father and grandfather over a period of years.

This cache, with many WWII era weapons, was likely started during that era. The owners risked everything to insure they had weapons to defend against a world full of enemies. Consider the risks taken when the regime might kill you for having firearms. Consider keeping weapons whose presence might put you in prison for decades.  These were serious survivors of intense strife.

It is an interesting collection. Watching the video, this correspondent determined these approximate numbers and video level identifications:

  • 7 SKS rifles
  • 2 SMLE No. 1 MK III Lee-Enfield rifles
  • 1 Beretta 38/42 submachine gun, 9mm, wood stock
  • 1 Mauser 98K rifle
  • 1 Break open shotgun
  • 1 CZ .22 bolt gun, similar to 455 series
  •  9 AK47/AKM rifles,  1 missing upper receiver
  • 18-20 pen guns/ converter barrels?
  • 2 Brass knuckles
  • 2 German blank guns, semi-auto
  • 4 Small revolvers, possible converted starter/blank guns
  • 1 Rifle to pistol conversion
  • 1 Spanish Destroyer .32 semi-auto pistol
  • 2 Lugers  + 1 Luger frame
  • 1 Steyr M1912 pistol
  • 5 Swedish K sub-machine guns
  • 1 Sten sub-machine gun
  • 1 Swedish Nagant revolver
  • 1 S&W style double action revolver
  • 1 Colt style double action revolver
  • 2 CZ 27.32 pistols
  • 1 Webley  MK IV .38 revolver
  • 1 Baby Browning type .25 semi-auto pistol
  • 1 or 2 Beretta 92 pistol(s) (One pistol was either a Beretta or a Helwan)
  • 1 or 2 Egyptian Helwan 1951 pistol(s)
  • 1 Converted flare gun
  • 1 FN 1922 .32 pistol
  • 2 1911A1  Pistols
  • 3 P-38 Pistols
  • 3 Mauser C-96 pistols (broomhandle)
  • 1 Enfield .38 revolver
  • 16-17 grenades (Mills bombs) (detonators separate, but there)
  • 30+ pistol magazines
  • 24 sub-gun magazines
  • 22 AK magazines
  • 4 Galil magazines
  • 1  30 mm explosive round
  • some 12 gauge shotgun rounds
  • 6 bayonets

Thousands of rifle and pistol rounds are reported to have been stored with the firearms.

What might the people who gathered this significant collection of weaponry feel or say about the voluntary turnover of these precious weapons to the police? The father and grandfather are most likely dead. If they were alive, there would not be any need to speculate about who collected and stored this impressive arsenal.

Many of these firearms would be worth thousands of dollars if legally present inside the United States. A Beretta 38/42 sub-machine gun recently sold at auction for $19,550.  It is unknown if any or all of the collection will be destroyed by the Israeli government.

It only takes a generation or two where weapons are demonized and made illegal by a government and society, for future generations to choose to be disarmed, and to trust the government for their security. Israel started as a socialist state. Israel did not include a Second Amendment in their vision of the future. The founders of Israel, in 1948, did not believe an armed society was a positive good.

These firearms would have been highly prized by the Israeli victims of the October 7 massacre.  On October 7, 2024, where even a few pistols were effective in saving dozens of lives.

 

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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Tuesday, February 04, 2025

MO: 69-Year-Old Man Shoots Neighbor who Broke into his Apartment

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (First Alert 4) - St. Louis Metropolitan Police are investigating a fatal shooting Sunday afternoon in the Kingsway East neighborhood.

Police said that officers responded to a reported shooting around 2:25 p.m. at an apartment building in the 4800 block of Leduc Street

A man in his 50s was found dead inside his apartment. Police say the man was shot by his neighbor, a 69-year-old man. The neighbor told police he shot the victim after he kicked in his neighbor’s door.


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NC: Goldsboro Man Attempts to Break into Home, is Shot, Hospitalized

GOLDSBORO, N.C. (WNCN) – A Goldsboro homeowner shot a man who police said attempted to break into a home on Sunday evening.

According to the Goldsboro Police Department, officers responded at around 5:48 p.m. to a ShotSpotter alert on the 600 block of W. Oak Street. While investigating the alert, police said a man arrived at the hospital with apparent gunshot wounds.

