Carnival of Cordite #42

Welcome back and Happy New Year!  We had a very eventful holiday, what with law school final exams, Christmas travel, and, oh yeah, GETTING MARRIED!  I hope you all had as good a vacation as we had.

Before we begin, I have a very special request to ask of all you readers:

I am looking for a current FFL holder in Park City, Utah (or the greater Salt Lake City area). I have a relative there who would like to ship some firearms of mine back to me here in Oregon, and we need to comply with the law.  We'd like to be able to do this as inexpensively as possible.  So, if you are able to assist, please contact me directly via the blog e-mail address:

g u l l y b o r g A T c a s t l e i s p D O T c o m

Thanks!

And on the amusing personal side... the other day, while gathering some information for a law school project, I wandered in to a local gun store (honest, it was just to do homework!).  I struck up a conversation with the gent behind the counter, and mentioned that I was in law school. So he asks me, "Say, do you read the Carnival of Cordite?  It's run by a law student!"

Heh.

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Politics, legislation, media, etc.:

As we begin a New Year, Xavier has a great post on "the gun story" of 2005.  READ IT, and "remember New Orleans!"

New contribtor Pro-Gun Progressive would like to introduce himself, with the message that liberals and democrats like himself need to abandon gun-control as a campaign issue.  If only more "progressives" could see the light!

Bothenook is happy to find some sensible journalism about preparation proposition H, the infamous San Fran Gun Ban.  Mr. Completely thinks his local paper could use some help, though... Speaking of Mr. Completely, his blog is overflowing with gun posts since the last Carnival of Cordite.  You will need to just start at the top and work your way down.  There's race guns, competition schedules, machine gun videos, and more.  I simply can't do it justice this week with excerpts, so go see it all.

Of Arms and the Law has some encouraging news from Michigan, where their Attorney General published an official opinion approving the lawful ownership of NFA firearms.  Score one for the good guys!  And speaking of NFA, here's another report showing the failings of the NFA bureaucracy.

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An alert reader sent in this via e-mail:

At first, Cindy Germain tried learning how to shoot a handgun from her husband.

It didn't go so well.

She said he teased her about her mistakes and when she couldn't hit the target.

To improve her skills, she signed up for a Women-Only Basic Pistol Course through the Laramie County Sheriff's Department and Laramie County Community College.

"I didn't feel as dumb with all the other ladies," Germain said.

Instead she learned about basic handgun safety and maintenance with other beginners.  While she knew how to load a handgun, she said she didn't know much else.

"I wasn't accurate," she said. "I didn't know single-action from double-action."

Germain said she liked the course so much she signed up again and again.  Today she says she is a better shot than her husband.

Yes, if you live near Laramie County, WY, you can learn weapons skills in a friendly environment!

Speaking of training, Josh writes in on how NOT to train firearms handling to Boy Scouts.  This photo clearly demonstrates unsafe methods:

If your kids are "learning" gun safety at a camp under someone else's supervision, you as both a parent and responsible gun owner have a duty to ensure the training is safe and proper!

Xavier sounds like he has the proper training thing down.  And great photos of the kids!

And speaking of training, help the Revolutionary War Veterans Association with the 2006 Nationwide Appleseed Tour!

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Guns and crime...

In Britain, they apparently teach new police officers to RUN AWAY when confronted by a gunman.  Are we sure that Soccer Dad didn't mistakenly write this about the French?

Chicago isn't far behind the "enlightened" British, either.  Ronocracy reports that retired Chicago police will no longer be able to carry their handguns. What is this country coming to when we can't trust someone in retirement after trusting him to keep the peace for decades on the job?

Maybe, as Rivrdog suggests, we need to reinstate the Arsenal of Democracy...

ROFASix is worried about Canada:

[I]f lax U.S. gun laws are causing violent crime to rise in Canada, why is it falling here?

The answer is one that pro gun-control Canadians refuse to comprehend. It is because 37 of the 50 U.S. states have "right to carry" laws that let law abiding citizens defend themselves from armed thugs.

Hmmmm... Daniel ponders:

If guns don't prevent violence then how come the same liberals who are willing to attack ladies wearing fur, empty SUV parking lots and businessmen at the WTO aren't out attacking the local NRA meeting?

Ummm... must have something to do with... ummm... corporate greed and global warming?

Local readers know about the debacle of the Christmas Cross.  Memento Moron puts this issue into a guns, crime, and religion perspective.

Different River writes in with a tragic tale of police, self-defense, and death row.  You.  Absolutely.  Must.  Read.  This!  More from Bard's Eye View.

Once More Into the Breach examines two holiday tragedies and concludes that it isn't the guns, it's the people, and prepared individuals have a better chance against becoming victims:

[P]roactive intervention by authorities and individuals is necessary to minimize the tragic results of aberrant behavior.  Teaching and encouraging self defense and taking custody of irresponsible mental patients would be a positive approach.

Of Arms and the Law has a review of a recent gun-friendly piece on 20/20 by John Stossel, dispelling some of the myths of the media regarding guns and crime.

