Free Republic

More Guns, Less Crime: Since Illinois began issuing concealed-carry permits this year, robberies, burglaries, car thefts and, yes, even murder, are down significantly. Last month, when an 86-year-old Crestwood, Ill., man decided to visit his local phone store, he arrived to find a robbery underway. After staying outside to keep others from entering the store, he saw the suspect fleeing through a back door. He pursued the suspect, legal firearm in hand, stopped him, then held him until police arrived to make the arrest. The actions of the unidentified law-abiding citizen were made possible by Illinois becoming the 50th and...

Michael Brown, the unarmed 18-year-old whose shooting by a police officer set off more than a week of unrest in Ferguson, Mo., was struck by at least six bullets, including two to the head, according to a former New York City medical examiner. The autopsy results came as a march protesting Mr. Brown's Aug. 9 death erupted in chaos Sunday night when police forced back demonstrators in a cloud of smoke and a hail of sizzling canisters. Michael M. Baden, who conducted a second, private autopsy Sunday for the Brown family, said wounds to the head and brain were the...

The results of a private autopsy on Michael Brown may escalate tensions in Ferguson, Missouri even further: The examiner says the unarmed teenager was shot at least six times, including twice in the head, and all the bullets came from the front, reports the New York Times. Pathologist Michael Baden, New York City's former chief medical examiner, says all the bullets were fired from at least one or two feet away, and one bullet—apparently the last one fired—hit the top of the 18-year-old's head.

Just when I thought the District of Columbia government couldn’t stoop to new lows of incompetence and non-sensical behavior, it does. Apparently, self-defense spray is defined as a firearm in DC and must be registered by its owner with the Metropolitan Police Department. I kid you not! You heard me correctly. The DC Police wants to make it even more difficult for people, especially women, in a town where it’s tortuous to purchase a gun to use in self-defense. Recently, US District Judge Frederick J. Schulling Jr. ruled DC’s ban on people carrying guns in public was unconstitutional. Yet, DC...

A man with a concealed carry permit shot at an armed robbery suspect who was running from a cell phone store in Crestwood, prompting an officer who was also chasing the suspect to take cover, police said. The man with the permit told police he was about to step inside an AT&T store at 4756 W. Cal-Sag Road around noon Saturday when he noticed the store was being robbed, Crestwood police said in a statement. The man said he stayed outside to prevent anyone from entering, police said. After he saw the suspect leaving through a back door, he entered...

Axelle Despiegelaere, the Belgian teenager who landed a modeling gig with L’Oreal after pictures of her at the World Cup went viral, filmed one video and was apparently released by L'Oreal.. after a controversial Facebook post of her apparently big-game hunting came to light. Despiegelaere shot to international notoriety when photos of her in Red Devil gear on June 22 as she cheered on her team went viral. She announced the deal with L'Oreal this week. But just as quickly, things turned the other direction when she posted a photo of herself with a hunting rifle next to a dead...

When 3D printing is discussed, one of the most debated topics is that of 3D printed weaponry, specifically guns. Last year, Solid Concepts created a 3D Printed replica of a 1911 pistol. At the time, it brought up quite a bit of debate, as the 3D printing of guns could severely undermine national and world-wide security. If anyone with a 3D printer could print an operational gun, then what good are laws that prevent people from obtaining guns? TodayÂ’s consumer level 3D printers can, for the most part, only print in plastic or plastic-like materials. Many people argue that guns...

Well… I’m starting to run out of places to shop. Target Corporation (TGT) made the announcement on Wednesday that they have acquiesced to the Bloomberg fanatics who believe no-one should be armed while shopping. The company (politely) asked customers to keep their guns at home the next time they wander in for a DVD or Cuisinart. Of course, it’s not all bad news. After all, a Target store in San Antonio recently booted anti-gun activists from its store. The Bloomberg inspired group, Moms Demand Action (moms I know carry .380 automatics), was asked to leave the premises as they petitioned...

Obviously, the safety issue is very important. But, I don't know a single gun owner who doesn't know when and where he/she can safely fire their weapons. Why do it? 1. America’s revolution was an armed revolution -- and not a fireworks display -- that led to the freedom of this nation. People died. People gave 'their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honor.' 2. Fireworks are nice, pretty, a crowd pleaser. And, for a country that understands their past, present, and future freedom, fireworks are a good reminder. When our own Veterans Administration can't remember that "Independence Day" is...

Most gun control schemes do little, if anything, to positively effect change in criminal trends. In fact, such schemes have largely proven to be economically illiterate attempts to restrict and regulate the private ownership of firearms. And examples of the bad economics of gun control just keep piling up. I know, I know: Not everything is about the bottom line; but when the bottom line suffers in a misguided attempt to forward useless gun bans, I think it starts to matter a little bit more. In the latest example of gun-control killing private businesses, Century International Arms is laying off...

