Over the past few weeks, we have learned that anti-gun rights groups have been pressuring Facebook to crack down on users who post about guns.  Specifically, a fuss has been made about the practice of selling firearms via Facebook and their subsidiary site, Instagram.  Personally, I’ve been bracing for the worst, in which Facebook would simply change their policy to not allow gun posts of any kind, or make it very easy for gun bigots to make life very difficult for lawful gun owners on Facebook and Instagram.

Instead, even though the list of groups that Facebook includes a rogues gallery of anti-gun pressure groups, Facebook took some mostly neutral steps.  To quote their blog post on the matter:

• Any time we receive a report on Facebook about a post promoting the private sale of a commonly regulated item, we will send a message to that person reminding him or her to comply with relevant laws and regulations. We will also limit access to that post to people over the age of 18.
• We will require Pages that are primarily used by people to promote the private sale of commonly regulated goods or services to include language that clearly reminds people of the importance of understanding and complying with relevant laws and regulations, and limit access to people over the age of 18 or older if required by applicable law.
• We will provide special in-app education on Instagram for those who search for sales or promotions of firearms.
• We will not permit people to post offers to sell regulated items that indicate a willingness to evade or help others evade the law. For example, private sellers of firearms in the U.S. will not be permitted to specify “no background check required,” nor can they offer to transact across state lines without a licensed firearms dealer.

Do I agree with all of these?  No.  Do I wish they had asked the NRA or SAF for input on this matter?   Yep.  Could it be a lot worse?  You betcha.

A few people I have talked with about this are outraged, and sputter about the First and Second Amendments.  Unfortunately for them, in this case, I don’t believe that the Bill of Rights comes into play.  The Constitution lays out our government and limits its powers, but it has little to nothing to say about how private parties relate to one another.

Facebook is not the government.  The Constitution provides them with no power, nor does it protect us from any abuses, real or perceived, that Facebook heaps upon us.  We always have the option of walking away from Facebook, or Starbucks, or any other business that makes it too difficult for us to enjoy or benefit from our relationship with them.  Facebook always has the option to throttle any activity that uses their service, especially if the user in question isn’t a paying customer.  It’s their sandbox, and they have the right and power to tell us which toys we can bring and what games we can play when we visit.

So what do we do now?  Some of the anti-gunners are dancing on tables over this, while others are crying in their beer.  I think we should be somewhere in between.  Facebook’s message wasn’t as condescending as the one that Starbucks put out about guns in their restaurants, and to be honest, their new policy is pretty toothless.  What I plan on doing is exactly what I’ve been doing:  posting what I want to, discussing what I want to, and reading what I want to.  I will continue to belong to gun related groups, including those that deal with the sale and trade of firearms.  If this new set of policies is used as a cudgel to hurt pro-gun pages and posts, then that will change, but we’re not there yet.

What should we not do?  Well a lot of “Screw you!” posts are probably not going to be helpful.  The key to our success in re-normalizing the responsible ownership of guns by law-abiding citizens relies to a huge extent on the opinions of neutrals.  We will never convince the hardcore anti-gun people to come over to our side.  We don’t need to convince the hardcore pro-gun people of the righteousness of our cause.  It’s the people in the middle, who have no connection to either side of the argument, that we need to at least not oppose us.  Going off like a bunch of jackasses will push more people away from us at a time when we have momentum on our side.

Remember, the first rule of open carry is “Don’t be a dick.”, and I think it should also be the first rule of talking about, showing, and selling firearms on a public website.  If you wouldn’t stand up in the middle of a restaurant that has a “Please don’t make guns a problem in our establishment” sticker on the door and scream “Shall not be infringed!”, you probably shouldn’t do it when the owners of a website make the same request.

My one and only comment on the ‘new’ fragmenting  bullet that’s making the rounds:

Show me footage of a disinterested third party suspending a hog carcass, dressed in a tee shirt and light jacket, in front of a movement scale, then shooting 13 rounds of it into the porker’s chest from 7 yards away. I want to see how much the thing moves when shot, then I want to see footage of a dissection of the hog to show how the bullets did against clothing, skin, bone, and soft tissue.

Until that happens, I’m not interested in debating  something the good idea fairy thought up while snorting blow off of the Duke Nukem  project manager’s butt.