“During the course of the investigation, it was determined that the subject at UNC Health Wayne was shot during an incident in the 600 Block of West Oak Street,” Goldsboro police said in a news release on Monday.

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AL: Domestic Defense, Brother Shoots Jymatric who Attacked their Mother

The deceased, Jymatric Pickens, came to this mother’s home on the morning of the shooting. Jymatric began threatening his mother and attacked her. The other witness, a younger brother, came into the room where his mother and brother were fighting and fired shots at Jymatric. Jymatric was hit several times and died on the scene. At the time of the shooting, Jymatric was not living at his mother’s home.

MCSO Detectives discovered during the investigation that Prichard Police had responded to 1022 Dade St. several times last year because of Jymatric threatening his mother.

More Here

Monday, February 03, 2025

Update: Hans Teeuwen Vindicated in Air Gun Incident; All Charges Dropped

 

On March 12, 2024, Hans Teeuwen posted a satirical video mocking Femke Halsema, the mayor of Amsterdam.   In the video an object, vaguely pistol appearing, was on a table next to Teeuwen. Within three hours six policeman appeared at Teeuwen's door.

Link to youtube video of arrival of the police and the original video skit. The skit mocks Mayor Halsema. The inclusion of the air pistol was likely to bring attention to how Halsema, her husband, and son were treated in an incident involving a pistol owned by her husband and criminally misused by the son.

Teeuwne let the police in. They siezed the object. Ammoland noted the object was probably a Webley air pistol. This supposition was later confirmed.

A commenter on AmmoLand recently asked: what happened to the case?

The original incident received considerable attention and outrage. The resolution of the incident did not receive as much attention. On March 15, 2024 Hans Teeuwen was informed he could pick up the air pistol.  No charges were brought against him. This was confirmed on X. From X (formerly Twitter):

 Hans Teeuwen: "I can pick up the air gun from the police."

An English language version of an article about the incident was found. From world-today-journal.com:

Amsterdam – Hans Teeuwen will receive the gun back on Friday that the police took during a raid on his house on Tuesday. The comedian announced this on Wednesday. A group of six officers arrived at Teeuwen’s home after he posted a video online showing the air pistol.

“I just got a call and I can come by on Friday and I will get the weapon back,” said the artist. According to Teeuwen, there are no charges against him: “As far as I am concerned, the matter is closed. Although I’m considering turning it into a carnival hit, “I got my air rifle back.” That should be a cracker.”

The police said on Wednesday that the suspicion against Teeuwen has been withdrawn and that he will not be prosecuted. The police do not want to comment now on the question of what kind of weapon it was. First, Teeuwen receives an explanation of what is going on.

Analysis:

Ridicule is a potent political weapon. Femke Halsema faced ridicule for the heavy handed way the police raided Hans Teeuwen's home over what was a legally owned air gun. Air guns can be purchased, without any special license, in Dutch shops.

Much international news is missed because of language barriers.  While the incident occurred over nine months ago, AmmoLand readers deserve to know how it was resolved.

 ©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch


FL: Fort Lauderdale Homeowner Shoots, Wounds Intruder

Investigators said the homeowner caught the burglar who had broken into their house. When the intruder refused to leave, the homeowner opened fire.

Paramedics transported the subject to Broward Health Medical Center with an injury that is not life-threatening.

More Here

Sunday, February 02, 2025

Keltec PR57 at Shot Show 2025


The Keltec PR57 is one of the more innovative pistols seen at the 2025 Shot Show.  As indicated by the name, the pistol is chambered in 5.7x28. The pistol is top loaded, with a 20 round magazine. The magazine is integral, like a Steyr 1912 or a C96 broom handle Mauser. This allows for a smaller grip, fewer parts, and a very thin and light pistol. As expected, there is significant muzzle flash and blast when the pistol is fired. Recoil is more than most .22 rimfire pistols, but less than most 9mm pistols.  The capacity is listed as 20+1. How is the 21st round loaded?

One of the Keltec representatives indicated he locked back the slide, inserted a round in the chamber, then used his thumb to depress the top round in the magazine. With the other hand, pull the slide back to release the slide lock, and allow the slide to move forward, under control, as the thumb is taken off the round in the magazine.  Alternatively, put the 21st round on top of the 20th round, and press down, then using the other hand, pull back on the slide and allow it to go forward under control. As the 21st round enters the chamber, remove the thumb holding it in place and allow the slide to go fully forward until it locks in place.