Should you fire a warning shot when confronted by an attacker? In some states it is legal to fire a warning shot and in others it is not. For example, California Penal Code 246.3 (negligent discharge of firearms) prohibits firing a gun in a grossly negligent manner, like a warning shot. As a felony conviction, it provides for up to 3 years in prison and a maximum of $10,000 fine. It is also a felony in New Hampshire, Tennessee, and several other states to fire a warning shot with similar penalties, if you are not justified. A friend in North...

Guns: The Santa Barbara shooter had legally purchased and registered firearms, and passed prior questioning by the police who saw no danger to himself or others. More gun laws won't stop the next such shooter, either. It is eerie how the mental health of the shooter consistently seems to emerge as a key factor in mass shootings such as the rampage by Elliot Rodger, who killed six and wounded 13 on Friday. The shooter had been in therapy since age 8 and police had been warned by his parents to check him out. Yet few liberals cry for tougher mental...

I recently had occasion to read through the S.E.C. 10Q filing for the newly formed Colt Defense, which is a limited liability corporation comprised of New Colt Holding, Colt Manufacturing, Colt Defense Technical Services, Colt Canada, Colt Finance, & Colt International among others. The merged company has brought the manufacture of Colt long guns and Colt hand guns together into a single enterprise, however the company reported a loss in the most recent quarter and the sale of long guns was reported down more than 50% from a year ago (~24million in Q1 2014 vs ~52million Q1 2013). Some of...

The U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of Inspector General, located in Washington, DC, pursuant to the authority of FAR Part 13, has a requirement for the commerical acquisition of submachine guns, .40 Cal. S&W, ambidextrous safety, semi-automatic or 2 shot burts trigger group, Tritium night sights for front and rear, rails for attachment of flashlight (front under fore grip) and scope (top rear), stock-collapsilbe or folding, magazine - 30 rd. capacity, sling, light weight, and oversized trigger guard for gloved operation.

On May 7th, an apoplectic CNN attempted to provide cover for Hillary Clinton after her unprovoked assault on 100 million American gun owners. Speaking before the National Council for Behavioral Health, Hillary stated that the nation’s “gun culture” had gotten “way out of balance.” “We’ve got to rein in what has become an almost article of faith that anybody can have a gun anywhere, anytime” added Clinton. “I don’t believe that is in the best interest of the vast majority of people.” “She’s talking in the context of mental health,” claimed CNN talking head John King in the hope of...

There is nothing so dependably disingenuous as a liberal who proclaims a willingness to have an honest debate or engage in a legitimate compromise. For decades spent in the practice of calculated deceit have made truth a foreign concept to these unprincipled vermin. And no subject has been the cause of more outright dishonesty from the left than the right to keep and bear arms. For decades, liberals have begun each new call for “common sense” gun legislation by reassuring gun owning, 2nd Amendment supporting Americans that nobody wants to take their guns. “No one is seriously proposing to ban...

Karen Bartuch is a former Chicago law enforcement officer (police work runs in the family, her brother is a cop too) who has worked everything from patrol, gang and tactical teams, undercover, surveillance, intelligence and counter-terrorism to serving as a policy advisor to the superintendent of police. She's also the founder and CEO of Alpha Girls LLC and the Women's Tactical Association, a self-defense training company specifically focused on teaching women the skills they need to defend themselves.

In most of the United States, it has always been legal to buy and sell firearms privately without any paperwork. \Private sales are not required to go through a Federal Firearms License (FFL). It is against the law to build or maintain a Federal firearms registry. One of the purposes of this restriction is to insure against firearms confiscation by the Federal government. There are a few states that have effectively banned private sales. California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, New York, and Rhode Island, are six states that require that private parties have a background check conducted by the government before...

Ask Andrew W.K.: Should I Buy a Gun? Dear Andrew, I’ve always been a staunch opponent of guns, but my home has been broken into twice in the last six weeks. Now I’m think- ing about purchasing a gun to protect my family and home. My wife is very much against this idea, and we fight about it of- ten. I completely understand where she’s coming from, as her views on the dangers of owning a gun used to be my own. What do you think? Should I get a gun? One Shot Dear One Shot, Guns are intense. They...

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Two former Los Angeles County sheriff's deputies were charged with planting guns at a medical marijuana dispensary, resulting in the arrest of a man who was sentenced to six months in jail, authorities announced Wednesday. Julio Cesar Martinez, 39, and Anthony Manuel Paez, 32, were charged last week with conspiracy and alteration of evidence by a peace officer while on duty in 2011. Martinez also is charged with perjury and filing a false report.