Confederate Flag Morale Patch

Rainier Arms Raptor Charging Handle - Gear Review

Rainier Arms Raptor Charging Handle - Gear Review

The Rainier Arms Raptor Charging Handle is probably one of my favorite modifications to my personal AR15 to date. I often had trouble using the the cheap stock charging handle while operating with shooting gloves, and although I am not left handed, this ambidextrous charging handle makes operation from different angles and using different fingers an absolute ease. The price point is a little steep compared to some other products out there, at around $80 it definitely is one of the more expensive options out there, however, I would recommend taking the plunge on this item 100% as it instantly improves your ability to manipulate your rifles bolt carrier group which can decrease your time making your rifle ready to fire, as well as reducing time spent clearing malfunctions. 

It is very sturdy and seems like it could withstand a beating. I love the look of the latch, since its the same on both sides, making it fully ambidextrous. In fact, if you play Call of Duty - Black Ops 2, this same charging handle seems to be on one of the Assault Rifles, the M27. This is the perfect size in my opinion. It's not too big, but not too small either.

5/5 - Definite Buy

Gun Manufacture's Act of Defiance Ahead of Magazine Ban in Colorado

Gun Manufacture's Act of Defiance Ahead of Magazine Ban in Colorado

It will be illegal to purchase, manufacture or sell magazines that hold more than 15 rounds of ammunition in the state of Colorado come Monday. Recently-passed gun control measures have Second Amendment supporters angry while several gun manufacturers are fleeing the state.

One of the companies getting out of Colorado is Magpul Industries — but not before one final, symbolic act of defiance.

Magpul plans to give away 1,500 30-round ammunition magazines in Colorado on Saturday, just a couple days before the ban goes into effect. The magazines will be given away at a “Freedom Festival” on a first-come first-served basis. The event will be held at Infinity Park in Glendale, Colo., from 4-8 p.m., Magpul announced on its official Facebook page.

A number of gun control measures will go into effect July 1, including the magazine ban and expansive universal background checks. However, the law is not retroactive and allows gun owners to keep soon-to-be illegal high-capacity magazines if they were purchased legally before July 1.

In other words, every gun owner who gets a free 30-round magazine from Magpul is covered.

Credit: Getty Images

“Just to clarify, it seems many of the local news outlets are billing us as an ‘ammunition’ company, and saying that we will be giving out free ammo. This is incorrect…as you all know, we build magazines and accessories, and it is empty, 20 and 30 round magazines that will be for sale and also given away for the first 1500,” Magpul said in a statement.

Magpul, which claims it contributes roughly $85 million to Colorado’s economy and employs 200 people, is leaving Colorado over the new gun control measured signed into law by Gov. John Hickenlooper in response to the Sandy Hook shooting.

The company reaffirmed its plan to leave Colorado on its Facebook page on Thursday, though Magpul hasn’t announced where it plans to relocate.

source

Political Humor

N.C. Bill May Allow Guns on Campuses

N.C. bill may allow guns on campuses

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/28/4135081/nc-bill-may-allow-guns-on-campuses.html#storylink=cpy

A measure in House Bill 937 could allow concealed weapon permit holders to store firearms in locked compartments of their vehicles on college campuses and schools.

Leaders at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College oppose the bill. They say it has more potential to cause harm than to make campuses safer.

The bill passed the N.C. House 78-42 in May and, after being amended, passed the N.C. Senate 31-16 in June. The bill now has to go back to the House, where members will decide how to respond to the Senate’s changes. If the House ratifies the changes, the bill then goes to the governor to sign it into law.

Scott Ralls, head of the N.C. Community College System, said the safety of students, faculty and staff is a top priority.

“Therefore, changing our campuses from allowing no firearms to allowing even limited firearms presents concerns,” he said. “Our preference is that our community colleges not be included in this legislation.”

Carol Spalding, president of Rowan-Cabarrus, said the campus has a long record of being a safe campus and workplace.

“We continuously evaluate our policies and procedures to provide for the safety of our students, faculty and staff in accordance with current law,” she said. “We do hope that legislators will consider amendments to the currently proposed legislation that would require that weapons be stored in a concealed compartment from public view, limit the amount of ammunition and the number of weapons that can be carried, and reinforce the current state law that makes it a felony to possess firearms on a campus.”

Student Government Association President Leslie Brown considers RCCC a very safe place and said loaded, concealed guns don’t belong on college campuses.

Local representatives Carl Ford, Linda Johnson and Larry Pittman each voted for the bill, but only Pittman could be reached for comment via email. Pittman, who represents residents of Cabarrus County’s N.C. House District 82, said he supported the bill because it was improved by the Senate.