Since it's been several weeks since the last Carnival of Cordite, there are many new stories gathered up at The Civilian Gun Self Defense Blog.  Be sure to scroll down and get fully caught up.

Random Nuclear Strikes writes an open letter to ubergeek Wil Wheaton (yes, I knew who he was talking about without looking him up) encouraging him to embrace our pro-gun attitudes.  For those of you who don't know who Wil Wheaton is, here is a picture of him with the worst Christmas present ever:

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It's only funny until someone loses an eye...

Coyote Killer is thrilled with the family spud gun!

Can you spot the problem here?

The picture may be a fake, but the joke is good!  Thanks to Blog Idaho for the funny.

NOT funny: Techogypsy reports that Delta Airlines screws gun owners.  Well, that's one more carrier to scratch off the list...

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On to the good stuff...

Xavier reports on his S&W Victory:

That's not bad!  And some even more impressive shooting here.  Gotta love those old S&W wheel guns, but give me a 1911 any day!

Another alert reader e-mailed me about these awesome super slo-mo videos.  MUST SEE!

What did you get under the Christmas tree?  At the Technogypsy household, it's even better than a Daisy Red Ryder Range Rifle:

I'm pretty sure this kid ain't gonna shoot his eyes out...

Speaking of shooting your eyes out... Rivrdog wants to know about eye surgery and iron sights.

Meanwhile, Xavier reminds us that airguns are NOT TOYS!

It was another Merry Christmas over at mASS BACKWARDS:

Good things come in small packages, as Cowboy Blob found in his Christmas stocking:

And Cowboy Blob's New Year's Resolution is apparently to inundate the blogosphere with gun-and-knife photos!

Cowboy Blob also NEEDS YOUR HELP!

South Park Pundit is also running with the gun-and-knife theme:

Like some other gun bloggers, South Park Pundit has a TON of great stuff up since the last Carnival of Cordite.  I can't link it all, so start at the top and scroll down.

Hmmm... I see a pattern here... Wadcutter has a new gun and a new knife...

Random Nuclear Strikes remembers the year in guns.  And Toys in the Attic follows suit.  Warning: lots of gratuitous gun pr0n!  And Hell in a Handbasket has a round-up of some other "year in review" gun pr0n posts.

Anthroblogogy is loading up for his Garand:

Another alert e-mailer got me interested in an excellent bulletin board called The Firing Line.  Check it out if you haven't already.  There's areas for discussion of just about any gun-related topic you can imagine.

Uncle is continuing with his series on building an AK.  While I'm at it, he asked if I wouldn't mind putting in a plug for some friends of his at UltiMAK.  OK, here it is!

You can read what Uncle has to say about them here.  He doesn't just talk them up, he uses their stuff!

Michael Bane has the Gun of the Year:

The Taurus Gaucho shares the legendary handling of a Colt Single Action Army, the accuracy and trigger pull of a custom tuned gun and the production values and quality of a 21st Century gunmaker with a breathtakingly reasonable price tag.

And for those of you who prefer a more modern-style handgun, don't miss your chance to win a new SIG 226R!

While you are busy deciding which style of handgun suits you, read this post on the definition of firepower.  Then read this post about revolvers shooting autopistol cartridges.

Irons in the Fire took the 1903-A3 out for a spin... and resurrects a classic cartoon for his holiday message.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot loves his Eothingy:

Life with Al demonstrates the true meaning of Christmas:

But what we all really need for Christmas is a DREAD.

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That wraps us our first Carnival of Cordite for 2006!  Since so many of you have had so much content since the last Carnival, we'll hold off on blog of the week honors.  We end now with our discussion question for the week: what do you predict this new year will hold for gun owners?

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See y'all next week.  Keep your powder dry!

Comments

[Tony]

Heh, this blog is scary as HELL! Buffy next to a blown away Barney, sheesh man! Nice layout though : )

[NOTR]

Tried to trackback to the Carnival but got this weird error, "Pinging http://www.typepad.com/t/trackback/3990759...
Problem: Server said 'In an effort to combat malicious comment posting by scripts, I've enabled a feature that requires a weblog commenter to wait a short amount of time before being able to post again. Please try to post your comment again in a short while. Thanks for your patience.'

What's up with this?

[Kit]

A fantastic return of the CoC! Thanks as usual for all your hard work, Gully - you give me reading fodder for days!

[Brian B]

Thanks for the link. The carnical must get peoples' attention, because I didn't get my first Leftist troll until AFTER the carnical went up.

[Gullyborg]

I thought the error message on the trackback was pretty self-explanatory...

[Sebastian]

Hey man!

Thanks for mentioning my site! We're doing what we can here in MD to change our draconian CCW laws, and the local radio is picking up on our fight. We're eating the elephant, one bite at a time...

Again, thanks for the help.

[Rich In Springfield]

"Happiness, is a warrrm gunnn..."

I prefer the 1911 .45 myself!! I pack one, legally.

I showed my kids at an early age what guns were capable of doing. Both good and bad. My son was the only 100% finisher in his hunter's safety course. My daughter could care less about guns. And both are just fine to me!

Thanks for the links!

Rich