By Request: Surge in Firearm Sales

It has got to be more than a year since I have done a blog based on topical request. I am pretty sure when I first started writing I had an open invitation to topical requests so here it goes. Jonathan requested this, I am an NRA Life member, so you can guess the tone/approach that this will be written. Given the two topics to choose from “healthcare reform” or “the surge in firearm sales since the Presidential election”, I thought I’d take a whack at the topic I have the most knowledge about. I will try to contextualize this as best I can in terms of relevance to Californians, as most of you that have access to read this are bound by California law; and also to Christians because I try to link every outlook from a Biblical perspective first.

For those of you that don’t surf the news on an overly anxious basis, reports of firearm sales and Federal background checks (required where necessary to purchase firearms) have been through the roof. I suppose we can credit the NRA and our President Elect for this surge. The NRA ought to be credited due to the massive negative campaigns, for good reason, against our soon to be President and his record on firearms. Being an NRA member and keeping up with recent news, amongst 2nd Amendment enthusiasts there has been a fair amount of fear of the impending legislation on route, despite the claims of the future administration’s support for the 2nd Amendment.

The shotgun blast of topics to be covered, which I find most relevant and probably likely to happen are: overturn Heller Decision, ban certain types of ammunition, reintroduction of a permanent version of the 1994 Assault Weapons law. There are many more issues at hand which might possibly be passed simply because of the strong majority the Democratic party has over congress, but I doubt there will be too much gun control legislation because it has been shown to be hazardous to Democratic political offices. These issues include: banning handguns, federal firearm registration, increased taxes for firearms and ammunition, overturning right-to-carry and concealed carry, rezoning gun stores out of business, opposing self-defense, and using federal courts for lawsuits to bankrupt manufacturers with legal fees.

I mentioned some thoughts before. To add to those previous arguments also consider this,when gun control is established in the name of public safety it communicates to the general public that we are either untrustworthy or incompetent to own a firearm lawfully or safely. The number of accidental deaths caused by guns pales in comparison to the number of lives saved by lawful gun owners being able to defend themselves. In my mind, to advocate a disarmed society is to setup a disillusioned paradise as though sin is not in the world. Instead of making a more peaceful society, as studies show resoundingly, in areas where guns are prohibited, more violence occurs. The United Kingdom is a poster child of this claim. Since they have banned handguns, there have been huge increases in gun violence and stabbings. It has been such a dramatic increase British legislators have considered banning knives…

In June of 2008 the US Supreme Court ruled in favor of Dick Heller v. District of Columbia, in which it was affirmed that the 2nd Amendment was an individual right to bear arms. This was the opening of a floodgate, for the better part of the last 100 years there have been debates claiming the 2nd Amendment applied only to militia members and not the general public, I found it especially convenient that attached to the militia claim was the fact that militias all fall under the National Guard since 1903. The fear 2nd Amendment advocates have will be the new judges which President Elect (PE) Obama will nominate. It was noted during the Saddleback Forum PE Obama stated that he would not have nominated 4 of the 5 justices which ruled in favor of Heller. PE Obama’s stance towards handguns was established in 1996 during the Illinois Senate race. During that race a questionnaire showed that he supported to “ban the manufacture, sale, and possession of handguns”. His stance was reaffirmed by refusing to be a friend of the court for Dick Heller in the Supreme Court. On 15 February 2008, PE Obama stated that he supported the D.C. ban. However, upon the court’s decision PE Obama claimed he had strong support for the 2nd Amendment.

I think ammunition has a high probability to be banned due to the wording which can be used and the utter damage it will do to the law-abiding gun owner category. In 2005, Sen. Kennedy proposed an amendment to the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act, which protects the gun industry from lawsuits. The amendment also sought to ban centerfire ammunition under the guise as “armor piercing” which would be based upon a bullet’s velocity and energy. Allow me to give some background information of basic ballistics and body armor. The National Institute of Justice rates body armor according to its level of protection. Manufacturers use the standards of protection established by the NIJ to rate their body armor. Generally, most body armor is in the level II or III range because higher protection requires unconcealable armor and/or ballistic plates.Lighter body armor also called flak vests are used to protect people from small caliber handguns and shrapnel. To stop an AK-47 cartridge requires a Level III or higher. The vast majority of hunting cartridges can piece body armor. To get to the levels of body armor which would stop the many common cartridges used for hunting would require body armor that is more protective than what the military fields. It is not because they are full metal jacket rounds designed to pierce armor, it is because they are larger bullets meant to kill large animals with thick skin. To ban ammunition based on velocity and energy is A) extremely effective to banning mass amounts of ammo, B) has such a wide scope because a gun is little use without ammunition, C) it can be roused under “Protection” and possibly pass legislation.

The most likely of gun laws to be passed is a permanent version of the “Assault Weapons” ban and possibly banning all semi-automatic weapons. PE Obama said on 21 October 2004, “I think it is a scandal [President Bush] did not authorize a renewal” of the 1994 ban which banned many firearms defined as assault weapons. This is no big deal to Californians because there are state laws more stringent in place. The primary disqualifier for rifles in California is pistol grips. Having shot a weapon greater than semi-automatic I find it to be a waste of ammunition. There are other no-go’s than pistol grips but that is the single most effective feature preventing popular rifles. Akin to the assault weapon ban is the 10-round limit on rifle and pistol magazines. No big deal that is also already present in California law… yay… the scary possibility, banning all semi-automatic weapons as claimed in a 1998 political survey PE Obama stated as “principle” he supported “ban[ning] the sale, or transfer of all semi-automatic weapons”. A semi-automatic by word definition is a weapon which fires a single round for each depression of the trigger. It is automatic in that the casing is extracted and weapon reloaded as part of the firing action. To ban all semi-automatic weapons would include the 1911 Colt which was the weapon of issue for Dick Heller, and any firearm that is not a revolver or bolt-action. This is a strong majority of firearms throughout the United States. I hope when such a claim was made to ban semi-automatic weapons they confused automatic with semi-automatic, otherwise it can only show contempt for gun owners.

This was 3 issues which are possible of being changed not in favor of law abiding citizens. The NRA believes there are 14 issues which can go awry for 2nd Amendment practitioners. Each claim with strong support of past claims and votes made by PE Obama, check out www.gunbanobama.com to fact check, they do their homework. Could the surge be a bunch of paranoid people stocking up while the weapons they want are legal? Probably… At the same time, just as it is good to prepare for an incoming storm perhaps there is a legal storefront on route. When I drive home I’ll have my share of firearms to bring home with me, thank you Lonestar state. I fear the government that doesn’t want me to be able to protect myself. If nothing else, maybe this is part of the plan to re-stimulate the economy.

“Among the many misdeeds of British rule in India, history will look upon the Act of depriving a whole nation of arms as the blackest.” – Mohandas Gandhi, An Autobiography

Epilogue: Well, President Obama forced the Affordable Healthcare Act instead of gun control. Minus tales about doctors talking about gun safety, President Obama’s first term was rather harmless to gun owners. His second term… well he can try, but to do so requires a liberal super majority in the House and Senate. There has been a lot that has happened on this front. I probably won’t blog about it.