April 27, 2014
— andy John E., Ben K. & I have been at the NRA Annual Meeting in Indianapolis over the weekend, and I'll try to distill the full 2.5 days into the post below. But before getting to the gun-related stuff proper, I'd say the best thing about the meeting was spending time with lots of people we've known on-line for ages but hadn't met in person. The list of great folks we've met is staggeringly long and I won't bore you with it, but for all the folks we've spent time with in the last couple of days, you were the highlight of the weekend.
And on that note, John and I were coming back to the convention hall this morning, and we were chatting with the shuttle driver from the hotel. She told us that her impression of the NRA had totally changed over the weekend. Last week, she had the view of the NRA and its members that the media promotes ... bloodthirsty gun worshippers who cheer at school shootings or whatever. But after a few days of driving a bunch of happy people (her words) who are, as a rule, polite and just enjoying being in each other's company, her perception changed.
Changing hearts and minds one at a time. This is how we win.
NRA: One Issue And One Issue Only
I was fortunate to be exposed to a side of the NRA that you won't see in any of the other reporting on the NRAAM. I have a cousin who's on the NRA Board, and he invited me to attend the NRA Civil Rights Defense Fund committee meeting.
The fund assists people charged with gun-related crimes, and listening to the committee go through the various cases up for consideration all across the country was fascinating. Also, in the room and speaking were the folks who argued and won the 9th circuit Peruta case, the Delaware public housing case, and others. This is where the rubber meets the road on defending our second amendment rights.
Andrew Branca, FTW
We spent plenty of time with our friend Andrew Branca over the last few days, and we attended the SYG presentation he gave on Friday. He got lots of mileage out of a debate he did at UC Berkley where the lefty CNN host on the other side lost a bet and then refused to pay.
I know the Downfall parody is pretty played out as a general rule, but the one below the fold was used in Branca's presentation and had the crowd of a few hundred firearms law-types rolling in the aisles.
Also, I understand from Branca that Adam Baldwin deserves a tip of the hat for providing a key insight that allowed him to win the debate in the first 5 minutes.
And here's Branca's full presentation at the NRA Annual Meeting:
Peak John E.
John and NRO's Charles C. W. Cooke were interviewed by Cam Edwards and will be on Cam & Co. sometime this week.

Tips
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Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at April 27, 2014 08:57 AM (HVff2)
Posted by: Misanthropic Humanitarian at April 27, 2014 09:01 AM (HVff2)
I made it to the Houston meeting, last year, but my plans for Indy went off the rails when my truck got totaled in February. Dammit.
Next year though, Ima be there.
Good write up though. Highly appreciated, because I get to get bits of "being there", less the meeting with good friends and fellow Morons.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Posted by: Jim at April 27, 2014 09:03 AM (vvk2F)
Posted by: eman at April 27, 2014 09:03 AM (AO9UG)
Posted by: RWC at April 27, 2014 09:04 AM (QeH9j)
Posted by: RWC at April 27, 2014 09:04 AM (QeH9j)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 27, 2014 09:04 AM (TyX6n)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 27, 2014 09:04 AM (TyX6n)
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 27, 2014 09:05 AM (60Vyp)
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 27, 2014 09:05 AM (60Vyp)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 27, 2014 09:06 AM (TyX6n)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 27, 2014 09:06 AM (TyX6n)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 27, 2014 09:07 AM (ZshNr)
Posted by: eman at April 27, 2014 09:09 AM (AO9UG)
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 27, 2014 09:12 AM (60Vyp)
I'll get you everything you need
Don't need to believe in hereafter
Just believe in me
Posted by: Pres**ent Barack “Unexpectedly with no prior executive experience” Obama at April 27, 2014 09:15 AM (e8kgV)
Posted by: Law of Self Defense at April 27, 2014 09:15 AM (/TtJt)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 27, 2014 09:15 AM (ZshNr)
Posted by: CrotchetyOldJarhead at April 27, 2014 09:17 AM (60Vyp)
Posted by: Prez'nit 404, Unsocked at April 27, 2014 09:17 AM (Dwehj)
Is it "welshing" or "welching"? And if it's the first, do we have any problems with, uh, uncomfortable expressions stepping on ethnic toes? I mean, don't the Welsh fiercely police every tidbit of idiomatic language for slurs? (I mean, this is 2014, gentlemen)
Village Idiot's Apprentice, congrats. My idiotic state has degraded the operational value of the C&R considerably (adding cost and hassle), and I already have several Mosins, but I keep thinking I'll stumble across that pristine 91/59 some day, the one with the perfect bluing and correct stock and shiny bore, and have to buy it (and it won't be cheap, by Mosin standards).
