DaveTN

I don’t know if anyone around here does it or not. But I have seen some DIY stippling jobs that look very good. I have also seen some that made me laugh out loud. After all is all about artistic ability and nothing about gunsmithing. Dan Burwell gets good reviews. http://www.burwellgunsmithing.com/

This shows the black external extractor against the stainless frame of a 1911. It just would not be visible on an internal.

Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention. That is because you are probably a basically honest person with good morals and values. Unfortunately many people are willing to put those values aside for cash. That’s why I say we need to remove the liability of store owners before we can get rid of the “no guns allowed†signs. They are simply trying to protect themselves from the civil suit that would occur if there was a shooting on their property.

Because they would ask him in his deposition.

Everyone involved gets named in a civil suit. You, your FIL, the range, the ammo manufacturer, everyone and anyone. The attorneys look for whoever can provide a payday. If your FIL is the “deep pockets” they may argue that you either had no training or were not properly trained with that weapon and it was reckless or irresponsible of him to loan you that weapon. If you are the deep pockets they will go after you. There are very few rules here; they can pretty much sue whoever they like. As far a criminal charges I don’t think you have anything to worry about as long as you are of age and legally allowed to posses a weapon. DISCLAIMER: I am not an attorney nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn last night.

It happens, and it’s not right. If you see it and feel strongly about it; report it. Here is what happened on the only citizen’s complaint I ever had about that… After eating supper at home I was leaving my house. There was radio traffic and I had not yet cleared with the dispatcher. I pulled up to a busy intersection and was stopped at a red light. At that time a citizens voice came over the radio screaming the number on the side of the squad car and yelling “This Officer needs help, there is blood everywhere!†The dispatcher responded with “I don’t have anyone clear, can any units respond?†That will shoot your adrenalin level through the roof. I hit the overheads, busted the light, and floored it. I was on the South side of town and the unit the citizen was in was as far North as it could be. <O:p</O:p I told the dispatcher I was clear and responding. At that same time a couple of closer units cleared the calls they were on and headed that way. The dispatcher told me “Move central and remain available; you’re all I have.†I shut down the overheads, dropped to the speed limit and continued on towards down town. Well… a husband and wife at that light saw that and made the determination that I had done that so I wouldn’t have to wait for the light. They went to HQ to make a citizens complaint. After things had calmed down a little the dispatcher called me to HQ and said “See Command.†Our LT ask me what happened and told me there were some citizens here to make a complaint. I told him. <O:p</O:p Our LT took that couple into the dispatch room and played the tape back so those folks could hear what I heard and was responding to. <O:p</O:p I really felt sorry for them as they apologized and said they felt terrible. They even waited for me outside and started apologizing again in the parking lot. I assured them that I was not upset with them; they were doing what they thought was right. I told them that kind of thing is reported to Command Officers all the time… and usually what the Officer was doing is justified. They seemed like nice people, they got an inside look at some of the stuff that goes on and I think they left with a different opinion of cops in general. But who knows…. Maybe the cops you saw were just really hungry.

Well I disagree that whether or not cops gives cops tickets has much to do with the publics perception of Police Officers. People have their perceptions based on their personal experiences, those related by friends and family and the news media. Some people hate cops for no reason other than they hate all people that have authority over them… cops, teachers or their boss. Many people have truly meet bad cops. I am the first to admit they are out there and I am willing to give my opinions on how to deal with the situation both on the street and then later. Some of the information and recommendations being given here are just ridiculous; especially if you are being stopped by a bad cop. I have put a lot of people in jail. I have put bad people in jail and I have put good people in jail. I treated people with respect and did what I had to do. But if you talked with some of those people their accounts of what happened and mine might be substantially different. That’s just dealing with people. That’s an opinion held by some; arrest or ticket anyone that commits an offense. I know for a fact that would not be good for anyone….. but it sure should help keep my property taxes from going up. Most “Top†LEO’s (with the exception of <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:PlaceType>County</st1:PlaceType> <st1:PlaceName>Sheriffs</st1:PlaceName>) are not voted in and can’t be voted out. Politics has no place in law enforcement.