“It was originally a rather mediocre bill and still does not go as far as I would like, but it is a much stronger bill than it was originally,” he said. “… It moves us closer to the demand of our founding fathers that ‘the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.’ ”

Pittman said similar bills he drafted would have allowed college students, faculty and staff members with concealed weapons permits to carry firearms throughout campuses.

“Such a policy could have prevented, or at least reduced, the death toll in the massacre at Virginia Tech,” Pittman said. “Unfortunately, this bill will not allow them that level of self-defense, but at least they might have some chance of getting to the gun in their car and putting a stop to any event similar to the Virginia Tech massacre.

“Criminals don’t obey gun laws, anyway, so we should set our law-abiding citizens free of government interference. …”

Good guys vs. bad guys

Tim Bost, director of public safety and security at RCCC, retired in 2009 from a 34-year law enforcement career with the Rowan County Sheriff’s Office.

His preference would be to maintain the current state law, which makes it a felony to possess a firearm on a college or school campus. If the proposed bill becomes law, Bost said, he hopes the language dictates that firearms can’t be visible.

“If not, you can imagine the chaos that would cause on any college campus or school if someone walked by a parked car and saw a weapon in plain view,” he said. “But the ultimate question for campus security, or responding law enforcement officers, is ‘When the guns come out, will officers know who the good guys are and who the bad guys are?’ ”

No matter how well-intended concealed weapons permit holders are, Bost said, students and staff should never intervene in an active shooter situation, as it puts law enforcement and themselves at risk.

“Officers will likely hesitate, knowing other people may be there with weapons – and they’re not going to know who the shooter is,” Bost said. “Do not attempt to go to your car and try to retrieve a weapon. And certainly do not return to a college building with a weapon, because then you place yourself in great jeopardy from responding officers.”

A gray area

Bost, an avid supporter of gun rights, has no problem with the state’s current concealed carry law.

“I’m actually one of those who believes people have the fundamental right to carry a means to protect themselves,” he said. “I don’t have a problem with people carrying concealed weapons. I just think the school setting is a sacred place.

“Even under the … environment that we have experienced recently, with active shooters on college campuses, the campus should be free of firearms. If gun owners’ intentions will be to grab their firearm and go back to the classroom, we’ll have a real problem.”

If the General Assembly wants to enhance security at schools and college campuses, he said, they should provide funding for electronic surveillance and campus access, more emergency response equipment, communication infrastructure and more security officers.

RCCC serves 22,000 students annually. Its south campus off N.C. 73 in Concord serves roughly half that total. Larceny and theft – the majority involving vehicle break-ins – made up roughly 42 percent of crimes in 2012 on RCCC’s Cabarrus County campuses. Harassment and stalking, hit-and-run with a motor vehicle, vandalism, simple assault and disorderly conduct were the next most frequent crimes.

Bost said potential thieves, who could overhear talk of a gun in a car, also could be more likely to break into cars if the bill becomes law.

“People who own firearms are very proud of their weapons – and I’m one of them – and they like to show them off,” he said. “It’s inevitable that’s going to occur in a college parking lot, and when that occurs and someone sees that, it’s going to trigger a 911 response.

“You’re going to roll basically everything you have into an emergency response. You’re going to lock a college down. You’re going to cancel classes. And you have to ask yourself, ‘Is it really worth all that to allow someone to carry a weapon on campus, locked in their car?’ ”

source

Read more here: http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/06/28/4135081/nc-bill-may-allow-guns-on-campuses.html#storylink=cpy

Condor Rip-Away EMT Pouch MA41 - Gear Review

Condor Rip-Away EMT pouch MA41 - Gear Review

The Condor Rip-Away EMT Pouch is one of the newest additions to my active shooter or rifle patrol vest (which is separate to my daily outer patrol vest) The pouch s great, high quality construction from Condor and ample space for all the EMT supplies you could possibly need on a vest of this type, it truly shows that you don't need to spend a fortune to get quality equipment...Please watch the video provided below for the full review. 

AR500 Rifle Rated Ballistic Body Armor - Gear Review

AR500 Rifle Rated Ballistic Body Armor - Gear Review

My Review

Plates Live Fire Test

This is what I need....

Condor T&T Admin Pouch - Gear Review

Condor T&T Admin Pouch - Gear Review

The Condor T&T Admin Pouch was purchased at the extremely reasonable price of $20 delivered. I REALLY wanted to use this as the admin pouch on my active shooter patrol vest, however, the MOLLE attachment pouch is deceivingly small in its pictures and there is no way to smartly mount it on my vest without completely blocking something far more essential, my AR15 Magazines. The pouch is covered in depth in the video review, however, the specs from the manufacture website states the following; 

- Fully opens with paracord to adjust

- Internal Sleeve, Zipper Pocket, and Elastic Webbing

- External Webbing with Velcro Attachment

Purchase this Condor Admin Pouch

I would recommend this pouch with use on a MOLLE compatible backpack, or as a stand alone pouch with the possibility of using it as a pistol rug. Anyway, enjoy the pictures and video and feel free to ask any further questions. 

