Editorial Content, Articles, Photos............
With the Blog the site itself and everything else, this page is sorely lacking in attention. So over the next couple weeks Im migrating most of the content here elsewhere and then this page will die or become something else...........
Finally Some Truth Leaks Out
Yesterday, I was pleased to notice that "mainstream" media had begun to question the absurd statements being made by US officials concerning the "iron river" of firearms flowing from the United States into Mexico.
For the past weeks, we've heard politicians, bureaucrats and supposedly informed law enforcement officials blame the flow of US firearms into Mexico for that country's reversion back into its old, violent, ways. Today, the other side of our long, common border with the United States looks like some backwater dictatorship. Violence is no longer the exception, it's the rule, with drug cartels fighting it out with each other -and occasionally a corrupt Mexican police force.
Infuriatingly, high-ranking US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, have continued to spout inaccurate statistics that blame the US firearms industry and our retail system for the Mexican violence. They say ninety percent of all the illegal guns in Mexico come from the United States, purchased in legal or illegal transactions, then smuggled into Mexico to arm the cartels.
That is not a statistical fib, it is an absolute bald-faced lie. To repeat something you know isn't true makes whomever repeats it a bald-faced liar as well.
Unfortunately, it demonstrates this new administration's complete and utter disdain for the rest of us. They believe we're as incapable of questioning them as we are of deciding our own futures.
Fortunately, not everyone is buying into the lie.
With Mexican cartel battles involving full-auto rifles, grenades and other military-style weaponry, even the most naive reporter should eventually question officials saying they're being procured in the United States. A reader's note the other day asked "can you get me an address on those Texas gun stores where I can get the machine guns and rocket launchers that are being smuggled into Mexico? I'd like to have some of that for myself."
Finally, some hard questions are being asked.
In San Diego, KGTV television's investigative unit used a forensic firearms consultant to inspect a Mexican army cache of seized weapons. Based on those findings, it was obvious to consultant Marc Halcon that what was being stated by government officials as fact and parroted by reporters was not accurate. In fact, he reported that while US gun shops were getting the blame for supplying the cartels with weapons, the real fact was that many of the high-powered weapons the criminals were using come from the U.S. government. They had been given to the Mexican military to fight the cartels. Instead, it appears they were taken to the cartels by the more than 1,200 soldiers per month who go AWOL from the Mexican army - apparently taking their firearms with them. Since 2000, an average of 16,000 soldiers have deserted.
You do the math on the number of military firearms that could put into circulation.
Thursday, Fox News reported the government statistics, were simply wrong. More disturbingly, they reported, ATF officials didn't seem to be interested in doing anything to correct the inaccuracy.
Truth be told, only a small percentage of the tens of thousands of illegal weapons seized in Mexico each year come from the United States.
The statistic being quoted doesn't refer to the total number of weapons seized, only the ones with marking that allow them to be traced. Tens of thousands of illegal military weapons aren't traced, they're warehoused.
As the old expression goes, there are three kinds of lies: plain old lies, damned lies and statistics.
Personally, I'm just about tired of getting wet feet under blue skies - while my own government continues to tell me it's raining.
The firearms industry, meanwhile, does seem to be the one growth sector in our economy - at least in the near-term. The industry may be quietly concerned about the end of 2009, but consumers continue to drive sales up -despite the fact most of the rest of the economy is suffering.
President Obama, in fact, is on track to be the first repeat winner of our Firearms Salesman of the Year honors. Despite his underlings saying the administration's for firearms and the Second Amendment, the consumers aren't buying it. Instead, they're buying guns and ammunition.
The FBI's National Instant Criminal Background Check (NICS) shows a 23.3 percent increase in background checks for February 2009 as compared to February 2008. January had a 28 percent increase, December 24 percent and November showed a 42 percent jump when more than 1.5 million background checks were performed.
That huge jump followed the November elections, but I'm certainly not going to try and read any significance into that. It's obviously a coincidence.
Besides, NSSF President Steve Sanetti already tied the two together when he noted that "Since November, sales of firearms in particular handguns and semi-automatic hunting and target rifles - are fast oupacing inventory. Americans are clearly concerned about their ability to be able to purchase these products in an uncertain future."