Still looking forward to visiting J&G in Prescott and buying a Mosin and a handgun hand-picked by myself, and walking out the door (but don't tell the wife, who will believe the entire trip is about the Grand Canyon ....).
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:18 AM (afQnV)
Posted by: Hurricane LaFawnduh at April 27, 2014 09:18 AM (Yh5Sg)
Posted by: Lincolntf at April 27, 2014 09:18 AM (ZshNr)
Posted by: lowandslow at April 27, 2014 09:18 AM (IV4od)
Well, those GI sights were intolerable. Last month I happened to hear about Springfield Armory's Custom Shop. Went to their website, looked at their work order price list, and lo and behold, for only $65 I could get the Mil-Spec sights installed on my GI. Even better, I only had to send the slide, which meant I could send it snail mail and not have to screw around with shipping a pistol through Fed-Ex.
I sent the slide in with the work order, and in three weeks - THREE WEEKS! - it was back in my hands. Total cost with shipping and insurance both ways was $87. Great deal.
Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at April 27, 2014 09:19 AM (celt+)
Posted by: eman at April 27, 2014 09:19 AM (AO9UG)
Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at April 27, 2014 09:20 AM (GEICT)
Last night I attended our annual local 4H Shooting Sports banquet (mentioned this on the ONT).
Great event, it kicks off with the Pledge Of Allegiance, followed by the 4H Pledge, then an invocation.
Excellent food, followed by a silent auction, live auction plus a drop box with tables full of goodies that you drop tickets in.
Much to my surprise, I scored a Stevens model 200 rifle with a 3x9 variable scope in .270 caliber from the drop box tables.
Haven't yet really looked at it yet. But this IS neat.
Posted by: irongrampa at April 27, 2014 09:21 AM (SAMxH)
Remanufactured ammoÂ…is it garbage? How can you tell? Especially when buying online.
=========
My rule of thumb on reman ammo: If your gun blows up, it's garbage. If it puts puts 5 bullets on target within a minute of angle, it's a helluva bargain.
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:22 AM (JBggj)
Posted by: kbdabear at April 27, 2014 09:22 AM (aTXUx)
Taro, funny, I went through EXACTLY the same thinking on the Mil-Spec vs. GI (Springfield 1911). In the end I bought a slightly used Mil-Spec (parkerized, of course) for a decent price locally. To appease my WWII/history obsession, I put Remington-Rand WWII surplus grips on it - so it looks pretty much like that era's version, minus of course the serrations, ejection port, and lack of a lanyard loop (and sights).
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:22 AM (afQnV)
Posted by: eman at April 27, 2014 09:24 AM (AO9UG)
Posted by: ashowalt at April 27, 2014 09:24 AM (9nk6u)
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:25 AM (JBggj)
Posted by: RWC at April 27, 2014 09:25 AM (QeH9j)
I was tempted to get an ejection port lowering & flaring while I was at it. May still.
Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at April 27, 2014 09:25 AM (celt+)
BCochran, I haven't used it but I don't think there's any problem (in general) with reman ammo. It's just commercially reloaded, shouldn't be much different than "new" factory ammo, for practice and general purpose plinking/blasting.
I reload and haven't bought any factory for a few years (surplus for the rifles). But I've never heard of any issue with reman/commercially reloaded ammo for general purpose use (which I assume is your intention).
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:25 AM (afQnV)
Posted by: MilitarizedThugCopJoe at April 27, 2014 09:27 AM (Da/fK)
Posted by: The DNC and MSM at April 27, 2014 09:27 AM (if2JC)
Posted by: Village Idiot's Apprentice at April 27, 2014 09:27 AM (TyX6n)
=======
Yeah, Andy. What Joe said
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:28 AM (JBggj)
I think Black Hills is a premium producer - don't they work with military units including special forces to produce custom ammo? And make high-end hunting ammo? Anyway, don't think of them as a bulk reman source.
