The Real Gun Guys

CCW Bills in WA State

I was unable to make it to Olympia yesterday due mostly to health reasons. I wish I could have been there though, last year was a blast!

The usual suspects were on hand to sponsor and support the anti-gun bill. Thankfully it seems that a large number of gun rights supporters were on hand to thwart their efforts.

Here is a news story about yesterday’s events. Enjoy!

As was pointed out by Joe Waldron, someone really should enlighten Ms. Comer and KOMO what the difference between defending yourself and vigilantism is.

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Two bills take opposite sides on issue of guns on campus

OLYMPIA, Wash. (AP) - Two state lawmakers have offered dramatically different bills dealing with guns on college campuses and the measures touched off spirited debate Thursday at a Senate committee hearing.

The bill offered by Sen. Ed Murray, D-Seattle, would ban weapons at colleges that host high school students. That would include community colleges that offer the Running Start program, and universities when high school students are touring.

In response to Murray’s bill, Sen. Pam Roach, R-Auburn, introduced her own measure that would prohibit universities from banning concealed weapons. Her argument is that people with permits to carry weapons would make campuses safer. Most universities now ban weapons on campus, but that is not a state law.

The debate before the Senate Committee on Higher Education touched on everything from the Second Amendment to last year’s fatal mass shooting at Virginia Tech.

Neither measure is likely to go anywhere in this year’s short legislative session, said Sen. Paull Shin, D-Edmonds, the committee chairman. He suggested the sponsors work out their differences and come back next year.

Murray said his bill is an extension of existing state law that prohibits weapons at elementary and secondary schools.

“When you talk about guns, people start to flip out,” he said. “We have a tragic history in this country with guns in high schools. We’re not infringing on the Second Amendment when we try to protect (students).”

But Roach declared, “Based on the policy of the last 30 years, it may be evident that this is a failed policy, there have been 38 college and school shootings since the prohibition of guns in schools was enacted. There were only two recorded during the 150 years preceding that prohibition.”

Murray offered his bill after hearing from constituents of a case last October at Seattle Central Community College where a student was found carrying three weapons, including semiautomatic handguns.

At Virginia Tech last April, a student fatally shot 32 people before committing suicide.

At the University of Washington in Seattle, employee Rebecca Griego was fatally shot last April by an ex-boyfriend who then killed himself.

The hearing attracted a handful of college students, including some from the UW, who testified in favor of concealed weapons on campuses.

Trip Volpe, a UW student who has a concealed weapon permit, called the policy against weapons on campus ineffective and added “there’s very little anyone can do to stop a person with a gun in hand and murder in their hearts.”

During the current session, Gov. Chris Gregoire requested a bill aimed at improving campus safety, but it did not touch on the gun issue. Idaho’s Legislature is also considering a bill similar to Roach’s.

Pro-gun backers showed up in force, handing out buttons opposing the gun-banning bill. They argued that people who want to use guns to hurt people would not care about weapon bans.

“I want to make sure the record reflects that Virginia Tech was a gun free zone, and results (were) painfully predictable,” said Brian Judy, testifying for the National Rifle Association. “Only the victims were gun free.”

But gun foes said guns on campuses would create more trouble.

“Well-intentioned people who have firearms and want to save the day often end up adding to the violence of the situation or becoming victims themselves,” said Kristen Comer, executive director of Washington Cease Fire. “Any time we start to get into the area of vigilante justice, it’s a bit precarious.”

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The bill banning weapons on community college campuses is SB 6841. The bill prohibiting universities from banning concealed weapons is SB 6860.

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S&W Model 36 "Chief’s Special" Info

The last few times I’ve been in a certain shop which sells guns , I’ve had a certain revolver calling to me, “Yuri, take me home!” The problem is, I have no real reason to buy it, but yet it still keeps calling my name.

It’s a S&W Model 36 “Chief’s Special” in “.38 S&W Special”, “J” frame, 5 shot snubnose with a 1 7/8″ (near as I could measure) pinned barrel. The pinned barrel means it was made before 1982, my research tells me. The firing pin is attached (pinned) to the hammer and the side plate has two screws in it, if that makes any difference.

