Military Veterans and Patriots

Tag: Gun Porn

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    It’s Saturday and time for your weekly 2A/shooting roundup, Saturday Shootaround. We’ll dispense with the verse/quotes portion of this week’s edition of the Shootaround due to the volume of news this week.

    First up is the SCOTUS decision in NRA v Vullo. This case centers on the fact that New York State Department of Financial Services Superintendent Maria T. Vullo used her official position to pressure financial and insurance firms into not doing business with the NRA. In a unanimous decision, the Supremes ruled that the 2nd Circuit erred in dismissing the case. The case has been remanded to the 2nd and will be allowed to go forward.

    While the decision is an important one, it is not as cut and dried as it may seem. Sonya Sotamayor – who wrote the opinion – seemed to indicate that Vullo might be able to claim qualified immunity in the case. We’ll find out more as the case goes forward.

    Mossberg has announced a new home defense shotgun, the Silver Reserve Eventide HS12. The HS12 is a shortened version of their Sliver Reserve over-unders. This 12 gauge shotty comes with 18.5″ cylinder bore barrels, a fiber optic front sight and a pair of picatinny rail attachment points. Black synthetic furniture is standard and the overall length is 36″. MSRP for the HS12 is $700.

    One of my favorite GunTubers, Brandon Herrera aka the AK Guy, nearly shocked the political world this week. He was running for the Republican nomination for US House in Texas 23. It looks like he came up 429 votes short. His opponent was a swamp creature named Tony Gonzales. Gonzales voted for more gun control several times during his time in congress.

    https://twitter.com/TheAKGuy/status/1795606927335981239

    While the count is close enough for a recount, it is unclear if one will happen. The State of Texas requires a significant deposit for recounts.

    The Smith & Wesson Performance center has released a new Jerry Miculek signature series revolver. The Model 327 WR is a 9x19mm revolver with a scandium N-Frame and includes an 8-shot titanium cylinder. It has a 5-inch barrel and weighs in at 35.52oz. It has a wood laminate grip and a brass bead front sight along with an optics cut frame with the C.O.R.E.Optic-plate system and a VORTEX COMPDOT 8MOA red dot included. Miculek’s signature model ships in a custom PELICAN hard case with a speedloader and five moon clips.

    Here’s what S&W had to say:

    Designed in partnership with Professional Shooter and S&W Brand Ambassador, Jerry Miculek, the Model 327 WR boasts features that embody speed and accuracy. This lightweight 9MM handgun is built on a scandium N-Frame and includes a titanium cylinder that allows the user to quickly and precisely transition between targets. Included with the brass bead front and adjustable rear sight package, is a Vortex® COMPDOT and C.O.R.E.™ optic-plate system for revolvers, that accommodate a wide range of optics to enhance the shooter’s experience. The revolver also features a JM Signature laminated wood grip that provides optimal ergonomics for any necessary adjustments needed between holster draw and target acquisition.

    At the Smith & Wesson Headquarters Grand Opening weekend in October of 2023, Jerry set two NRA World Records with his Model 327 WR prototype, making history once again and further positioning himself as one of the greatest shooters to ever do it. The records included the fastest time to hit six steel plates at 7 yards from the draw with a 9mm handgun in 2.01 seconds, and the same with a revolver in 1.88 seconds. “Crafted from the blueprint of shooting excellence, the new Model 327 WR is more than just a high-performance firearm – it’s a legacy. With modern upgrades to an already trusted platform, Jerry’s new signature revolver is a tribute to the mastery of precision and the art of sports shooting perfected by Jerry himself,” said Corey Beaudreau, Product Manager.

    The Performance Center® Model 327 WR includes an 8-round capacity, 5-inch ported stainless-steel barrel, smooth double-action trigger and is a limited-release of 1,880 units, to reflect Jerry’s recent record time of 1.88 seconds. The revolver ships in a custom PELICAN® hardcase with a foam insert to safely secure the handgun and all of its included accessories.

    MSRP for the Model 327 WR Jerry Miculek is $3499

    Gun Porn

    Today’s featured gun is truly a piece of American History. It’s a Parker, Snow & Co. .58 cal rifled musket. This particular rifled musket has provenance pointing to belonging to Corporal David C. Laird 4th Michigan Infantry Company A at Gettysburg.

     

    Here’s what the seller has to say:

    NSN, made in 1863, .58 caliber, 40″ armory bright rifled barrel. ID’d Gettysburg musket belonging to Corporal David C. Laird 4th Michigan Infantry Company A. Wounded on July 2nd in the Wheatfield and died from wounds 2 months later. The butt-plate is marked “D.C. LAIRD/CO.A. Scattered surface oxidation is visible on metals surface. Stock is in good plus condition with two cartouches visible. Minor combat wear is present. Bore is very good with minor frosting noted in the grooves, lock plate is dated 1863. Gregory A. Coco’s book “Killed In Action; Eyewitness accounts of the Last Moments of 100 Union Soldiers Who Died at Gettysburg” page 46 describes  Reverend Parvin’s account of meeting Corporal Laird on the field and until he succumbed to his wounds. 

    The buy-now price for this wonderful piece of history is $18500

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to Saturday Shootaround, the weekly 2A and shooting roundup here at MVAP. This week’s verse was written by Pavel Friedmann. ‘The Butterfly’ was written at Theresienstadt concentration camp on 4 June 1942. On 29 September 1944, Friedmann was shipped to  Auschwitz where he was murdered after selection.

    The last, the very last,
    So richly, brightly, dazzlingly yellow.
    Perhaps if the sun’s tears would sing
    against a white stone…

    Such, such a yellow
    Is carried lightly ‘way up high.
    It went away I’m sure because it wished
    to kiss the world goodbye.

    For seven weeks I’ve lived in here,
    Penned up inside this ghetto
    But I have found my people here.
    The dandelions call to me
    And the white chestnut candles in the court.
    Only I never saw another butterfly.

    That butterfly was the last one.
    Butterflies don’t live in here,
    In the ghetto.

    The NICS numbers for March 2024 are in. There were 2,626,068 checks run for the month. That’s an increase of about 200k over last month, but a decline of around 400k from last year. Keep in mind, those numbers are not a one-to-one indicator of the number of guns sold. The NICS system is also used for some other purposes.