Bottleneck cartridges make for reliable feeding.  Because the magazine is integral, the feed lips are subject to less possibility of damage. No tolerance is needed to accommodate slight differences in removable magazine manufacture. The integral feed lips are sturdy and unlikely to be easily dammaged. Stripper clips are much easier and cheaper to manufacture than magazines.

Using stripper clips to reload is a little slower than using a detachable magazine. A stripper clip reload is probably at least as fast as reloading a revolver with speed loaders. 20 or 21 rounds of ammunition is likely to allow an opportunity to reload at some point. 20 rounds of ammunition would require three reloads in a six shot revolver.

Fully loaded, the Keltec PR57 weighs 19 ounces, four ounces less than an
unloaded Glock 19. The pistol is less than 1 inch thick. about the same
height as a Glock 19, and is a little shorter than the Glock 19.

The disassembly procedure for the pistol is simple. Push the trigger forward. Pull the slide off the front of the frame. The slide and barrel are locked together. You now have the slide assembly and the frame.  It appears cartridges could be removed from the magazine by simply pushing them forward, free from the magazine feed lips.

 


The Keltec PR57 uses a patented rotating front locking mechanism. A lug on the back of the barrel fits into a slot on a part called the trunion by Keltec. The trunion fits between the barrel and the frame.  As the barrel and slide move backward in recoil, the barrel rotates and unlocks. The slide continues backward, ejecting the cartridge case.


 

 

Trunion shown separate, above frame

 

At the Keltec booth, this correspondent asked about the unusual circumstance of the jam at the industry day at the range. The Keltec representative speculated it might have been the ammunition which was being used. Semi-automatic pistols rely on uniform ammunition to function correctly. The jam was easily cleared. It was a simple failure to eject. Pulling and releasing the slide cleared the failure to eject. It appeared to this correspondent to be consistent with underpowered ammunition. All self defense pistols should be tested with the ammunition will will be carried for self defense, before they are relied on in critical situations.

 

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

 

 


MO: Disarm, Owner of Laundromat in Duenweg Stops Burglary, Shot with own Gun

Chief Jeff Pearce says it happened around 7:20am at the Route 66 Coin Laundry on East 7th Street.

Chief Pearce tells Newstalk KZRG that the owner of the laundromat stopped the burglary in progress, but during a struggle with the suspect, was shot with his own gun.

He was taken to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

The suspect, who fled the scene, is being described as a 6-foot white male and was wearing a mask.


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Summer, 1991, 2 Black Bears and a .357

Alan Yates with rifles, pistols and bear rugs.


In the summer of 1991, Alan Yates was working in the forested mountains near Bozeman, Montana. He was charged by two black bears at the same time. He successfully defended himself against the bears with two shots fired from his .357 magnum Smith & Wesson 65 revolver. He was 21 years old.

Here are Alan's words, lightly edited for space and clarity:

In the summer of 1991 I worked on a logging operation in the mountains of Montana.

There was a large bear that lived in the hills and mountains around our community. He was very aggressive. His favorite mode of attack was to charge riders on their horses. Invariably, the rider would get thrown from the spooked horse, the horse would run off, and the bear would stand around for a minute or two thumping up and down on his front paws as if gloating. Then he'd run off.

There was no love for this bear. There was, quietly, a bounty on him. Because of his sheer size, and seeming youthful bad attitude, it was widely hypothesized that he was a Black Bear/Grizzly mix.

Seeing bears was a regular occurance and didn't bother me.

One morning in the early fall, I was trimming branches off the tops of cut down trees with a large knife that I had made. It was quiet work, and I was further up the mountain side than the other workers. Suddenly I heard an all-to-familiar sound ... "woof, woof, woof ... " quickly getting louder and closer. I knew what it meant. I dropped the knife, grabbed my 357 magnum, while spinning towards the sound.

Up the mountain ridge came a rolling ball of massive muscle and fur. He was  medium brown in color, with a dark chocolate face and neck. I immediately recognized him from the descriptions I'd heard. He was the problem bear everyone hated.

