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CA: Microstamping

California’s virulently anti-gun Attorney General Kamala Harris has certified microstamping as “available to more than one manufacturer unencumbered by any patent restrictions”. Per Penal Code section 31910, subdivision (b)(7)(A), aka AB1471, this triggers the State’s microstamping law into effect. Effective immediately, new handgun designs are “unsafe” if they do not feature this unsafe technology. (Anything that mars the case weakens it and thus make the cartridge case more prone to failure.) Firearms that are already on the State’s “not unsafe” roster will continue to be available for sale.

I’m still trying to figure out what patent this is. The Lizotte patent was extended by the CalGuns Foundation. For $555, they made sure that the patent wouldn’t expire and thus become “unencumbered”. So unless Harris is planning on encouraging patent infringement, I’m not sure how she arrived at this determination.

Posted in Legal, News, Safety.

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Congratulations Chuck Michel, 2013 NRA Defender of Justice

From NRA-ILA:

California Lawyer, Chuck Michel, Honored with NRA Defender of Justice Award

Posted on May 16, 2013
The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) honored California attorney C.D. “Chuck” Michel with the 2013 NRA Defender of Justice Award.  This award recognizes outstanding efforts by attorneys who defend the right to keep and bear arms, and particularly recognizes attorneys who make a significant contribution to those efforts pro bono.  Chuck received the prestigious award at the NRA’s 2013 annual meetings in Houston, Texas.  It recognizes him for his extensive work, and particularly pro bono work, defending the right to keep and bear arms.

“For years, Chuck Michel has played a critical role in defending the rights of California gun owners and hunters,” said Chris W. Cox, executive director of NRA-ILA.  “Whether it’s bringing major Second Amendment litigation in federal court, defending individual gun owners caught up in California’s maze of laws and regulations, or preserving hunters’ rights against animal extremists, Californians owe a debt of gratitude for his efforts.”

Chuck is the Senior Counsel at Michel & Associates.  His practice focuses on civil litigation, including firearms law, business litigation, labor and employment law disputes, civil rights advocacy, land use and environmental law.  He has over twenty years of experience representing the NRA and California Rifle & Pistol Association(CRPA), as well as firearm manufacturers, wholesalers, retailers and gun owners.

Over the last twenty years, Chuck has generously contributed thousands of hours of his time and the time of the team of civil rights lawyers employed at his law firm, worth millions of dollars, to Second Amendment causes and on behalf of gun owners.

Chuck is also the author of California Gun Laws: A Guide to State and Federal Firearm Regulations, and is a frequent lecturer to community groups and organizations on Second Amendment issues.  He has represented many clients in high-profile cases that garnered significant state and national media attention.  He has appeared as a spokesperson for the NRA, CRPA and other associations, and for individual clients on dozens of television and radio interviews and in thousands of newspaper articles.  He has been profiled in recognition of his work in multiple periodicals, and has published several articles and editorials in the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Daily Journal and several other state and national newspapers.  Chuck has also taught law as an Adjunct Professor atChapman University School of Law in Orange, California, where he teaches classes in Firearms Law and Law Practice Management.

The NRA is proud to have Michel & Associates working on behalf of our right to keep and bear arms.

Some law firms, particularly in Los Angeles and San Francisco, support anti-gun-owner efforts to undermine your right to keep and bear arms by providing pro bono legal services to the gun ban lobby and to politicians who would deprive you of our Second Amendment rights.  The anti-Second Amendment efforts by these law firms are effectively subsidized through the legal fees paid by their business clients.  Shop for your legal service provider carefully so you don’t inadvertently subsidize the gun ban lobby!

Past Defender of Justice Award recipients:

2007 – Mike Minton (St. Louis)

2008 – Kenn Hanson (Louisville)

2009 – Dave Kopel (Phoenix)

2010 – Lonnie Anderson (Charlotte)

2011 – Jonathan Goldstein (Pittsburgh)

2012 – (Not Presented) (St. Louis)

2013 – Chuck Michel (Houston)

Posted in News.

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I got nothin’

With Scandalpalooza going on in DC, there’s not much to write about that’s gun related. Tam over at View From The Porch recommends going with cat pictures in a case like this. Ok…

HelloKittyRifle

Posted in General.


Google is your friend

Not everyone has been to as many Washington DC rodeos as Michelle Malkin, so they really need to take advantage of Google. Case in point: The so-called armed march on Washington DC lead by one Adam Kokesh. Michelle has no difficulty remembering the guy. One of his earlier Soros-funded groups issued death threats against her

One of the advantages of having fought conservative battles in the blogosphere for a decade and in traditional media for more than two decades is that I never forget a fraudster.