    Ever wonder what would happen when a police department becomes the sole firearms dealer in a specific area? Well, that was the case in Washington DC from at least April 3, 2020, until January 4, 2021. The DC police were the only place a District resident could legally acquire a handgun for those 7 plus months.

    They processed background checks for and transferred 8,038 firearms. They also wound up in an BATFE program called ‘demand 2’. Under that program, FFL dealers that have more than 25 guns they’ve processed in a given year show up at a crime scene, get heightened scrutiny of their operations. That scrutiny involves quarterly records checks and more frequent IOI (industry operations inspectors) visits.

    Around 2% of all dealers are part of the demand 2 program in a given year. For 2023, there were 1323 FFLs in the program out of approximately 65,000 dealers.

    I ran into a rifle I hadn’t seen before at my local the other day. It’s the Stevens 334. They’re built in Turkey and imported by Savage. It is a nice looking little rifle and it comes in at a $450 price (MSRP $509).

    Here’s what Savage has to say:

    Where value and performance meet, is where the Model 334 bolt action rifle excels. The rifle features a crisp trigger and a 60-degree bolt lift to allow faster loading on follow-up shots. The barrel is free-floating and button rifled for consistent accuracy. Offered in three popular calibers, the Model 334 is available in a Turkish Walnut stock option with a silver bolt or a black synthetic stock with a matte black action to match.

    FEATURES
    • 3-Position Safety
    • Crisp Trigger
    • 60 Degree Bolt Lift with 3-Locking Lugs
    • Ergonomic Stock and Recoil Pad
    • Matte Black Synthetic Stock or Turkish Walnut Stock Options
    • 3 Round Detachable Box Magazine
    • Matte Black Carbon Steel Receiver with Integrated Recoil Lug
    • Drilled & Tapped Receiver (Savage M110 Spacing) with Steel MIL-STD 1913 Picatinny Rail
    • Free-floating, Button Rifled, Carbon Steel Barrel with 11°Target Crown
    • 2-Sling Swivel Studs

    The 334 is currently available in .308, .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor. I am currently working on getting my hands on one for a test, so stay tuned.

    This week’s gun porn is an interesting piece, even for gun porn. It’s an Ebert parlor rifle built in the schuetzen style and chambered in 4mm Flobert.

    I suppose some explanations are in order. Parlor rifles were a common thing in the late 1800s among a certain segment of the population. They were used for indoor shooting, hence the appellation “Parlor”. 4mm Flobert is a rimfire cartridge that uses solely priming compound to launch a 4.3mm lead ball. They have a muzzle velocity of up to 600 fps.

    Here’s what the seller has to say:

    Antique German Salon or Parlour rifle in 4mm Flobert, made by Ebert of
    Neuburg in Bavaria. 635mm octagonal false barrel with 150mm  micro
    groove insert – market St. George Munich. OAL=1035mm, LOP=335mm,
    weight = 3.25Kg. The hammer will move the transfer rod. Only the front 
    trigger is active, rear one is a finger rest! Nice walnut stock with carved
    decoration and curved schutzen style butt. Iron sights and tang mounted 
    peep sight. Original wood and metal patina, not restored, good bore. 
    Add this Germanic belle epoque rifle to your collection.

    4mm Flobert cartridge

    Current bid is $806 and the auction ends April 7 at 1730.

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to Saturday Shootaround, your weekly source for all things 2A and shooting related. In lieu of a verse, this week I’m featuring some quotes.

    After a shooting spree, they always want to take the guns away from the people who didn’t do it. I sure as hell wouldn’t want to live in a society where the only people allowed guns are the police and the military.

    William S Burroughs

    If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun.

    Dalai Lama

    Laws that forbid the carrying of arms disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes.

    Thomas Jefferson

    Garland v Cargill was argued in front of the Supreme Court on Wednesday. For those who aren’t inveterate court followers like me, that’s the bump-stock case. The entire case hinges on a relatively basic technical question. Under section 5845(b) of the National Firearms Act of 1934 machine guns are defined as any weapon which shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot, automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single function of the trigger. The question before the court is whether or not a bump-stock meets that criteria. If it does not, the ATF does not have the authority to restrict them. This case wound up in front of SCOTUS after the 5th Circuit ruled in favor of Cargill and declared the ban void.

    Based on what I’ve read and heard of the arguments, the ban is likely going away. Other than the usual stupidity about guns – No Justice Jackson, a bump-stock does not shoot 800 rounds per second – the Justices seemed skeptical about the ATF’s ability to regulate them.

    Your editor had the opportunity to play with a newish gun recently, the Springfield 2020 Waypoint. While I did shoot this rifle, I didn’t shoot it enough to do an actual review, so here are my thoughts. For a retail of about $2k, you get a very well sorted, lightweight bolt gun. The model I shot had a carbon fiber wrapped stainless barrel and a carbon fiber stock with adjustable cheek piece.

    A very nice TriggerTech trigger is standard, as is a Picatinny rail and 5 QD mounting points. Accuracy was better than expected with the random factory ammo that was used for break-in. My best group was right around .6 MOA at 100m.

    2,440,730 firearm background checks were initiated with the FBI last month, bringing the total for 2024 so far to 4,678,226 according to official stats.

    Keep in mind, that number is not a 1:1 correlation with guns sold. Not all checks result in a transfer and not all transfers are for single firearms.

    Gun Porn

    This week’s gun porn comes to us from a manufacturer that used to be local to this editor.

    It’s a Baker Gun Company Drilling. Here’s what the listing has to say:

    Note: Those who have been following our auctions know that over the last year we’ve been selling on consignment a collection of guns from a Montana museum that is liquidating part of its collection.  We’re going to continue selling these off and on over the course of 2024!  These guns have been on display for decades, and most were donated by local residents and have never been for sale on the secondary market.  This is a chance to buy some interesting historical firearms, many with a Montana connection including several Sharps rifles and Trapdoor Springfields.  This gun is from that collection…unfortunatly record keeping in small museums during the 1960s and 1970s wasn’t always what you would see today, and the story behind items on display was often lost…which is the case here.  The only thing we can say with certainty is that it was in their collection for a long time.

