JimB1

I have been using a S&W Victory with Tandemkross trigger and Volquortsen grips for bullseye this season (though I missed a lot of league days due to work) It’s OK for the job but the Ruger is better all around. The options available for the Victory is minuscule compared to the Ruger, the grip frame for the Victory is short and oddly shaped to me, the safety is my biggest gripe because the knuckle on my thumb constantly hits it even with the Volquortsen grips so I’ve had to jam a piece of rubber above it to keep from triggering the safety every shot but I can’t leave it in there for an official match because the rules say all safety features must be in working order. The only things it has going is it is a good gun you can get very cheap (like $150 less then the Ruger sometimes), is not ammo sensitive other then really low velocity stuff below 1000 FPS and it is accurate. That said, I often wish I bought a Buckmark or Ruger instead. -Jim

Well got a call yesterday that NICS finally came though so I am good to pickup the new shotgun. Unfortunately I won’t be able to get there for a couple of weekends. What a pain... -Jim

Yeah, it’s called njgunforums, get all your friends and family to sign up -Jim

Honestly, NJ is broke. I wish they’d pass a law saying no public funds would be spent on travel anywhere... JMHO

After waiting a month for my Berreta 690 Black to come in, got a call from the Beretta Gallery in NYC that it was there. Took the very congested, annoying hour + drive into NYC to pick it up. They were very busy at the store yesterday but only two of us were picking up so the sales person (Anthony, nice guy) called our NICS in together. After 40 minutes on the phone he came back in apologizing that both were delayed. He said he’d never had that happen that multiple NICS called in at the same time were delayed like that. They said if he didn’t hear back by the 11th he could go ahead and sell them to us. So now I have to wait some more and drive back into NYC again. Arrrggghh Anything specifically going on with NICS or is this just the usual NICS volume BS? thanks -Jim

Well first off she’s wrong. The DC court of appeals in Herrington vs The United States ruled on it, “[F]rom the Court’s reasoning [in Heller], it logically follows that the right to keep and bear arms extends to the possession of handgun ammunition in the home; for if such possession could be banned (and not simply regulated), that would make it “impossible for citizens to use [their handguns] for the core lawful purpose of self-defense.” By the same token, given the obvious connection between handgun ammunition and the right protected by the Second Amendment, we are hard-pressed to see how a flat ban on the possession of such ammunition in the home could survive heightened scrutiny of any kind. We therefore conclude that the Second Amendment guarantees a right to possess ammunition in the home that is coextensive with the right to possess a usable handgun there” The Supreme Court chose not to take up the case so the DC Court of Appeals ruling stands. As far as if this could be deemed as regulating the purchase of ammo, that would be the question. A NICS check costs about $15 a box of 9mm costs about $9 most courts would increasing the cost of the use of a right to be on shaky ground to begin with. The left is using the “cigarette” playbook on guns. Add taxes that they say will be used to “fix” other things while simultaneously saying the increase in prices reduces the sales of the item. Unfortunately for them, guns are a constitutional right, cigarettes are not. -Jim

Here’s the Facebook page for the rally! https://www.facebook.com/2A-Capitol-Rally-1414981381948986/ https://www.facebook.com/TheNCCPA/ They are trying to organize in every state. With gun owners being the individualists they are, that’s like herding chipmunks with a pool cue. I hope they are able to pull it off. -Jim

Can’t make this one unfortunately, updating my archery coach certification on the 13th and 14th. Scheduled the course in December long before this rally came up. Sorry I can’t be there this time but give ‘em hell guys... -Jim