Many gullible gun-rights activists have been promoting a July 4th armed march on Washington organized by Adam Kokesh.

Just stop it.

I’m also flabbergasted at others on the Right who are either ignorant or have forgotten Kokesh’s sordid history with Iraq Veterans Against the War.

For crying out loud, just Google him and his pals.

IVAW is the group whose members included one loon who threatened to bomb the Gathering of Eagles and assassinate me, along with the notorious, fake Army ranger/anti-war poster boy Jesse MacBeth, and a cast of anti-American miscreants and liars.

So before you fall for something like this, take advantage of that lovely little research tool that a bunch of gun-hating, silicon valley libs dropped in our laps.

Posted in News.

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California: Update on Anti-Gun Activities in Sacramento

From NRA-ILA:

California: Update on Anti-Gun Activities in Sacramento

Posted on May 13, 2013

Your state legislators MUST hear your OPPOSITION to these anti-gun bills

The assault on our Second Amendment rights continues with anti-gun bills moving through the California Legislature.  Unfortunately, there are several anti-gun bills that have been scheduled to be considered on the state Senate and Assembly floor with more anti-guns bills scheduled to be heard in their respective state Senate and Assembly committee.  Please call and e-mail your state Senator and Assemblyman, along with members of the respective state Senate and Assembly committee urging them to OPPOSE the anti-gun measures below.

The anti-gun bill below is expected to be heard in the state Assembly Appropriations Committee this Wednesday, May 15.  Please call AND e-mail members of the Assembly Appropriations Committee TODAY urging them to OPPOSE SB 48.  Contact information for the Assembly Appropriations Committee here.

Assembly Bill 48 (Skinner) revises the definition of “large-capacity magazine” to mean any ammunition feeding device with the capacity to accept more than ten rounds, including a disassembled large-capacity magazine that is readily restorable, as defined, to accommodate more than ten rounds of ammunition, and an oversize magazine body that appears to hold in excess of ten rounds but has not been permanently altered to only accommodate ten round of ammunition or less and requires a state license to sell ammunition in California.

The following anti-gun bills have passed in their house of origin and are pending committee assignment or a committee hearing in the opposite legislative chamber.

Senate Bill 475 (Leno) requires the prior approval of the board of supervisors of both the County of San Mateo and the City and County of San Francisco to allow a gun show at the Cow Palace.  SB 475 passed in the state Senate by a 25 to 13 vote on May 2 and is now waiting to be scheduled for a hearing date in the state Assembly Public Safety Committee.  We will inform you when this date becomes available.

Assembly Bill 169 (Dickinson) BANS the sale of handguns not on the state-approved roster.  This bill is so flawed that the provisions will BAN the sale of millions of old and used handguns CURRENTLY owned by Californians by dealers and PRIVATE PARTY transfers.  AB 169 passed in the Assembly by a 43 to 27 vote on May 2 and is now waiting to be scheduled for a hearing date in the state Senate Public Safety Committee.  We will inform you when this date becomes available.

The following anti-gun bills are awaiting a vote on the Assembly floor and could be heard at anytime.  Please contact your state Assemblyman and respectfully urge him or her to OPPOSE these anti-gun bills.  Contact information for your state Assemblyman can be found here.

Assembly Bill 180 (Bonta) repeals California’s firearm preemption law by granting Oakland an exemption to enact unique laws regarding possession, registration, licensing and subjecting gun owners to unknowing criminal liability when travelling through Oakland.

Assembly Bill 231 (Ting) expands the law for Criminal Storage of Firearms and child access.  Another bill that will do nothing to reduce California’s violent crime problem and only turn law-abiding gun owners into criminals whether or not anything harmful actually happens, and regardless of whether there was any misconduct on the part of the gun owner.  Ultimately, AB 231 is an ill-conceived proposal that places drastic and unprecedented liability on those who choose to exercise their fundamental rights to keep and bear arms.

Assembly Bill 711 (Rendon) BANS the use of all lead ammunition for hunting.  For more information about AB 711, click here.  AB 711 passed in the Assembly Appropriations Committee by an 11 to 5 vote on May 8 and will now move to the full state Assembly for consideration.

The following anti-gun Senate bills are awaiting a vote on the Senate floor and could be brought up at any time. Please contact your state Senator and respectfully urge him or her to OPPOSE these anti-gun bills.  Contact information for your state Senator can be found here.

Senate Bill 108 (Yee) requires mandatory locked storage of firearms within a locked house regardless of whether anyone is present.