    This gun qualfies as an ANTIQUE, and can be shipped directly any customer where it is legal to do so without going through an FFL.

    Our Take: 

    While the name L.C. Smith will be familiar to anyone with an interest in vintage shotguns, the name “Baker” probably isn’t…but these guns played an important role in the early years for L.C. Smith.  In September 1877 Lyman Cornelius Smith partnered with gunmaker W.H. Baker to form W.H. Baker & Co. in Syracuse, NY.  Baker held a number of patents for the double barrel shotguns, and the “three barrel gun”.  Baker left the company in 1880 and with several other partners formed the famous Ithaca Gun Company, which continued to produce shotguns…while hardly a household name today like Colt or Browning, Baker was there for the genesis of two of the most famous shotgun makers in the world.  With Bakers’ departure from the company, it was renamed the L.C. Smith Shotgun Company, but continued to produce the Baker designed guns…thus these being marked “L. C. SMITH MAKER OF BAKER GUN” on the top rib.  In 1886 Smith produced their most successful hammerless shotgun, and in 1889 sold the rights to the gun to the Hunter Arms Company.  It’s definitely an interesting footnote in the developement of fine American shotguns.  

    These drillings, or 3 barrel guns were produced from 1880 to 1884 in several grades ranging from a “Quality 1” priced at $75 to $80, all the way up to the fully engraved “Quality 5” priced at $200.  This was a fairly expensive gun at the time–gold was only $15 an ounce!  A cowboy in 1880 was making roughly a dollar a day, so even the base gun would have been quite a luxury.  The company pitched the third barrel in their advertisements as being a way to shoot bigger game when the opportunity presented itself…say you’re bird hunting and come across a deer–well, now you can bag that too!  These were cataloged as coming in 10 or 12 gauge over .44-40.  While .44-40 might not be considered an ideal big game cartridge today, fired from a rifle at “brush gun” ranges it was probably effective if you had decent shot placement.  Certainly better than firing bird shot at them anyway.  While they only listed .44-40, other calibers have been found on existing examples…bore on this one measured roughly .404″, so it could very well be something that was custom ordered. The shotgun barrels are 12 gauge.  While the exact number of guns produced is unknown, based on accounting records from the company it’s estimated that 1186 guns were made in total.  While the advantages of having a gun that can essentially peform the duty of two guns might seem obvious, it’s at the cost of a gun that weighs a lot (it’s almost 10 pounds unloaded), handles slow for a shotgun, and only has one shot as a rifle.  They’re also expensive…it’s a concept that just never really caught on, and they were discontinued after only a few years.  Fascinating…but not super practical.

    This particular piece is a Quality 1 piece, and so it features a black walnut stock, 30″ English stub twist shot barrels (unknown choke), and the original owner opted to pay an extra $5 for the pistol grip.  Overall she’s in nice clean condition, particuarly considering she’s at least 140 years old.  Cosmetically the metal finish shows hints of case coloring on the receiver, with an even gray patina. Barrels have a nice brown patina.  Wood has that nice smooth polished look that comes from many years of use, with the handling marks you’d expect on a field gun.  Wrist has a crack near the tang, and there’s a chip missing by the receiver, but it’s obviously been that way for decades.  These originally came with a tang sight for the rifle, but this doesn’t have one.  The tang of the trigger guard looks like it was probably repaired.  It’s a nice clean example of a historic gun that obviously saw a lot of field use, but was also obviously well cared for.  

    Mechanically, everything appears to work as it should…all three firing pins work as intended.  The action is still nice and tight and has just a hair of play in it.  The action is opened by pushing the front trigger forward (something that isn’t obvious just looking at it).  To fire the rifle barrel, the left hammer is cocked and the “switch” in front of the triggers is pushed forward…the rear trigger will then fire the rifle barrel.  Both shotgun barrels have the typical “black powder bore”…it’s pretty typical to find pitting in the barrels of guns from the black powder era–black powder is corrosive and if you don’t clean them relatively soon after shooting, they’re going to pit.  On the bright side, they still have some shine to them, so there’s that.  The rifle barrel on the other hand is still shiny…looks like it could maybe use a cleaning, but otherwise looks pretty good with no pitting I can see.  Honestly it probably wasn’t used much…these were typically just used as a heavy and somewhat unwieldy shotgun.  Might be something that could be fired with sub caliber adapters, but shooting modern smokeless 12 ga rounds in these twist barrels is probaby not a good idea.  Rifle looks like it would shoot fine, though as with any gun this age you’d want to have it inspected by a gunsmith before trying to do so.  Would certainly be a conversation starter at a Cowboy Action shoot!

    While it’s not surprising that this piece ended up out west in a museum in Montana, the exact story of how it got out here is unfortunatly lost to history…records of who owned it and how it came into the collection were either not made or have been lost.

    This is an interesting piece of history that would be a great addition to any collection! For payment we accept USPS money order, bank or cashiers check, and credit cards at 2.9%. Shipping will be UPS Ground. All our auctions begin and end on Sunday afternoons so people have time to bid when they’re not work/church/etc.  Feel free to ask questions! 

    Make:

    L.C. Smith/W.H. Baker

    Model: Baker Drilling

    Serial Number: 762

    Year of Manufacture: Circa 1880

    Caliber: 12 gauge over .44-40?

    Action Type: Drilling

    Barrel Length: 30 Inch

    Sights / Optics: Front blade

    Stock/Grip Configuration & Condition: Factory walnut stock in fair condition

    Type of Finish: Patina

    Overall Condition: Overall Fair to Good condition

    Mechanics: Everything appears to work as intended.

    Current bid on this piece of history is $1199.

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    After taking a week off, Saturday Shootaround, your place for 2A and firearms related news, returns. Today’s verse comes to us from another British WWI trooper, Isaac Rosenberg. Rosenberg was a member of the Kings Own Royal Lancasters and was killed in combat near Arras France in 1918.