For Te<?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:State>nnessee</st1:State> I don’t know. I don’t know if Officers have discretion, but I would guess they do. When I started in <st1:State>Illinois</st1:State> we had discretion on all misdemeanors. If we could settle the problem without an arrest; we were allowed to do that. A felony required an arrest or at least a written report to the States Attorneys office to let them determine if charges would be filed. Before I left we lost our discretion in two areas; DUI and Domestic Violence. On DUI if we thought they may be impaired we could not call a cab, allow someone else to drive or let them park their vehicle. They would be arrested or it was grounds for our dismissal. If they wanted to blow and passed they could be released; if they refused they were to be arrested. Prior to “Domestic Violence†we called them “family fightsâ€. The Officer had discretion to handle the call as he saw fit. If someone wanted to make an assault (threats with no contact) or a battery (physical contact) complaint the Officer could make an arrest… or not. With Domestic Violence that changed. The State is the complainant and the victim has nothing to do with it. If some makes allegations against a family member; an arrest is made and the outcome will be decided in a court. The intent of the law was good, but the decision that a cop shouldn’t be allowed to make an arrest determination wasn’t. A lot of people have been cuffed and taken to jail for stuff that never happened. Absolutely. It just happened here in <st1:City>Murfreesboro</st1:City> with the Deputy Chiefs son. But like anything else you deal with it when it happens. You don’t make blanket policies like “Everyone you stop gets a ticket.†This won’t end well….. but here goes. A suspicious vehicle or person is no more than gut instinct or knowledge of what is going on in the area. When I used the term “Legally†I meant that a reason is still needed to make the stop. With vehicles this is usually pretty easy. Expired license plates, no front plate, window tint, bald tires, illegal exhaust. These are just a few of the many examples of probable cause for a stop that will allow you to have a discussion with the driver. As I said in another post; a multitude of things can happen from there. Criminal arrests are made off traffic stops. When you are driving a marked squad car with lights on top it’s pretty tough to witness a burglary (without the help of neighbors). Seeing a dirtbag driving in your neighborhood after he has just broken into your house and has your stolen stuff in plain view is more common.

Most Police Officers have discretion on traffic tickets. (Although I hear that some departments want their Officers to write everyone they stop.) Trust me when I say that you do not want to see that discretion taken away. If I had burglars working a particular area in my district and I saw a suspicious vehicle I would stop it. And I would legally use the Illinois Vehicle Code to do that. If they checked out; I would let them go without a ticket. Should I have been required to write them a ticket because they have a license plate light out, no front plate, cross the centerline or roll a stop sign? If I stop you for speeding and would happen to see something with your business name on it and ask you if you are the owner; and you reply that you are… I hand you back your license and say “Slow down and have a nice day.” Am I derelict in my duty because I gave you a break? There were just about three pages of ramblings about whether or not cops are “civilians” the same as anyone else. (Like anyone gives a rolling rip down a razor blade.) The popular opinion is that they are…… unless you want to put them in a “Special Group” that gets a ticket any time there is a violation. Cops are already held to a higher standard that the President of the <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:country-region><ST1:pUnited States</st1:country-region> and many legislators. Have a nice day.

You are correct about China, but it’s not for ammunition. There is a housing boom in China (compliments of us) and the copper is being used for electrical wire and electronics. The price of copper and the limited availability of ammo due to the war is what is driving ammo prices up.

Look here... http://smith-wessonforum.com/eve/

I think you are over looking the problem. Being untrained, your Mom may not have time to react in a Pit Bull attack no matter what she has. No way I would put up with a Pit Bull trying to get over the fence every time I went outside. That’s just crazy… especially in an HOA. I wouldn’t live in an HOA because of their tactics, so I can’t believe they would let this continue. First I would talk with the owner of the dog, if that did not work I would be on the phone with the HOA and animal control every day. I would let the HOA and the owner know that I am documenting all my calls for help for the lawsuit that is going to happen when the dog gets loose. I am a dog lover and own a Doberman. No way would I expect my neighbors to have to fear being outside because of my dog.

It’s a tax dressed in “crime prevention†or “anti-gun†clothing. $35 per person and $3 per transfer…. That’s some serious loot.

Welcome to TGO. There are only a few here that have <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:Street><st1:address>LEO street</st1:address></st1:Street> experience. I hope you stay to offer yours. Sure the cop bashing gets old, but many here want to hear what those with experience have to say. Thanks for your service.

Wow…. You seem (or claim) to have a vast knowledge of what cops do and how they are thinking. Would you care to fill us in on how you gained all this knowledge? At 24 how many real encounters have you had with the cops?

I’m not suggesting that you open the car or allow a search. As I have said… that is a decision that you will have to make based upon the circumstances because you will have to live with the results. Information…. You need to be armed with it. I’m just saying that if three people would exit a vehicle and locked the doors on a traffic stop the LEO would simply call for a dog and the rest would be history. Three in custody, car impounded, and let the lawyers start the tab running. I always asked for permission to search even when I already had probable cause. I did it just to engage the person is conversation while I was making a decision how things were going to go. I had discretion on a bag of pot. You have no idea whether the cop has probable cause or not. Probable cause does not need to be discussed or argued on the street, a Judge will determine that at a later date. You do not need to make an overt dumb azz action like locking your car. If you refuse a request to search and the cop decides to search anyway it will not matter if the doors are locked. Trying to physically stop a cop from conducting what you believe to be an improper search, or making an attempt to destroy evidence can turn a minor misdemeanor into a felony in some states. The forth amendment contains the word “unreasonableâ€. What is unreasonable to you, a cop and a Judge may be three very different things.

Due to the recent changes in travel laws everyone might want to consider getting a passport.