Finally, in what is probably a prime example of a "buried lead" in reporting, I have it on good authority that federal officials are telling international competitors they can't bring semi-automatic shotguns into the United States for a major international competition. Match officials and competitors have been told the US only wants to allow "break action shotguns" into the country these days. The last time I looked, there didn't seem to be any law to that effect on the books.
But - it seems "off-book" is where some elements of our government prefer to operate these days.
Believe me, we'll keep you posted on this one.
--Jim Shepherd
AMMO FACTS – NO RUMORS!
BOBDAT
ATK, a Honeywell spinoff from the early ‘90’s, is a publicly-traded,
six-billion-dollar-per-year, Department of Defense supplier (DoD).
They have an exclusive contract with the U.S. Army to run the Lake City
Arsenal small arms ammunition manufacturing plant (reputed to be the
world’s largest) and to operate the Radford Arsenal, which is the
exclusive supplier of TNT.
Almost 80 percent of ATK revenue comes from supplying aerospace and
armament systems to the DoD, including rocket motors, rocket
propellant, missile motors and guidance systems and a host of other
super-sophisticated combat systems, including chain-guns for Apache
helicopters, Bradley Fighting Vehicles and STAR-wars satellite/space
systems.
Eighteen percent of ATK revenue comes from other DoD contracts,
subcontracts to other DoD contractors, sales of armament and combat
systems to foreign governments and, lastly, commercial products.
The undisclosed but obviously minimal revenue contribution from
commercial products includes ammunition contracts with the FBI,
Homeland Security, the Federal Firearms Training Center and state and
local police departments.
ATK’s three big commercial ammunition customers include WalMart,
Cabela’s and Gander Mountain. Sporting goods distributors are dead last.
It’s important to note that ATK’s minimal commercial revenues include sales of products sold under the following brand names:
Ammo - Federal, CCI, Speer, Blazer, Estate Cartridge.
Accessories - RCBS, Outers (including Hoppes), Champion, etc.
Optics - Weaver, Simmons, Redfield, Nitrex, Bushnell, etc.
If you combine all of the above brand-related revenues along with all
other commercial and sporting goods-related revenues, the total
contribution to revenues appears to be less than 10% of ATK’s total
business. Remember that this disclosure is for revenues, not profits.
Profits, of course, are a fraction of the revenues. Not a very big
number, for sure.
Why is the above important to shooting enthusiasts? Because, this
profile of ATK demonstrates how insignificant sporting goods revenue
contributions are to a major company like ATK, although they continue
to acquire familiar brands of sporting goods products. This relentless
acquisition and consolidation of brands within one corporate entity
like ATK dramatically reduces competition while providing for tightened
corporate control over price and availability of sporting goods
products. Retail buyers of firearms and ammunition-related products
find reduced choice, limited or no availability and rigidly controlled
but ascending pricing - not good.
Underlying this concentration of brand power under one entity like ATK
within such a vertically integrated market as in the case of
ammunition, for example, is the federal governments overwhelming
influence due to its massive eighty-to-ninety percent revenue
contribution overall. It is entirely conceivable to imagine that
government policy in one federal branch may quite easily be implemented
through another federal branch with ruthless efficiency.
For example, because all DoD suppliers must align their operations with
applicable government regulations, they become subject to audits, fines
and civil and criminal prosecution for a whole assortment of possible
shortfalls in compliance with those federal regulations. Can you not
imagine how influential the government is in this type of scenario? If
the Executive branch wanted ATK to stop selling ammunition to
civilians, how hard do you think it would be to get that message
across, loud and clear?
This government “clout” also applies to companies like Olin
(Winchester) and others because of their status as federal contractors
and, as a result, they become subject to the same audits, fines,
prosecutions, etc. Because the government is, in fact, the very largest
consumer of goods and services as well as being the exclusive regulator
of all manners of commerce, they have the absolute power to influence
the production, distribution and pricing of all goods and services
produced.
