East_TN_Patriot

I make holsters as a side business and I always tell my customers to use nothing more than a LIGHT treatment of preservative/conditioner every once in a while. I recommend Lexol (I don't get any sort of benefit for saying that), but a very light treatment using saddle soap, mink oil, or neatsfoot oil is all that you need. Likely, it was the water that softened up your holster more than it was the saddle soap. Most people prefer their holsters to be rigid, which is what the wet-molding process is for. I don't think you have destroyed the holster, but you have likely reduced any of the stiffness that was molded into it.

Except what folks don't realize is that until the passage of the 14th Amendment and various Supreme Court cases (Gideon v. Wainwright immediately comes to mind), the protections in the Constitution did not apply to state laws. The Constitution in it's original format only applied to the powers of the federal government.

Although my area of expertise is on crime and the criminal justice system, including the historical origins of them, I think I can shed some light on this. I'm also not a lawyer, so my explanation is more academic than specifically tied to any state law. Common law is a bit of a slippery concept when it applies to today's world and it can relate to different things depending on what you are talking about. English common law was the first major codified system of laws that were based on the common traditions and laws in place in England when they were created circa 1066 AD. The intent was to make the law uniform across the entire United Kingdom and establish a way for judges to apply legal opinions to similar cases throughout the kingdom. It serves as the fundamental basis for our legal system and was adopted by the US when the nation was formed. The idea of equal protection under the law and use of case law (aka precedent or "stare decisis") are embedded in our Constitution. Essentially, what this means is that the common law in America is nothing more than what the codified law says regarding a particular issue - in your question, property rights - and how the courts have ruled on cases that have come up surrounding the codified law. In other words, property rights are governed by the written statutes of the states, federal law, and the case law that may apply (case law being what you are actually talking about in today's world when you refer to common law). The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution uphold and protect the idea of private property and the government cannot deprive you of your property without due process of law. Due process is further governed by written law and case law, which is the source for a lot of debate because the case law has become immense and many court cases become a debate between two lawyers arguing the merits of prior decision that typically only indirectly apply to the case at hand. The winner is the one who makes the better argument and/or has the best ability to research the law. I hope this helps, if not just let me know and I'll give it another shot.

I am pretty certain that it is considered part of the UT campus. They have student doctors there and it is patrolled by the UT Police. It's definitely part of the UT system. I wouldn't risk carrying there myself without confirming that with UTPD.

First, the US Constitution primarily applies to the federal government. It outlines the powers of the federal government and specifically states certain rights that the federal government cannot violate, but it is not all inclusive. The 14th amendment extended due process rights to the states. Regardless, the states maintain the majority of legal power to legislate policy for the states as long as the laws don't violate the rights protected by the Constitution. The Declaration of Independence provides the ideological framework behind the Constitution, but is not law per se because it doesn't prohibit or specify any behavior or policy; it's a declaration of our values as a nation. These documents together serve as the backbone of our nation's laws, justice system, and political institutions. To understand the documents, you need to understand the history that led up to the creation of these documents, including the Enlightenment and the centuries of western history prior to it. I literally teach entire semesters talking about these topics and it's something I am very passionate about.

Just what we need; another meaningless money pit to make people feel safer because there is some registry that nobody reads and will do nothing to prevent crime. People simply don't understand that well over 75% of all violent crimes (homicides, assaults, sex offenses, etc.) are committed by someone you know. Period. No registry is going to change that.

Well, having been a cop, and now a criminologist, I feel very certain that making pseudoephedrine a contolled substance will have no effect on the production of meth. Instead, people will commit burglaries and robberies to get it. Requiring ID and logbooks for the drug and putting it behind the counter didn't work. This won't either. The logic of some of you is identical to the logic used by the anti-gun crowd: "if it only prevents one person from being exposed..." Give me a break! Sent from my SPH-M900 using Tapatalk

Kind of like all the Bersa bashing that goes on. Seems like the pot calling the kettle black. Simple fact is that most firearms in production now are generally of decent quality and will perform as expected when they are properly maintained. All manufacturers have poor designs and/or produce dud guns on occasion. Funny thing is that the 1911 people even do it to 1911s. If you don't have a $1000 specimen, your 1911 is a piece of garbage (as if the classic 1911 mil-spec of the early 20th century had any of the polish and custom work that goes into today's high-end 1911s, but a modern production mil-spec is snubbed while the period mil-spec is revered). I've heard 1911 owners bash Kimber for some of the same reasons that people bash Taurus 1911s because of MIM parts and poor finish. I personally think that Kimber makes a fine 1911, but I wouldn't trust it as a carry gun because I have personally seen more than one that was so tight that they become jam-o-matics after a handful rounds. Glock owners can be a breed in themselves as well (and I own a Glock). I had a Kahr MK9 that was a piece of junk. I had a NIB Colt revolver that was a piece of junk. When people snub a particular firearm brand, even one that has a good overall reputation, just because of price, it's just ignorant.

+1 to that. This will be my 3rd year there and I have no complaints (except for a handful of idiots who like to shoot holes in the wood posts on the bench range). Well worth $120 per year.

I am filling my application out as we speak.