I cocked my revolver and timed his head roll. When he was "close enough" (8 or 10 yards) and his head rolled up, I dropped the hammer. My custom hand loaded bullet hit him square in the chest and I saw the fur fly from the impact. He staggered slightly, turning about 30 degrees to his left and continued  his charge up and over the next (nearby) ridge and out of sight.

I watched him go out of the corner of my eye, because when he turned off his  direct path towards me, a new problem showed herself. Not 20 yards behind him was a 2nd bear. She was a beautiful black phase with a large white "V" on her chest. She was much smaller - probably a 4-5 year old  bear. She continued her charge full steam at me.

I recocked my revolver and at the instant her head rose - on her next to last jump - I dropped the hammer again. I watched the bullet strike her 1" to the right if the bottom of the white V on her chest.

The bullet impact, combined with her upward lunge, flipped her completely over backwards and she landed on her back - her head downhill. She rolled over, jumped up and hobbled back down the ridge.

I spun around looking to see if the other bear was still a threat, but he was  nowhere to be found. Then I ran down the mountain after her. I assumed  that she wouldn't go far. I was wrong.

She went straight down the ridge a few hundred yards where she slid off the steep bank and onto the logging road - where the rest of our crew were working. She passed right thru the middle of them, over the bank and continued downhill. When I jumped down from the bank, I yelled "Did you see a bear?". They pointed and said "she's right there". We could see  her intermittently. She turned down into the draw and headed up the next  ridge in the open, crossing it at right angles. She was moving slowly.

I ran to camp, grabbed my rifle (my old 303 British), and gave chase. I tracked  her along the side of the mountain, up, down, over and under, for the  next 1.5 miles. I lost her trail when she entered a large "blow-down". I circled the entire blowdown searching for her track. I couldn't find it. (Lodge-pole pine blow-downs can kill you when the logs shift suddenly, so I knew better than to go in there).

Returning to camp, I updated everyone and we "loaded up" to go track down the big boar. We were not able to hold his trail for very long. After cresting  the next ridge, he had slowed to a walk in dense timber and his track was soon lost.

I spent the next few weeks worried about the possibility of having 2 wounded bears near our camp. But no trouble came.

Soon enough, the snow flew, logging was shut down for the season, and I was free to go hunting. I quickly found myself hunting Elk on the same  mountain. I had come in from a different direction. As I crested a ridge, I heard Magpies (a bird) calling from down in the draw below me. Magpies, in the mountains, generally mean something is dead. As I worked my way down the slope and began up the next, I discovered that I was back at the same blowdown where I'd lost bear's trail. 

The Magpies were dancing and calling near the lower edge of the blowdown. I eased very carefully in the short distance, and there she was. She was quite decomposed, but she was all bear, and I could still see the large white V on her chest. I was thankful to find her dead.

The large aggressive boar was never seen again - so I assume him dead also.

I have no idea why those 2 bears charged me. The most likely theory is that the boar heard me and liked to charge. She was just tagging along.

Alan switched from a .357 magnum to a .44 magnum. He has hunted the high mountain country of Montana for 35 years.

 ©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch

IL: CCL Holder Defends himself in Chicago, Kills 1 Wounds 1

A 28-year-old man working as a garbage truck driver was outside in the 900-block of South Homan Avenue when two other men approached him, took out a gun and announced a robbery, police said.

Police said that's when an exchange of gunfire ensued between the suspects and the victim, who has a valid FOID card and CCL.

One of the suspects, 42, suffered a gunshot wound to the head and was pronounced dead on the scene. The other suspect, 20, suffered a gunshot wound to the neck and was taken to Mt. Sinai Hospital in critical condition.

The victim was uninjured but taken to St. Anthony Hospital in good condition for an evaluation.


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GA: Atlanda, Tyree Freeman Assaults Man, Freeman is Shot, suffers a "graze wound"

The employee of the business who sustained the graze wound was identified as 24-year-old Tyree Freeman. He identified as the primary aggressor and was subsequently charged with battery and transported to the Fulton County Jail.

250290439

Preliminary Information: On 1/29/25, around 7:30am, officers responded to an aggravated assault at the location of 2444 Piedmont Rd NE. Upon arrival, officers located both male parties involved. Preliminary investigation indicates the involved parties got into a physical dispute at the location. During the dispute, one of the males discharged a firearm resulting in one male’s being grazed. No life-threatening injuries were sustained during the incident. Officers have one male currently detained and are currently working to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident. The investigation continues.


