Numbers Matter

From the NSSF, relating to the latest gun ban foolishness:

There were nearly 25 million AR/AK-style rifles in circulation on June 21, 2022, at which time the National Shooting Sports Foundation observed there were more AR/AK-style firearms in circulation “than Ford F-Series trucks on the road.”

And that was over a year ago.  I personally know of four people who’ve bought themselves lovely new AR-15s since then.  One guy bought a matched pair for himself and his wife:

If that doesn’t give you the Warm ‘N Fuzzies, go stand in the corner.

Dept. Of Righteous Shootings – International Division

Here’s one Righteous Shooting that has had an unhappy ending:

Mario Roggero shot at three thieves in Grinzane Cavour on April 28, 2021 after they entered his store, bound his daughter’s hands behind her back, threatened to kill his wife and helped themselves to expensive jewellery and watches.

Fearing for his life, Roggero was seen on CCTV chasing them out of the shop and shooting at least five times.

Andrea Spinelli and Giuseppe Mazzarino died a few yards from the shop entrance, one in the street and the other on the corner with a side street. A third robber was injured and later arrested.

Of course, had this happened in, say, Texas and not in Yurp, there’d be parades in his honor and several attaboys from the police (and me, for instance) for ridding society of three violent assholes.  Instead:

Roggero has been sentenced to 17 years in prison.

Disgusting.  But not entirely unexpected in gun-hating Europe.

Also, in Texas the asshole prosecutors would be facing all sorts of anger from the voters and almost certain loss of office;  but in Yurp, they’re quite happy to lick the chains that enslave them.

Range time, Kim?  I think so.


Update:  And it gets worse.

Just To Make Sure

…that I have this right.  Below is the evil, awful 15-round magazine as made by Glock:

And then what seems to be acceptable to the gun-haters:

Did I get that right?

I’m pretty sure that it would only take me a couple seconds longer to fire off 16 rounds from two magazines than 15 rounds from one.

Is this really the hill they want to die on?  Two seconds’ difference?  (figuratively speaking, of course)

(Next thing, California is going to ban the carry of more than one magazine on one’s person — ugh, perhaps I should shut up and not give them ideas…)

And of course, those .45 John Moses Browning boolets are going to arrive on target with, shall we say, a tad more authority than that lil’ 9mm Europellet.

I’ll stick to my 1911 and Chip McCormick mags, thank you.

Unexpectedly

Yeah, nobody saw this one coming:

Illinois’ new “assault weapon” and magazine ban is in effect, and on October 1, that state opened its registry for grandfathered weapons and magazines so that owners who already have legally purchased weapons can register them with the state. Illinois gun owners, of course, rushed to register their weapons and magazines in compliance with the new law.

Just kidding. Almost nobody has registered anything.

As part of the Protect Illinois Communities Act that was enacted earlier this year, the registration portal for firearms owners in Illinois that own certain semi-automatic firearms, accessories and ammunition opened Oct. 1. While the law bans more than 170 semi-automatic rifles, shotguns and handguns, it also bans handgun magazines over 15 rounds and rifle magazines over 10 rounds. Magazines do not have to be registered. 

Illinois State Police published the first round of statistics Tuesday, and of more than 2.4 million Firearm Owner ID card holders, 1,050 individuals have registered a total of 3,202 firearms, .50 caliber ammunition and accessories. 

“You’re at 0.0004%. That’s a rounding error,” gun rights advocate Todd Vandermyde told The Center Square.

To be fair, as Glenn Reynolds would say, that’s about half the number of Connecticut gun owners who rushed to register their AR-15s etc. after a similar law was passed there.

ILGov Fatboi Pritzker must be shitting in his capacious pants.

Wait A Minute

Okay, okay… this is seriously good news:

Renowned firearms manufacturer Smith & Wesson ditched deep blue Massachusetts and moved its headquarters to friendlier pastures in Tennessee.  Although the move was announced in 2021, it was on Saturday that the company officially opened its new 650,000-square feet building in Maryville as part of a $125 million relocation effort.

The company has been in New England since its founding in 1852, but Massachusetts’ strict gun laws are at least partly to blame for their exodus.

Not to mention the Massholes’ steep taxes, which the article notes.

And there was shooty fun and joyousness all round, you betcha:

Yesterday at Smith & Wesson’s new headquarters in Tennessee, Jerry Miculek set the #NRA World Record for hitting six steel plates with a 9 mm revolver at seven yards after a 1.88-second run.

So:  apart from not wanting to stay in the People’s Soviet of Massachusetts, why the move?

S&W CEO Mark Smith cited a welcoming regulatory environment and close collaboration with the Tennessee state government as a crucial piece of the plan to relocate. The company has said the new facility would create hundreds of jobs.

Tennessee has moved to loosen gun restrictions in recent years under Republican leadership. In 2021, the state passed a law to allow most adults 21 and older to carry handguns without a permit that requires first clearing a state-level background check and training.

Yeah, okay fine, but what are we Texans?  Chopped liver?  We have all the good stuff that Tennessee has, also better BBQ.

But let me not quibble.  Anytime a company — any company — comes to its senses and gets out of Communist America, it’s a good thing.

These are just a few of the S&W guns I used to own (before that tragic day crossing the Brazos by canoe), and under the right circumstances, I’d own quite a few more again.