Georgia Arms, LAX, seem to be two names that come to mind. I've seen guys using LAX handgun ammo at matches and they like it. Their prices are not bad, with the usual proviso: buy in bulk - and even keep an eye out for sales or specials, though those must have been rare in the last year or so.
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:28 AM (afQnV)
Posted by: [/i][/b]KG at April 27, 2014 09:28 AM (IPz9m)
Posted by: MilitarizedThugCopJoe at April 27, 2014 09:30 AM (Da/fK)
Village Idiot's Apprentice, to add to your list (for BCochran and others) ammo shopping online:
ammoseek.com
ammoengine.com
gunbot.net
gun-deals.com (includes shipping cost in side/side comparisons)
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:30 AM (afQnV)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tk4dD2L0RTk
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:31 AM (JBggj)
Posted by: MilitarizedThugCopJoe at April 27, 2014 09:34 AM (0DMvp)
NCJ. you should keep in mind something one of my good buddies said--anything Russian built will need the judicious use of brute force on occasion.
2stage triggers don't do that.
Posted by: irongrampa at April 27, 2014 09:35 AM (SAMxH)
ashowalt, sadly agree with you. I support and cheer Andy's perspective about changing minds (let's be frank - dispelling idiotic ignorance and dissolving bigotry) one at a time ...... but in general, on certain topics, doubt the prospects. On guns - paradoxically, to me at least - national attitudes HAVE been either holding fast or even improving.
I stand (sit) astonished, in a country so dumbed down, unserious, irresponsible, character-less, race-obsessed, dishonorable, and utterly in the thrall of such idiocy (water-runs-uphill envy-based "economics", scientific illiteracy/corruption that is stunning, etc.), with a education/press so completely pernicious and off-the-rails, that somehow the tide is flowing against the gun-grabbing freaks. But it seems to be.
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 09:35 AM (afQnV)
Sadly, Ray Tipton retired last year, closing T's Guns & Ammo in Texas City, TX.
(re)Manufactured some of the best pistol and 5.56 ammo I've ever used. His 68 gr. 5.56 Match was easily the most accurate and consistent loading I've still yet found. And, I fired his 148 gr., 38 spl. wadcutter in IDPA matches to great effect. (and fun!) Lazer accurate.
Fact is, I had absolutely zero ammo defects from T's remanufactured ammo. And, his factory-new ammo in 6.5x55 Swede was an exact ballistic match for the now-impossible-to-find Swedish .mil issue surplus. Sub MOA all day long, too.
Summing up..... quality remanufactured ammo is a very wise choice, not only for practice, but for competition, too.
That said, in daily carry, self-defense loads.... I only use factory new ammo, period. I don't want any overzealous lawyer of any kind to have any leverage against me, in claiming that I was using some "sooper lethal secret sauce" ammo.
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Posted by: Jim at April 27, 2014 09:37 AM (vvk2F)
Posted by: sven10077 at April 27, 2014 09:38 AM (8vn6G)
Posted by: Edward Longshanks at April 27, 2014 09:39 AM (AymDN)
Posted by: BackwardsBoy, who did not vote for this shit [/i][/s][/b][/u] at April 27, 2014 09:40 AM (0HooB)
Posted by: sven10077 at April 27, 2014 09:40 AM (8vn6G)
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:43 AM (JBggj)
Local Indy TV stations are giving a lot of play to anti-NRA protesters.
For many years Indianapolis had an inferiority complex. It was called nap town,
India-no place and mocked as being "rural". For years they have tried to change
the perception. It has become more like other big cities. The murder rate has gone way up. The libs blame the guns of course.
Posted by: Bertram Cabot Jr. at April 27, 2014 09:45 AM (XeVA7)
Posted by: sven10077 at April 27, 2014 09:46 AM (8vn6G)
Posted by: Dorcus Blimline at April 27, 2014 09:51 AM (hP/Mt)
Sven....... you're gonna hate the custom Mauser project I've got on the bench then.