 ^ Blocks the safe retrieving of AR Magazines ^

This is the Red Rock Outdoor Gear Admin Pouch that will replace it...

Direct link to Red Rock Site

Tactical 5.11 Versatility Patrol Ready Bag - Gear Review (Pics & Video)

Tactical 5.11 Versatility Patrol Ready Bag - Gear Review (PICS & VIDEO)

This is another review of my 5.11 Patrol Bag, this is a great versatile patrol bag which comes at extremely competitive price, especially for something 5.11 branded. I picked up the bag from Amazon for approximately $50 delivered which again, is highly competitive for a top line brand. The bag is 600 denier nylon which is also water resistant (although never personally tested.) I've been using this bag daily for approximately 6 months, it features; outer water bottle holders, admin pouch (inner and outer) baton holder, padded back for weapon protection, and many more features that will be covered in the video review.

The 5.11 Patrol Bag is also the perfect size for most passenger seats and one can use the shoulder strap to secure the bag to the passenger seat. The contents of this bag are used purely for work patrol purposes, so I carry no extra ammo or tactical equipment in it, all of that is featured on my patrol vest and active shooter vest.

The main drawback of this bag, in my opinion, is the lack of specific pouches for a flashlight and collapsible baton which can be found on Hatch Patrol Bag. This makes holding sensitive items such as this more secure and easy to locate rather then digging around the main section of the bag trying to locate items such as this.

5.11 Patrol Bag Review - Citizen Gunner

Black Ops

Police Officers and Active Shooters

Can your traffic vest be more important than your bulletproof vest during an active shooter?

During an active shooter training scenario (See end of article for the scenario) one point became pretty clear. Cops are probably going to shoot cops. During our realistic scenario almost everyone shot another uniformed officer.

The fact is cops are ramped up and speed to shoot instinctively becomes the most important issue for them. To increase speed, shortcuts are made by officers and one is obviously target identification.

Part of the problem comes from the traditional methods of training. We drill officers to watch the hands and then identify bad guys during scenarios by putting weapons in their hands. We have neglected to teach looking at the whole person first. This causes friendly fire incidents when speed is paramount and all the good guys have weapons in their hands too.

Beliefs vs. Reality

During training we take for granted that we will identify the other police officers because:

Belief: They are wearing uniforms
Reality: In practice uniforms didn’t do much. They are a plain color without immediately apparent police identification on the back or sides. The front isn’t much better. The shiny badge and buttons are small details and are not immediate apparent in your peripheral vision or upon a quick glance. The polo shirt or BDU shirt uniforms were more effective during scenarios because they had “POLICE” in big type on the front and back.

Belief: Other officers are our friends; we know what they look like.
Reality: During active shooters every cop in town drops what they are doing and rushes to the scene. That will include detectives, undercovers, off-duty officers, and officers from other agencies.

If the active shooter happens in a school or mall there will also be SROs or security officers involved. When is the last time you did anything with the local SRO? Most young patrol officers don’t recognize any of them.

Belief: We are moving as a group and not getting separated.
Reality: Cops will be entering the building from different locations and at different times. There will be multiple officers separately searching for the shooter.

Belief: Officers will coordinate their locations, efforts, and intentions by radio, yelling to each other, and using hand signals.
Reality: With fire alarms going off, the physiological effect of auditory exclusion, gunfire, etc. the ability to communicate will be severely hampered. Radio communications can be questionable because there is too much information pouring into a single channel.

The fog of war will be in full effect during this incident so we need to plan for it.

Solution: Use a traffic vest

A simple solution for these problems appears to be wearing your traffic vest when you go in. It is instantly recognizable from all angles.

Additionally, many officers have already done training repetitions not shooting officers wearing traffic vests during Force on Force training because the instructors wear them to identify themselves as off limits. Whether officers realized it or not they were getting training repetitions of not shooting people wearing traffic vests. (See article by Betsy Brantner Smith about this topic.)

The obvious disadvantage for wearing a traffic vest is that officers are more identifiable for the suspect. But the suspect is shooting everything that moves anyway. Looking like a walking traffic cone may actually surprise him and give an officer the half second he or she needs to get shots on target before the suspect reacts.