    Break of Day in the Trenches

    The darkness crumbles away.
    It is the same old druid Time as ever,
    Only a live thing leaps my hand,
    A queer sardonic rat,
    As I pull the parapet’s poppy
    To stick behind my ear.
    Droll rat, they would shoot you if they knew
    Your cosmopolitan sympathies.
    Now you have touched this English hand
    You will do the same to a German
    Soon, no doubt, if it be your pleasure
    To cross the sleeping green between.
    It seems you inwardly grin as you pass
    Strong eyes, fine limbs, haughty athletes,
    Less chanced than you for life,
    Bonds to the whims of murder,
    Sprawled in the bowels of the earth,
    The torn fields of France.
    What do you see in our eyes
    At the shrieking iron and flame
    Hurled through still heavens?
    What quaver—what heart aghast?
    Poppies whose roots are in man’s veins
    Drop, and are ever dropping;
    But mine in my ear is safe—
    Just a little white with the dust.

    There was an interesting incident at the Indiana state Capitol building this week. Several high school gun control advocates affiliated with Students Demand Action confronted Indiana state Rep Jim Lucas over the right to carry. One of the kids asked Lucas if he carried a firearm. What makes this incident interesting is the fact Lucas was carrying at the time and brushed back his coattails to show the students.

    “I’m carrying one right now,” Lucas said.

    “Nothing about that makes me feel safe,” replied the student. . .

    A student next told Lucas that people carrying firearms do not make them feel safe but rather threatened, prompting the following exchange:

    “OK, those are feelings,” Lucas responded. “I’m talking facts.”

    “That’s what this is about; this is about feelings,” replied the student.

    “People who want to kill you don’t care about your feelings,” Lucas said.

    Video of the incident wound up online, because of course it did. The reaction was mixed to say the least.

    The students said they were caught off guard when Lucas showed his weapon. Alana Trissel, 17, said her heart dropped to her stomach. 

    “It was though all of my previous arguments were just invalid because I knew that at any given circumstance, he could end the entire conversation by choosing to end any of our lives,” Trissel said. “I just knew that that conversation wasn’t really a conversation because there was nothing I could say. I just felt unprotected and unsafe.”

    What Alana failed to realize is that her arguments were invalid even without a gun. Facts always trump feelings. A lot of somebodies failed that girl, and her fellow gun control activists.

    SHOT show has come and gone. Unlike past years, there wasn’t anything new that really interested me. It was the usual assortment of boutique ARs, rehashed pistol designs and tarted up optics. That said there were a couple of announcements/releases of note.

    Ruger announced the gen 2 American rifle. It features a new stock, spiral barrel flutes and a new 3 position safety. MSRP is $729 for either the standard or the Ranch versions.

    L, Standard R, Ranch

    Christensen Arms, known for their high-end hunting and precision rifles, has announced the Evoke, a sub-$1000 rifle. The base model has an MSRP of $899. It comes with a proprietary Christensen Arms action 
with a 3-lug bolt and 60-degree bolt throw, detachable magazine, hybrid grip angle, premium adjustable trigger, 416R stainless steel suppressor-ready barrel with an RFR-style brake and swivel sling studs. The upgraded models add a picatinny rail and adjustable cheek risers.

    On the legal front, there was a big win in Commiefornia this week courtesy of St Benitez. U.S. District Judge Roger T. Benitez ruled the California ammo background check law unconstitutional. This law also prevented Californians from bringing back ammo purchased out of state. From the ruling:

    It is Senate Bill 1235’s requirement of a background check for every purchase that is challenged here. Why the egislature eliminated the voter-approved 4-year permit system in favor of an everypurchase background check scheme is not apparent. Without prejudging the discarded 4-year permit system envisioned by the voters of California, such a system would clearly be a more reasonable constitutional approach than the current scheme.

    Today, a person may choose to submit to a full credit check to buy an automobile. But he is not required to pass the same credit check every time he needs to refill his car with gas or recharge his battery at a charging station. And the Constitution does not mention a right to own automobiles (or carriages or horses). Similarly, when a person chooses to buy a firearm, he is required to undergo a full background check. However, until now, he was not required to also go through a background check every time he needs to refill his gun with ammunition. And the Bill of Rights commands that the right to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. With the recently enacted ammunition background check laws, gun owners in California undergo background checks more than one million times each year simply to buy ammunition. They are not allowed to buy ammunition from out-of-state vendors and have it delivered to their homes. They are not allowed to buy ammunition in Arizona or Nevada and bring it with them back into California. Though they are citizens entitled to enjoy all of the constitutional rights, Californians are denied the Second Amendment right to buy ammunition for self-defense at least 11% of the time because of problems with the background check system.

    As of this writing, the ruling is in effect but the state has appealed to the 9th circus.

    The South Carolina State Senate just approved constitutional carry in that state. The bill was passed in the state House last year but will have to return to that chamber for a reconciliation vote as the language of the Senate version is slightly different than that of the House version. After that it goes to Governor Henry McMaster’s desk for his signature.

    Gun Porn

    This week’s gun porn is a one-off revolver made as a fundraiser for the Cody Firearms Museum at the Buffalo Bill Center of the West, located in Cody Wyoming. It started life as a Ruger Vaquero chambered in .45 Long Colt. This one-of-a-kind wheel gun has been dubbed the “Jade Vaquero” because of the Jade grips. Here’s what the Cody Firearms Museum has to say about it:

    Product Description:
    Embark on a journey through craftsmanship and artistry with “The Jade Vaquero,” a Ruger Vaquero that transcends the boundaries of firearm design. Meticulously handcrafted by the esteemed artist Paul Lantuch, this masterpiece is a testament to precision, luxury, and history. Engraved in the Ruger Custom Shop, The Jade Vaquero is the featured revolver in the 2024 SHOT Show Auction. Key Features: “The Jade Vaquero” boasts a commanding 7 1/2″ barrel, chambered in the iconic .45 Long Colt. Every inch of this firearm is adorned with extensive hand engraving by Paul Lantuch, transforming it into a true work of art. The pièce de résistance is the majestic 24kt gold eagle, masterfully overlayed on the blast shield, symbolizing strength and freedom with every detail.

    Auction for a Cause:
    This event is brought to you by the generous support of Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc., The Ruger Custom Shop, and Baron Engraving. These industry leaders share a commitment to preserving and educating on the rich heritage of firearms. The beneficiary of this auction is the Cody Firearms Museum, ensuring that your bid not only secures an exceptional firearm but also contributes to the preservation and education of future generations about the important role firearms have had and continue to play in American history.

