December Sets Record for Gun Sales

With a few days left in December, the FBI reports the number of background checks has already topped the previous one-month record -- set only in November -- of 1,534,414 inquiries by gun dealers to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System also known as NICS. Almost half a million checks were done in just the last six days before Christmas.

Neat.  Also of note-

Data recently released by the National Center for Health Statistics shows that in 2008, the number and per capita rate of firearm accident deaths fell to an all-time low. There were 592 firearm accident deaths (0.19 such accidents per 100,000 population) in 2008, as compared to 613 accidents (.20 per 100,000) in 2007. (h/t SayUncle)

Yup.  Gun ownership way up, gun accidents way down.  The Brady Bunch is probably rocking back and forth in a corner sniveling...

Korean M1s?

Might still make it. The state department is reconsidering their decision last year (or whenever that was) to not allow importation of Korean surplus Garands and M1 Carbines.

I hope they let it pass, both Dad and myself would love a Carbine for many many reasons.

(h/t the Duck)

Gun Show Results...

Aside from dealers apparently smoking crack when pricing things (at least one honestly was marking things up $1-200 more than they have the same gun in the shop...) I decided to pass on some really nice classic S&W Chief's Specials simply because I didn't want to drive halfway across the state in a couple days to actually take possession of the guns.

On a positive note, we picked up a significant amount of ammo for relatively good prices, especially factoring in not paying shipping.  Also snagged a couple AR parts for a current build.  Overall, actually a pretty successful show.

Wausau dentist opens gun shop downtown

Seeing as I'm in need of a local(ish) dealer that doesn't suck and is willing to return phone calls (two down...) I see this as welcome news.  This doesn't hurt either-

The "Don't Tread on Me" flag symbolizes those views, Prehn said. "It's like, don't even think of taking that right (to own and carry guns) away from me."

 Hopefully working close with the local PD and the amount of security will keep him from falling victim to the typical fate of small gun shops in Central Wisconsin.

I'll probably duck up there next week at some point to scope it out.

KSG Hoax Sellers

I've seen a few mentions of KSGs being available for sale, but Kel-Tec says "No... they're not."  Just a heads-up.

B.A.G. Day

Is just around the corner.  I need to talk to my dealer about skinny nines...

Right Around the Corner!

Time seems to have been flying at an increased velocity lately, and Jay G's post just made me realize that B.A.G. Day is coming up awful fast.  I think I might have to run out to the fun store next week and start thinking of things.  The Kel-tec PF-9 seems tempting for some reason...

Old Story...

...but always a nice one.  Uncle mentions the FBI stats show crime is down, despite the huge upswing in gun sales in 2009.  Some more numbers over at ENDO.

Of course the anti's will cry out it's unrelated, despite the mentioned upswing in sales, the death of the DC ban, and the increase in the OC movement, all of which should have caused us to be swimming in a blood ocean (heh).  It should be real interesting to see what happens to Chicago's numbers when the 2010 numbers come out...

Gun sales up...

...crimes down.  Sure, it's purely anecdotal, but it's hard to ignore, and it seems to happen pretty regularly.

Meh.

So way back when I started this thing, I kinda mentioned I wanted to shy away from politics. Well, upon further reflection, it seems that that's what's going through my mind a lot lately. So if that's what's gonna get me to write more on here, that's what I'ma do.

Unless you've been living in a dark cave in the middle of Afghanistan, you know that the economy is messed up, but gun and ammunition sales are still at all time highs (and I'm a little jealous of the view from said cave's mouth). Yesterday I had to make the trek to Green Bay for scout related things, and figured I'd swing by Sportsman's Warehouse in De Peire and see what there is to see. Turns out they're closing that particular location, so up to 30% off on everything!!! (Excluding firearms and ammunition.) Jerks. Well I head in anyway, I need some 9x18 Mak.

I end up leaving with a new messenger bag and a sip guard for my Nalgene bottles. No ammo. No guns. No gun related stuff. There simply weren't any long guns I had any interest in and what little ammo remained on the shelf was for weird calibers I had no need of. Wait, 9x18mak is borderline weird... maybe.... $24.99 a box. No thanks. I'll go home and order some from AIM for $10. Other than that, the shelves were pretty bare in the gun department.

So where does this tie in with politics in my weird little head? Could it be that all the current outcry by numerous Dems against new gun legislation is largely due to that being one of the few industries that are doing well? I'm sure a lot of it is still memories of what went down during the mid-term elections in '94, and that there's a strong chance of it becoming more of an issue after the next mid-term election, but I like to hope. Besides, it's either that or Diane Feinsein has been replaced by a pod person from the mirror universe...