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Saturday, February 01, 2025

President Trump, Felony Conviction, Firearms Possession


 

Former and Future President Trump is now a convicted felon in the State of New York. The abuse of the judicial system by the prosecutor and  judge are some of the worst seen by astute, leftist legal commentators, such as Jonathan Turley and Alan Dershowitz.  Dershowitz goes so far as calling him "a convicted innocent man". He says there were 34 non-crimes President Trump was convicted of.  At left of center Politifact, this question was raised: From politifact:

President-elect Donald Trump’s Jan. 10 felony sentencing raised questions on social media about his rights: Can he vote, travel internationally and own a gun? 

Yes, likely, and no.

It is unlikely the guilty verdict in the outrageous anti-Trump lawfare case in New York will survive for long.  When President Trump is sworn in to office, Presidential immunity will apply for his second term in his presidency. The verdict will almost certainly be reversed long before that term ends. As Jonathan Turley notes:

The case has long been denounced by objective legal observers, including intense Trump critics, as a legal absurdity. Even CNN’s senior legal analyst Elie Honig denounced the case as legally flawed and unprecedented while Sen. John Fetterman, D-Pa., simply called it total “b—s–t.”

It is a case based on a non-crime. Bragg took a long-dead misdemeanor and zapped it back into life with a novel and unfounded theory. By using federal violations that were never charged, let alone tried, Bragg turned a misdemeanor into dozens of felonies and essentially tried Trump for federal offenses.

In spite of a looming reversal, the conviction has positive implications for Second Amendment supporters and supporters of limited government in general.

There are cases moving forward in the legal system challenging federal law which bans all "felons" from possessing or owning firearms and ammunition. This is a relatively new federal crime, which came into being in 1968. Some courts have already declared the federal ban to be unconstitutional for non-violent offenses. The case most likely to be heard by the Supreme Court is Range v Lombardo, from the Third Circuit.

At the Supreme Court level, the justices are certain to know about the laughworthy felony convictions of President Donald Trump. The Supreme Court has a good chance of hearing the case if the New York Courts fail to do their duty.  The Trump case is a near-perfect example of judicial overreach and lawfare. The idea of a Presidential candidate being stripped of a fundamental, in-numerated, Constitutional right, without any hint of violence, is likely to make an impression about the absurdity of many felony laws in the current United States of America.

President Trump will be affected. It is one thing to generally be in favor of restoring rights protected by the Second Amendment. It is more personal and significant to have infringements on Second Amendment rights directly used against you in a preposterous way.

President Trump has done more for the restoration of Second Amendment rights than any President before him. He has not demonstrated an intimate understanding of the war to restore those rights or the intricacies of the battles involved. In the future, the intimacy of the lawfare used against him may make the restoration of Second Amendment rights a personal battle for President Trump.

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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MS: Moselle Security Guard Stops Attack by Employee

“On January 29, 2025, at about 2:00 pm, at its plant in Moselle, Mississippi, an employee of Southern Hens had a dispute with another worker at the plant and left the secured area of the plant and retrieved a gun from the parking lot,” the statement read. “ He fired at least five shots in the parking lot area and when he turned the gun on the plant security guard, he was shot and killed by the guard.”

The release said Jones County Sheriff’s Department personnel were on-site. The company said all nonessential employees at the plant were released for the remaining work day as soon as it was cleared by JCSD.


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NM: Teen Robber Shoots Woman, Woman's Husband Shoots, Kills Teen

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (KRQE) – The Albuquerque Police Department said 14-year-old Alfonso Sanderson was killed overnight after they said he and a friend tried to rob a woman and shot her at an apartment complex on Tramway Blvd. According to APD, the woman’s husband shot back killing Sanderson. The shooting is being investigated as a justifiable homicide.  

 

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Thursday, January 30, 2025

Sri Lanka Air Rifles and Gun Control: Arrogant Ignorance on Display

 

 Flag of the Democratic socialist Republic of Sri Lanka (formerly Ceylon)

Sri Lanka has some of the most restrictive laws against firearm ownership and use in the world. The government recently demanded all legal firearms be turned in, except for those issued to farmers by the Ministry of Agriculture. No one is allowed to legally own a firearm without government permission. Government permission to own firearms is arbitrary and subjective.  The recent demand, by the government, for all legal owners to turn in their guns, has largely been ignored. From srilanamirror.com:

As of now, it has been reported that nearly 50 firearms have been returned. However, around 1,650 firearm licenses have been issued by the Ministry for various reasons.

