Uncle links to a story about a man who fires some warning shots because a gang of, well, gang members was threatening him. The comments discuss the wisdom of warning shots and legal implications.Here's some additional background. The Nassau County DA's Office is reeeaaaally anti-gun. The office has a policy of barring handgun ownership by its emplo...

Here is a good write-up of a self-defense shooting that went to court twice. HT Snowflakes in HellThe defendant, Mr. Hickey, was involved in a self-defense shooting when he was attacked by three neighbors in his own driveway. He was charged with aggravated assault and spent 71 days in jail. Massad Ayoob gave expert testimony in the second trial, po...

Caleb has a post up on the SIRT pistol, a dedicated dry-fire handgun that shoots a laser out the barrel whenever the gun is "fired."While this seems like a good way to train, I'd be afraid that it would make me look for the laser and not call my shots - see the sights, take the shot, and move on knowing that I'd hit the target.I dry-fire with a tri...

The NY Times reports that Chicago's gun ordinance, as well as state gun laws, aren't successfully used to deter violent crime. HT Uncle.“We do bypass our ordinance because the penalties are more serious under state laws,” Ms. Hoyle said. “But there’s this idea that we didn’t really enforce the ordinance, and that’s just not true. We pro...

The shooting in Chesapeake earlier this month has been ruled justified. Decent coverage here and here. Sumdood fired shots at armed citizen while said citizen was standing outside his family's home. Armed citizen, a concealed handgun permit holder, returned fire and fatally wounded sumdood. Sumdood's accomplice was picked up and charged with five c...

Here's a good video from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit on speedloading your shotty for 3-gun. Looks like a good gig if you can get it.Here's another good video with a breakdown of the shooter's technique.Permalinked for future reference....

Extreme Tolerance relates his story of getting out of a ticket by virtue of legally carrying a gun. The officer that pulls you over will know as soon as he looks up your license plate that you have a concealed carry permit, which with many cops is a "certified upstanding citizen" indicator.I had a similar experience. I was riding my motorcycle (bac...

Galil Ace Rifle over at The Firearm Blog....

That's not a joke, that's the headline at CNN. HT Tam. Another sign of our failing public school systems. Used to be lots of fluent Ebonics speakers around, and you could find one anywhere, even on an airplane....

Over at The High Road, I stumbled on a thread chronicling over a year's worth of one man's struggle to control the wild hog population on his property in East Texas. Well written, numerous pictures. It is now at 22 pages, and covers everything from caliber selection, wildlife cameras, traps, and the author's purchase and use of an AR in .458 SOCOM....

In this post, Hell in a Handbasket says that a quick draw of your defensive tool may not be that big of a deal:I’ve never been very keen on developing fast draw skills. Though necessary forcompetition, they should be unneeded for defense as long as someone maintains adecent level of situational awareness.Caleb disagrees, and outlines the value of...

Great article at Cracked.com on why a zombie outbreak wouldn't look like it does in the movies. I've long suspected that this was overblown, and now the internet has given us a real answer. (HT Sebastian)Bottom line: guns rule.Remember, the whole reason hunting licenses exist is to limit the number ofanimals you're allowed to kill, because if you j...

James Rummel takes me to task for my first and second posts on whether an AR makes a good home defense firearm.As he puts it:In the second post, Dave devotes the very first paragraph to the issue of verpentration. After that it is rather pointedly ignored. Strange, as I thinkthat it is the one issue that should be discussed the most.What I said was...

Matthew Temkin has a video out he calls "Shoot Him to the Ground." I think that this is neither good shooting technique nor smart tactics, as Jason points out. Worse yet, it could help get you prosecuted. Here's the YouTube of the promo:The tactical implications of charging one-handed at your assailant are bad enough. Guns are effective missile wea...

We will be holding two legal seminars on Saturday, October 23rd, at the Marriott Courtyard near the NRA Range. Directions here.There will be two sessions - one at 10:00 am, one at 2:00 pm. If you want to get your Virginia Concealed Handgun Permit (CHP), the legal seminar and some range time afterward qualifies you and I will sign off on the certifi...

