3 Boxes of BS

That’s right boys and girls, it is that time of the year again. The time of year when Law Enforcement folks tell criminals  they have more important things to do then catch you !!

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) – Expect to see thousands of state troopers, local police officers and sheriff’s deputies from across North Texas out on the roads in force.

Increased enforcement of the Click It or Ticket campaign starts today, and law enforcement officials across the state will be watching extra close for drivers, adult passengers and children who are not buckled up properly.

I am so glad the combined might of the Texas Law Enforcement establishment will be out on the roads (instead of the streets near my house, my job, my car, etc protecting me) looking for people not doing something that could save their lives. Apparently, you aren’t allowed to die until the Government says you can.

Look I’m all for wearing a seat belt. 30 years ago, I saw a lady become a quadriplegic in an accident because she wasn’t wearing her seat belt. Every since then I’ve have buckled up but that is my decision.

The government should concentrate on Malum in se issues and not use personal decisions as a revenue source.

Please join the discussion.

Well the range session with the new Mossberg with Knoxx Stock could have gone worse; but not by much.

First, it is already summer in Texas. That means 90+ days and I didn’t get out to the range until around 2:30 p.m. One of those  it isn’t really funny because it is true jokes goes “Do you know the 4 Seasons in Texas? Almost Summer, Summer, Still Summer and Christmas Day.”

Second, (and this isn’t really a bad thing) it was crowded. We have some very smart members; instead of stuck at a “Couples Baby Shower”, the guys decided to hit the range instead. A couple of members and about 8 guests made for a busy Range A. Not really a problem but it wasn’t really the environment to diagnose what was going on with the shotgun.

Third, the Knoxx stock was binding up at full recoil. I don’t know if it is the gun, the stock or the Operator. When I picked it up from Academy, the slide release on the first one I looked at stuck in the up position. The one I bought seemed to work okay but it is possible that it came from the same batch with similar problems.

A little research last night indicates it is possible I need to oil the stock mechanism and break in the springs a little more. I probably put 25 rounds through it before calling it quits. Of course, I also didn’t transfer pictures off the camera so I can’t point out the problem area.

The most likely root cause is operator error. I am not a shot gun expert, heck I haven’t really owned any shotguns until recently. What works for a regular shotgun might be causing the problem with the Knoxx stock. Since there is some travel, about an inch, I might be causing it to bind up by holding too tightly to the fore end.

I did notice some reduction of felt recoil but since it was binding up, I don’t think I was getting the full effect of the mechanism.

Hopefully a better range report next week. I plan on doing a little more research and work this week in time to make another range visit next weekend.

That days after the public learned about the series of robberies along the Katy Trail that a suspect is in custody, right?

DALLAS — [Suspected Thug], wanted by Dallas police in connection with a string of at least 14 holdups this month, is in custody.

He was stopped late Saturday night by Grand Prairie police for speeding on Interstate 20.

Couldn’t be anything but coincidence, right?

And what is up with this:

No one has been seriously hurt in the string of assaults that took place at all times of the day and night, but several witnesses said the men were armed.

Is the media trying to push the idea that a thug has to seriously hurt someone before that thug is a problem?

Or that people shouldn’t try to defend themselves against robbers who don’t ‘seriously hurt’ them?

I have to wonder who’s side the media is on? Or maybe I shouldn’t wonder;  citizens stopping a thug from committing a crime would ‘seriously hurt’ a large portion of their content.

Please join the discussion.

On one hand, I want to finish tearing apart my new Mosin Nagant so I can get all the cosmoline out of it.

On the other hand, I need to finish calling applicants for the club; letting them know about orientation.

And on the gripping hand, my stomach is rumbling and demanding food.

Think food is going to win this round for now.

This is related to the Zimmerman/Martin kerfuffle because I started thinking of  the many  comments made about that incident.

Comments like ” Zimmerman shouldn’t have been following Martin, that started the whole confrontation”. Or ” Martin was afraid for his life because Zimmerman was following him.”

Those type of comments are common; that following someone or that questioning someone is starting the fight.

I just wonder if the people have really thought through the implications of what they are claiming. I don’t think they have.

Situation #1

A woman walking down the street at night; it is late and she is alone. Somedood makes a comment about her appearance or lets loose with a wolf whistle as she approaches. As she walks by, he starts to follow.

Situation#2

A college student walking through the neighborhood on his way home from a late class. Somedood stops leaning against at light pole and starts following him.