Found a VIRGIN commercial Mauser receiver, never had so much as a single part affixed thereon. Only markings on it are the word "Zastava", and the serial number. It's obviously the same as an Interarms Mk.X or Parker-Hale version, sans re-marketer's imprints.
Last year, I found a good donor Mk.X, from which I'm taking the bottom metal and bolt assembly. Trigger will be a Timney, and I'm shopping for a Win '70 type three-position safety. Barrel will be a Shilen in 6.5x55, stainless, with 5-R rifling. I'm going with a 24" barrel in a medium contour.
The stock..... I'm still shopping wood on that, but blanks in the arena I'm looking at are running $1,500 to $2,500. I'll split the blank on a bookend-cut, and laminate the reversals over a sheet of 1/4" carbon-fiber, then send it off to the stockmaker.
I've yet to decide on the optics, but it's going to be a hunting rifle, not a tactical platform.
Tom Sisk was going to build it, but is now just doing "black rifles" these days. On his recommendation, I'll have Cherokee Rifles put all the acquired pieces together, do the headspacing, bedding and tuning.
And yes, it'll get some engraving and gold inlay, but not to excess.
This is going to be my "once in a lifetime, bespoke rifle". I'm not rich, but I'll at least be able to leave one true heirloom.
Now, if I only had an heir!
Jim
Sunk New Dawn
Galveston, TX
Posted by: Jim at April 27, 2014 09:51 AM (vvk2F)
=======
That reminds me. Back in the day, I had a renowned blackpowder gunsmith finish and assemble a Baker Rifle replica for me. The parts were cast from originals, a new Goetz barrel, and a stock maker told me that he had ONE European walnut stock blank remaining, and would I be interested? Won a few matches with that baby, even with the .610 ball (carbine caliber).
Posted by: mrp at April 27, 2014 09:58 AM (JBggj)
Posted by: RWC at April 27, 2014 10:00 AM (QeH9j)
Posted by: Pointless in Paduka at April 27, 2014 10:01 AM (aRE3g)
Posted by: RS at April 27, 2014 10:05 AM (YAGV/)
Posted by: zipzip at April 27, 2014 10:10 AM (szb0P)
Have you had any issues with stovepiping? If so, and you don't mind modifying it any more, you can get Springfield Armory to enlarge the ejection port.
I am replacing the Springfield three-dot sights on the MilSpec with three-dot Trijicon tritium night sights.
Posted by: butch at April 27, 2014 10:14 AM (m12IB)
I want a 6' 5" Swede lass in a bikini.
Alas, you guys have scared off all the Scandis what with your racism and all.
Posted by: Guy Mohawk at April 27, 2014 10:14 AM (hJauc)
Posted by: kbdabear at April 27, 2014 10:18 AM (aTXUx)
Posted by: RWC at April 27, 2014 10:18 AM (QeH9j)
Posted by: traye at April 27, 2014 10:21 AM (h1y1C)
25 I use nothing BUT reman ammo for the last 5 years and have never had a misfire
Freedom Munitions is da lick
68 Hipoint carbine is popular with nutnfancy, who should know
Posted by: MAx at April 27, 2014 10:22 AM (b7yum)
Posted by: traye at April 27, 2014 10:22 AM (h1y1C)
------------------
If you have a Glock, check out Mech-Tech. Heard good things.
Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at April 27, 2014 10:28 AM (celt+)
Posted by: Mike Hammer at April 27, 2014 10:30 AM (aDwsi)
I ordered one for my future Mech-Tech 1911. At the very least in should be a nice sight for my 10/22.
Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at April 27, 2014 10:32 AM (celt+)
Posted by: zant at April 27, 2014 10:56 AM (kp5cA)
Posted by: pilot141 at April 27, 2014 10:57 AM (nPwzA)
Posted by: Jen at April 27, 2014 11:04 AM (ZcnUR)
One is that Sunny Hostin, opposing SYG, claims that she has found law enforcement to be "uniformly" opposed to SYG, because "I've interviewed them".
Conveniently without specifing who or when or where or how many of the "them" she had interviewed.