Update: A new product called DSM safety banners is another solution to this issue. Check out Frank Borelli’s review of them or go to DSM’s website. (Hat tip to Bill Lewis of Tactical Debriefs)

Final Thoughts

I think in the initial phase of an active shooter, the benefits of wearing the traffic vest outweigh the negatives. When things stabilize because the shooter has stopped, is contained, and officers on scene have begun coordinating their efforts effectively you can lose the vest. But in the beginning, it appears as important as your bulletproof vest so wear them both.

source

World War Z - MOVIE REVIEW

World War Z - MOVIE REVIEW

Those of you looking to fulfill your wildest Zombie Apocalypse fantasy and get a semi at the movie theater, look further. While World War Z was a highly anticipated apocalypse style movie, I believe it fell short of the mark in that sense. Before you write it off, let me elaborate. World War Z is a very well put together movie, however, I would class it as more of a "sci-fi" style movie then an action or thriller, as the majority of the movie follows Brad Pitt, who we never actually find out what his job is, but plays the world saving scientist geek who also has near perfect shooting and plane crash survival skills.

Either way, of course the movie has a happy ending, I was simply disappointed about the lack of "zombie apocalypse survival" coverage, especially the way doomsday preppers have evolved in current times. I will post videos to World War Z & Doomsday Preppers below...

The Verdict: See it at a matinee or wait for redbox...

6/10 

Special Operations Patrol

The Marauder - Toughest Vehicle Available? You Decide (VIDEO)

Insurance Company Pulls Coverage to Schools with Armed Teachers

Already, President Obama has made curbing gun rights a legislative priority, and his administration has limited the rights of certain veterans, people with various medical diagnoses and users of marijuana in states where possession is legal.

In yet another challenge to the Second Amendment, an insurance company has refused to provide its products to schools that want to protect students by arming teachers or staff members.

Now, the EMC Insurance Cos., which insures many Kansas schools, has announced it will not cover any school in which certain defensive measures are taken to protect students, such as teachers carrying concealed weapons.

“We understand that the school districts have every right to decide which way they want to go,” a company vice president in Wichita told the Topeka Capital-Journal.

“But we have to make the decision based on what we perceive to be our best financial interest.”

A new state law allows teachers and other workers to carry guns on school grounds under some circumstances. Previously, only police officers were allowed to be armed.

It all comes in the wake of the Sandy Hook school shooting last fall in which a troubled gunman shot and killed 20 children. The tragedy has been used by the Obama administration to push for more gun bans, while Second Amendment advocates point out that nothing has changed. Schools where guns are banned become instant killing zones when a deranged person attacks, they argue.

EMC, which insures about 90 percent of the state’s 286 school districts, has issued a letter to its agents explaining that teachers carrying concealed weapons won’t be allowed by the company.

The letter is available on the Capital-Journal’s website.

Read more

Ar-15 Barbie

Zombie Gear

NEW PRODUCT - ITS Limited Edition Uncle Sam Morale Patch

Very cool morale patch released by ITS Tactical Supply, a combination of their logo mixed with the Uncle Sam Icon we all know and features hook and loop backing. Free America.....

ITS Tactical Purchase Page

Body Armor Protection Levels Explained

Certification of Body Armor

The National Institute of Justice has a rating system for body armor.  As you add layers of a ballistic fiber, such as Aramid fiber, you add protection.
Vests are tested not just for stopping penetration, but also for blunt trauma protection – the blow suffered by the body from the bullet's impact on the vest. Blunt trauma is measured by the dent suffered by a soft clay backstop to the vest – a maximum of 1.7" (44 mm) is allowed.
NOTE: The standard NIJ test rounds are listed below – tested vests stop many other comparable rounds, and lesser threats.

NIJ 0101.05 Standard

Level	Tested for:	Comment
II-A	9 mm FMJ (Full Metal Jacket) at ~1,090 fps (332 mps) .40 S&W Full Metal Jacket at 1,025 fps (312 mps)	Minimum Recommended... ...for the vast majority of threats encountered on the street, though you would sustain more blunt trauma injury than Level II or III-A. The thinnest and best for concealability and comfort. Level II-A has fallen out of favor, so generally a special order item now.
II	9 mm FMJ, at ~1,175 fps (~358 mps) .357 JSP at ~ 1,400 fps (~427 mps).	A great balance... ...between blunt trauma protection, versus cost, and thickness / comfort / concealability. Handles the blunt trauma of higher velocity +P rounds better. What we recommend most often for concealable wear.
III-A	9 mm FMJ at ~1,400 fps (~427 mps) .44 Magnum Semi-Jacketed Hollow Point at ~1,400 fps (~427 mps).	The highest blunt trauma protectionrating in soft body armor. The best for very high-risk situations to cover more of the uncommon or unusual threats. Minimizes blunt trauma injury to allow more effective return fire.