Situation #3

Walking down the street, you notice a homeless person sitting on the curb. As you walk down the street you notice he is now walking along behind you. You are the only two people on the street.

Situation #4

Walking through the store, you notice someone not in uniform following you around. As you pay for your merchandise and start to depart, he yells for you to stop right there.

Now did anyone of the people following the others do a single thing wrong?

Nope, not a single thing wrong. A Neighborhood Watch volunteer following someone through a neighborhood wouldn’t be doing anything wrong. It could be taken as unfriendly or even as if that person was suspicious but hey, that is what a neighborhood watch is supposed to be right?

Now imagine if it goes further

Situation#1

The dude yells out “Hey Sexy, Wanna go have some fun?

Situation#2

The dude following catches up and asks “Hey, what are you doing walking down my street?”

Situation#3

The homeless person starts ranting and raving about demons and devils taking over people’s bodies and only he notices.

Situation#4

The guy says “I need to see what is in your purse”

This is what I’m struggling with — is stopping a person, questioning a person enough to be considered starting a confrontation, enough to justify the person being questioned using violence?

I don’t think so but according to those vilifying Zimmerman it is. Could each of those situations be a set up for a crime, absolutely yes. But they could also just as likely to be an encounter completely devoid of malicious intent.

This is why I think it is important for gun owners, especially those who carry outside the home, address the case and the details of the encounter. We can show people that we understand the law. We can show people that we can distinguish between an innocent encounter and a crime. We can show people that we seek to avoid violence; look at the number of blog posts and articles about how to avoid situations.

It is also important that we continue to discuss the ethical and moral factors involving when, why and how a person should defend themselves. Our discussion of the incident can (and does) show that we gun owners are very aware of the full impact of our decision to carry. That the vast majority of gun owners have thought through the legal, practical and moral aspects of self defense.

It seems to me that the anti-rights cultists want to avoid discussions like that because it flies in the face of their claims. Claims that we are just blood-thirsty vigilantes, that we are racist, that we are unaware of the law, etc.

In the above scenarios, I don’t know a single gun owner that would have even pulled a firearm based on the information provided.

So does it help or hinder our rights by discussing incidents like Zimmerman? Please join the discussion.

If you lived in or visited a particular part of town, would you want to know if there had been a recent rash of similar crimes?

Police said they had connected the 11 earlier robberies but did not alert the public because the department did not want to compromise the ongoing investigation.

Would you want to know if you had a student who attended school and several of his/her class mates had recently been targeted in robberies?

Police said at least five students in Pleasant Grove have been robbed in the past three weeks. The victims are boys and girls in their mid to late teens. Police said the robbers are after jewelry, but will settle for cellphones.

While I fully understand that some details of a crime or crimes should not be released to the public; shouldn’t police departments and governmental agencies let people know about crimes?

I am particularly concerned about the Dallas Police department not informing the public. They didn’t keep the information under wraps to prevent a panic, they didn’t hold vital details back to sift through false leads.

No, they decided their investigation was more important then the safety and property of the very citizens they are supposed to protect. Which seems to be a direct contradiction to one of the primary points in their mission statement:

Realizing that the Police Department alone cannot control crime, but must act in concert with the community and the rest of the Criminal Justice System.

Must act in concert with the community – so how does keeping quiet about not just the Katy Trail/Uptown area robberies but the fact that kids are being held up meet that criteria?

“The school should have informed parents to let us know what’s going on,” said parent Teresa King as she picked up her child outside John B. Hood Junior High School.

These crimes happened off campus. Yes the DISD police (and isn’t that worrisome in itself) are investigating this but the city police are or should be also.

I am seeing this type of attitude more and more. Maybe I’m just becoming aware of it, maybe there is more of it; I’m not sure. I do know that it is very troubling. It seems as if more law enforcement personnel view themselves as the only ones to stop or prevent crimes; the only ones who should be responsible for the safety of the people.

So am I off base here or you seeing this type of attitude and behavior also?

For those infected with the Mosin Nagant bug, Cabela’s is having a Memorial Day sale.

Mosin Nagant 91/30′s on sale for $119.99 — $30 off from their normal price.

And that is if you can find them in the stores. That price is a bargain around here, guess I’ll be heading to Cabela’s this weekend.

Wonder if I can convince She Who Lets Me Make Her Coffee Every Morning to let me pick up two (gun fun only has funds for 1); I would like to keep my first one in original condition, change out just the sites on a 2nd one and fully sporterize a 3rd one.