Passing this along to any of you who own a Ruger American Rifle in .17 HMR or .22 WMRF:

We have determined that Ruger American Rimfire™ rifles chambered in .22 WMRF (Magnum) and .17 HMR manufactured between November 17, 2013 and January 8, 2014 were manufactured without a vent hole. This hole appears just below and behind the serial number on the left-hand side of the receiver. The hole does not serve any function during normal operation of the rifle, but is a safety feature and may help vent gas in the event of a problem such as a ruptured case head or bore obstruction, for example. We want to recall the rifles and add the vent hole.

The link gives details on what exactly to look for in your rifle and how to get it fixed.  Please spread the word.  This is a real gun safety issue.  Maybe we can get MAIG or CSGV to post this on their websites, since safety is their stated raison de etre.

H/T to my sister from another mother for passing on the word to me.

An Indian company has begun marketing a gun ‘designed’ for women.  It is named the Nirbheek in honor of the victim of a mass rape in 2012.  It is described as a small, lightweight .32 revolver, and is supposed to be convenient for carrying in a purse.  It has a price tag of about $2000, and so far only 20 have been ordered.

I wonder what color it is.  For $2000, it better be a damn work of art.

That sound you just heard was my giant sigh.

Every weapon out there is designed for a woman, because it is designed for humans.  Not all of them are best for any given woman, but that’s why the good Lord made friends, family, and ranges that rent guns.  Try as many guns as you can and want to before settling on one that you like shooting and that you can shoot well.  I’ve known dainty little things that loved 5 inch 1911’s, and corn-fed farmgirls who loved pocket pistols.  I knew one diminutive grandmother in Arizona who surprised us all by pulling a K frame revolver out of her purse and putting six full-power .357 holes in the 10 ring of her target.  You can’t say that this gun is appropriate for a woman, and this gun is not.

There is no such thing as a “ladies revolver”.  It seems we’ve made some progress on that here, but there seems to be some work to be done with our brothers and sisters in India.

The scene – A chilly, misty late morning in Kentucky.  Our hero is shooting his first action pistol competition ever, and after a rough start on the first couple of stages, is starting to do better.  His greatest accomplishment so far is to not get disqualified.  Since it is raining out, the stages are almost exclusively steel targets.  Our hero has never shot his carry pistol at steel before.

Here are the sounds for the second to last stage:

Beep

Bang! Ding! Thud!

Bang! Bang! Ding! Thud!

Bang! Ding! Bang! Bang! Ding! Bang! Ding! Bang! Ding! Why won’t that damned thing fall!  Thud!

Bang! Ding!

Yeah, next time I’m taking the .45 or the .357.

Since all of the cool kids are doing it, I might as well jump on the bandwagon and air out my opinions on open carry.

Here we go:

Your right to swing your fist ends where your fist impacts the nose of others.

Clear enough?  I don’t care if someone wants to open carry a pistol, a rifle, a shotgun, a bazooka, a slingshot, or an AC-20 from a BattleMech that’s been in their family for generations, so long as they are not acting in such a way that either breaks the law or makes life hard for the rest of us who want to be left alone to buy our groceries while carrying a defensive firearm and writing run-on sentences.

I’m not sure who said it first, but the first rule of open carry, as it should be in most things in life, is “Don’t be a dick.”  There are circumstances where open carry is appropriate and there are circumstances where open  carry is inappropriate.  It’s your responsibility, which comes with the right to carry, to know the difference.

I mostly carry concealed, but I do open carry on occasion.  Those occasions are not limited to when I am going to a gun-friendly environment, such as going to the range or meeting with like-minded people.  It includes going to a semi-rural home improvement center, a suburban grocery store, or whatever.  To me, having a pistol on my hip is no different from having a multi-tool or a cell phone on my hip.  I’ve only been asked about it on two occasions.  Once was a little old lady who asked me if it was legal, and the other was a police officer who asked which model of 1911 it was and where I bought it.

So, in my environment, people just don’t seem to care about open carrying a pistol, or if they do, they’re not challenging me on it.  So I guess, at least in suburban Louisville, that battle either has been won, or never needed to be fought in the first place.

There are circumstances where carrying a rifle or shotgun is appropriate, but those circumstances are, for me, very limited.  I live in a semi-rural, semi-suburban environment.  It’s just not in the social norm for me to carry a long gun with me as I go about my daily business, so I don’t.  In an other environment, I might, but it just doesn’t come up in my routine.

The same cannot be said for open carry, either of a pistol or a long arm, in other environments.  You have to decide what is appropriate all on your own.

So basically, if it works for you, and what you do doesn’t make my life harder, it’s none of my business.