They gave me crap about my prescription shooting glasses with a light grey tint one day as I was packing up to leave, that was over a year ago. I have a couple of free passes in my wallet and still haven’t gone back. They are crazy crowded on the weekends, especially in the winter or when weather is bad. That said I haven’t had any issues with the sales guys at any of the locations and occasionally you can get a deal. I’m in walking distance of the Rahway store and am in there every few weeks and sometimes pick up ammo or cleaning stuff but my last few guns I got elsewhere because they were much more expensive or couldn’t even get what I was looking for. Like anything else, I shop around and if the price is in the ballpark of what I am willing to pay I’ll buy from them. If not, I go elsewhere. I’d rather buy stuff from them and keep the local guys in business when it makes sense to do so. It’s tough enough being in NJ without having to drive an hour to get ballistol or something. Might even go back to their range at some point if it’s not crazy busy or maybe want to rent something to try it out but I have other places to shoot that are closer and less costly. Jmho -Jim

So what about the last 300 years was unforeseeable in your view? Leonardo Da Vinci foresaw flying vehicles, cars, robots, massive population explosion, medical advancements, war machines, tanks, and a myriad of other things centuries before the founders were around. All of the founding fathers were well read and familiar with history, philosophy, warfare and technologic advancement principals. Many were renaissance men in their own right, inventors and scholars. They might be amazed at computers and information tech from now but I doubt they didn't think about multi-shot weapons. Many of them had pepper boxes and other multi-shot weapons at the time and in their lifetimes they saw massive military weapons innovation as well as the invention of the printing press and the beginnings of the industrial revolution in Europe, (though it did take 50 years more to get in full swing in the US) I always wonder when people say the founding fathers couldn't foresee the modern world. People hundreds of years before them saw a lot of what we have in the modern world, why act as if they were incapable of seeing where at least some advancements would come in. If anything, war and communications advancements were the most obvious areas to figure out. So maybe they couldn't foresee the rise of internet news outlets like CNN and MSNBC or something like a Facebook and Amazon but they understood the press and commerce very well and it's not a stretch to say the ideas they had way back then can be applied to new media and internet commerce without a whole lot of "interperetation" needed. There might be some specific instances that the founders were unaware of as a potential issue or maybe just didn't bother to expand on, like same sex marriage but even that is not too tough to figure out from a constitutional standpoint. It's listed no where that the federal government has any authority over any marriage. Authority falls to the state unless the people of the state got it passed into law that the state has no authority over it or the state simply has no inclination to create law around it. If multiple states have conflicting laws, the Federal government and Judicial system have tools to deal with that, though to date no one seems inclined to really solve that particular issue but it's not because they don't have the tools or guidance to do so, it's politics stopping it. So again, the SC must take the Constitution and apply it to modern situations but there's very little that requires "interpretation", just a determination of what parts apply to the case in front of them and exactly how. If no parts do then it's simply not a federal case unless it is a conflict between the states of something they don't have federal authority over or something regarding foreign entities. I remember reading something like half the SCs workload is working with the Native American tribes with issues in conflict with the US. Some more thoughts... -Jim

I find it funny that people say the Constitution should be interpreted for modern views. I actually know quite a few historians and archeologists and they constantly talk about viewing the past in the terms of the past not though a modern lens if you want to understand the people and the place. To view history through modern eyes is prejudicial and in many cases limits understanding. To judge people in their times without historical and cultural context is to blind yourself to all else beside your own narrow view of time and place. How is that different from ISIS destroying temples and monuments because they do not support their "modern" view of Islam? They reject that there is a reality outside the one they "know to be true". Rather then adjust their view to encompass the fact that there are other truths outside the ones they know, they destroy objects that conflict with their view so they can continue to "interperet" history to match their modern values and beliefs. Those other people in history were "wrong" in their view and so their customs, beliefs, writings, architecture and everything about their world should be erased so that their modern view is not contested. This is the problem with "Interpereting" historic documents. The actual meaning can be completely lost when the context under which the document was written is discarded from the interpretation. When people say "the Constitution is an out dated document" it is apparent that they are looking though modern eyes only so to them it is, and should be abandoned as a relic or destroyed to make way for "modern views" of government. The only way the Supreme Court can exist is as a body that views the Constitution within the historic context it was written and applies that to modern situations. Not an easy task to be sure but to do otherwise can only lead to arbitrary rulings based on political feelings not rule of law and the Supreme Court becomes not a judicial body but a law making body which is far outside any "interpretation" of what they are supposed to be. Just some thoughts... -Jim

