Now Is the Time?: Do you hear the drumbeat? The growing clamor from those who hate the Second Amendment and think your rights are what's wrong? It's unmistakable, undeniable, and growing louder as anti-gun politicians and media elites are chumming the waters to try and gain support for every gun-control scheme they can imagine. Gun bans, national registration and licensing, ammunition bans and taxes. The list keeps growing. Now comes New York Congresswoman Carolyn McCarthy ... one of the most anti-gun politicians in the country ... vowing to introduce a stream of gun-control bills within weeks... http://www.nranews.com/blogarticle.aspx?blogPostId=515 --- The Beat Goes On: Gun shops across the country are reporting a run on ammunition, a phenomenon apparently driven by fear that the Obama administration will increase taxes on bullets or enact new gun-control measures. "In the last two months it's gotten very, very difficult to find ammunition," says Richard Taylor, manager of The Firing Line, a gun shop and shooting range in the Denver, Colorado, suburbs... Two weeks ago, The Firing Line was forced to impose a four-box-per-customer limit on ammo. Before that, the shop was selling 10,000 rounds of 9 mm handgun ammunition a day. Some calibers of ammunition have been unavailable for months. "Currently no .380 ammunition - I haven't seen any for about four months ... .38 special, it's been at least a couple of months," Taylor says. "It's just that there's been a huge demand and it's far outweighed supply right now." ... Ammunition manufacturers have been scrambling to keep up with demand. A message from Steve Hornady, president of Hornady Ammunition, on the company's Web site reads: "Here at Hornady Manufacturing we are breaking our own production records in an attempt to keep up with customer demand. We have added extra shifts, machinery and we are also in the process of expanding our manufacturing plant." Winchester Ammunition posted a similar statement... http://www.cnn.com/2009/US/05/04/ammo.shortage/index.html?iref=mpstoryview Ammunition is in short supply at area gun stores, and even some law enforcement agencies are having a hard time getting what they need for training. And the biggest reason, some local gun dealers say, is fear. They attribute the shortage to panic buying because of legislation being considered in Sacramento and Washington that would affect ammunition sales and manufacturing. They also point to the demand for bullets by U.S. forces in the Middle East. Longtime Fresno gun dealer Bill Mayfield said he has trouble finding the most popular handgun calibers, such as 9 mm, .40 caliber, .45 caliber and .38 caliber. In fact, his supply of .380-caliber handgun ammunition was so low that Mayfield recently bought three boxes from a customer who said he didn't need them... http://www.fresnobee.com/local/story/1378790.html Friday, I talked about the record increase in gun sales which has lead to financial advisers recommending investing in companies manufacturing firearms and firearms accessories. There are many factors contributing to these record sales, including current gun owners stocking up on guns and ammunition out of fears of shortages or new gun bans. However, a significant portion of those sales are going to new gun owners, people who previously hadn't given much thought to owning a gun. The continuing decline of the economy leads not only to fears that desperation will cause crime levels to increase, but also to a decrease in police protection from financially strapped cities and towns... http://www.examiner.com/x-2206-Cleveland-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m5d4-Necessity-for-protection-creating-new-gun-owners Concealed firearm permits are a hot item in Utah these days. So much so, that the state agency in charge of issuing those permits is behind to the point of technically breaking the law. State law says concealed firearm permits have to be issued within 60 days. It's taking at least 70 days right now. Since November, more people have become interested in exercising their right to carry a concealed weapon and the number of applications has skyrocketed. That interest is swamping the Utah Bureau of Criminal Identification (BCI). This month, the agency is adding six full-time employees just to process gun permits. An avalanche of applications is overwhelming them. "We're doing the best that we can with the staff that we have available, and we just don't seem to be able to catch up," said Utah BCI Chief Janet Erickson. http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=6374251 --- Not Exactly: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin was bashed for her pricey wardrobe, but now she's getting a lethal accessory. The National Rifle Association Foundation will present Sen. John McCain's ill-fated running mate with a military-style assault weapon next week. The all-white "Alaskan Hunter" - fashionable until Labor Day - is the civilian version of a modified M-4 rifle carried by U.S. troops overseas. The rifle is chambered in .50-caliber "Beowulf." It's the same caliber used by heavy machine guns, which can take down big game, and in war zones "can disable both motor vehicles and assailants with body armor," according to ammo manufacturer Alexander Arms' Web site... (No, boys and girls, the .50 BMG cannot be chambered on an AR-15/M4 platform. The .50 Beowulf is a specialty round, reportedly developed for the US Coast Guard for breeching. It apparently sees limited duty overseas, particularly at vehicle