Free Republic

EDITORIAL: ‘Assault weapons’ are popular with the young. Are gamers key? In a recent Reason-Rupe poll a slim majority of American supported the private ownership of “assault weapons” (51 percent in favor, 44 opposed) and a slightly larger majority of Americans believe that the tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary School is being exploited for political means (52 percent see it as politicking, 41 as responsible governing). But there were some other findings that are sure to surprise many people, especially politicians. Specifically that age, not politics, has a greater bearing on whether or not a person has the right to...

President Barack Obama shoots clay targets on the range at Camp David, Md., Saturday, Aug. 4, 2012. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza) This official White House photograph is being made available only for publication by news organizations and/or for personal use printing by the subject(s) of the photograph. The photograph may not be manipulated in any way and may not be used in commercial or political materials, advertisements, emails, products, promotions that in any way suggests approval or endorsement of the President, the First Family, or the White House

A celebration of lethal flatware. A new set of deadly eating-irons added for your pleasure and delectation. The knife, fork and spoon shown in the picture all have built-in flintlock pistols. Note that the barrels point backwards, towards the user, so they're not designed for plugging your host if he makes impertinent remarks about your table manners. It is difficult to imagine a social gathering where it is appropriate to shoot off your own elbows. The fork follows the pattern of the time; it looks pretty lethal on its own account. These weapons carry the maker's mark F X RICHTER...

Why Young Women Want AR-15s Americans have the right to an efficient weapon for home defense. Sorry, President Obama. As young women, we prefer an AR-15 “assault” rifle with a 30-round magazine for self-defense. In fact, we wouldn’t want to be stuck at home without one. In the wake of mass murders like Sandy Hook and the horrific rapes and murders of thousands of women each year, pepper spray, mace, or five-round handheld pistols aren’t going to cut it. So what’s a girl to do? When choosing our tool for home defense, we want the best — in accuracy, handling,...

Gun shop owner to auction off Bushmaster rifle for charity A local gun shop owner is auctioning off one of his guns to help out one of his employees in need. "Buy a gun, annoy a liberal." That's a T-shirt you can buy at Central Texas Gun Works in Austin. The owner, Michael Cargill is pro-gun but what he is not...is a conservative. "Hey, I'm a Democrat and I support the second amendment. If someone wants to come in here and buy a gun, annoy a liberal, that's fine. They can do that!" Cargill said. That's what makes the following...

NBC Sports listed as leading sponsor for Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show (SHOT) in Las Vegas as U.S. debates gun control The show, the nation's largest event of its kind, lists NBC Sports as one of its leading sponsors; the SHOT Show's website lists NBC Sports as 'It's New Product Center Sponsor.' There is one NBC personality Peacock suits presumably aren’t inviting to Las Vegas next week for the Shooting, Hunting, Outdoor Trade Show known as the SHOT Show — Bob Costas. But while Costas won’t be there, the show, the nation’s largest event of its kind, does list NBC...

(1918 Bolshevik Poster by Alexander Apsit reads "Citizens, hand over your weapons!") Why I gave up my guns • A former firearm enthusiast explains his personal epiphany Late one night in the spring of 2008, I was jolted awake by the sound of yet another a burglar trying to break into my Atlanta home. We’d already had a series of scary close calls, but this time I was ready: I had staged my shotgun and a box of shells in a broom closet right by the back door, next to the umbrellas. While my girlfriend called the police, I...

“Assault rifle” saves teenagers from home invasion burglars No sooner do I finish explaining to New York Governor Andrew Cuomo why people might need 10 bullets for something other than blowing away deer, than the headlines burst with an example, courtesy of The Right Scoop and Poor Richard’s News. Not only was a “high capacity magazine” involved, but the story involves a teenage boy in Texas defending his even younger sister from a couple of thugs with one of those dreaded AR-15 “assault rifles”: • The teenage son of a Harris County Precinct 1 deputy shot a home intruder Tuesday...

Rocket Launchers Turned in During L.A. Gun Buyback Not Functional LOS ANGELES, Calif. (KTLA) Two rocket launchers handed over to the Los Angeles Police Department during L.A.’s annual Gun Buyback were not functional. Police Chief Charlie Beck and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa showed off the launchers, which were turned in by families of former military members on December 26. The LAPD said all along the launchers appeared to be antiquated, and probably could no longer be fired. The department enlisted the U.S. military to investigate whether the rockets were ever stolen. Military experts have now confirmed to the Los Angeles Times,...

WE PETITION THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO: Press charges against David Gregory for possession of a 30-round, high capacity assault rifle magazine in Washington D.C David Gregory is not above the law; he is a journalist, and must be held accountable to the same law as every other person. DC High Capacity Ammunition Magazines – D.C. Official Code 7-2506.01 (b) No person in the District shall possess, sell, or transfer any large capacity ammunition feeding device regardless of whether the device is attached to a firearm. For the purposes of this subsection, the term large capacity ammunition feeding device means a...