Condition: It looks for all the world like it spent it’s life living in a holster. There is definite holster wear at the muzzle and the breech face bears the distinct impressions of long gone cartridges. It is a little dirty, but that’s nothing a good scrubbing wouldn’t fix. I pulled back the hammer and cylinder movement seemed to be within acceptable limits. Rifling is a little worn, but looks at least as good as a lot newer revolver which was also on display. The firing pin seems a bit loose and will move slightly up and down (no side to side), is this normal?

Serial #: (update) 82J841. Any idea how old it is?

Price: The shop wants $250 for it. I’m inclined to think this is a fair price.

So…any advice, information or opinions?

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Know your weapon!

If the bad guy had been anywhere near competent or had used a revolver, this guy would be dead now. It’s a good thing the intended victim knew enough about guns to realize what he had to do. The lesson here for CCW permit holders is: If you’re carrying a gun for protection, practice practice practice. Know your weapon. Personally I’ve preferred revolvers because they’re simpler to operate, no safeties to forget to switch off. Even now that I have my Kahr CW9, it’s a DAO pistol with no safety, so in that regard it’s just like a revolver.

Thanks to Traction Control for the link.

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Witness turns tables on gunman trying to kill him

By DEANNA BOYD

FORT WORTH — A witness to a slaying escaped severe injury or death early Thursday when a relative of the murder suspect tried to shoot him in the head but the gun would not fire, police said.

Lt. Dean Sullivan, police spokesman, said the witness, who had noticed that the gun’s safety was still on, wrestled the gun away from the suspect, took off the safety and then shot the fleeing suspect once in the back.

Sullivan said two people who were with the suspect who had been waiting by the street then got their own guns from a car and returned fire at the witness. He said the witness retreated inside his home in the 1400 block of East Butler Street and was not injured.

The three suspects fled before police could arrive. As officers were at the scene investigating, John Peter Smith Hospital reported to police that a man with a gunshot in the back had been dropped off at the hospital by occupants of a vehicle who then left, Sullivan said.

The wounded man, whom police did not identify because he had not been formally arrested, initially told officers that he had been shot outside a nightclub but was linked by investigations to the shooting on Butler, Sullivan said. He faces a charge of aggravated assault.

“Our suspect’s still in critical condition, so we haven’t been able to interview him at length in regards to his side of the story,” Sullivan said. “If it’s determined through the course of investigation that we’re able to establish some ulterior motive specifically, tampering or retaliation against a witness in that murder case, then certainly higher charges will be presented.”

The victim is a witness in the June 3 shooting of Joe Abrego, 29.

Gregorio Ontiveros has been indicted on a murder charge in Abrego’s death and is awaiting trial.

Police have said Ontiveros and Abrego had been drinking in the front yard of the home in the 1400 block of East Butler Street when Abrego challenged Ontiveros to a fight. They said that later, when Abrego challenged Ontiveros again, Ontiveros pulled out a gun and shot Abrego in the chest.

On Thursday, the witness told police, he was awakened shortly before 3:30 a.m. by the suspect, a relative of Ontiveros, knocking on his door.

“He opened the door, and that suspect said he needed to talk to him about the case with his [relative] coming up for trial,” Sullivan said.

Sullivan said the witness replied that he didn’t have anything to talk about and that there was nothing to say.

“At that time his attention was drawn to two accomplices that were standing in the street behind the suspect vehicle at the end of the driveway,” Sullivan said. “He looked at them, and when he looked back, the suspect had produced a handgun and was pointing it at the victim’s head. That suspect attempted to fire the weapon, but it did not discharge.”

Sullivan said police are still looking for the two people who were with the suspect.

Ontiveros has been free on bail since July in connection with Abrego’s death.

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The Sig Sauer P250

I don’t own any Sig Sauer products, nor do I own any stock in the company. I just think this new gun looks hella cool.

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The Journalist’s Guide to Gun Violence Coverage

Guns are a sad fact of life in American culture and are a major topic in modern journalism. A good Journalist has a duty to get involved and make a difference in this important societal debate. By following certain guidelines, the concerned Journalist can be assured of having the maximum impact on this shameful problem.