Senate Bill 299 (DeSaulnier) turns victims of firearm theft into criminals for failing to report the loss of their firearm within 48 hours.

The following bills have been placed on the state Senate Appropriations Committee suspense file.  These bills are not dead and are expected to be heard May 23 or 24.  Call AND e-mail members of the state Senate Appropriations Committee urging them to OPPOSE the bills below.  Contact information for the state Senate Appropriations Committee can be found here.

Senate Bill 47 (Yee) expands the definition of “assault weapons” to BAN the future sale of rifles that have been designed/sold and are equipped to use the “bullet button” or similar device, requires NEW “assault weapon” registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other “assault weapons” restrictions.

Senate Bill 53 (DeLeon) requires persons to buy an annual ammunition purchase permit, requires the registration and thumbprint of the purchaser for each ammunition purchase, and bans online and mail order sales of ammunition to Californians.

Senate Bill 293 (DeSaulnier) BANS the sale of conventional handguns, if the state Department of Justice approves the sale of “Owner Authorized – Smart” handgun technology.

Senate Bill 374 (Steinberg) expands the definition of “assault weapons” to BAN the future transfer of all semi-auto rifles that accept detachable magazines (including those chambered for rimfire cartridges) and virtually all semi-auto rifles with fixed magazines (primarily those chambered for rimfire cartridges), requires NEW “assault weapon” registration, requires registration of ALL those semi-auto rifles that are currently possessed to retain legal possession in the future, and subjects these firearms to all other “assault weapon” restrictions.

Senate Bill 396 (Hancock) BANS the POSSESSION of any magazine with a capacity to accept more than ten cartridges, including currently legally possessed “grandfathered large capacity” magazines.

Senate Bill 567 (Jackson) expands the definition of shotgun for “short-barreled shotguns” that are illegal to own.  The current definition in the proposed law is so flawed it can include reclassify handguns shooting “Shot-shells” as shotguns.

Senate Bill 755 (Wolk) expands the list of persons prohibited from owning a firearm, including persons who have operated cars and boats while they are impaired commonly referred to as DUI.

The following anti-gun bills have been placed on the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee suspense file.  These bills are not dead and are expected to be heard May 23 or 24.  Contact information for the Assembly Revenue and Taxation Committee can be found here.

Assembly Bill 187 (Bonta) imposes an addition ten percent sales tax on ammunition.

Assembly Bill 760 (Dickinson) imposes a sales tax of .05 cents per ammunition component (complete cartridge, bullet or case).

You can write your representative here urging them to OPPOSE the anti-gun bills listed above.  Please feel free to also copy and paste all the bill information to ensure your state legislators know which bills to OPPOSE.

You can also send a letter to all elected officials in California here.  Please feel free to copy and paste all the bill information above to ensure the elected officials of California know which bills to OPPOSE.

You can also find information about anti-gun and pro-gun legislation in California at www.calnra.com.

Help NRA Get Californians Connected with NRA’s California Resources

Help the NRA expand its California network to keep all pro-Second Amendment Californians better informed about legislation in Congress, Sacramento, and locally that threatens your right to keep and bear arms, as well as developments in Second Amendment litigation and regulatory enforcement actions.  Please forward this email to your family, friends and fellow gun owners, whether they belong to the NRA or not!  Encourage them to sign up for California NRA’s Stayed Informed e-mails here. And follow NRA through these additional connections:

 Websites:

NRA-ILANRA-ILA CaliforniaNRA – ILA Legal UpdateCalNRA.comCRPA.orgCalGunLaws.com,HuntforTruth.org

Facebook PagesNRA’s Facebook pageCalGunLaws.com Facebook pageNRA Members’ Councils’ Facebook pageHunt for Truth Facebook page

LinkedIn: NRA’s LinkedIn page, YouTube: NRA YouTube, Twitter: NRA TwitterNRA-ILA Twitter,CalNRATwitterCalGunLaws Twitter

The NRA recognizes that California is one of the most active Second Amendment “battleground states,” so for decades NRA has devoted substantial resources to fighting for the right to keep and bear arms for Californians. The NRA has full-time legislative advocates in its Sacramento office fighting ill-conceived gun ban proposals. NRA coordinates a statewide campaign to fight ill-conceived local gun bans and regulations. And NRA has been litigating cases in California courts to promote the right to self-defense and the Second Amendment for many years. NRA’s California legal team continues to work pro-actively to strike down ill-conceived gun control laws and ordinances, and to protect the Second Amendment rights of California firearms owners. For information about NRA’s litigation efforts, see www.nraila.org/legal/litigation.aspx

To donate to help support the NRA’s California efforts, please click here.