I don’t think so. It’d be pretty easy to show a person had to spend x dollars per magazine to have them converted. For example a competition shooter may have 10 or more magazines to convert at $15 a piece so he had to spend $150 plus tax just to maintain legal status of a previously legal and functioning pistol in the state of NJ. To me that is nearly as bad as forcing them to buy factory 10 round magazines which is what the original bill required. To me that is legislation that puts excessive burden on the usage of a right. JMHO -Jim

Not even a blip for us on NJ.com or MyCentralJersey. Both have overwhelming coverage of the crying kids show though. The N.J. Herald has changed their initial article that said “several dozen protestors” to a pretty decent write up using the State Police number of 2000: http://www.njherald.com/20180327/gun-rights-supporters-rally-in-trenton# -Jim

So they think that convoluted mess of poor phrasing, punctuation and duplicate wording makes perfect sense but somehow don’t understand: “A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.” I have to wonder if we need to start making reading comprehension part of the requirement to be an elected official now.

Stupid is often painful

You are assuming they even have a registration process within 180 days of the bill being signed. Remember the process and documentation don’t even exist yet. I would hate to be the test case for the first person that has one of these registered for more then 10 round guns that gets pulled over. You are going to jail while they sort it out The State Police have a hard time figuring out what the legal way to transport is, you think they are going to have a clue about case by case over 10 round firearms? It’s going to be a cluster fk. -Jim

I was wondering about that too...

Reality is we needed 10x the amount of people that showed up to even make them think twice about their voting habits. My rough estimate is about 1200 - 1400 people showed up. Not nearly enough... We need to do better. We need to do especially better at the voting booth. We have the numbers but we can’t get them all rowing the the same direction. I am almost as frustrated with gun owners in NJ as I am with the politicians -Jim

I’ll be there too. I scheduled the Woodbridge bus but didn’t get a confirmation email I figure if I am locked out of the bus I’ll just take the train down. I’ll get there one way or another... -Jim

Just got the list of stops, Cheesequake bus is much closer for me so I switched to that bus. -Jim

If they do show up, play it cool and make them be the aggressors. Pretty sure the press will show up so we need to make sure we look and act like the adults in the room, if you know what I mean... You ever see Roadhouse? “Be nice until it’s time to not be nice” Then let the cooler handle it. In this case the State Police who will be on site. -Jim

You know, I am going to run out and buy a dozen crappy $50 shit single shot shotguns and turn them in for $130 a piece and get my own tax money back from NJ. If they are going to do stupid stuff with my money, they deserve to be scammed. Sad part is the end of the day, NJ will be so deep in the red we will never get out from under the crushing debt NJ has. I personally know at least 6 families looking to get out of NJ in the next year or two and they aren’t gun people, the taxes are just killing them. I am stuck behind enemy lines for another few years though... -Jim

Well, most of the trap, skeet and sporting clays associations have rules surrounding clothing you can wear at sponsored events ( no jeans, no camo, etc) and weapons you can use. From what I can see they are trying to socially normalize the sport to be like golf or tennis so having tactical gear and weapons at ranges that sponsor or hold events by those associations is frowned upon. I don't really agree but I also see their point, get the young professionals that find golf boring but don't want to be associated with tactical ninjas. Make it an upscale sport like golf. Go for the whole day with friends, co workers or clients, have lunch at the clubhouse, shoot expensive shotguns with 7 or 7.5 powder puff target loads. Bring the whole family. That sort of thing... People will not bring clients to lunch where people have scary black weapons, that's just how it goes. -Jim

I signed up for Bridgewater as the closest to me but it’s still 30 min north to get on a bus going 90 minutes south, so not ideal. I’m figuring on having to be at the bus at 7am. I’m hoping when they reveal the spot there are decent parking accommodations. If not I’ll end up taking the train anyway rather then driving there and spending another 30 min looking for parking. -Jim

So I guess that means we won’t be seeing you in Trenton on Monday then?