The first principle to remember is that subtle use of terminology can covertly influence the reader. Adjectives should be chosen for maximum anti-gun effect. When describing a gun, attach terms like “automatic,” “semi-automatic,” “large caliber,” “deadly,” “high powered,” or “powerful”. Almost any gun can be described by one or more of these terms. More than two guns should be called an “arsenal”.

Try to include the term “assault weapon” if at all possible. This can be combined with any of the terms above for best results. Nobody actually knows what an assault weapon is, so you cannot be criticized for this usage. Your local anti-gun organization can provide you with a list of the latest buzz words like “junk guns,” “Saturday Night Specials,” and “the criminal’s weapon of choice”.

Don’t worry about getting technical details right. Many a reporter has accidentally written about semi-automatic revolvers or committed other minor errors. Since most people know little about guns, this is not a problem. Only the gun nuts will complain and they don’t count. The emotional content of your article is much more important than the factual details, since people are more easily influenced through their emotions than through logic.

Broadcast Journalists should have a file tape showing a machine gun firing on full automatic. Run this video while describing “automatic” weapons used in a crime or confiscated by police. At the least, a large graphic of a handgun should be displayed behind the on-air personality when reading any crime story.

Do not waste words describing criminals who use guns to commit crimes. Instead of calling them burglar, rapist, murderer, or repeat offender, simply use the term “gunman”. This helps the public associate all forms of crime and violence with the possession of guns.

Whenever drug dealers are arrested, guns are usually confiscated by the police. Mention the type and number of guns more prominently than the type and quantity of drugs. Include the number of rounds of ammunition seized, since the number will seem large to those who know little about guns. Obviously, the drug dealers who had the guns should now be called “gunmen”.

Political discussions on gun control legislation usually involve pro-gun organizations. Always refer to these organizations as “the gun lobby”. If space permits, mention how much money the gun lobby has spent to influence political campaigns and describe their legislative lobbying efforts as “arm twisting” or “threats”.

Gun owners must never be seen in a positive light. Do not mention that these misguided individuals may actually be well educated, or have respectable jobs and healthy families. They should be called “gun nuts” if possible or simply gun owners at best. Mention details about their clothing, especially if they are wearing hunting clothes or hats. Mention the simplistic slogans on their bumper stickers to show that their intelligence level is low. Many gun owners drive pickup trucks, hunt and live in rural areas. Use these details to help portray them as ignorant rednecks. Don’t use the word “hunt”. Always say that they “kill” animals.

Don’t be afraid to interview these people, they are harmless even though we don’t portray them that way. Try to solicit comments that can be taken out of context to show them in the worst possible light.

Never question the effectiveness of gun control laws or proposals. Guns are evil and kill people. Removing guns from society can only be good. Nobody really uses guns for legitimate self-defense, especially women or children. Any stories about armed self-defense must be minimized or suppressed.

Be careful about criticizing the police for responding slowly to 911 calls for help. It is best if the public feels like the police can be relied upon to protect them at all times. If people are buying guns to protect their families, you are not doing your job.

Emphasize stories where people kill family members and/or themselves with guns. It is important to make the public feel like they could lose control and start killing at any moment if they have a gun in the house. Any story where a child misuses a gun is front page material.

View every shooting as an event to be exploited. Always include emotional quotes from the victim’s family if possible. If they are not available, the perpetrator’s family will do nicely. The quote must blame the tragedy on the availability of guns. Photos or video of grieving family members are worth a thousand facts. Most people will accept the assertion that guns cause crime. It is much easier than believing that some people deliberately choose to harm others.

Your story should include terms like “tragic” or “preventable” and mention the current toll of gun violence in your city or state. Good reporters always know exactly how many gun deaths have occurred in their area since the first of the year. List two or three previous incidents of gun violence to give the impression of a continuing crime wave.

Little space should be devoted to shootings where criminals kill each other. Although these deaths greatly inflate the annual gun violence numbers, they distract from the basic mission of urging law abiding citizens to give up their guns. Do not dig too deeply into the reasons behind shootings. The fact that a gun was involved is the major point, unless someone under 18 is affected, in which case the child angle is now of equal importance.