But please, before you put on your bad attitude tee shirt and slip the patrol sling over your head, please consider whether what you’re going to do is going to harm the rest of us.  Is making a political or social statement worth the risk to our place in the commons of ideas when it comes to gun rights?  Is the payoff for carrying your shotgun into a library worth the recoil that will inevitably happen, mostly on the part of people who otherwise wouldn’t care about guns?

So basically, aggressive open carriers have their rights, and that’s a beautiful thing.  But please remember the responsibilities that come with them.  Don’t make life harder for the rest of us while you’re trying to express your rights.

A few weeks ago, I wrote about the Friends of the NRA.  Well, all the hard work of the Greater Louisville FNRA organization is about to pay off, and if you’re close to Louisville, you can help out.

In A Nutshell

This Saturday will be the annual dinner and auction for Louisville.  It’s going to be held at the Triple Crown Pavilion on Plantside Drive beginning at 5:30. A $40 ticket gets you in the door, a sit-down steak dinner, and access to games, a live auction, and a silent auction.  You can order tickets here, and tickets will be available at the door.

Dinner

The menu for the sit-down dinner is:

• Garden salad
• Grilled beef shoulder tenderloin with pearl onion bordelaise
• Augratin potatoes
• Country style green beans (Kentuckians can’t serve a vegetable without bacon or ham in it, but it’s delicious)
• Warm rolls with butter
• Dessert will be your choice of either cheesecake with berries and cream or deep dish caramel apple

Auctions

The silent auction will be provisioned with products graciously donated by local businesses and patrons of the FNRA.

The live auction will include the following items;

1. Moose bone skinner by Smith and Partners – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  A beautiful custom knife with highly polished blade and real moose bone handle.
2. 9/11 Flag Display Framed Decor by Mill Pond – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  Print includes uniform flag patch flown over Iraq in an F-16 during a live combat mission on 9/11/2011, the tenth anniversary of 9/11.
3. Cape Buffalo FNRA Sponsor Sculpture – This is a “Key Item”. (See Below for explanation)  Stunning statue of the prized African game animal.
4. Savage 110BA in .338 Lapua with Magpul Furniture – $1800 minimum bid on this one.  Long range precision and power.
5. Starkey Digital Hearing Protection – Tiny digital ear plugs allow normal conversations but block the damaging effects of gunfire your hunt or day on the range more safe and enjoyable.
6. Whiskey Stave Wine Rack by Legacy Quest – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  A unique display made from a real bourbon barrel stave from the Heaven Hill Distillery includes the NRA Eagle logo medallion.
7. Selection of NRA belt buckles donated by Kurt Gutting – You can buy one or all of them at the bid price each.
8. Kel-Tec KSG 12GA Shotgun with logo – A highly desired tactical shotgun with a 15 round capacity and bullpup design.
9. Fighting Whitetail Sculpture by Sky Carvers – A powerful rendition of two trophy bucks contending for dominance.
10. Dr. Goddard Framed Art by Mill Pond – Celebrate the founder of forensic ballistics with this portrait of Dr. Goddard that includes casing and bullets fired from two of the Tommy guns used in the St. Valentine’s Day Massacre, the first case solved using the science of matching ballistic markings that make every firearm unique.
11. Signed Charlie Daniels Fiddle with case, CD, and photo – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  A hand signed fiddle from one of  country’s greatest artists, and dedicated Second Amendment supporter, Charlie Daniels.  Includes a copy of his “Live From Iraq” CD.
12. NRA Waffle Maker – This is a “Key Item”. (See Below for explanation)  Brand your morning waffles with the NRA logo.
13. Sig Sauer P226 Pistol in 9mm, with case and coin – U.S. Navy Seal edition P226 MK25 has all of the features used in the Naval Special Warfare Teams, plus the anchor logo and a special SEAL Foundation challenge coin.
14. Silver and Black Crystal Jewelry Set by Montana Silversmiths – Sparkling and unique jewelry set that’s sure to help cover over any auction purchase when you get home!
15. Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders Framed Decor by Mill Pond – Portrays the first use of the M1895 Gatling gun by the U.S. Army at San Juan Hill that ensured that the Rough Riders could win the day.  Includes a spent casing and bullet fired from one of the only surviving guns used in the epic 1898 battle.
16. Friends of NRA 2013 Gun of the Year:  A Weatherby Vanguard S2 Eurosport in .270 Winchester with a VX-7 Leupold scope and Case.  This is an FNRA exclusive edition of the highly successful Vanguard with custom wood and engraving.  There is a minimum bid on this item of $1500.00.
17. 2012 FNRA Knife of the Year – A special find for this year’s auction.  A catskill drop point with a chestnut handle by Canal Street Cutlery and Legacy Quest.  Last year’s Knife of the Year has a distinctive blade style and unique American Chestnut handles and display case.
18. Bourbon Barrel Display Case – This item was graciously donated by local craftsman Perry Myers.  It lets you display your treasures with pride in this unique regionally flavored custom display case.
19. Custom Henry Golden Boy .22 S/L/LR with the NRA seal scroll on a brass receiver.  Rifle has a 20 inch barrel and walnut furniture.
20. Pet Feeding Station by Legacy Quest – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  Spoil your pets in rustic style with this two-bowl feeding station.
21. Stainless FNRA Steel Flask – This is a “Key Item”. (See Below for explanation)  Hip flask with the FNRA logo.
22. 2011 FNRA Knife of the Year – A special find for this year’s auction.  A bowie and display by W.R. Case and Sons.  A classic American design with custom embellishment for the Friends of the NRA.
23. Shelburne Museum Mallard Decoy – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  A replica of a vintage decoy.  Purchase of the decoy includes a 1 in 15 chance to go on a late December Mississippi duck hunt with FNRA Field Staff members.
24. American Chestnut Flag Display by Legacy Quest – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  Show your families patriotism with pride in this distinctive presentation case for your veteran’s flag.
25. Legacy Quest Outdoors Daisy BB Gun  – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  A classic BB gun design with an NRA logo medallion and rustic American Chestnut stock and fore end.
26. Franchi Affinity 12 Gauge Semi-Auto shotgun with FNRA logo – Based on the highly acclaimed Benelli action, this great field gun will be a great addition to your collection.
27. Browning 1911 Patent Plaques by Mill Pond – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  Brass etched copies of the original John Moses Browning patent application for the venerable 1911 pistol will be a stunning addition to any office or den.
28. Friends of the NRA Freedom Flyer Bicycle – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  Let your next generation show their Second Amendment support as they cruise the sidewalks.
29. Rhinestone Pistol Jewelry Set by Montana Silversmiths – Now she can show her support in style with these sparkling revolver necklace and earrings.
30. Digital Camo Blanket by Binghamton Knitting – This is an FNRA exclusive item.  It is also a “Key Item”.  (See below for explanation).    Cozy camouflage blanket with FNRA logo will keep you warm this winter.