How does this affect you? In our increasingly regulated society, ATK
has recognized, as have the other ammunition makers, that future
revenue contributions from the sporting goods market matter less than
the revenue potential from supplying the government. Government sales
opportunities are plentiful for corporations which ‘play ball’ and ‘act
responsibly’, in the government’s view. It’s just common business sense
to accept that reality.
The popular Federal and Winchester brands already include broad
categories of ammunition designated specifically as “Law Enforcement”
products. These LE products are sold by the factories directly to large
federal, state and local agencies. Less significantly, these LE
products are sold through tightly-controlled “law enforcement”
distributors to the rest of the police and military-type markets,
namely very small municipalities and individual officers. Neither you
nor, your favorite gun dealer, can buy these products. Neither can the
previously-mentioned big direct retail customers like WalMart, Cabela’s
or Gander.
This restricted product availability is not the result of legislation
by the U.S. Congress or any state legislature nor, is it the result of
any judicial decision. This outright ban on sales of certain categories
of ammunition to the sporting public is the direct result of these
manufacturers ‘playing ball’ with and ‘currying the favor of’ agencies
of the United States government. Clearly and simply, these government
agencies, through various procurement specifications and contract
requirements, are implementing public policy via influence over
commercial activity as it pertains to the free markets rather than
through the legislative process which has proven to be time-consuming
and difficult as well as sometimes unpopular with voters. In simple
terms, if you want to ‘feed at the federal trough’ you’ll run your
business the way the feds want you to (and restrict certain ammunition
products from civilian availability). Or else, get ready for audits,
fines, prosecutions, contract cancelation and blacklisting for future
bidding. This is very real and extremely troubling.
Why is this important? Because the more you bury your head in the sand
and adopt an attitude of denial while chanting that it can’t happen
here, the preceding facts clearly demonstrate how easily it does happen
here and that it has been happening here for quite some time.
What can you do about it? Repeatedly write to your elected officials at
the local, state and federal levels of government and urge them to roll
back or hold back additional restrictions on firearms products.
Repeatedly write to the news directors and general managers at your
local television and radio stations and the editors of your local
newspapers and urge them to portray Second Amendment ‘Right-to-Carry”
issues more objectively.
Join the NRA. Actively participate in their organizational meets if
only as a spectator. Contribute to the NRA-ILA to help lobby for a more
sensible legislative and regulatory environment for firearms ownership.
And, finally, express yourself moderately, courteously and respectfully
when discussing responsible firearms ownership so as to bring respect
to firearms enthusiasts of all types.
It is happening here!
For quite some time there has been questions regarding "LEO" rounds.
What are they, is there a difference, can I buy them, and how can TDS sell them are just some of the questions I get everyday.
Far from the definitive thesis, here are some answers.
More often then not, the answer to what are they and is there a difference is that there is NO difference between something marked LEO and a box of rounds with no LEO markings.
The cases, primers, powders and bullet loads are often exactly the same. They come off the same machines.
Rarely does a manufacturer develop a product and then designate that it be sold only to what can best be described as the smallest market possible (LEO represents an incredibly small percentage of all ammunition sold in USA).
Factually the main difference is that LEO ammunition is sold in 50 round boxes and bears some Law Enforcement or Duty Ammo marking on that box.
For example Speer Gold Dot 23966 (230grn GDHP 45Auto) and 53966 (230grn GDHP 45Auto) have exactly the same ballistics according to Speer’s published charts, yet the 23966 is sold in 20 round boxes with no LEO markings while the 53966 is sold in 50 round boxes marked “Duty Ammunition”.
The first number (2 or 5) in the case of Speer indicates whether it is 20 or 50 rounds and therefore “civilian” or “duty” ammunition.
To answer the question “Can I buy them”, the simple answer is this – unless there is some state/city/municipality ruling prohibiting a particular bullet configuration or some reason for you to not possess ammunition – the answer is YES you can.
This whole separation from civilian and duty ammunition can according to some be traced back to the Black Talon ammunition that Winchester developed. The Black Talon is now the T Series (previously the SXT) ammunition sold under the Ranger moniker. The Black Talon became the stuff of Urban Legend and when Congress became involved, the round was withdrawn and redesigned, relabeled and reclassified. Next thing you know there was LEO and non-LEO ammo.