Posted in AB169, AB180, AB187, AB231, AB48, AB711, AB760, Anti-gun, Condors, Legislation, News, SB108, SB293, SB299, SB374, SB396, SB47, SB475, SB53, SB567, SB755, State.

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A reminder: Our monthly meeting for May is tomorrow night

Click here for details

Posted in General.


Woodland Hills/Warner Center Neighborhood Council votes to OPPOSE gun safety for Pierce students

You read that right. The Neighborhood Council for Woodland Hills/Warner center has voted to oppose the teaching of firearms safety to Pierce College students. If you are the parent of a Pierce student, you need to understand that the local neighborhood council has put politics ahead of the safety of your child. The course in question in the National Rifle Association Basic Pistol Course and has been taught at the campus for the past 5 years. The instructor, Gerry Koehler, is an NRA certified instructor and also teaches at Harbor College in the South Bay. When asked about the council’s vote, Mr. Koehler told the L.A. Daily News:

“I think it would be ridiculous to move the class off campus. It would be a big mistake,” he said. “A lot of women feel intimidated going to a (shooting) range and a community college is convenient, it’s comfortable and a safe environment. “

The Woodland Hills/Warner Center Neighborhood Council is truly putting politics before student safety. That’s not hyperbole. Firearms, like it or not, are ubiquitous in the US. There are an estimated 300,000,000 firearms in private hands in the US, owned by about 100,000,000 gun owners. There are firearms present in roughly 1 out of every 2 American households. To refuse to teach gun safety, especially to young people, out of a sense of political correctness is simply obscene.

Fortunately for Pierce students, their college administration takes their safety far more seriously than do the busybodies of the local neighborhood council. They have not signaled any willingness to go along with the council’s wishes. Anna Davies, who is Pierce’s vice president for academic affairs as well as a council member (She wasn’t present for their vote on the matter) told the Council via email:

“As a community college, we remain politically neutral and focus on offering classes to meet the interests and needs of our local community’s interest,”

Let’s hope that the Council’s recommendation to the school goes into the round file where it belongs.

Posted in News, Safety, Self-defense.

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Sen. Leland Yee: The anti-gun left’s go-to guy for really dumb ideas

California state senator Leland Yee has his panties in a wad… Again. This time, the San Francisco Democrat is in a lather over 3D printers and printed guns. Yee, who I’m guessing stinks of ammonia, said the following about printed firearms:

“Terrorists can make these guns and do some horrible things to an individual and then walk away scott-free, and that is something that is really dangerous,”

It’s legal to shoot someone with a printed gun? Who knew!?

Yee now wants a law regulating 3D printers. He has no idea how his proposed law is supposed to work, by the way.

Posted in News.

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A Mother’s Journey to Bearing Arms

Tracy Scarpulla is a nurse living with her family in Albany, New York. She grew up in a home where there were no guns. No one she knew growing up had guns. That changed when she married a U.S. Marine. She writes in a column published at CNN.com:

I married a U.S. Marine. He of course was a firm believer in his right to bear arms. This posed no issue until our son was born. I was adamant that no gun be allowed in our home, while he felt quite the opposite. We agreed on one gun locked in a safe, and his other hunting guns were stored at his parents.’

Slowly over the years, I became more and more fearful of being home alone on the nights he worked, especially after I had children. We were living in Maryland on a farm in the middle of nowhere. One night, I got a call from my husband telling me to lock all doors and windows as he had just spoken with a sheriff down the road who was looking for an escaped convict.

I was terrified.

We had that one gun, but I had no idea how to use it. That changed very quickly over the following weeks, as we went out for target practice. I learned how to shoot and for the first time in years, I slept well. I finally felt safe at night.

And now President Obama and NY Governor Cuomo want her, and millions of other women, to feel terrified once again.

Tracy and her family shared their story with NRA News’ Ginny Simone…

Tracy and her family plan to flee New York for Free America.

Posted in News, Self-defense.

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More on our deficient new media

Emily Miller writes over at the Washington Times about the other, more popular way that American Journalism keeps the American people in the dark: Deceptive polling. In this case, a poll claiming that Americans are unhappy with the defeat of the Obama-Toomey-Reid gun control bill. Ms. Miller points out that this was a poll of “adults” and not registered or likely voters. It’s those latter two groups that matter in the political calculus done by elected officials. They really don’t care if some schmuck who hasn’t even registered to vote is unhappy about issues A, B, or C. Polls of “adults” are about as useful as Internet polls. And like Internet polls, they’re really meant to create news rather than report it.

Posted in News.

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