She might find it instructive to interview a dozen or so county sheriffs in Florida, given that there was a unanimous vote supporting SYG at the 2013 Florida Sheriffs Association summer meeting.
That's uniformity of opinion among the uniformed, all right, except it runs in a direction that Hostin would find disquieting.
Like it or not, these sorts of ridiculous subjective opinions with no citation of supporting evidence can and do get dragged into debates, just as, similarly, the anti-SYG debate opponents hit Andrew Branca with the canard about George Zimmerman having been "ordered to stay in his car". We have to be ready to turn that stuff around on them right on the spot, as Andrew did with his impromptu wager.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 27, 2014 11:08 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: Buzzion at April 27, 2014 11:11 AM (LI48c)
---------------
You are, of course, aware that the NRA is a gun rights organization, not a conservative, or Republican, or anti-Democrat organization, yes?
I would not vote for Lucifer for president, but if he was good on guns, I would have no objection to them giving him an A+ rating. I would expect them to. I would be disappointed if they didn't. I'm intelligent enough to discern that an A+ rating from the NRA means a politician is good on guns, but not necessarily good for the country overall, because the NRA is a gun rights organization.
I continue to be utterly baffled as to what is so goddamn difficult for people to understand about that.
Posted by: Taro Tsujimoto at April 27, 2014 11:22 AM (celt+)
Posted by: Andy at April 27, 2014 11:28 AM (Wd1Zo)
So here's the central problem.
A politician can earn a high NRA rating with what I would term "onstage" votes and statements supporting gun rights in public.
That very same politician can then vanish "backstage" and in private actions that are less well publicized, support other leftist politicians who are _overtly_ opposed to Second Amendment rights. Raising money for them, endorsing them, et cetera. While similarly working to confirm jurists with lifetime tenure who are staunchly opposed to 2A rights.
NRA's heuristic for support captures and recognizes none of this.
Also, NRA's support is not cognizant of how fast politicians whom they have gifted with a high rating can and will turn on them in nanoseconds upon a change of circumstance.
Poster girl? Kirsten Gillibrand. High rating when representing upstate NY. Once she became a statewide candidate in New York, she repaid NRA's previous high ratings with a sharp, hard shift to the antigun left. And it was wholly, easily, trivially predictable that she would do so.
Posted by: torquewrench at April 27, 2014 11:39 AM (noWW6)
Posted by: FGCU_James at April 27, 2014 11:40 AM (if2JC)
Posted by: Jen at April 27, 2014 12:12 PM (ZcnUR)
Posted by: BCochran1981 - Credible Hulk at April 27, 2014 01:20 PM (GEICT)
I'm late to the show, but I've bought reman from Freedom Munitions and never had a single problem with it.
Posted by: Country Singer at April 27, 2014 12:15 PM (vn9w4)
Posted by: Law of Self Defense at April 27, 2014 12:22 PM (8gaTv)
Posted by: Law of Self Defense at April 27, 2014 12:25 PM (8gaTv)
Posted by: TBolt69 at April 27, 2014 12:32 PM (p5jMg)
Posted by: Jen at April 27, 2014 12:43 PM (ZcnUR)
In star prosecution witness Rachel Jeantel testimony she said that Treyvon told her that a "creepy ass cracka" was looking at him.
1) Based upon the testimony, what is the correct hyphenation of "creepy ass crack"?
a) "creepy ass-cracka", or
b) "creepy-ass cracka"
2) In your own words, why?
Posted by: Burnt Toast at April 27, 2014 01:12 PM (NaeCR)
Posted by: DC in Towson at April 27, 2014 01:16 PM (Pvcl5)
Posted by: outlier at April 27, 2014 01:18 PM (afQnV)
Technically, it's "welshing." But since that's (theoretically) as uncomfortable a relic as "jewing," "welching' will do.
Incidentally, living Welsh is the best revenge. ;^)
Posted by: PersonFromPorlock at April 27, 2014 02:57 PM (UYiBe)
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Posted by: tsrblke, PhD(c) (No Really!) [/b] [/i] [/s] at April 27, 2014 08:55 AM (HDwDg)