Any article about gun violence should include quotes from anti-gun organizations or politicians. One quote should say that we must do something “for the children”. Anti-gun spokespersons should be called “activists” or “advocates”. If your employer wishes to appear unbiased, you can include one token quote from a gun lobby group to show that you are being fair. The anti-gun statements should be accepted as fact. The gun lobby statement can be denigrated by including text like, “according to gun lobbyist Jones.”

Fortunately, statements from anti-gun organizations come in short sound bites that are perfect for generating an emotional response in the reader or viewer. Gun lobby statements usually contain boring facts that are easy to ignore.

Feel secure in your advocacy journalism. The vast majority of your fellow Journalists support your activism. The nation will be a better place when only the police and military have guns. Remember that you are doing it for the children so the end justifies the means.

Eventually, the government will have a monopoly on power. Don’t worry about the right to freedom of the press, just contact me then for more helpful hints.

Professor Michael Brown
School of Journalism, Brady Chair
Vancouver College of Liberal Arts

Political Satire, copyright 1999, Michael Brown. May be reproduced freely in its full and complete form. The author may be contacted at mb@e-z.net

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Be Careful When You Reload…

Ouch! Remember folks, be careful…

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BUY A GUN OR AMMO DAY TODAY!

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More PSH: Boy Gets Suspended for "Gun" Drawing

Chandler boy suspended for sketching gun

David Biscobing, Tribune

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Learn Gun Safety With Eddie Eagle!

There goes that evil NRA gun lobby again! Teaching gun safety to kids. Of all the nerve! How dare they!

*snark*

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Gun of the Week!

I’m starting a new item here at The Real Gun Guys called “Gun of the Week!”

This weeks gun is a veteran of WWII or “The Great War” as they call it in Russia, which is fitting as this is it’s country of origin.

Shpagin PPSh-41 submachine gun (USSR)

Caliber: 7,62×25 mm TT
Weight: 5,45 kg loaded with full 71 rds drum; 4,3 kg with full 35 rds magazine; 3,63 kg without magazine
Length: 843 mm
Barrel length: 269 mm
Rate of fire: 900 rounds per minute
Magazine capacity: 71 rounds in drum magazine or 35 rounds in curved box magazine
Effective range: meters

The PPSh-41 (Pistolet Pulemjot Shpagina model of 1941 = Shpagin submachine gun) was one of major infantry weapons of the Soviet troops during the World war 2. Total number of PPSh’s manufactured during WW2 estimates to more than 6 millions. The gun became one of the symbols of the Great Patriotic War. Retired from Soviet Army service soon after the WW2, the PPSh was widely exported to some pro-Soviet countries around the world, including China, Vietnam and many African countries.

It was effective, but somewhat crude weapon, reliable in combat but not without certain flaws. It has somewhat excessive rate of fire, and its drums were uncomfortable to carry and prone to feed problems once spring is weaken.

The PPSch-41 was designed as a cheap and simple but effective war-time weapon. It featured simple blowback operated action, and fired from open bolt. To decrease the recoil stress, gun was fitted with bolt buffer at the rear of receiver. The buffer was made from fiber and was attached to the return spring guide rod. The striker was permanently fixed to the bolt face. PPSh-41 was a select-fire weapon, with fire selector switch located inside the trigger guard, ahead of trigger. The safety was integrated into the charging handle and locked the bolt in forward or rearward position. The receiver and the barrel shroud was made from stamped steel. The front part of the barrel shroud extends beyond the muzzle and acted as a muzzle brake / muzzle flip compensator. Early PPSch-41’s were issued with drum magazines with capacity of 71 round, similar to ones used in PPD-40.

Such high capacity increased the firepower but the magazines were too slow to refill and not too reliable, so in 1942 a curved box magazine was developed. This magazine held 35 rounds and was much more comfortable to carry in pouches. Early magazines were made from 0,5 mm sheet steel and were somewhat unreliable. Later magazines were made from 1 mm steel and were completely satisfactory. Usually, infantrymen carried one drum in the gun and some box magazines in the pouches or pockets.

Early guns featured elevation-adjustable rear sights, marked up to 500 meters; late production guns had flip-type “L”-shaped rear sights marked for 100 and 200 meters range.

This gun (with small modifications) is still seeing action even today, as this photo illustrates.

Pretty cool huh?

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