    Exclusive Presentation Case:
    “The Jade Vaquero” package is completed with a custom handmade presentation case crafted from wood and wrapped in Nubian goat skin leather. This unique case not only enhances the aesthetic appeal of the firearm but also serves as a testament to the unparalleled craftsmanship and attention to detail that defines every aspect of this auction item.

    Own a Legacy:
    “The Jade Vaquero” is not merely a firearm; it is a legacy, a fusion of art and function. As you participate in this auction, envision this masterpiece becoming the crown jewel of your collection, symbolizing an appreciation for craftsmanship and a commitment to preserving firearms history. Don’t miss the opportunity to make “The Jade Vaquero” yours while contributing to a noble cause. Bid generously and be part of the narrative that shapes the legacy of this exceptional Ruger Vaquero and ensures future generations continue to understand and cherish America’s firearm traditions and freedoms.

    About Us:
    The Buffalo Bill Center of the West, located in the Cody and Yellowstone areas of Wyoming, is truly a must-see American destination. It houses five different museums, a research center as well as other special rotating exhibitions. A highlight of the center is The Cody Firearms Museum. This mecca for firearms enthusiasts houses over 10,000 artifacts including more than 4,000 firearms and is undoubtedly the most comprehensive firearms museum in the United States if not the world.

    Founded in 1991 and completely redesigned in 2019, the Cody Firearms Museum has attracted the support of the firearms industry as whole since its inception. For the last three years Baron Engraving has shown its support by creating highly collectible one-of-a-kind hand-engraved rifles that are auctioned off to generate financial support that directly benefits the museum.

    Please note that one hundred percent of the proceeds this auction will benefit the Cody Firearms Museum and help ensure that future generations are provided an immersive opportunity to learn about the important role firearms have played in shaping human history and existence.

    The auction for this gorgeous gat has ended with $20026 being raised for the Museum. If you want to see some really high-res images of this masterpiece, go to this link.

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to the weekly 2A feverdream that is Saturday Shootaround. Instead of a bit of poetry, we’ll start this week’s edition with a couple of pro-2A quotes.

    The laws that forbid the carrying of arms are laws of such a nature. They disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes…. Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man.

    Thomas Jefferson – Commonplace Book

    The supposed quietude of a good man allures the ruffian; while on the other hand, arms, like law, discourage and keep the invader and the plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. The balance ofpower is the scale of peace. The same balance would be preserved were all the world destitute of arms, for all would be alike; but since some will not, others dare not lay them aside. And while a single nation refuses to lay them down, it is proper that all should keep them up. Horrid mischief would ensue were one-half the world deprived of the use of them; for while avarice and ambition have a place in the heart of man, the weak will become a prey to the strong. The history of every age and nation establishes these truths, and facts need but little arguments when they prove themselves.”

    Thomas Paine, “Thoughts on Defensive War” in Pennsylvania Magazine, July 1775

    The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic; since it offers a strong moral check against the usurpation and arbitrary power of rulers; and will generally, even if these are successful in the first instance, enable the people to resist and triumph over them.”

    Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution of the United States, 1833

    Now on to the 2A news. . .

    Lawmakers in the Bay State are proposing a new tax on gun and ammo dealers and manufacturers.

    Del. Bernice Mireku-North (D-Montgomery), who will sponsor the Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act in the House of Delegates, said an excise tax would generate an estimated $13 million. The money, Mireku-North said, would also come from firearms associated with mass shootings, which burden the state’s trauma systems. . .

    The legislation hasn’t been filed yet, but Del. Emily Shetty (D-Montgomery) who will be a co-sponsor, said the money would fund the state’s Trauma Physician Services fund. She said it currently generates $12 million annually. An additional $9.5 million was appropriated in the fund for this current fiscal year, she said.

    I don’t see how that type of excise tax would generate $13m annually. According to the ATF records, there were 24 active firearm manufacturing facilities in Maryland in 2021. Total output was 30,358 firearms in 2021, the 22nd fewest among the 50 states. The state’s single largest firearm manufacturing facility, as measured by annual output, is located in Cambridge and run by LWRC International. This plant alone accounted for 90.0% of all guns produced in Maryland in 2021. (As an aside, LWRC makes some of the best ARs on the market.)

    HIVIZ Shooting Systems, purveyors of quality aftermarket iron sight systems, has announced a new pistol sighting system, the FastDot H3 iron sight. This system has a sight picture similar to a reflex sight/red dot. Here’s what HIVIZ has to say about it:

    Laramie, Wyoming – January 15th, 2024 – HIVIZ® Shooting Systems, the premier manufacturer of high quality tritium/fiber-optic and fiber-optic sights for shotguns, handguns and rifles, is thrilled to announce their latest innovation—the FastDot H3®.

    HIVIZ has raised the bar for firearm enthusiasts, by introducing a reliable sight that is bright, easy to acquire and fast when you need it most.

    The FastDot H3 provides the user with faster sight acquisition out of the holster and positive sight alignment feedback through conventional sight alignment. Instead of a traditional blade centered in a notch, this sight uses a circle within a circle. As the user brings the front sight into alignment with the rear, the front red sight disappears behind the rear sight leaving behind a glowing green circle to alert the user of positive alignment.

    HIVIZ Shooting Systems Announces Revolutionary New Sight, FastDot H3

    “Since 1996, HIVIZ has sought to improve the art of shooting through simple, yet innovative products for rifles, pistols and shotguns,” said HIVIZ President and Founder, Phil Howe. “With the popularity of red dot sights increasing over the last decade we saw an opportunity to use our expertise in iron sights and bridge the gap between traditional iron sights and red dot sights. That’s when the FastDot H3 sight set was developed. This sight set offers the simplicity of a red dot sight system while eliminating the bulk, it doesn’t require batteries and allows for faster sight acquisition right out of the holster. It is quickly becoming a favorite among many who require simplicity and speed from their sight sets!”

    The FastDot H3 is built to enhance the experience for any shooter– beginner or expert. With tritium/fiber-optic front and rear sights, the FastDot H3 provides 24-hour illumination for a bright and visible sight picture and easy acquisition right out of the holster day or night. Shooters can be prepared to confidently align, aim and manufacture precise shot placement in any light or high stress environment.