I guess it depends on who we are talking about. If it’s a dirt bag criminal that has nothing and gets a public defender then no, they have nothing at risk but a longer jail sentence. If it’s a citizen with a good job and a home that has to pay their own legal defense expense they have a lot to lose. Unless the Judge throws out whatever was seized in the search the outcome will probably not be good. I’m only offering a different viewpoint from those in the video. For an attorney to suggest that three people should exit a vehicle and lock the doors on a traffic stop because there is a bag of pot in the vehicle is ignorance beyond belief. I feel sorry for the kids that see that and believe that is a good idea…. It will not end well. Refusing a request to search is one thing, trying to physically stop access or trying to destroy evidence can escalate a minor offense to something much more. There are no black and white answers. People need to be informed.

I have never been on a jury, I was called once but when they found out I was a cop they wouldn’t let me play. But I have testified in more jury trials than I care to remember, including my own trial for carrying in Illinois. My case was dismissed by the trial Judge. The States Attorney filed an appeal and the appeals court overruled the Judge and kicked it back for trial…. More money. Juries don’t get to decide if the search was lawful or procedure was followed; Judges rule on that prior to the trial. Juries usually only care if the person did what they are accused of especially in drug cases. Criminal trials are a tremendous expense and can be financially devastating for the average family. That is one of the reasons few cases go to a jury trial. Having a holdout on the jury because someone doesn’t agree with the law hardly ever works. If it did all you would need at a DUI trial is a drunk on the jury. All that does is prolong the deliberations or ends in a hung jury and a new trail at an even greater cost. When Perry March went to trial I remember seeing a story on the news about trials. I don’t remember the exact number but they gave a percentage number on convictions in jury trials in Davidson County. Maybe someone has a source but it seems it was like an 80% conviction rate. That’s not rolling the dice; that’s putting your head in the noose.

I have thought about buying one for a cheap-to-shoot carbine. Why buy cheap foreign stuff when you can buy cheap stuff made right here?

They allow it because they have played the game before or know someone that has. They don’t want the dogs called and they hope that by cooperating the cops will miss their drugs in a search, not search at all or will let them go if they have a small amount. Yes they are as stupid as they look… or they wouldn’t be driving around with drugs in the car.

Really? I ask to see ID showing the state they are from and their age. I have assumed (maybe in error) I would be held responsible for that because I can ask for proof of that info. Other stuff like if they are a convicted felon I have no way to check. I doubt that claiming that the buyer did not have an ID would be a defense for selling a gun to a minor; so why would be selling to an out of state buyer be okay?

It’s not a false positive when there is dope in the car as in the first video. A dog would have been called, hit on the car, the kids would be arrested and the car would be impounded. I have let a lot of young people go (released to their parents) that were in possession of a small amount of pot. That may no longer be an option when a K-9 unit and (sometimes) a Command Officer arrived on the scene. I have called the parents of kids with alcohol that have cooperated and released them without arrest. I have also arrested some for DUI that refused to answer any questions and told me I need a warrant to search their car based on what their parents or a schoolteacher told them. When they have a DUI conviction they can thank whoever gave them the wonderful legal advise that landed them in jail. If you are in possession of an illegal substance that you are sure will get you jailed planning for your incarceration and pending criminal trial makes sense. If you have a small amount where the Officer has discretion you will be faced with choices. Cooperating may get you a pass; it may end in your arrest…. You must make informed choices. Adults can make whatever decision they are ready to take responsibility for. But it’s to bad that kids have to pay the price for bad information. I do not expect my opinions to be popular…. Just offering real world experience.

If you want to know how to best protect yourself for a criminal trail; ask a lawyer. If you want to know how to survive a traffic stop; ask a cop. Telling someone to lock their car on a traffic stop, refuse any request to search, and to invoke their 5<SUP>th</SUP> amendment rights in all cases is as irresponsible as telling someone to allow a search in all cases. As a former cop I have tried my best to explain to my kids how to survive a traffic stop. I wish it was as easy as the lawyers make it look, but it isn’t. There are to many variables involved. Intelligent decisions need to be made based on the circumstances. A minor drug possession or a DUI arrest can seriously impact a kid’s future. If you are going to instruct your kids on what to do you need to be clear that you are giving them good information. I have done more traffic stops that any attorney I know. You may not or agree with what cops have to say but you need to listen to both sides (cops and criminal defense attorneys) and make an informed decision. Thinking that “Flexing your rights†will result in you driving away with everyone in your car high fiving and saying “you are the man!†is laughable. Be informed; know the law.

I’ve seen that stated as fact on a few forums. How many states allow you to carry in a bar and drink? I’m not arguing that they don’t; just wondering what states allow that. Shootings and threats with firearms were not uncommon when I was in Illinois where there are no carry permits, so I would guess that states that allow carry in bars would have even more. But that’s just a WAG since I haven’t seen any stats on it.