Oh Shoot

  How you gonna escalate anything once you've been busted. Hell, they can take most everything you own while you're even trying to fight it.   Oh, you mean, "armed insurrection?" Puleese....   What will happen is that after a pretty short while, the only personal sales will be between folks who know each other quite well indeed. And even then there would be some risk, seldom being 100% sure that your buddy hasn't been popped and is snitching his way free.   While 95% of all personal sales will simply  be done with addition of 4473, whether that's through an FFL or whatever other way they may set it up for access.   Might even create a small sub-industry, the free lance firearm transfer agent, licensed to do transfers but nothing else. Who knows at this point. And whatever gets passed during the 113th, it will get tweaked later, too, either by "rule" changes or amending, just like every other firearm law that has ever been enacted.   If you mean more undercover agents getting snuffed, that will play right into fed's hands too. More agents to investigate, easier push for more stringent gun laws once even a miniscule percentage of gun owners are then proven to be violently crazy.   - OS

  I'd simply hire all them Obama Youth Army types as ATF temps to hang around forums and shows to buy guns. Minimum wage at 30 hours per week, no bennies, but a bonus for each bust.   Lowers unemployment rate (more prison guards and federal prosecutors needed, too), spurs economic development (more prisons needed).  And takes guns away, since the now felons can't own them or sell them.   Just all win from the progressive viewpoint.   - OD

    Yep, that's the good part, if you think ahead.   I actually have too many of them, as ordered a bunch of different sized ones several years ago for a project that fell through.   - OS

  Yet you can indeed do it in some cases, to be fair. Like, you know, through TGO, eh?   - OS

  Ah, of course, the "now ya see me now ya don't sidestep dance". How foolish of me to think it was straightforward.   Unfortunately, Universal Pictures has blocked the famous Charles Durning rendition, so can't post it in ridicule.   - OS

So this was the full Finance Committee vote that nuked it?   Where can we see voting results by member?   I'm sure Armstrong voted nay, just as on any weapons law relaxation.   - OS

  Though it sounded too good to be true all along. Never counted it as a given, so not as crushed as I could have been I guess.

  Thakee kindly, I haven't kept up with this.   Ummm, seems to me this still has the glaring loophole:   "Nothing in this subsection (o) shall prohibit release of the handgun carry permit statistical reports authorized by § 39-17-1351(s)." Which says, in part:   "(s)  (1) The department shall make available, on request and payment of a reasonable fee to cover the costs of copying, a statistical report that includes the number of permits issued, denied, revoked, or suspended by the department during the preceding month, listed by age, gender and zip code of the applicant or permit holder and the reason for any permit revocation or suspension. The report shall also include the cost of the program, the revenues derived from fees, the number of violations of the provisions of the handgun carry permit law, and the average time for issuance of a handgun carry permit. By January 1 of each year, a copy of the statistical reports for the preceding calendar year shall be provided to each member of the general assembly."   Isn't this likely the section that allows the CA purchase of the database in the first place?   - OS

  Then the only thing it does is prevent local ordinances more strict that state law. Big whup.   I'm fairly crushed about it myself. Have been practicing with my 5.5" Voyager.   - OS

  I can't find actual bill for wording, anyone got number or link?   I don't trust these "synopsis" news stories a whit. For example, story says CA's record "does not include street addresses or birthdates.". Well, sorta -- it show year of birth.   So maybe it would cause it to be closed, but would like to see actual bill before undue jubilation.   - OS

  No way "friends" will be exempted. Even the idiots on the hill know that would gut the thing.     That could actually be done, since the Feds allow certain states' permits to suffice for the 4473 background check now, though only a few states have availed themselves of it. TN is allowed to do that too, btw, but of course hasn't done it. And won't since it's making a buck on each transfer.   On the other hand, even those states where permits are accepted in lieu of the background check, it only applies to FFL sales, so you'd still not be doing an actual private sale without a record of it, meaning you'd still have to show up at an FFL to do a transfer. Also, the state database is queried to ensure that the carry permit is still valid too.   Of course, they may try to implement individual access to the 4473 process or something. Who knows. Whatever increases size and complexity of the bureaucracy and removes individual freedom will be the preferred course of action.   - OS

