Wednesday, 30 November 2011 12:00

Belgium Federal Police adopt S&W M&P (over FN!)

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PRESS RELEASE

What is interesting is that appears to be a snub of FN who has tried to market the FNP, FNX (and forthcoming striker FNS) to law enforcement. I would be curious to see if the FNS was evaluated, or if perhaps did not meet the specific requirements. For those not familiar, FN is in Belgium and a world renown firearms maker holding many, many, many, U.S. Military contracts. You can see pics of my FNX, the FNS, and my HiPowers (even Browning marked HiPowers are made by FN) on this site if you use the search bar.

Regardless, congrats to S&W! 20,000 9mm's!

 

Text follows:

Smith & Wesson(R) Secures M&P Pistol Contract From Belgium Federal Police

 SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 28, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (NASDAQ: SWHC), parent company of Smith & Wesson Corp., the legendary 159-year old company in the global business of safety, security, protection, and sport, announced today that it has recently received a contract from the Belgium Federal Police calling for 20,000 Smith & Wesson® Military & Police (M&P) 9mm polymer pistols over a ten-year period. The police agency, a force with 12,500 officers, has received an initial shipment of 2,500 pistols as part of the full department conversion to Smith & Wesson duty firearms.

After an open evaluation process that included numerous competitors, the Smith & Wesson M&P9 was selected for its performance and for the support services provided by the Company. A thorough test and evaluation process by the Belgium Federal Police indicated that the firearm's reliability, interchangeable grips sizes and low perceived recoil were among the key drivers in the decision.  In addition to duty pistols, the Belgium Federal Police also placed orders for simunition and dedicated training firearms based on the M&P platform. The firearms offered by Smith & Wesson were supported with a full range of services, including armorer's training. The Company also provided the agency with product manuals in multiple languages in order to ease the transition process.

The pistols ordered by the Belgium Federal Police were based upon the well established M&P platform, which has been adopted by hundreds of police agencies and has achieved popularity with consumers as well.  The M&P9 pistols were built to meet the exact specifications set forth by the police agency. Enhanced features included luminescent sights, a manual thumb safety with on/off red dot indicator, and a raised loaded chamber indicator on top of the slide that could be felt by hand. The M&P9 pistols retained the original design features and were supplied with two 17-round magazines along with cleaning materials.

Mario Pasantes, Smith & Wesson's Senior Vice President of Marketing and Global Professional Sales, said, "We are pleased to support the long-term needs of the Belgium Federal Police with our M&P pistols, which have become a sidearm of choice for law enforcement agencies in both the United States and around the globe.  Our M&P line includes a full range of calibers and is designed to meet the exacting standards and tough test criteria used by professionals, such as the Belgium Federal Police.  At the same time, our M&P firearms have become popular with consumers who have come to appreciate the pistol's professional-grade performance and features."


SOURCE Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation

NRA-ILA :: Twelve Big Wins for Gun Owners

Friday, November 18, 2011
The final conference report on the combined Fiscal Year 2012 Agriculture, Commerce/Justice/Science (CJS) and Transportation/Housing/Urban Development (THUD) Appropriations bills—also known as the “Mini-Bus,” was passed by both the U.S. House and the U.S. Senate,  and has been signed into law. 

One of the most important ways that Congress has protected the Second Amendment is through a number of general provisions included in various appropriations bills.  Many of these provisions have been included in the bills for many years—some of the provisions go back almost three decades.  This conference report is no exception, as it contains 12 provisions that strengthen the Second Amendment and protect the American people.

