Snowflakes in Hell

Looks like another case is going to court based on the whole “character and reputation is such that you would be likely to act in a manner dangerous to the public” escape clause in our almost-but-not-quite-shall issue licensing system.  Looks like they are raising a constitutional issue as well, in which case I hope the attorney, Michael McCormick, is well experienced in firearms law at the appellate level.  These kinds of cases have to be handled with the utmost care.

This is really good news.  Machine guns and other firearms subject to regulation under the National Firearms Act are already heavily controlled by the federal government, and are effectively outside the reach of ordinary gun owners.  Kansas doesn’t have anything to fear from loosening this restriction:

Jordan Austin, lobbyist for the National Rifle Association, clicked off the laundry list of requirements for someone to be able to own an automatic weapon — a background check, local law enforcement approval, fingerprints, photographs, a $200 fee and a dictionary-sized book of regulations to follow.

“These are the most law-abiding citizens in the country right now,” Austin said.

Tim McGill, whose Cine Specialists in Wichita provides firearms for the movie industry, said it isn’t unusual for a machine gun to cost upwards of $30,000, well out of the financial reach for most people.

“The idea that people are going around willy-nilly shooting is probably not a likelihood,” McGill said.

I’m happy to see the NRA standing up for NFA collectors, even if it’s only in a small way.  It’s progress, and any progress is good.

Josh Sugarmann thinks the shooting sports are in decline.  The facts inconveniently don’t agree with him.

Jeff points out what Obama is saying lately about guns:

I certainly believe in the Second Amendment right, that people have the right to bear arms. But I also believe it is important to have some common-sense gun laws in place to make sure that straw purchasers aren’t being used to fill up our streets with illegal firearms, and that we have stronger background checks so we keep firearms out of the hands of people with mental health problems or young people or those who have committed crimes. I think it is important for us to strengthen our ability to trace guns that have been used in crimes to gun dealers to make sure they are not operating in an illegal way. I think it’s possible to reconcile the tradition of gun ownership, and the rights of sportsmen, hunters and those who want to protect their families, with keeping handguns that are used in crime off the streets. You can protect the rights of gun owners and at the same time keep guns out of the hands of criminals.

Let’s get out the Obama Secret Decoder Ring and see what he’s really calling for.  What do you know?  It’s basically the Brady Campaign playbook.  I wonder who he’s been talking to?

Ooops… I get he got a little carried away with himself on that last one. The Brady’s must not have told him we don’t talk about handgun bans anymore in public.

Many of you probably have read this article by now in the Washington Post detailing the battle of the Administration’s Heller brief, as I’ve seen it linked on other blogs.

Dave Hardy’s insights into the inner workings of federal buracracy are always good, if more than a little disturbing.  Having spend many years in it himself, he’s someone to listen to.  He has a take on this I think is worth reading.