    This sight seems superficially similar to the Meprolight Bullseye sight system. I have some trigger time on a Sig P365 SAS with that sight, and it takes some getting used to. I could see the attraction of this system, though what advantage it has over a reflex sight, the Meprolight or the XS Big Dot I don’t know. Perhaps a deep dive into pistol sighting systems is in order. Let me know in the comments if that’s something you’d like to see.

    https://twitter.com/sethweathers/status/1746966639357141378?s=20

    Good news for those of you in Commiefornia, the Crossroads of the West gun show is on at the Orange County fairgrounds. The show opened yesterday and will run till Sunday. admission for those 13 and older is $25. It will be the first time in two years the show has been held. The Marxists in the Commiefornia legislature had passed legislation barring gunshows at any state owned facility, but a decision by U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb put that law on hold.

    Sig Sauer announced the expansion of their professional program. The Pro program offers significant discounts on specific Sig firearms. The discounts range from $130 to $250. If you fall into one of the following categories, you’re eligible.

    • Active-duty military with an active-duty identification
    • Retired military with retired military credentials
    • Honorably discharged veterans (requires DD214 or Veteran designation on state-issued ID)
    • Active reservists with military identification
    • Active national guard with military identification
    • Corrections officer (including parole and probation officers)
    • Sworn law enforcement officers (including federal, state, and county)
    • Retired law enforcement officers with “retired” credentials
    • Active or retired law enforcement with official agency credentials
    • Court officers with official agency credentials or official documentation
    • State / County / City Coroners with official agency credentials or official documentation
    • Full time first responders with current credentials or official documentation
    • EMT’s, Firefighters, Volunteer Firefighters, and Paramedics.

    You’ll need to go here, download and complete the form, and go to a Sig Master or Elite dealer to get your discounts.

    SHOT show, the annual gun industry convention, is going on in Vegas as we speak. I for one can’t wait to see what new stuff gets announced. I had the opportunity to attend about 10 years ago, and it was a pretty cool experience.

    This week’s gun porn is one that I am watching. This is a decent example of A Winchester Model 1907SL in .351 WSL. The seller was quite succinct in his description, listing only model, barrel length and caliber, but included a bunch of photos. Current bid is $275 and the auction ends the 25th. If the price doesn’t get out of hand, I’ll jump in with a last second bid.

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to Saturday shootaround, your source for all things 2A and guns. As usual, we start with some verse. This week’s selection is Shiloh: A Requiem by Herman Melville (1819-1891). While you may know Melville from Moby Dick or Bartleby the Scrivener, he was a prolific poet and wrote an entire volume of poetry about the Civil War. This is one of those poems.

    Skimming lightly, wheeling still,
    The swallows fly low
    Over the field in clouded days,
    The forest-field of Shiloh—
    Over the field where April rain
    Solaced the parched ones stretched in pain
    Through the pause of night
    That followed the Sunday fight
    Around the church of Shiloh—
    The church so lone, the log-built one,
    That echoed to many a parting groan
    And natural prayer
    Of dying foemen mingled there—
    Foemen at morn, but friends at eve—
    Fame or country least their care:
    (What like a bullet can undeceive!)
    But now they lie low,
    While over them the swallows skim,
    And all is hushed at Shiloh.

    New York attorney general Leticia James and the attorneys general of Arizona, California, Connecticut, Delaware, Hawai‘i, Illinois, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, and the District of Columbia are joining forces to try to shut down civilian sales of Lake City surplus ammunition.

    Lake City Army Ammunition plant is a government owned, civilian operated manufacturing facility that produces all the small arms (up to 20mm) ammo for the US military. The current operator of the plant is Olin, Winchester ammo’s parent company. The contract specifically allows sales of surplus-to-needs small arms ammo to the civilian market as a way to keep the plant running at its full capacity of 1.6 billion rounds a year. Restricting those sales would require a renegotiation of the current contract. I’d be willing to bet that any company with the experience to run such an enterprise would balk at not being able to sell the surplus ammo.

    There’s a new gun company out there. Rost Martin is a Dallas, Texas based manufacturer and they’ve just released their first gun. The RM1C is a 9mm polymer framed, striker fired autoloader. Here’s what the company has to say about the new pistol:

    DALLAS, Texas. – Introducing the RM1C from Rost Martin – the premier offering from the newest American-made firearms manufacturing company headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

    The RM1C in 9mm challenges the standard for striker-fired compact pistols and offers an innovative approach in supplying the most desirable features for the most competitive price of $459 MSRP.

    Sporting high-level details usually reserved for custom pistols, the RM1C features a 4” hammer-forged barrel, aggressive front and rear slide serrations, ambidextrous mag release, and a smooth, light five-pound trigger pull with a clean break and a short reset. Non-glare top slide serrations combat eye fatigue and allow for quicker sight picture clarity. The low bore axis paired with the hammer-forged barrel provides superior accuracy out-of-the-box and improves muzzle control. The tough Tenifer® treated slide provides anti-corrosion properties and is ultra-durable, fighting against wear and tear and varying weather conditions.

    The pistol comes optic-ready with a metal RMR plate for enhanced ease of rounds on target. The RM1C accepts all other popular optic footprints, and the additional metal plates for the most popular red dot sights will be available on the Rost Martin website. The RM1C also accepts all popular pistol lights on the full three-slot Picatinny rail.

    Ergonomically advanced, the RM1C features the signature Rost Martin Responsive Grip Texturing, or RGT. It’s a proprietary graduated laser stippling designed to respond, or “grip back,” to the amount of grip pressure exerted by the shooter for an incredibly secure yet comfortable fit.

    The RM1C is engineered and built for longstanding durability and reliability you can trust, backed by the Rost Martin lifetime warranty. “Our preproduction stress test and validation included testing the limits of our pistol up to 50,000 rounds, submersion in sand, water, ice, mud, and extensive drop testing without failure,” explains Rost Martin CEO Chris Toomer. . .

    Carrying 15+1 with a flush mag or 17+1 with the extended mag, the RM1C is the premier compact pistol in its class and represents a formidable product introduction from Rost Martin.