It is important to know that Level II-A, II and III-A all stop the overwhelming majority of pistol projectiles you are ever likely to encounter (plus 12 gauge, OO buckshot), and also to know that NO armor is ever 100% ‘bulletproof’ under ALL conceivable circumstances.
However, these ratings often have a safety margin for penetration because blunt trauma is usually the limiting factor in certification. For example, Level II body armor would likely stop the III-A test standard, (9 mm submachine gun at 1400 fps) from actually PENETRATING through the Level II vest. But, the Level II vest would fail on blunt trauma impact (the NIJ deems any dent greater than ~1.7" (~44 mm.) on the soft clay test surface, a FAIL).
So, the advantage in increasing protection Levels from II-A, to II, to III-A, is NOT so much protection from PENETRATION of pistol fire, but a significant reduction in the blunt trauma received.

source

Maritime Anti-Pirate Security

Pistol-Packing Grandma Starts Neighborhood ‘Glock Block’

Pistol-Packing Grandma Starts Neighborhood ‘Glock Block’ 

A grandmother  in Milwaukie, Ore., is organizing a “Glock Block,” a pistol-packing group of neighbors that she said she hopes will help deter crime in her community.

Coy Tolonen, 65, said the idea came to her last Thursday after she tried and failed to chase down a thief who ran away with her beloved bronze yard statue.

Later that evening, the grandmother of three said she realized a door to her home had been jimmied open, possibly by the same man she said stole her statue.

“It just made my blood run cold because our grandkids are playing here a lot, and one of them could have been snatched just as easily as the statue,” she told ABCNews.com.

“These guys need to know if you’re going to pick on a little old lady, then lots of the ladies I know are packing [guns]. They’re sweet ladies but if it’s their life, I’m sorry you’re going to lose yours,” Tolonen said.

The breast cancer survivor said she wasn’t going to let anything jeopardize the safety of her or her family in their home, and so the “Glock Block” idea was born.

Tolonen began printing flyers for her neighbors to hang in their windows, with a picture of a gun and the warning: “This is a Glock Block. We don’t call 911.” She said so far more than a dozen neighbors have shown interest.

“We don’t want people to feel bad if they don’t want to post one. We respect their rights too,” Tolonen said.  ”I just want criminals to think twice. I want my grandkids to be able to play in the yard. It’s time that we step up.”

Tolonen, who said  many of her friends have guns, is in the process of getting her concealed carry permit and said she’s a staunch advocate for firearms safety among her group.

While Tolonen said her unincorporated town of 20,000 has a community group that has addressed crime in the past, she’s hoping to hold regular meetings with the people in her neighborhood, possibly even at the firing range.

“It’s time for us to get together,” she said.

A spokesman for the  Clackamas County Sheriff’s Office, which serves Milwaukie, said that while it’s within the rights of Tolonen and her neighbors to start the “Glock Block,” guns can become dangerous when they are in the hands of someone without  enough training and experience.

“What we’re really talking about here is property crime ,” Sgt. Robert  Wurpes told ABCNews.com. “We don’t think firearms are the answer to this problem. However, we do understand gun ownership is a right.”

Wurpes said he and his fellow officers have been on plenty of calls in property crime cases and many times have realized victims hadn’t been communicating with their neighbors or hadn’t even met them.

“Get to know your neighbors,” Wurpes said.

“We understand that it’s frustrating when people get things stolen or are victims of crimes,” he said. “Our concerns come into play when guns are involved because they’re dangerous. ”

source

Magpul Releases 40 Round PMag

Magpul is now shipping its heavy-duty next-gen 40-round PMAG for the 5.56×45 NATO (.223 Rem), compatible with AR-15/M4 weapon systems. Along with expanded feature set and compatibility, the GEN M3 incorporates new material technology and manufacturing processes for enhanced strength, durability, and reliability to exceed rigorous military performance specifications.

Modified internal and external geometry also permits operation with a wide range of non Colt-spec platforms such as the HK 416 and MR556A1, M27 IAR, British SA-80, FN SCAR MK 16/16S, and others. A redesigned bolt catch notch in the rear of the magazine provides increased bolt catch clearance, while an over-travel stop on the spine helps ensure the magazine will not over-insert on compatible weapons.

Similar to the MOE PMAG, the GEN M3 features a long-life stainless steel spring, four-way anti-tilt follower and constant-curve internal geometry for reliable feeding, and simple tool-less disassembly to ease cleaning. In addition, an included pop-off Impact/Dust Cover can optionally be used to minimize debris intrusion and protect against potential damage during storage and transit. Low profile ribs and new aggressive front and rear texture gives positive control of the GEN M3 in all environments, and a paint pen dot matrix has been added to the bottom panel of the body to allow easy marking by the end user for identification. The new, easy to disassemble flared floorplate aids extraction and handling of the magazine while providing improved drop protection, but is slightly slimmer than before for better compatibility with tight double and triple magazine pouches.

source

Crimson Trace Assists Shooters in Defensive Situations

What makes this 3-Gun event so unique? The entire shooting competition will take place at night, in complete darkness. The opening shots will be fired after the sun sinks on August 16 2013 and continue into the wee hours of the morning.