  The original NFA of 1934 set those $200 standards, which was big money then for anyone, black or white.   Of course fat cat criminals could afford it, if they cared to comply. :)   - OS

  No, there will be a ban on all private sales period. At least that's been my prediction, long before Sandy Hook. The "gun show loophole" is just a catchphrase. It means "private sales".   Looks like there may be an exception for gifting firearms to certain family members only.   - OS

  Priority Flat Rate can be good if you have heavy items that will fit in the various boxes, otherwise it costs more for same weight than regular Priority rate. And of course you do have to scare up a USPS Flat Rate box, can't do that rate on regular Priority one or your own box.   Anything over 13 ounces must go Priority or the new "Standard Mail" (which replaced Parcel Post). Haven't checked that out much yet, but Parcel Post never saved more than about 5% over Priority. Also, certain items (books mainly) can go Media Mail, quite a bit cheaper.   Anyway, Priority 2 lbs from Knoxville to Detroit is $5.84 if done online through USPS site, $6.85 paid at PO. Standard Mail is $6.85 also at PO, no online option, but doesn't even include tracking like Priority does, so it costs more to get there later. What a deal.   Extra note: with seller's account through eBay/Paypal,  you get a small discount on all USPS pricing, and can use it for non-eBay shipping also.   Haven't sussed it thoroughly lately, but never found UPS or FedEx Ground the better deal until you hit around 15lbs or more (not counting the "rural" charge though). And FedEx Ground is significantly cheaper than UPS for real heavy items, 50-150 lbs.   - OS

Unclear whether this will actually forbid the CA online database lookup as it now exists or not, though.   - OS

  Doesn't look like to me there will be one, seems he will have the 60 votes for cloture.     Oh, there's 51 votes for something to come out the Senate, which will be the expanded background check thing.   Only question is whether it can pass the House, which I believe it will.  Will basically just end private sales, period, and has been the lowest hanging possible fruit even before Sandy Hook.   - OS

  ??? Every state, including TN, already runs the checks the same way, through NICS national database (s).   Only thing diff about TN from the norm is that TBI gets involved with additional looksee, and charges us 10 clams for the favor.     Any vote in next few days will be simply to open discussion of the bill and its amendments, not voting on the bill itself. Will take 60 votes to do that (only 51 to actually pass bill).  And actually, it looks like filibuster is probably not going to succeed, fading fast.   And yes, the amendments will include EBR and hi-cap mag bans, again.   - OS

  Been thinking about getting the P-223 3-9x40 myself, once I can rub some spare rubles together.   I assume you mean P.E.P.R. QD mount? That's what I already have on my main AR, although with a cheapo scope.   The only expensive (for me) scope I own right now is a Nikon ProStaff BDC, and it's real nice, and all the reviews I see for the P-223 series are really complimentary too.   - OS

  I just use my cheap Chinese reading glasses, since I need them to see front sights sharply anyway. Also have scope reticules focused for them.   They seem to be about as durable as the actual shooting glasses I have too.   I can shoot okay without them, but they're always around my neck anyway, so just use them all the time.   - OS

It's the real beginning of whatever form of expanded background checks we'll wind up with. But certainly the end to private sales at the least.   - OS

  It did good in the Senate, passed.   It's doing good in the House: The Subcommittee on Finance was its closest vote so far but not real close.   - OS

  Legal to carry 5.5" blades on college campus in Texas.   He only had some weenie scalpel or Xacto, nobody with a real knife could step up for c'sake?   - OS

Ya know, as I understand it, knives are not prohibited on college grounds in Texas, and the state allows 5.5" blade limit.   What's with this guy running around with a small scalpel or Xacto knife and nobody simply took him on with a real knife? All these Texicans turned into wussies?   Jeez, a CS Voyager 5.5" is over a foot long, just for reference.   - OS

  Now that it seems clear there will be no hi-cap federal ban, availability of inexpensive mags will almost certainly recover over a fairly short time frame.   Not so much for the go-bang stuff that goes in them, though.   - OS

Got a .22LR right back to me between the eyes from about 20 yards.   Would it have blinded one eye? "Probably" not, but...   http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/topic/27248-ohshoot-got-shot/?hl=ohshoot   - OS