My post yesterday on using an AR (or AK, I suppose) for home defense elicited a few comments worth discussion.Let me start by saying that I'm not making a recommendation one way or the other. If you can intelligently explain your choice of defensive tools, then drive on with your bad self. If I decide to equip the hearth and home with an AR, I've g...

A reader (and attendee at one of last year's legal seminars) writes to ask about whether the Great Black Rifle Buying Spree of recent years has removed the stigma possibly associated with using an AR-15 in a self-defense scenario.This is a good question to ask in Northern Virginia, since one of the few instances of using an automatic weapon (yes, I...

Michigan man shoots at five would-be robbers who accosted him in his driveway. Which would be illegal under the new Chicago gun regulations. Peter Hamm of the Brady Bunch says it was justified.Alphecca:Well that’s a Kodak moment. Of course, if it were left to the Brady Bunch, the hurdles to legal gun ownership would be so difficult that only movi...

Proficient firearm handling, high quality video, and Johnny Cash for a soundtrack. Only the addition of bacon could make it better. H/T ENDO...

Shooting a gun out of someone's hand or "shooting to wound" is a bad idea for a number of reasons. Yet the New York State Assembly was trying to mandate that officers do just that.Commissioner Ray Kelly invited City Council members to the range to show them how hard it is to do what they are considering.This is what it comes down to when people who...

PDB has some thoughts on the spree shooter in the UK. Guy ran around with a shotgun for three and a half hours capping people. While the gutless bobbies followed him around and didn't engage him.The police aren't responsible for your safety. You are. Carrying isn't a cure-all, but it sure helps....

First Virginia (takes effect 1 July) and now Tennessee passes restaurant carry reform.Over the governor's veto.Again. (H/T Sebastian)...

As Sebastian notes, a measure to close the "gun show loophole" failed in the House Militia, Police and Public Safety Subcommittee. Though this was not the only legislation trying to shut down private sales at gun shows, it likely means that the effort is dead this year.HB1234, the bill that was voted down, and SB595, its Senate companion, have a v...

One of the proposed bills (HB 106) in the Virginia legislature repeals both the restaurant carry ban and the ban on carrying a concealed handgun at a house of worship where services are occurring "without good and sufficient reason."When I teach my legal seminars, I am up front about the church carry ban. I have no idea what constitutes a "good an...

With a gun freedom-friendly governor in office and a bevy of gun bills (both good and bad) this year promises to be an interesting one in Virginia gun legislation. The Virginia Citizens Defense League (VCDL) has a handy legislation tracker here....

Sailor Curt has a roundup of the 2010 Lobby Day in Richmond. With a gun-friendly majority and McDonnell in office, I hope for a good year in Virginia gun legislation....

Indiana has a bill pending that would allow employees to keep a firearm in their car on the employer's parking lot. Caleb has the rundown with some relevant links from Oklahoma, Florida, and the Department of Labor....

Tam has a post up on the somewhat goofy terminology statutes use to define explosives. A man in Arkansas set off a car bomb and was charged with use of a "weapon of mass destruction." Same with the Undie-Bomber. No nukes involved in either case.I'll give you one better. North Carolina defines a litany of things as a "weapon of mass destruction"...

Pretty scary stuff - Bloomberg's plan is to push the regulatory powers over firearms to the max, which doesn't require a vote in Congress. Via Sebastian at Snowflakes in Hell....

Don't mess with this barista. Video at the link....

Yes, you read that right. An open carrier in Georgia gets attacked by a security guard at a big box store. The OC'er promptly knocked out the guard and the cops show. Reading through the posts (so you don't have to) the OC'er won't be charged with anything....

I've been away from the blog for a while - my day job kept me away - but I'm back....

Yes, you read that right. Go check out this post at the lawblog The Volokh Conspiracy and read the comments. Best one so far:"I would charge him with being unbelievably awesome. The penalty would be appearing in a movie based on his exploits."...

A South Carolina resident gives his story on how a Glock 27 saved his bacon here. Pretty good write-up, warts and all. (H/T Sebastian)Two men involved in a negligent discharge at a gun show get community service.North Carolina case: would-be burglars chased off, man who fires shots at them as they are leaving is cited for discharging a firearm with...

Here's a Shooting USA clip on the 2008 Smith & Wesson IDPA Indoor Nationals. Great low-light scenarios every year at this match....