Thank you

Thanks to everyone who stopped by in the last day or two to take a look at the three-barrel gun I inherited from my father.  Thank you to those who commented.  And especially, thanks to SaysUncle.com for the link.  Anyone who has an interest in guns or just good thinking needs to be reading SaysUncle.com on a regular basis.

 

Gun bleg

As promised, here are pictures of a gun I inherited from my father years ago.  The information I have about it is limited.  If you can suggest how I can learn more, I’d appreciate it.  My understanding is that my uncle obtained it during WWII in Germany.  I believe it is known as a drilling.  The two top barrels are rifle barrels and the bottom one is a shotgun barrel.  Caliber and gauge are unknown.  Although there is a design on the side, there are no numbers or letters anywhere on it.  Help!

Update:  At the suggestion of Gun Blobber, I ran home and measured the bores.  The rife barrels measure almost exactly 1/2 inch across and the shotgun barrel measures just under 3/4 inch across.  Measurements done with a standard tape measure.

2nd update: It does have some rust spots on it.  If anyone could recommend a gunsmith in the Nashville area to get it  cleaned up, I’d be much obliged.

(Click to embiggen.)

 

Upcoming gun porn/bleg

As soon as I have some time, I’ll be posting pictures of a gun I inherited from my father many years ago and hoping someone can give me some information about it.  Here’s what I know.  It’s a triple barrel long gun with two rifle barrels over one shotgun barrel (caliber and gauge unknown).  It has no numbers or letters anywhere on it.  Supposedly, my uncle obtained it in Germany during WWII.  I know that it is called a “drilling” and that similar guns are available today.  My understanding is that around the time of WWII, guns such as this one would have been custom made by an individual gunsmith.

Some way to determine where and when it was made and by whom would be nice.  In addition, I would like to have some estimate of its value.  Like I said, I’ll post pics soon.

 

A limited victory

Today, in a 5-4 decision, the Supreme Court held that the Second Amendment secures an individual’s right to own firearms:

In sum, we hold that the District’s ban on handgun possession in the home violates the Second Amendment, as does its prohibition against rendering any lawful firearm in the home operable for the purpose of immediate self-defense. Assuming that Heller is not disqualified from the exercise of Second Amendment rights, the District must permit him to register his handgun and must issue him a license to carry it in the home.

Yeah.  I get to own a gun.  But, a quick review of highlights from the opinion reveals problems.  Here is the Court on the limits of their decision:

Although we do not undertake an exhaustive historical analysis today of the full scope of the Second Amendment, nothing in our opinion should be taken to cast doubt on longstanding prohibitions on the possession of firearms by felons and the mentally ill, or laws forbidding the carrying of firearms in sensitive places such as schools and government buildings, or laws imposing conditions and qualifications on the commercial sale of arms.

This leaves in place all the back door prohibitions that make owning a gun for self-defense purposes nearly useless.  The broad opening to selective bans is in the phrase “sensitive places such as schools and government buildings.”  The list of places found to be “sensitive” is long and will grow.  Already, government buildings and schools (as mentioned) are on the list, along with day cares, churches, parks and restaurants that serve alcohol.  Look for that list to expand as politicians officially find that other places are “sensitive.”  Most of the places were you might actually need the protection a handgun could afford are already off-limits.  More will follow.

In practical terms, this means that I cannot carry adequate protection in the area I’m most likely to be the victim of a violent crime – leaving a bar or club.  I frequently patronize drinking establishments on Church Street.  Of late, this area has seen a car jacking, a store robbery and several car break-ins.  My choices?  Don’t go there or depend on the police to protect me.  Not a wide array of options.

Where did we state in the constitution that we granted the government the authority to regulate ownership, possession or use of firearms by individuals?

 

My favorite positions (on issues)

Over on the right is another new page. This one is called “My Favorite Positions (on issues).” It shorthands where I stand on issues such as government-paid-for-heatlthcare, the Second Amendment, same sex marriage, term limits, taxes, etc. Twenty-two positions in all. Probably something for everyone. I may add more later.

Looking at that list, it’s funny to see how different my positions were 10 years ago.

 

That’s some serious planning ahead

According to the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, for guns used in crimes in Tennessee and traced by the Bureau, the average amount of time between purchase and use in a crime is 10.87 years.  Nationally, that average is 10.17 years.  Of the guns the Bureau was able to trace, 3.9% were used in a crime within 3 months of purchase.

I thought we needed instant background checks because criminals were walking into guns stores to purchase weapons for use in their next crime.

Also note that for the vast majority of the traced weapons, the “crime” was non-violent, such as possession, health and safety (the BATFE does not provide definitions for their terms) and “dangerous drugs.”

 

More Democrats scared of guns

I really want to go to this Republican fundraiser:

MANCHESTER [N.H.] – City Republicans will be packing some serious firepower at their next party fundraiser.

Tired of the usual chicken dinners, the Manchester Republican Committee is planning to arm supporters next month with Uzis, M-16 rifles and other automatic weapons for a day of target practice at a Pelham firing range.

Cue the typical liberal reaction:

The concept prompted shudders across the political aisle. Chris Pappas, the city Democratic party chairman, called the event “not just in poor taste; it is downright offensive.”

“The citizens of Manchester have lived through a deadly spike in violent crime the past year-and-a-half, despite the campaign promises of (Mayor) Frank Guinta to lower crime rates,” Pappas said. “That the mayor’s political party would seek to glorify the use of machine guns for political gain is unconscionable.”

That deadly spike in violent crime could have been slowed had more law abiding citizens been armed and properly trained.

 

Politician stupidity on display, vol. 1

WASHINGTON (AP) — Border Patrol agents should be allowed to shoot at fleeing drug traffickers, a Republican senator suggested Tuesday.

The patrol’s deadly force rules were questioned at a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing concerning the conviction of two agents who shot a fleeing, unarmed drug trafficker and covered it up.

“Why is it wrong to shoot the [trafficker] after he’s been told to stop?” asked Sen. Tom Coburn, R-Oklahoma.

Er, maybe the person isn’t really a drug dealer? We still have innocent until proven guilty? Drug dealing isn’t a capitol offense? The U.S. government creates the black market for illegal drugs by refusing to legalize them? I’m sure there are more obvious reasons. Anyone care to add some?

(h/t Instapundit)

 

Those dangerous guns

Some people shouldn’t be trusted with guns. On the other hand, at least this trooper wasn’t having sex with a porn star and using a camera from his cruiser to record it.

 

Backdoor gun bans

Doesn’t it seem that the anti-gun crowd has worked out a great strategy?  While making lots of noise about trying to ban particular types of guns, and often losing, they have quietly and effectively spread a different type of gun ban, one based on locations.  Even with a carry permit, you can’t carry your gun in bars, schools, parks, government buildings, in your car if you’ve been drinking and no telling how many other places.  What a great strategy!  You can have a gun and a permit to carry it, you just can’t take it anywhere.  The result of course is to create free fire zones for armed criminals.