Key Items

Four of the items in the live auction are marked as “Key Items”.  What that means is that when you win the auction for them, you also win a key.  This key gives you a 1 in 4 chance of opening a lock on a DiamondBack Flat Dark Earth AR Carbine in .300 Blackout.

Games

In addition to the auctions, there are several games available for you to try to win guns and gear.

AR-15 Raffle – You buy a magazine for $100, you get a chance of winning an exclusive Limited KY Friends of NRA Accurate Armory LE Light Carbine – only 15 made!!  There will only be 24 magazines and chances at the rifle sold.

2. 3 Gun Raffle – $20 gets you a chance to win a Mossberg MVP Predator .223, AR-15 DiamondBack, and Ruger 40 – 1 winner takes all.  There will be 150 chances sold.

3. Hat Raffle – $20 gets you a chance to win a DPMS .308.  Every buyer receives an FNRA Cap, and there will only 96 hats sold.

4. Pick of Auction – $20 gets you a chance to pick whatever you want from the live auction table,  except for the .338 rifle.  Everything else is available for the winner to choose from!  100 chances will be sold.

5. Pre-event Raffle – $10 a ticket for an S&W .380

6. Plinko – Drop the chip to get tickets.  Winner gets their choice of 1 gun, either a Ruger LC9 or Taurus .38.

7. Darts – Throw darts to get tickets.  Winner gets their choice of either a Henry .22 rifle or Mossberg MVP in .223.  Update – The MVP was removed and put in another game.

8. Bucket Raffle – You purchase a strip of four regular tickets and one bonus ticket.  The regular tickets are used to get in on drawings for packages of donated items.  The bonus ticket is used to get in on a drawing for these guns:

• Remington 700 SPS 30-06
• S&W Bodyguard .38
• Henry AR7 Survival .22
• S&W Governor
• Mossberg MVP Predator Combo .223
• Para Elite 1911 .45

So there you have it.  A great dinner, time spent with other supporters of the shooting sports, and chances to win guns and gear.  So, if you want to come on out on Saturday, please buy some tickets, bring your family and friends, and have a good time with us.  I’ll see you there!