The Ministry emphasized that all firearms and ammunition must be returned before the specified date, and legal action will be taken against those who fail to comply, as per the Firearms Ordinance Act No. 33 of 1916.

The deadline for turning in the legal firearms was extended from November 7, to November 21, 2024. This correspondent has been unable to determine if further extensions were implemented.

The population of Sri Lanka is about 24 million people. There are about 1,650 non agricultural firearms licenses in the country. The Small Arms Survey estimates there are 35,000 legal firearms. It appears most firearms licenses are issued to farmers to protect their crops.  The Small Arms Survey estimates there are 14 illegal firearms for every legal firearm (about half a million illegal firearms, many made in small shops for the black market).

Much of the food in the country is produced by small farmers on basic subsistence farms. In 2019, the Sri Lanka government instituted disastrous policies, forbidding the use of modern fertilizers and pesticides. Hunger and famine resulted. In 2022, the Prime Minister was forced to resign amidst violent protests.  In 2023, the Secretary of Agriculture attempted to aid farmers by subsidizing the procurement of air rifles to help control and discourage the numerous animal and birds pests who were raiding and destroying farmers' crops.

An article railing against the policy was published in The Morning in Sri Lanka. The level of ignorance and arrogance is astounding. This is about ordinary air rifles, which in most countries, even countries with extreme restrictions on firearms, are not regulated. Air rifles are not regulated in Sri Lanka. The article was published on October 29, 2023, about a year ago.

Farmers cannot be trusted with air rifles.  From themorning.lk:

He noted that it was difficult to guarantee safety regarding guns, especially in rural areas: “Distributing weapons to farmers will create massive socioeconomic issues within the community. Farmers are not trained to handle guns. They are farmers. Secondly, in their houses, there is no safe place to keep the gun. There are high levels of domestic violence in our society and these guns can be used to harm spouses.” 

Quoted in the article from a member of a farmer federation:

“Providing air rifles is not a solution to the problem of crop damage by wild animals. The real solution would be to fulfil the basic necessities of the wild animals. It is pointless to provide these weapons to farmers. Moreover, there is a risk that people will use these weapons for other purposes,” Karunaratne cautioned. 

He further noted that the matter required an approach that would ensure that the needs of wild animals were met. 

In response, the Minister of Agriculture seems a beacon of sanity. Perhaps he is the reason farmers' firearms were exempted from the general confiscation order. From the Minister of Agriculture: 

Speaking to The Sunday Morning, Amaraweera said: “The rifles were given on a concessionary basis where we contributed half the funds. We have given these farmers the necessary training to handle these weapons.”

Addressing the State oversight in existence for these weapons, the Minister noted that they did not constitute a significant concern for there to be a monitoring mechanism: “These are not lethal weapons,” he said, adding: “These are available in stores. Air rifles do not require licences. Anyone can buy an air rifle in the country, you only need the money. This is akin to a toy, since animals and humans cannot be killed with air rifles.”

Many people who want a disarmed population suffer from a surprising combination of arrogance and ignorance. In Australia, the arms legislation passed in 1996, made it harder to legally own a slingshot than to own a bolt action .30-06 or a double barreled shotgun.

Analysis:

Arrogance and ignorance are a recipe for disaster. Those with this combination are useful tools for those who desire to keep a population disarmed for political purposes. Strong gun controls seem to be correlated with corrupt and authoritarian/totalitarian governments who do not trust their people.

 

©2024 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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TN: Skyler Whitefield-Brewer Claims Self Defense in Nashville Killing of Richard Trout

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Metro Nashville Police are investigating a self-defense claim after a man was shot and killed in the parking lot of Bar-B-cutie on Gallatin Pike.

The shooting happened just after 9 a.m. on Saturday. Investigators believe 23-year-old Skyler Whitefield-Brewner and 50-year-old Richard Trout were in a confrontation when shots were fired. Trout was struck multiple times and later died at the hospital.