Crimson Trace, the leading brand of laser sights and tactical lighting products for firearms, will again host the world’s premier 3-Gun competition—the 2nd Annual Midnight 3-Gun Invitational (M3Gi).

This unequaled night shooting competition will take place outside of Bend, Oregon in the high desert in mid-August.

The shooting competition continues the next night, and while the competitors race the clock for best times, they could also be racing the sun. The competition must close before sunup. Some of the top 3-gunners in the nation, such as Smith &Wesson Team Member Jerry Miculek, are registered and scheduled to compete.

How will the competitors conquer the darkness? Through the use of laser equipped firearms along with thermal imaging and night vision equipment. No hand-held flashlights are allowed as the world-class shooters work through nine complex shooting lanes that offer unique challenges—as the clock continues to tick. Multiple firearms will be used to meet the shooting contests.

The list of M3Gi sponsors backing and attending the competition include: Leupold & Stevens, FLIR, Nosler,Danner/LaCrosse, Primary Weapons Systems, Colt Competition, Warne Scope Mounts, Leatherman, Rubber City Armory, GemTech, Optics Planet, FNH, Brownell’s, Daniel Defense, Remington, MGM Targets, and Otis Technology. The competing shooters will be arriving from across America and will be joined by more than 30 media members.

With the support from sponsors and Crimson Trace, the total cash purse is $6,000. If the winning shooter uses Crimson Trace lasers and/or lighting systems on the firearms during the competition, the cash prize jumps to a whopping $10,000. A prize table will also include firearms and a long list of shooting gear.

All invited shooters are receiving final registration packets and additional details this week. Media members—representing many of the nation’s top firearms, hunting and tactical publications—are scheduled to arrive early in the event to pre-test the competition lanes, meet with sponsors and test Crimson Trace gear in the deep darkness.

Patrol Vest with Patrol Rifle

ICE Field Operations Tactical Load

White House cites progress on gun control

In a report issued Tuesday, the administration has "completed or made significant progress" on 21 of 23 executive actions that Obama outlined Jan. 16 as part of a major gun-control initiative.

The White House says President Obama is close to completing a series of executive actions to address gun violence, but they are not a substitute for congressional legislation.

"But Congress must also act," the report says. "Passing common-sense gun safety legislation, including expanding background checks and making gun trafficking a federal crime, remains the single most important step we could take to reduce gun violence."

With Obama in Northern Ireland for the G-8 summit, Vice President Biden will discuss the report in a speech Tuesday afternoon.

The Senate blocked a background check bill in April, thanks mostly to the votes of Republicans. Obama administration officials and Senate Democrats are trying to revive the bill by pressuring senators who voted against it to reconsider.

Gun-control opponents say the proposals are ineffective, and undermine the Second Amendment rights to gun ownership.

The Obama administration began pushing for new gun legislation after the Dec. 14 shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn., that killed 20 students and six educators.

The new White House report listed the executive actions on guns taken by the administration.

Among them: Ending a freeze on federal research into the causes of gun violence, reducing barriers that prevent states from submitting certain records to the existing background check system, and easing the ways in which federal law enforcement agencies can trace guns recovered in investigations.

The report did not mention two other legislative proposals backed by gun-control supporters: A new ban on assault weapons, and restrictions on the size of ammunition magazines. Neither proposal has sufficient support in Congress as of yet.

The White House report says the president's executive actions are designed to address several goals, including improvements to the existing background check system, law enforcement, and school safety, as well as promote responsible gun ownership.

Gear Set Up Tips for Plate Carriers

Just saw this highly recommended video from the guys over at Defend University - Props to them on this

NRA T-Shirt Gets 14 Year Old Arrested

Suspended and arrested after refusing to change his NRA shirt. Today, 14-year-old Jared Marcum appeared before a judge and was officially charged with obstructing an officer.

A $500 fine and up to a year in jail, that's the penalty that Jared could face, now that a judge has allowed the prosecution to move forward with it's obstructing an officer charge against him.

"Me, I'm more of a fighter and so is Jared and eventually we're going to get through this," Jared's father Allen Lardieri said.  "I don't think it should have ever gotten this far."

The Logan County Police Department initially claimed that the at-the-time 8th grade Logan Middle School student was arrested for disturbing the education process, obstructing an officer and Lardieri says that officers even went as far as threatening to charge Jared with making terroristic threats.

