Papa Delta Bravo talks about an additional rule that should be added to Jeff Cooper’s famous four rules. I’m sure Plaxico Burris would agree.
Category: Carrying / Self-Defense
Two Virginia Gun Bills
Two Virginia gun bills will be given a hearing tomorrow in subcommittee. One of the bills will allow people with concealed carry licenses to carry into restaurants. Hopefully this will pass this time around. The relevant section in the bill is below. Additions are in italics, while the struck out sections are being removed:
J3. No person shall carry who carries a concealed handgun onto the premises of any restaurant or club as defined in § 4.1-100 for which a license to sell and serve alcoholic beverages for on-premises consumption has been granted by the Virginia Alcoholic Beverage Control Board under Title 4.1 of the Code of Virginia ; however, nothing herein may consume an alcoholic beverage while on the premises. A person who carries a concealed handgun onto the premises of such a restaurant or club shall inform a designated employee of the restaurant or club that he is carrying a concealed handgun. A person who carries a concealed handgun onto the premises of such a restaurant or club and consumes alcoholic beverages is guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor. A person who becomes intoxicated while carrying a concealed handgun on the premises of such a restaurant or club is guilty of a Class 1 misdemeanor. However, nothing in this subsection shall prohibit any sworn apply to a federal, state, or local law-enforcement officer from carrying a concealed handgun on the premises of such restaurant or club or any owner or event sponsor or his employees from carrying a concealed handgun while on duty at such restaurant or club if such person has a concealed handgun permit while actually engaged in the performance of his official duties.
It seems like an eminently reasonable bill, though I would prefer it not have the requirement to inform the restaurant of the fact that I am carrying. If you’re going to require this, I might as well just open carry, which is already legal.
NPS Struggling With New Regulations
It’s funny, because law enforcement agencies around the country don’t seem to have any problem dealing with this issue. I can see where there might be some problems though, in that state boundaries inside the park might not be well delineated everywhere, but that problem certainly isn’t unique to National Parks. There’s also issues with federal facilities:
Not only that, but the feds have their own rules and regulations. One prohibits guns in federal buildings or facilities, but just what constitutes a federal facility isn’t clear.
“A visitor center is an easy one,†Nash said. “Our administration building is another easy one. It’s not clear to us at this point … [if] every structure would be classified as a federal facility even though we own it.â€
The uncertainty extends to concessionaires too. Is a building still a federal facility if it is run by a private company?
Actually, this is something that should be deflined more clearly across the board, but what constitutes a federal facility is pretty clearly defined in 18 USC 930:
The term ”Federal facility” means a building or part thereof owned or leased by the Federal Government, where Federal employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official duties.
So if the concessionaires are not federal employees, they aren’t federal facilities. Outhouses, under this guideline, would also not be considered federal facilities, because federal employees are not regularly present. Of course, the law also says:
(h) Notice of the provisions of subsections (a) and (b) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal facility, and notice of subsection (e) shall be posted conspicuously at each public entrance to each Federal court facility, and no person shall be convicted of an offense under subsection (a) or (e) with respect to a Federal facility if such notice is not so posted at such facility, unless such person had actual notice of subsection (a) or (e), as the case may be.
So they have to post, or notify you in some other way, in order for them to convict you. But I can see the confusion. Most other agencies wouldn’t have to deal with this problem, since their facilities are more cut and dry.
Guns and Crime Debate, Part III
Latest study shows that yes, shall issue laws reduce crime.
National Park Carry Hysteria
Sensibly Progressive reports on some PSH from National Park interest groups. Pretty clearly, based on my trip to Valley Forge, it’s utter chaos in the parks! Or maybe they are full of crap and licensed individuals don’t magically become any different than they are anywhere else when they cross a National Park boundary.
Concealed Carry Permit Holder Saves Clerk
The customer, who was only identified as Chris to protect his identity, said he walked into a Kangaroo convenience store on Franklin Street and noticed at least two suspicious men.
The customer said he walked out to his car to get his phone and heard the clerk inside screaming for help. He said he grabbed his gun and went back inside and saw the suspected robber beating a female clerk with a beer bottle.
The customer said he told the assailant he had a gun, but the man turned toward him and the customer fired two shots, killing the suspect.
Sounds like a clean shoot to me. One wonders whether any Brady folks here want to come advocate he should have called 911 and waited for police to arrive. This is one of those situations that if I found myself in, having to listen to a woman scream while I waited for police to arrive, because I did not have my pistol on me, I would have a difficult time forgiving myself. I suspect most of us would feel that way.
All It Takes in One (Armed) Person …
Knives at a Gunfight
Brillianter has some interesting things to say about bringing knives to gunfights.
Fun Malfunctions with a Bersa Thunder .380
My understanding is that one of the common failure modes in the otherwise pretty reliable Bersa Thunder .380 is the disconnector spring breaking. This happened to me when I was on the range one time, and after I got back, I tore the gun apart and stored the parts at the bottom of the safe for 6 years. I didn’t feel like I could trust it for carry anymore.
When the disconnector spring breaks, there’s nothing to force the disconnector up to engage the hammer release, and the pistol behaves as if the magazine is out. It’s one more reason why extraneous safeties don’t belong on a carry gun. But have no fear Bersa carriers, I have found a means for getting around this particular failure:
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FawMaeSQBgA[/youtube]
So you know what this means right? Now you have to practice shooting sideways. When someone at the range gives you the evil eye because he thinks you’re fooling around shooting gansta style, you can explain to him that you’re practicing a failure drill.
UPDATE: Tam notes that this is technically an “immediate action” or “malf” drill :)
The 0.08% Crisis
SayUncle notices the media in Tennessee are fretting over a crisis among concealed carry holders.