Federal, Remington, Speer (a division of Federal) and Winchester as well as others market LEO/Duty ammunition as well as other “types” of ammunition. Each have tried to put forth their version of a prohibition on the sale of “duty” branded ammunition. This seems primarily based on profitability than anything else.
Using the Speer GD example it’s easy to see the logic behind the prohibition.
23966 sells retail for $22 to $24 (20 rounds)
53966 sells retail for $28 to $30 (50 rounds)
Given the same percentage of markup it’s fairly clear that the profitability of the manufacturer lies with the 20 round boxes.
In regards to how TDS can sell these rounds – TDS is classified as a “Law Enforcement Dealer”. This means that our focus is on the LEO and Military community.
This allows us to purchase and resell items that fall into the LEO category.
We also sell to the general bullet buying populace.
We require ID/Credentials and have “Ammunition Statements” that must be completed before a purchase can be completed or discount applied.
To keep the manufacturers happy, TDS does not stock to sell the 50 round boxes to the general bullet buying public. Let me spell that out a bit further – TDS purchases 50 round boxes for sale to the Law Enforcement community. In the event that the agency that they were ordered for backs out of the sale this ammunition is considered fair game.
TDS also purchases from agencies ammunition that can be considered factory fresh (less than 6 months old), rounds obtained in this way are noted on the site.
Hopefully this helps answer some questions.
Before you check out this video, a little bit of a back story is in order. The band is called Stuck Mojo, a hard rocking southern band. The song is called Open Season and although it reflects the views of many, it has spawned a Jihad of its own.
Deemed as racist, anti Islamic, an affront to Muslims worldwide by a group called CAIR Council of American Islamic Relations who put Stuck Mojo, a rock band on the hit list.
Judge for yourself
My Response to CAIR’s Misrepresentation of "Open Season"
by Rich Ward
As many of you know, the Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR) has attacked Stuck Mojo by falsely claming that “Open Season” advocates violence against all Muslims. This is patently false. Any rational, unbiased person who reads the lyrics to the song (copied below) can clearly see that the song purely advocates a defensive posture against violent, global Jihadists.
You can read the full story at Little Green Footballs here: http://littlegreenfootballs.com/weblog/?entry=23903_CAIR_Slams_Boxer_Stuck_Mojo
The registration at LGF has been closed for some time. With that in mind would someone here on this board, who is also a member of LGF, please pass along my appreciation for the support that the LGF community has shown us.
We never considered for a second that this video would generate such newsworthy attention. The simple fact is that we are currently in a global war against an ideology whose principle objective to transform the world into an Islamic state. Those who resist are to be converted or killed. And, while we have no interest in pursuing a “holy war,” we refuse to take no action in response if such a war is brought to our doorstep. Are all Muslims Jihadists? Of course not. Are virtually all Jihadists Muslims, absolutely. You can make of this what you will.
The message of “Open Season,” and Stuck Mojo in general, is very clear:
“We reject your war of fear and we are prepared to engage you defensively and decisively if your Jihad threatens our neighborhoods and communities.”
This should not be controversial. Yet CAIR and others seem to think that it is. What person would not defend themselves and their family against an enemy who violently threatens their life, liberty or pursuit of happiness?
We believe in and stand by the message of “Open Season” and find it shocking and disappointing that anyone in the Muslim community would find this video offensive; even more so for those in a leadership position within that community. Their condemnation of the anti-Jihadist message of “Open Season” is a clear indication of where their true loyalties reside.
Thanks to everyone who has supported Stuck Mojo during this time. Your comments and feedback from around the world has shown us that we are not alone in recognizing the reality of the world we now live in. And extra special thanks to those who have shown their support with their wallets and purchased a copy of the CD despite the album being made available free for download. After years of being a lone voice in the left-leaning music business, it has been great to see that the people will directly support a band whose message hits home.
Apparently Jihad works both ways. Soon a remix of the video was posted and is making its way into the hands and conciousness of America. Not for the meek - based in truth - its open season.....................