"In my view of the facts, Jared didn't do anything wrong," Ben White, Jared's attorney said.  "I think officer Adkins could have done something differently."

Prosecuting attorney Michael White refused to respond to any questions, as did Logan Police.

We obtained official court documents from both sides of this case.  On one hand, the arresting officer from the Logan City Police Department, James Adkins, claims that when Jared refused to stop talking, that hindered his ability to do his job, hence, the obstruction charge.  On the other side, Ben White points out that nowhere in the arresting officer's petition, does it mention Jared ever making any threats or acting in a violent manner. 

"Every aspect of this is just totally wrong," Lardieri said.  "He has no background of anything criminal, up until now and it just seems like nobody wants to admit they're wrong."

Ben White says he will continue working to have the charges against Jared dismissed.  If that doesn't happen in the coming weeks, Jared will be back in court on July 11th.

source

California Passes Ammo Tax & More Magazine Restrictions...

The State of California has once again gone off the deep end, and has approved a whole range of new gun control bills that will make it even harder on law abiding citizens to own a gun in California.

The California Senate approved a package of bills this week that goes directly after law-abiding gun owners. The bills make the state’s already draconian gun laws even more ridiculous, by outlawing detachable and large-capacity magazines (which they define as anything over 10 rounds), tracking anyone who buys ammunition and reporting orders over 3,000 rounds, imposing large fees for those who do buy ammo, and expanding the category of offenders prohibited from owning guns for 10 years.

One of the most controversial bills will require the State’s residents to submit personal information and a $50 fee anytime they want to purchase ammunition. The State will then determine whether the buyer will be allowed to purchase the ammunition, which means  depending on how the background checks come back, the same day purchase of ammunition in California may be a thing of the past.

The California Senate also OK’d a bill that will outlaw the sale, purchase and manufacture of semiautomatic rifles that can accommodate detachable magazines. It also requires that anyone who currently owns one of these weapons, immediately register it with the State.

Guilty until Proven Innocent

This is nothing more than targeting and criminalizing law-abiding gun owners. In no way do any of these laws make it harder for a criminal to acquire ammunition, since most do so through illegal channels to begin with. All these bills will do, is send criminals over the California border, ensuring a larger black market of guns and ammunition to stream into California.

Attorney General Approves Mandated Bullet Stamping That Will Effectively Ban All New Guns

Earlier this week, California Attorney General Kamala Harris officially certified a law that will require all new semiautomatic handguns to use technology that stamps identifying information on bullet casings. Since gun manufacturers are not likely to spend money retrofitting their entire production lines, California has effectively banned the sale of all new guns.

Here are the provisions that have been approved by the California State Senate.

• The state Department of Justice must notify local law enforcement agencies when a person purchases more than 3,000 rounds of ammunition.
• SB 47 by Sen. Leland Yee, D-San Francisco, bans so-called “bullet buttons” that are used to get around current laws banning detachable magazines.
• SB 53 by Sen. Kevin de León, D-Los Angeles, to create new state permits that require background checks for buyers of ammunition. Buyers will also have to submit to a $50 permit fee to buy Ammo.
• An additional 10 percent tax on all ammunition sold in California
• SB 374 by Steinberg, D-Sacramento, to ban detachable magazines in rifles. (Yep, even a Ruger 10/22 will be considered an illegal assault weapon)
• SB 396 by Sen. Loni Hancock, D-Berkeley, to prohibit possession of magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition.
• SB 567 by Sen. Hannah-Beth Jackson, D-Santa Barbara, to change the definition of certain kinds of shotguns to make them assault weapons, thus making them illegal in California.
• SB 683 by Sen. Marty Block, D-San Diego, to require all gun buyers to take a firearm safety class and earn a safety certificate.
• SB 755 by Sen. Lois Wolk, D-Davis, to increase the number of crimes – including offenses related to drug addiction,  alcoholism and others – that result in a 10-year ban on being allowed to own a gun.

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Reality Check for the “Only Cops Need Guns” Crowd

Why You Should NOT Count on the Cops to Save You - The Ugly Truth About Law Enforcement Officer to Citizen Ratios

There are those who say only the cops should have guns.  To them, the idea of individual citizens owning guns is frightening.  They cannot fathom why any normal person would want to own one of those “death machines” that only “belong on the battlefields”.  Those anti-gun people feel the way they do because they have bought into the lie that has been fed them for so long, the lie told by those in positions of authority that do not want an armed population, the lie that says “the cops will be there to protect you, you do not need guns.”   To the gun control advocates, to the people who think that no citizens should own guns, or at least no semi-auto guns, to the people who place their safety and the safety of their family solely in the hands of law enforcement, to you I say: You have MUCH more faith in law enforcement than I do, and I am a law enforcement officer.