Whitefield-Brewner fled the scene but later went to MNPD headquarters to speak with detectives.

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NM: Rio Rancho Homeowner and Father Shoots, Kills Home Invader

The first incident was in Rio Rancho at 11:55 p.m. Saturday. Police responded to a call from the 1500 block of 12th Street SE after a homeowner reportedly shot an intruder.

Rio Rancho police said that two adults and three children were asleep in the residence when an unknown suspect kicked in the front door and entered the home. The homeowner armed himself and confronted the intruder, shooting him once in the torso. The suspect was transported to a local hospital where he was pronounced dead. 

 

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FL: Hillsborough County Fire Investigator Pulls Gun to Stop Attack

Deputies said when an arson investigator with Hillsborough County Fire Rescue arrived on the scene, a man near the fires tried to fight the investigator.

The investigator pulled a gun, officials said, forcing fire crews to stay back until law enforcement could take the suspect into custody.

Firefighters got the flames under control within 30 minutes, HCFR said. No injuries were reported.

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NV: Domestic Defense, Armed Couple Shoot man who Attacked Woman

According to police, the officer and his wife were inside their home when they heard a “commotion” in the backyard of a neighbor’s house. The officer left his home and saw a man “mounted” on top of a woman, punching and strangling her. The officer then told his wife to call police, while the officer went into the backyard to separate the man and woman, McKenzie said.

The officer was able get the woman to safety. The man then followed the officer into his front yard and the officer gave “numerous” commands to the man to stop, saying he would shoot if he came closer, McKenzie said.

The man continued to approach the group and the off-duty officer and his wife both fired at him, McKenzie said. Medical personnel later pronounced the man dead.

More Here

Wednesday, January 29, 2025

Hearing Protection Act Re-Introduced in 2025, NFA Reform

 

The Hearing Protection Act has been re-introduced in 2025. The act removes silencers/gun mufflers from the National Firearms Act and places them in the same category as rifles and shotguns.

The introduced act does this by adding silencers/gun mufflers to applicable laws which now cover firearms, more specifically, rifles and shotguns, and removing them from the National Firearms Act.

In Title 18, United States Code, in section 922(b) --

(A) in paragraph (1), by striking "shotgun or rifle" the first place it appears and inserting "shotgun, rifle, firearms silencer or firearm muffler"; and

(B) in paragraph (3) by striking "rifle or shotgun" and inserting "shotgun, rifle, firearms silencer or muffler"; and

The bill also changes the tax on firearms silencers/gun mufflers from the NFA $200 tax stamp to that of the current tax on firearms of 10%.

The bill demands the destruction of all current NFA registration records of silencers/gun mufflers within 365 days after the date of the enactment of the Act.

There is a specific provision in the bill which states the requirements in the hearing protection act meet any registration and licensing requirements of the National Firearms Act with respect to silencers. This provision meets some state requirements which require silencers purchased and possessed in a state have to met the federal NFA requirements. Arizona has such a requirement.  Without such a provision, it would require changes in state legislation to make silencers legal to possess in many states.

The bill has a preemption section which forbids states from imposing a silencer tax, or to require taxes on making, transferring, using, possessing, or transporting a firearm silencer in or affecting interstate or foreign commerce, or from  imposing a marking, recordkeeping or registration requirement with respect to such a firearm silencer.

The definition of silencers/gun mufflers is reformed to only include the outer tube or other single part on which provides the primary housing or primary structure of the silencer. This definition replaces the old definition which included any part of a silencer which was specifically used and designed for a silencer. This definition eliminates the previous definition which made any silencer part a legal "silencer".  The definition was sometimes stretched to include freeze plugs, o-rings and washers as silencers under the law.

Because silencers would be placed in the same category as rifles and shotguns, most states would allow silencers to be purchased across state lines, just as rifles and shotguns are at present. Silencers could be sold and transferred just as rifles and shotguns are today. It is unclear how the eight states which currently ban ownership of silencers would fare under this bill. The outright ban on ownership is being challenged in federal court in Illinois. Massachusetts is considering bills to legalize the ownership of silencers. New York, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Delaware, California and Hawaii are the other six states which currently ban silencers.