checkpoints.) http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/05/04/2009-05-04_aww_shoot_nra_makes_palin_top_gun.html#ixzz0Ed70SNJX&B --- Olofson Conviction Upheld: David R. Olofson's conviction "for knowingly transferring a machinegun in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(o)" has been upheld... Earlier today I reported on my WarOnGuns blog that exclusion of expert witness Len Savage from the courtroom during testimony by his government counterpart was held to be "not an abuse of discretion." The Wisconsin Law Journal case digest can be read here. Olofson's legal options at this point appear to be to request the Seventh Circuit Court to hear the case en banc, to petition the Supreme Court, or to accept the decision. A relief fund has been established to fund his legal costs by Gun Owners of America... For those unfamiliar with the case, see the additional information at the bottom of this post. In short, Olofson had a semiautomatic rifle that could misfire if certain ammunition was used. It was determined that even though it was a malfunction, it legally met the definition of a machine gun. http://www.examiner.com/x-1417-Gun-Rights-Examiner~y2009m5d4-Olofson-Machine-Gun-Transfer-Conviction-Upheld http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=97116 --- Interesting Ruling for Massachusetts: The Supreme Judicial Court ruled today that illegal gun possession is a "passive and victimless crime'' and those charged with having illicit firearms cannot be held without bail as dangers to society. In a 4-to-1 ruling, the state's highest court rejected the law enforcement strategy of Bristol County District Attorney C. Samuel Sutter to cut down on gun violence by seeking pre-trial detention for every person charged with illegal gun possession in his jurisdiction, which includes New Bedford. Writing for the majority, Justice Francis X. Spina said a law known as 58A does not include illegal gun possession on the list of criminal charges that qualify for a dangerousness hearing. The court also rejected Sutter's argument that a catch-all phrase included in the statute gave him the legal authority to demand dangerousness hearings for dozens of criminal defendants in the past several years... http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/05/split_sjc_calls.html --- Oregon Moves toward CCW Confidentiality: Concealed handgun licenses would be exempt from Oregon's public records law under a bill passed Monday by the Oregon House, making it much more difficult to find out who is getting the permits. Citing privacy and safety concerns, lawmakers said people who apply for and receive permits to carry a concealed weapon should be assured that their names, addresses and other personal information won't be made public... Under current law, concealed handgun licenses, like all state licenses, are considered public information. Sheriffs in some counties, however, have balked at releasing the records, usually after a request by a newspaper... he bill now goes to the Senate. http://www.oregonlive.com/politics/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/124148311272320.xml&coll=7 --- Liquor Laws and the NRA Convention: Phoenix Convention Center officials asked the state to temporarily suspend part of its liquor license so that gun enthusiasts can tote weapons at next week's National Rifle Association convention. The NRA will start its three-day national convention in Phoenix on May 15. The event is expected to draw as many as 50,000 people. In Arizona, people can't carry weapons where alcohol is served. If the center did not suspend its license, gun owners would not be able to bring weapons into the convention center complex. NRA plans to hold a gun expo in the convention center's 300,000-square-foot lower level. "It is unusual to suspend part of a license, and it's even more unusual to do it for a weapons event," said Lee Hill, spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control. Alcohol won't be served on most of the center's 26-acre campus during the convention. The only exceptions will be three areas where the NRA plans to hold receptions, said Mark Wallace, assistant general manager for Aventura, the catering company that handles food service at the convention center. During those events, the NRA will operate a gun-check area, where attendees can stow weapons until they leave the reception, Wallace said. NRA officials could not be reached for comment Monday. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/05/05/20090505nra0505.html --- Parking-Lot-Storage Bill in Arizona: A bill being considered by Arizona legislators is seen as pitting gun owners' Second Amendment rights against the private property rights of businesses and others. Backed by the National Rifle Association, the bill would permit gun owners to keep legally owned weapons in their locked, privately owned vehicles while they're parked in parking lots, garages or other parking areas of private property where the owner has a policy against allowing guns on the property. The Republican lawmaker sponsoring the bill (HB2474) said it is intended to overturn bans that deprive employees and others of their Second Amendment rights. "I was not aware that the Bill of Rights ends at private property," said Rep. John Kavanagh of Fountain Hills... http://www.tucsoncitizen.com/daily/local/115773.php House Democrats are gunning for a bill that would allow people to keep firearms in a locked car over the objections of a private-property owner. Democrats held a news conference Monday to express their opposition to House Bill 2474, which would