Before anyone gets upset, that is not meant as a disparaging remark directed at law enforcement. Despite what the media and some others would have you believe, cops as a whole are good people and they really do care about what happens to most of the population (criminals pretty much excluded).

We’ve all heard the saying, “When seconds count, the cops are only minutes away”.  Well sadly, it really is just that simple.  Let me explain to you my lack of faith in their ability to save me when seconds count. My lack of faith is based on staffing numbers, crime statistics, and as Bill Clinton likes to say, “Arithmetic”.

For a broad, well known example, I will use a large city that we are all familiar with. One with a HUGE police force, and one in which the mayor is notably VERY anti-gun, New York City. The NYPD is one of the largest police organizations in the United States. I just checked their official website and according to that, the NYPD currently has approximately 34,500 cops. That is a huge number by any stretch of the imagination. BUT, let’s put that number in perspective. According to the most recent available census data (2011), NYC is 468 square miles and has a population of 8,244,910 people. Now for some arithmetic: 8,244,910 / 34,500 = 239 citizens per cop. That is a phenomenal cop to citizen ratio. I honestly have never seen any agency with such a good ratio. I have tried to look at the NYPD’s divisional/staffing breakdown to figure out how many of those cops are actually street cops, and not administrators, detectives, property personnel, trainers, etcetera, but I cannot find those types of numbers anywhere.

For a specific example, I will look at an agency I am quite familiar with, but cannot name. Said agency serves a large metropolitan city with an equal distribution of urban development and rural area, covering 836 square miles. In that 836 square mile area, the population as of 2010 was 618,962. That population is served by a law enforcement agency that has 2017 total number of sworn cops. Taking that total number of cops, let’s do some math: 618,962 / 2017 = 306.8 citizens per cop. Not bad, not NYPD, but not bad. But now lets break that down to the real numbers.

Of those 2017, many work in the jails (far more work in corrections than any other area), the courts, the airport, administrative jobs and other various details. The actual number of cops assigned to patrol duties, the people that respond to calls for service, is a whopping 291. Here comes that old arithmetic again: 618,962 / 291 = 2127 citizens per cop. That’s right, 2127 people for every street cop employed. Now, let’s dissect that even further. Those 291 street cops work 4 days a week, and are split up amongst 5 overlapping shifts. At any time of the day, at least 2 of those shifts are on the street. For mathematical simplicity, I am going to split the number of cops evenly amongst the shifts: 291 / 5 = 58.2 cops. Ok, now take that number and divide by 1.75 (since they work 4 out of 7 days a week): 58.2 / 1.75 = 33.25 cops. Mathematically speaking, at any time of the day, the entire population of this large area is being policed by 33.25 deputies. What does that number work out to now? 618,962 / 33.25 = 18,615 citizens per working street cop.

Let me say again, that is 18,615 people per every working street cop. I can only imagine if we were to examine the NYPD, at least two thirds of their sworn personnel are assigned to duties other than patrol and do not respond to calls for service. National average for citizen/cop ratios is somewhere near 1000 citizens to 1.5 cops, but please remember, those statistics are pure numbers or cops, not the ones working and responding to calls.

Make you feel all safe, warm and cozy inside? Still insist that the cops are better able to protect you and your family than you are?

Let’s look at response times, should you actually have the time to make that 911 call, and actually get the chance to speak to the call taker, and have enough time to explain what is happening to you. The only stats I could find are for the other local agency of similar size and makeup as the one I examined above. The difference is, they have a much smaller area of responsibility (99.2 square miles). Their average response time, from the time the 911 call is answered until a cop was at the scene, was 7 minutes for the highest priority calls. That does not sound like a long time, right? Want to know how long 7 minutes is? Sit in a chair and start a timer. Imagine yourself fighting for your life during that entire time, knowing that at the best, the cops might be there when that timer rings. Now imagine yourself having been armed with your choice of firearm. Statistically, most of the time they are used in self-defense, they are merely displayed scaring off the attacker. Imagine yourself in the other situation, and this person is so intent on attacking you, the sight of a gun does not dissuade them. Do you want that person having their way with you for 7 minutes while you wait for the cops to respond?

I cannot answer those questions for you; I can only tell you that I will always be armed to be better able to protect myself, my family, and anyone else who may need my protection. If you honestly believe that you are not capable or responsible enough to shoulder the burden of arming yourself, then I commend you for being honest, but I ask that you not project your personal decision onto others who are willing and able to do so. That other person may just be the one there to save your bacon one day when you need them.

The next time someone tells you that the cops are the only people that should have guns, feel free to give them an arithmetic lesson!

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