My thoughts exactly. If someone were able to really convince me that doubling the round count legitimately increases the cost of a mag by 10X, I might think differently, but I'm not buying it (figuratively and literally).

I use a double-sided diamond stone (one side coarse, other side fine) and a ceramic croc stick. It's all anyone needs to keep the blade super sharp. Just practice keeping the proper angle and life's good.

These types of discussions always remind me of this quote: "There's no way to rule innocent men. The only power government has is the power to crack down on criminals. Well, when there aren't enough criminals, one makes them. One declares so many things to be a crime that it becomes impossible for men to live without breaking laws." - Ayn Rand

Chances are that it's someone you know. Start thinking about anyone who knew about your collection, especially anyone who you recently revealed it to.

+1 on this. If you prefer a semi-auto, I'd go with a Kel Tec PF9 or a Bersa 380CC.

I do know that the Beretta M9 had some problems with stress fractures on the frames, they saw slides flying off on occasion, and some magazine problems in the desert environments. That's not to say that the 1911 design was flawless, but there's a reason that military special ops folks virtually always go to other designs besides the M9. You also can't deny the caliber argument. The 9mm round was chosen for convenience since it was the most common round in use by European NATO member nations, not because it was the most effective battlefield pistol round. Would I want to be shot with either one? Clearly not, but I'd personally rather have a higher caliber round on tap if I was headed into combat. I also find it disappointing that the US chose an Italian manufacturer for our standard issue sidearm. I will argue that the 1911 is one of the most innovative handgun designs in history and I wouldn't be surprised if we didn't see this one in common use in another 100 years while the Beretta M9/92 platform will be cast to the scrap heap of history.

It's pretty simple (relatively speaking of course). Take a horseshoe, cut it in half, heat it in a forge, hammer it into shape, heat it to the critical temperature when you add some carbon to the blade (in this case we sprinkled some carbon powder on the metal while it was red hot), quench it, temper it, cool it, grind it, and sharpen it. See? Easy! Actually, if you ever make it over to the Knoxville area, you can make your own by visiting the Kelgin Knifemaker's Co-op in front of the Smoky Mountain Knife Works. It's run by a semi-retired knife maker named Ken Largin and his wife Paula. You can make a horseshoe knife, a railroad spike knife, or even a custom hunting knife (prices go up the more fancy you get). For the high-end custom knife, you design it, you do all of the forge work, file work, and some other parts of the process, and then the knifemaker does the final grinding and finishing. I was their custom sheath maker for a while until my school work and holster making got in the way. It's worth a visit over there if you make it this way. About the Co-Op

Now, I'd pay $129 for a claymore...

I didn't actually vote because, like others here, there are several factors that go into my decision to shop at one place over another. Price is probably the most important, but it's balanced by availability, location, and the staff. Sure, Bud's usually has a better price than most shops, but by the time you factor in the shipping and transfer fees, and tack on the waiting time, then figure I'm heading to the shop to pick it up anyhow, it's not worth the hassle to me to save $20 over what may already be in stock. Same goes for driving to a distant gun shop to save some cash. If it's too far, then I spend as much in gas as I would have shopping closer to home. However, I'm willing to pass up a good deal if the staff act like a bunch of gun store commandos who don't really appreciate my business. I also tend to shy away from gun shops that prohibit any form of loaded carry in their store. If you don't trust me to carry my CCW, then you shouldn't trust me enough to sell me a gun at all. There is only one real exception to this for me and that's because they have the best reloading supply selection around the area.

Also, my understanding of the FFL requirement is that if you want to run an FFL business out of your home, it actually has to be a business with posted hours and a regular entrance for the business. In other words, you have to have a dedicated place for the business with a separate public entrance. This is the problem with local ordinances since they generally prohibit this type of setup for a home business. The business hour posting requirement is there so the BATF can come and do inspections as necessary. If you post your hours and aren't actually open without a good reason, they can yank your FFL. In short, these requirements were put into place to do away with the home hobbyist who wanted an FFL to make a little cash on the side and get wholesale pricing (similar to what folks with a C&R do). To answer your original question though, it would be great to get a $15 transfer.

They claim that the gun has a "hybrid" system that allows it to automatically adjust to different types of ammo. However, as was mentioned in this post, there have been some problems with the pistol. This seems to be the norm for Kel Tec. They produce some very innovative designs, hype them up, send them out without working out the kinks, fix all of the original production guns, then end up with a reliable lightweight firearm. I'll likely pick one up, but I'll be waiting a while for the bugs to get worked out of them.

I haven't found any source that is more specific without paying for the factory letter. I called about a little top-break I recently picked up and they wouldn't give me anything more specific than what's in the book. That's a nice looking little revolver though. Nice find!

According to the Standard Catalog of S&W, it was made sometime between 1962 (295000) and 1969 (786544). The only way I know of to get an exact date is to contact Smith & Wesson and request a factory letter.

It's actually not too bad. When you make them, you have to add carbon to the blade. I don't ever actually use it, but keep it as a novelty. It's razor sharp and from what I can tell about others that were made like it, they are a reasonably serviceable knife. It's not intended as a hard use knife at all, but if someone wanted to use it for some basic everyday stuff, it would be fine.