Analysis:

Because the Hearing Protection Act has much to do with taxes, it should be included in the reconciliation bill, dealing with the budget. If the act passes, expect additional  legal challenges to outright bans on silencer/gun muffler possession and ownership in the eight states where the possession of silencers is banned by state law.

The text of the hearing protection act has not been officially entered in the House of Representatives as of this writing, but should be soon. As with all legislation, amendments and horsetrading are possible until the legislation actually passes.

 

©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

Gun Watch





AZ: Phoenix Homeowner Shoots, Kills Burglar

PHOENIX (AZFamily) — A burglar is dead after a west Phoenix homeowner shot him on Friday night, police said.

It happened near 106th Avenue and Heatherbrae Drive, which is just north of Indian School Road, just after 6 p.m.

The suspect, a 51-year-old man, was shot and taken to the hospital, where he later died.

No one else was hurt.


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TN: Man Smashing Car Windows Attacks Armed Samaritan, is Shot

The investigation revealed that Bullock smashed out the window of a car with a golf club near Knox Rail Salvage. A 24-year-old man heard the car window being smashed and confronted Bullock. Bullock then allegedly struck the man who intervened in the vehicle burglary with the golf club, and the man then shot Bullock.

Bullock ran from the area after he was shot but was detained by officers a short distance away from the scene of the shooting.

Charges are pending on Bullock related to the vehicle burglary and assault on the individual who shot him. That individual is fully cooperating with the investigation, which remains ongoing at this time.


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CA: Domestic Defense, Manteca Councilman Shoots Stepson

Breitenbucher called 911 and said that his stepson Landon White, 31, had attacked him and threatened to kill him, police said. He reported using his personal firearm in self-defense.

Police said White doesn't live in the house, but that Breitenbucher found him there when he returned home.

Breitenbucher suffered a head injury and White was shot in the abdomen, police said. They were both taken to local hospitals for treatment.

According to police, Breitenbucher has been released from the hospital. As of Friday afternoon, White is still unconscious.


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Sunday, January 26, 2025

ME: Front Loader Attack Stopped with Gunfire

 


 
At about 5:30 a.m. nearly two hours before sunrise in Garland, Maine, a suspect stole a  Komatsu front end loader from a nearby gravel pit. The suspect then used the front end loader to attack a nearby home with people inside. The machine caused significant damage to vehicles parked in the driveway in an apparant attempt to force entry into the house. The sheriff's officer reports residents exited the house and fired shots at the driver, wounding him and forcing his retreat. Here is the report from Penobscott County Sheriff's Office:
 
Gunshots were fired during an incident involving a stolen front-end loader in Garland. 
 
On Tuesday, January 14, 2025, at approximately 5:30 a.m., the Penobscot Regional Communications Center received a report of individuals who appeared to be stealing a large front-end loader from a gravel pit near their residence. The incident was reported to be occurring on Upper Notch Road in Garland.
Shortly after receiving the initial call, the complainant reported that the front-end loader was now in their driveway, attempting to run through their house. The complainant also mentioned that the machine was destroying vehicles in the driveway.
 
The initial investigation suggests that individuals exited the home and fired several rounds at the front-end loader. The machine then reversed out of the driveway and fled the scene. It crossed a large field and went down a woods road.
 
At approximately 6:10 a.m. PRCC received another report that a large front-end loader was driving on the roadway, it was eventually located by law enforcement on the Center Road in Charleston. The lone occupant surrendered to law enforcement without incident and told them, he had been shot. Emergency Medical Services responded to the scene and transported the man to a local hospital. Upon his release, he was arrested and transported to the Penobscot County Jail. 
 
The operator of the front-end loader was identified as Michael Thompson (37) of Corinna. This investigation remains active and additional charges may be pending.
The Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Maine State Police.
The attack is remarkably similar to the mass murder by front end loader and gunfire which occurred five months ago, about 30 miles from Honolulu, Hawaii. That attack also started with ramming cars. It ended with the suspect shot and killed by one of the residents. In this instance, the perpetrator did not use a firearm, and was wounded instead of killed. 
 

 Image of windshield of Komatsu
 


Large front end loaders such as the Komatsu used in these attacks are very tough machines. the steel bucket can act as a shield against gunfire. In the pictures taken by the Penobscot Sherrif's office, you can see several bullet holes in the windshield of the front end loader.

No one in the residence was reported to be injured.


©2025 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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