    The Next Generation of Freedom has officially arrived.

    For $460 I might give this one a try if they ship with NY compliant mags.

     Senator Edward J. Markey (D[umbass]-MA.) and Congressman Jamie Raskin (Commie-MD) have introduced an anti-militia bill. The Preventing Private Paramilitary Activity Act is legislation that would create a federal prohibition on paramilitary groups through civil and criminal enforcement.  This bill would ostensibly criminalize most firearms training due to the intentionally vague language used. I’m hoping this crapfest gets shunted to committee to die a slow death. If it doesn’t, I’ll let you know so you can call and email your Congress critters and let them know this is a bad idea.

    It seems the HiPower is seeing a resurgence. A number of brands, including the original maker Fabrique Nationale, have introduced Hi Powers recently. The latest in that space is Military Armaments Company (MAC). They just announced the release of their Inglis branded Hi Powers.

    Military Armament Corp (MAC) is pleased to announce the return of Inglis Hi Power to the US market. Through an exclusive partnership, MAC, and parent company SDS Imports will be bringing several models of the world-famous High Power to the United States, starting with the L9A1, A WWII firearm produced by Inglis.

    The other three models will be commercial variants, black with walnut grips, satin nickel with black G-10 grips and the last will be a color case-hardened model named the GP-35.

    The L9A1 has an incredible and rich heritage among firearms enthusiasts. It was used by British Commonwealth forces from 1962-2013.

    With a starting MSRP of just $490, I’m curious to see what these pistols look like. As an aside, this editor owns an original Canadian made Inglis Pistol #2 MK 1*, the WWII version of the Hi Power.

    This week’s gun porn takes us in a different direction than the porn from past editions. This week we feature an antique single shot rifle from Whitney. It’s a .32 rimfire rolling block. Here’s what the seller has to say:

    Fair condition antique Whitney Rolling Block Style II, Model No. 2 Sporting Rifle in .32 rimfire caliber. Mechanically functions fine, but the hammer spur is broken off and missing. Metal has mostly brown and gray patina. 26” octagonal barrel has original sights. Bore is dark gray with average rifling and some pitting. Stock has original finish and shows some wear and handling marks. Both sides of forend have some chips. Left side of wrist has a couple of cracks. Right side of wrist has a small hairline. Left side buttstock has carved “WN”. A decent example of an uncommon Whitney Rolling Block rifle.

    The current bid (as of Friday evening) is $215. This may be your chance to own a bit of history for not a lot of dough. Finding .32 rimfire to shoot might be another issue altogether though. . .

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to Saturday Shootaround, your weekly foray into the 2A news and notes. As usual, we start with a verse. This week it is the final stanza of ‘Dulce et Decorum Est’, by Wilfred Owen (1893-1918). Owen was an English soldier who was gazetted the Military Cross – the second highest military honor in the British army at the time – for his actions near Joncourt France in 1918. He was killed in action exactly one week and one hour before the Armistice was signed.

    If in some smothering dreams, you too could pace
    Behind the wagon that we flung him in,
    And watch the white eyes writhing in his face,
    His hanging face, like a devil’s sick of sin;
    If you could hear, at every jolt, the blood
    Come gargling from the froth-corrupted lungs,
    Obscene as cancer, bitter as the cud
    Of vile, incurable sores on innocent tongues,—
    My friend, you would not tell with such high zest
    To children ardent for some desperate glory,
    The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est
    Pro patria mori.

    Let’s start with the news that Wayne LaPierre is stepping down as CEO and executive vice president of the NRA. Before I get into this, I probably should disclose that I am a lifetime NRA member. I won the membership in a competition in the Army. Ok, that’s out of the way, now on to my thoughts. At some point in the past 10-15 years the NRA lost its way. A big part of the problem was Mr. LaPierre. It seemed to me that LaPierre was more interested in the perquisites of the job than the actual job itself.

    While I consider the suit politically motivated, the legal actions by Letitia James, the New York AG, laid bare a lot of financial shenanigans at the organization. LaPierre and those around him used NRA donations as their private slush fund, spending hundreds of thousands on tailor bills and catering. Frankly, I haven’t sent the NRA a dime in a very long time because of rumors about just that. Maybe now the NRA can get back to doing what It was founded to do; protect and defend gun rights.

    On a side note if you feel called to donate to a 2A group, consider the Firearms Policy Coalition or Gun Owners of America, both do yeoman’s work on the gun rights front. Your state and local gun rights groups are also a good choice.

    There were some new options in optics announced this week.

    First up from Vortex, two new Venom scopes have been released, a 3-15×44 and a 1-6×24 LVPO. The 3-15 is built on a 34mm tube and features a first focal plane reticle and an MSRP of $649.99. The 1-6 is built on a 30mm tube and features an illuminated second focal plane reticle and is listed at $449.99

    L, Vortex Venom 1-6×22, R, Trijicon Tenmile 5-25×50

    Meanwhile, Trijicon has announced 3 (2 and a half really) new scopes. The new Tenmile HX 5-25×50 FFP scope has a red/green illuminated reticle, a 30mm tube and an MSRP of $2195. the other scopes are versions of the 34mm 1-10×28 Credo LPVO, one with a tactical style m-rad reticle and the other has a hunting friendly MOA reticle. Both have the same red/green illumination as the Tenmile. MSRP for the two Credo scopes is $2150.

    The Illinois ‘assault weapons’ registration law went live on New Years day, but it seems there is mass non-compliance with the new regulations. According to the numbers I’ve seen, less than 1% of Illinoisans have actually registered their guns and magazines. It also seems that the Illinois State Police will not be actively looking to charge anyone under this new statute. That said, if someone gets nailed for something else and happens to have an unregistered gun or mag, expect them to get hammered. . .

    Mossberg has just announced a new OU option, the 20 gauge Gold Reserve. This new chambering has an MSRP of $1135, so it’s not going to break the bank. It has 3″ chambers, 30″ barrels and comes with a set of 5 choke tubes. It is made in Turkey, but don’t let that scare you off, some Turkish guns are well made. I’ve handled the 12 gauge version of the Gold Reserve and it has a quality feel, I expect the 20 to be the same.