Specifically, the conference report makes PERMANENT the following protections:

  • Firearms Database/National Gun Registry Prohibition.  No funds may be used to create, maintain or administer a database of firearms owners or their firearms. This prohibition has been in place since Fiscal Year 1979, and prevents the federal government from establishing a national gun registry.
  • Former Firearms Dealers Information Retrieval Prohibition.  No funds may be used to electronically retrieve personally identifying information gathered by federal firearms licensees. The provision prohibits the creation of a gun registry from dealers’ records that are required by law to be surrendered to the federal government when a dealer goes out of business. This provision has been included since FY 1997.
  • Information Gathering Prohibition/24-Hour Destruction of Records.  A prohibition on the use of funds to retain any information gathered as a part of an approved instant background check for more than 24 hours. This provision protects the privacy of law-abiding gun buyers by prohibiting gun buyers’ personal information about legal gun purchases from being retained by government authorities for more than 24 hours after a firearm background check. It has been included since FY 1999.

In addition, the conference report adds two NEW provisions designed to bolster our gun rights and protect the Second Amendment from unelected bureaucrats who would twist the law to facilitate their gun-control agenda.

  • Prohibit Funding for “Gun Walking” Operations.  No funds may be used to knowingly transfer firearms to agents of drug cartels unless U.S. law enforcement personnel control or monitor the firearms at all time.  This amendment is designed to prevent the Justice Department (or any government entity) from spending taxpayer dollars on “gun walking” programs like Operation Fast and Furious.
  • Shotgun Importation Protections.  Prohibits the Department of Justice from requiring imported shotguns to meet a “sporting purposes” test that the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATFE) has used to prohibit the importation of shotguns with  one or more features disliked by the Agency, such as adjustable stocks, extended magazine tubes, etc.

Finally, the conference report RETAINS the following provisions:

  • Curio and Relic Definition.  A prohibition on the use of funds to change the definition of a “curio or relic.”  This provision protects the status of collectible firearms for future generations of firearms collectors.
  • Physical Inventory Prohibition.  Prohibition on a requirement to allow a physical inventory of Federal Firearms Licensees.  The Clinton Administration proposed a rule in 2000 to require an annual inventory by all licensees. While the Bush Administration eventually withdrew the proposal, Congress has still passed this preventive provision every year since FY 2007.
  • Business Activity.  A prohibition on the use of funds to deny a Federal Firearms License (FFL) or renewal of an FFL on the basis of low business activity. This provision prohibits BATFE from denying federal firearms license applications or renewals based on a dealer’s low business volume alone.
  • Firearms Trace Data Disclaimer.  A requirement that any trace data released must include a disclaimer stating such trace data cannot be used to draw broad conclusion about firearms-related crime.
  • Firearms Parts Export to Canada.  A prohibition on the use of funds to require an export license for small firearms parts valued at less than $500 for export to Canada.   This provision removed an unnecessary and burdensome requirement on U.S. gun manufacturers that was imposed under the Clinton Administration.
  • Importation of Curios and Relics.  A prohibition on the use of funds to arbitrarily deny importation of qualifying curio and relic firearms. This provision ensures that collectible firearms that meet all legal requirements for importation into the United States are not prevented from import by executive branch fiat.
  • Transfer of BATFE Authority. A prohibition on the use of funds to transfer any duty or responsibility of the BATFE to any other agency or department.  This provision was written in response to a Clinton Administration plan to transfer firearms enforcement to the FBI or Secret Service.  It also prohibits the Executive branch from skirting the will of Congress by allowing another agency to implement policies the BATFE is prohibited from implementing.
Copyright 2011, National Rifle Association of America, Institute for Legislative Action.
This may be reproduced. It may not be reproduced for commercial purposes.
Thursday, 24 November 2011 03:26

DVOR.com (opticsplanet.com) group discount

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I was recently invited to join DVOR.com which is affiliated with opticsplanet.com which I have received excellent customer service from.

Like ProMotive.com it a group membership site which offers discounts on select vendor products. The variety is smaller than ProMotive but it is mainly firearms related. Some of the items I noticed were well priced - for example Blackhawk holsters, Trijicon NightSights, etc.

Update 2012: DVOR has become more an "event sale" rather than a permanent store front. They run daily specials that are sometime very good. What is available in the store front changes dramatically so if you don't log in regularly you might be surprised. I get their daily sale "event" email and log in based on my interest in what specials they are running.