AK-47 found in paroled felon's car after high speed chase Authorities found a loaded AK-47 rifle in the trunk of a car driven by a paroled felon after a high speed pursuit that concluded with a crash and short foot chase. West Covina police attempted to stop a gray Toyota Camry for traffic violations at the Sunset Avenue exit off the 10 Freeway shortly after 10 p.m. Sunday. The driver led police on a chase that reached speeds in excess of 90 mph on city streets, West Covina police spokesman Rudy Lopez said. The suspect vehicle entered the westbound 10...

Gun owners give up weapons for groceries SAN DIEGO — Gun owners had a chance to exchange weapons for Friday morning. The San Diego County Sheriff’s Department and the United African American Ministerial Action Council held another installment of their “Guns for Gift Cards” program from 8:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Tubman/Chavez Multicultural Center in Valencia Park. The program allows people to turn in working-condition guns, no questions asked, in exchange for monetary vouchers redeemable at area grocery stores. Shotguns and rifles bring $50 credit each, while pistols and assault-type weapons fetch $100 apiece. Participants must place the weapons,...

Double-barrel 1911 lands ATF approval, importation to begin next year The ATF has given Arsenal the green light to import their double-barreled, double-everything 1911. Arsenal turned a lot of heads a few months back when they announced their truly unique handgun, the AF2011-A1, but many assumed that the gun would never wind up for sale in the U.S., because it fires two cartridges with one pull of the trigger, making it a machine gun according to federal law. Arsenal maintained that their double trigger design, and matching pair of sears and hammers, would not raise the hackles of the gatekeepers...

California Police Wish Gun Owners Would Just Comply with Robbers If a couple of thugs break into your place of business and point a gun in your face, then you would be perfectly justified in opening fire on them, right? Well, maybe not. San Jose police are giving one gun owner a stern tsk-tsk after she defended her property from a pair of armed thieves. According to ABC Local 7 News, a pair of thieves wearing masks and hooded sweatshirts burst into a San Jose jewelry store at 10:15 a.m. on Monday. At least one of the would-be thieves was...

What's driving gun sales spike? Federal law, women and zombies. BELLEVUE – Karen Manley stood strong in the range Tuesday afternoon, her right hand firmly gripping a handgun. “There had been a rash of home invasions,” said Manley, of Brier. “If anything happens, I could defend myself, my kids, and my home.’ Women are just one factor behind a recent spree of gun sales, locally, and across the nation, according to gun lobbyists. The FBI reported Tuesday that it received 154,873 buyer background check requests on Black Friday, up roughly 20 percent over the same day last year. The requests...

Annie Oakley (1860 – 1926) was an American sharpshooter and exhibition shooter. Oakley’s amazing talent and timely rise to fame led to a starring role in Buffalo Bill’s Wild West show, which propelled her to become the first American female superstar. Oakley’s perhaps most famous trick is being able to repeatedly split a playing card, edge-on, and put several more holes in it before it could touch the ground, using a .22 caliber rifle, at 90 feet. (NOTE: Just go to the link provided to watch the 25 second video clip.)

Mississippi Auto Arms, a shop "specializing in Saiga shotguns, Saiga rifles, AK47s, and AR15s" out of Oxford, Mississippi, is selling a "Charlie Rangel edition" of a short-barrel AK-style assault rifle on its website. "Like Rangel, this little Suchka AK rifle loves the green and hides well in spinach," says the listing. ("Loves the green" could be a reference to Rangel's tax travails; I am not sure how "hides well in spinach" applies to the congressman.) The gun weighs about 11 pounds and starts at $1,195, depending on how it's customized. A person I spoke with at Mississippi Auto Arms said...

Albuquerque gun business holding coyote contest An Albuquerque gun business is having a contest to see which two men can kill the most coyotes. The grand prize for winning the contest is a pair of AR-15 rifles. The contest has people sounding off about the upcoming contest. The people who live around the Village of Corrales may have never met Susan Weiss, but they've seen her. "The coyote lady. That's what i'm referred to as, the coyote lady," Weiss said. She likes the title. She has been an advocate for the "Coexist with Coyotes" group for more than a decade...

So why do gangsters aim their guns sideways? Marine marksman sheds light on how gunmen from the 'hood unwittingly use a well-known aiming technique It's an iconic image immortalised in dozens of Hollywood gangster films: the gangster aiming down the side of his pistol before pumping a volley of bullets into his victim. But with most people knowing that the aiming sights are found on the top of a gun barrel, it's also a counter-intuitive way to accurately fire a weapon. So why is it that gangsters are always shown using their guns in this way? According to Jon Davis,...

Obama Administration Expands ATF’s Power to Seize Property As part of a one-year trial run, the Department of Justice has granted the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives the power to “to seize and administratively forfeit property allegedly involved in controlled substance offenses,” which is almost tantamount to saying that on the mere suspicion that one is doing something illegal, the ATF can snatch one’s firearms and property. The Washington Times, among other publications, have explained the implications of this new DoJ decree: It’s a dangerous extension of the civil-forfeiture doctrine, a surreal legal fiction in which the seized...