prevent property owners, employers and businesses from prohibiting gun storage in locked vehicles parked in their lots and garages. Supporters argue the bill would provide enhanced security for people who drive in dangerous neighborhoods, as well as offer convenience to people who may be planning to hunt or shoot before or after work. But Democrats say the bill would risk workers' safety and potentially threaten homeland security, as power plants and military contractors would no longer be able to ban guns in their parking lots. "This bill, we believe, would increase the risk of workplace violence," said Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Phoenix. Property owners should have the right to determine whether to allow guns in their parking lots, said Rep. Chad Campbell, D-Phoenix. The bill is expected to come to a vote in the House on Thursday, a few days before the National Rifle Association brings about 50,000 members to Phoenix for its annual convention. http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/local/articles/2009/05/05/20090505politics-gunbill0506.html --- Utah May Also Challenge Feds on Guns: Utah's gun-rights activists in the Legislature are worriers. Their latest scheme to challenge federal authority to regulate guns is another example. It would be modeled on a law passed by the Montana Legislature which says that guns made, sold and kept within that state are exempt from federal registration, background checks and dealer-licensing rules. The legal theory behind the law appears to be that since none of those regulations involves interstate commerce, the federal government has no authority for them. What is puzzling is why Utah gun owners would pursue this kind of novel lawmaking when Montana already has taken the lead. Let the Big Sky state pay the bills to test this legal theory in court. If Montana wins, then Utah could consider something along the same lines. But there's a larger question: Why do Utah gun owners feels threatened? It looks to us like everything is going their way... http://www.sltrib.com/opinion/ci_12293337 --- Oops, Wrong Party: Authorities said one of two gunman who stormed a party and held ten people hostage has died. The incident happened early Sunday morning at the Southern Lakes apartments on Lakemont Drive in College Park. Authorities said once the robbers barged inside the party they separated the male and female guests at gunpoint. One of the party goers fought back, shooting and killing one of the suspects. Police are searching for the second suspect who fled the scene. A woman who attended the party was also hurt. Authorities said her injuries are not life threatening. http://www.myfoxatlanta.com/dpp/news/top_stories/Gunman_Shot_Killed_in_Robbery_Attempt_050409 --- Oops, Wrong House: A resident of Detroit's east side shot and killed a suspected intruder early this morning as the 19-year-old climbed in the window of his home, Detroit Police said. The teen ran from the home in the 11300 block of Whitehill after being shot in the head and chest with the resident's handgun. He collapsed in front of his own house and died at about 3:30 a.m., according to police. At 7 a.m., Detroit Police homicide detectives were still questioning the 39-year-old resident of the home, which lies northeast of Hayes and East Outer Drive. http://www.freep.com/article/20090505/NEWS01/90505025/1003/NEWS/Police++Detroiter+kills+teen+home+intrusion+suspect --- Tangentially Related: Republicans are set to name conservative Sen. Jeff Sessions of Alabama as their point man on President Barack Obama's Supreme Court nominee, signaling that they won't shy away from a protracted fight despite risks of being cast as obstructionist. Sessions' ascension as the top Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee comes more than 20 years after the panel rejected him for his own federal judgeship during the Reagan administration over concerns that he was hostile toward civil rights and was racially insensitive. Ironically, Sessions would replace Sen. Arlen Specter of Pennsylvania, a moderate who was one of just two Republicans in 1986 to oppose Sessions as a U.S. district court judge. Specter left the GOP last week to become a Democrat, creating the vacancy atop the committee just as Justice David Souter announced his retirement. The choice of Sessions has excited conservatives who see him as a sharp lawyer with well-established legal views after a career as a prosecutor and Alabama attorney general... http://www.newsmax.com/insidecover/jeff_sessions_high_court/2009/05/05/210667.html ...That President Obama has made "empathy" with certain groups one of his criteria for choosing a Supreme Court nominee is a dangerous sign of how much further the Supreme Court may be pushed away from the rule of law and toward even more arbitrary judicial edicts to advance the agenda of the left and set it in legal concrete, immune from the democratic process. ...Some people say that who Barack Obama appoints to replace Justice Souter doesn't really matter, because Souter is a liberal who will probably be replaced by another liberal. But, if no one sounds the alarm now, we can end up with a series of appointees with "empathy"- which is to say, with justices who think their job is to "relieve the distress" of particular groups, rather than to uphold the Constitution of the United States. http://townhall.com/columnists/ThomasSowell/2009/05/05/empathy_versus_law?page=full -- Stephen P. Wenger, KE7QBY Firearm safety - It's a matter for education, not legislation. http://www.spw-duf.info .