 

Here is an invite link (it is free) if you want to check it out: DVOR.com invite

 

*02/22/2012*
I just got a 5.11 Rush Delivery (tactical messenger bag) to fit a 17″ laptop. It retails for $99 and bought it through DVOR for $65. Bag review forthcoming…Great price and customer service!

Friday, 18 November 2011 12:39

Browning "tax relief" rebate (up to 8%)

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You know you live in a state with a high tax rate when a major manufacturer comes out with a "tax relief" rebate to cover your tax and the max reimbursement rate of 8% doesn't cover what you pay. We pay about 10% here in the Pacific Northwest. Oh well, still a good deal if you are looking at getting a Browning...I would love a Citori but don't have the $ at the moment. Oddly, Buckmarks which I would consider getting in the near future, are excluded.

Saturday, 12 November 2011 12:11

Thinking about winter carry (outside)

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It is great that we generally wear more concealing clothes and can move away from a summer (small) gun to a bigger or fullsize, but I see but see  little on how to carry when you have to actually spend time outside.

Traditional holster logic doesn't really work. OWB, IWB works fine for when you are just going out to your car or smoking in the parking lot, but it is not the same when you are out for hours (or longer).

You still have to access the pistol if you need it. Not so easy under your multiple layers of clothing and winter jacket. Yeah, I can conceal my 1006 or a fullsize 1911 under my winter coat, but can I get to it without unzipping 3 jackets or spend 5 minutes of fishing through clothing layers to get to it?

Here is what has and  hasn't worked for me:

IWB - clearly inside the waist isn't really going to work very well.

OWB (outside belt holster) - this might work if you can put the pistol only under your winter coat. I have considered getting a "duty belt" or a Wilderness to supplement my regular belt. You could wear it over all of your layers.

It would be great if you had a patrol jacket, like 5.11's, where there are actually snaps for quick access to a sidearm. I don't own any of these...yet.

shoulder holster - actually resizing this to go over all of the layers of clothes and under your main coat works pretty good. You still have to unzip it for access it, but is fairly comfortable. You don't have to worry about printing since you already look like a marshmellow.

ankle holster - depends on the type of pants and weather. Trekking around outside (at least around here) even if there is no snow usually results in wet pants and wet backup pistol. Not so easy to access when dressed like the Micheli-man...

man bag - I will be darned but I have found that increasing the strap size of my Maxpedition to fit over everything including the winter coat works REALLY well. Still gives very quick access to the pistol and quick carry of other things like a flashlight (since it gets dark befor 5pm now).

jacket pockets - my ski jacket had pretty good front pockets that were perfect for a mini-Glock or J-frame. My current favorite jacket is a Columbia 3-in-1 that has cavernous zippered hand pockets. I suspect mini-Glocks will work and possibly bigger.

If you have any ideas, I have missed let me know. Keep in mind that for me it has to be concealed so drop or offset holsters won't work.

Saturday, 05 November 2011 10:07

Seattle loses gun ban appeal

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Ah, silly former Mayor Nickels. I blog about this because I specifically wrote the former Mayor's office explaining that I would not violate his (illegal) ordinance banning firearms (even legal state licensed concealed pistol holders) and I therefore would not visit Seattle.

The irony was, I explained, that I was a law abiding citizen and would follow even his illegal law. On the other hand he was a political leader passing laws that he knew was illegal -- the city ban of firearms was illegal by violating state preemption.  The city was even told this by the Attorney General).

Seattle had already lost their court case about this but amazingly still decided to appeal it! Well, the appeals court has ruled what we already knew - a handgun ban CLEARLY is in violation of the RCW. The STATE preempts the entire field of firearms. DUH!

What a waste of tax payer money!
It may still be a long time before I set foot in Seattle or spend any money there, but if I do at least I will be able to legally carry my pistol without worrying about a renegade mayor's illegal gun bans.

http://www.king5.com/news/cities/seattle/Appeals-court-upholds-decision-voiding-Seattles-gun-ban-132966428.html

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