    This week’s gun porn is a matched set of early 19th century French percussion duelling pistols. The starting bid is $2250. Here’s what the seller has to say:

    Pair of French Percussion Dueling Pistols, Likely 1830’s – 1840’s
    Set triggers
    Nicely engraved and detailed.
    .54 caliber
    8 1/2″ finely rifled barrel

    This is an intriguing pair of pistols. I have to wonder if they have any bodies. . .

    The seller happens to be local to me, so I may take a trip to go check these pistols out in person. If I do, I’ll report back.

  • Saturday Shootaround

    Saturday Shootaround

    Welcome to Saturday Shootaround, your source for 2A news and notes.

    As usual, we start with a poem. This week’s selection is High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr. A RCAF pilot in WWII, Magee died in a crash over Lincolnshire in 1941. This poem is engraved on the Challenger Space Shuttle monument.

    Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth

    And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;

    Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth

    of sun-split clouds,—and done a hundred things

    You have not dreamed of—wheeled and soared and swung

    High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,

    I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung

    My eager craft through footless halls of air ….

    Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue

    I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace

    Where never lark nor ever eagle flew—

    And, while with silent lifting mind I’ve trod

    The high untrespassed sanctity of space,

    Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.

    A gun control group in New Mexico is under investigation for a gun buy-back program they ran. It seems the organization, New Mexicans to Prevent Gun Violence (NMPGV), ran afoul of state law by not having background checks done as part of the buy-back. San Juan County Sheriff Shane Ferrari said “Reviewing the law I do not see where they are exempt from having to undergo a background check and are required to like anyone else. A sale is taking place (gift cards $100 and up), it is advertised as a purchase and called a ‘buy back,’”.

    NMPGV issued a statement saying no transfers occurred because they dismantled the guns on site during the buy-back. Sheriff Ferrari said images NMPGV shared of firearms they collected may show that the firearms were not properly dismantled, as defined by federal law. “I know how many times a receiver needs to be cut to be considered destroyed,” he wrote.

    Whoops.

    I am not a fan of buy-backs in general. They do little, if anything, to reduce the number of gun crimes. That said, I have participated in a couple. Don’t worry, I was gaming the system both times. I got $350 for a collection of out-of-spec and worn out AK parts that I dropped into an incomplete receiver flat, and $250 for a non-functional Saturday night special my cop father had as a ‘drop piece’. That money went to one of my locals in exchange for an AR lower and a used Buckmark. . .

    I make no secret that I am a fan of Bergara rifles. You can read my review of their B14 Ridge here. Well, Bergara has just announced a new chambering, the 6mm GT. It’s available in the Premier Competition rifle. This rifle is optimized for the production class in PRS (precision rifle series) shooting and is ready for competition right out of the box. It features a custom Trigger Tech trigger, a 26″ 1 in 7.5″ twist (in 6mm GT) stainless barrel and a chassis stock from MPA. Bare, the rifle weighs in at 12.7 pounds. MSRP is $2750, but I’ve seen it advertised for a couple of hundred less in 6 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

    The 6mm GT round is capable of launching 100+ grain projectiles at 3000fps. It is popular in PRS for its high ballistic coefficient bullets and velocities with mild recoil. It is a newer cartridge that gained SAAMI specification in 2022. 

    This one irritates me. Jeramy Wilborn is suing the ATF to get his guns back. The ATF confiscated them because he might some time in the future, possibly be charged with domestic violence. Wilborn, a Michigan resident, had been convicted of a misdemeanor DV charge in 2008, and had his record expunged in 2022. A quick side note, expungement means it’s as if it never happened. The Jackbooted thugs ATF, despite not having a legal basis, seem to think the potential for future crime is reason enough to strip someone of their rights.

    Don’t get me wrong, I do not think serial domestic abusers should have access to firearms. But in this case, and I’m sure there are others like it, there is no good reason to make him a prohibited person especially after an expungement.

    Taurus has introduced its first 10mm (the best mm) pistol, the TH10. It’s a hammer-fired DA/SA, polymer framed rig. It has a decocker/safety and a 15 round capacity. MSRP for the 28.5 oz pistol is $529.99. That makes it the lowest priced 10mm gat on the market.

    Frankly, I’d save another $100 and buy the Rock Island Armory Ultra FS in 10mm before I bought the Taurus, but I can see the appeal of a (relatively) inexpensive 10.

    There are a couple of items of note in the shooting world. CSG, a Czech firm, just bought a majority stake in Armi Perazzi. You may know Perazzi from their high-end competition shotguns. CSG you probably don’t know. they’re a Czechia based firm with a variety of holdings including Fiocci ammo, Lyalvale Express(the largest British shot maker), Tatra cars and trucks, and a variety of defense and aerospace ventures.

    Savage announced that a long-time employee will be promoted to CEO starting 1 January.  Chris Bezzina who’s been with Savage Arms since 2007 when he joined as leader of the engineering team will be taking over for Al Kasper. Kasper has been with Savage for 25 years and will stay on the company’s board.

    Today’s gun porn is another piece of history, the Borchardt C-93. The C-93 was the first mass-produced semi-auto pistol. Here’s what the seller has to say:

    All original DWM Borchardt c-93   Matching numbers gun including the magazine SN 1660.   Stock SN is different from the gun 1691. Not uncommon to be slightly off.
    This gun is 125 years old and is in great condition 95% original bluing only shows sins of high point and holster wear.  Wood is in very good shape, no cracks or splitting. Leather is not great but a lot better than expected for 125y and two world wars.
    This is my personal gun.  It can transfer directly to your C&R FFL.   What you see in the pictures is what you get. Payment is do within 7 days of winning bid.

    Borchardt developed the high-velocity, bottlenecked 7.65×25mm Borchardtcartridge for the C93. His assistant at the time, Georg Luger, also claimed to have influenced its design. Machine tool manufacturer Ludwig Loewe & Companyof Berlin, Germany, produced the C93 in anticipation of military orders. With about 1,100 manufactured by Loewe and nearly 2,000 more produced by Deutsche Waffen- und Munitionsfabriken (DWM). The Borchardt C93 was the first mass-produced semi-automatic pistol