Those pesky facts...

Nice to see some rational reporting for once...

The Firearms Statistics That Gun Control Advocates Don’t Want to See

Gun control advocates be advised, these are not the statistics you are looking for.
According to data from the FBI's uniform crime reports, Californiahad the highest number of gun murders in 2011 with 1,220 -- which makes up 68 percent of all murders in the state that year and equates to 3.25 murders per 100,000 people.
The irony of such a grisly distinction is evident when you look at which state was named the state with the strongest gun control laws in 2011 by the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence. You guessed it -- it was California.

This number, I bet, mostly is made up of gang-on-gang related violence. But I digress.

Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 962

California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed AB 962 yesterday.

Effective February 1, 2011, Californians will have to provide complete personal information, plus a thumbprint, to buy pistol ammunition. In addition, the bill requires that all pistol ammo sales be “face to face”.

“Although I have previously vetoed legislation similar to this measure, local governments have demonstrated that requiring ammunition vendors to keep records on ammunition sales improves public safety. These records have allowed law enforcement to arrest and prosecute persons who have no business possessing firearms and ammunition: gang members, violent parolees, second and third strikers, and even people previously serving time in state prison for murder. Moreover, this type of record keeping is no more intrusive for law abiding citizens than similar laws governing pawnshops or the sale of cold medicine.”
Arnold Schwarzenegger

So, I guess this means that local gun stores will have their ammo sales records audited to find people buying large quantities of ammo then one night there will be a no-knock at your door to find out why you bought your ammo in the first place. I suppose criminals will now add ammo to their shopping list of things to steal.

I know I'll be stocking up on pistol ammo now and then making out-of-state purchases in the future just because this is a very silly law.

Why Governor Should Veto Three Anti-Gun Bills

Story Here

Immediate Action Alert!

Firearms Retailers: Study Shows Crushing Regulatory Burden on Small Businesses in California; Further Proof Why Governor Should Veto Three Anti-Gun Bills

NEWTOWN, Conn., Sept. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Regulations on small businesses in California have cost the state an estimated $492 million and 3.8 million jobs, according to a study released last week by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's office.

The California Association of Firearms Retailers (CAFR) and the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) say this astronomical figure is further proof why the governor should veto three ill-conceived and burdensome anti-gun bills that would hurt independent businesses and law-abiding firearms owners in the state.

"Small mom-n-pop gun shops in California are already being financially crushed by overregulation. The three bills on the governor's desk will drive still more of our members out of business, taking with them badly needed jobs and tax revenue, further hurting the state's already poor economy all without doing a thing to improve public safety," said Marc Halcon, president of the California Association of Firearms Retailers (CAFR).

"The three anti-gun bills currently on the governor's desk will do nothing to curb crime and only serve to hurt small, independent businesses that are already struggling in a poor economy," said Lawrence G. Keane, senior vice president and general counsel for NSSF, the trade association for the firearms and ammunition industry. "Governor Schwarzenegger can demonstrate his commitment to turning around California's economy by vetoing these bills."

The governor has until Oct. 11 to veto AB 962 (ammunition registration), SB 41 (burdensome and unnecessary regulations that duplicate existing requirements under federal law governing the sale of firearms) and SB 585 (prohibitions on the lawful sale of firearms and ammunition at the Cow Palace exhibition center).

Last week, the Governor's Office of Small Business Advocate released a detailed study finding the total cost of regulations in California to be $492.994 billion, almost five times the state's general fund budget and almost a third of the state's gross product. The study found that the regulatory burden costs an average of $134,122 per California business, $13,801 per household and $4,685 per resident each year. Small businesses are 98 percent of the state's enterprises and provide 52 percent of the jobs.

In a time of great economic uncertainty in California, it is estimated that the three bills would cost California at least $2.92 million annually in lost sales taxes, $629,000 in increased operating costs for state agencies and $180,000 in lost Cow Palace revenue. Lost retail sales in California are estimated at $35.7 million.

The CAFR and NSSF have made defeating all three bills a top legislative priority. Efforts to defeat the legislation include issuing multiple legislative alerts to retailers, sportsmen and gun owners in California and running a 60-second radio spot up and down the coast urging opposition to ammunition registration.

More information on the bills:

AB 962 -- Would require that firearms dealers and other vendors of ammunition keep a registry of all buyers of handgun ammunition. The bill would also ban all mail order and Internet sales of handgun ammunition and reloading components.

SB 41 -- Would further burden firearms retailers by requiring additional paperwork and documentation on the date of delivery of all firearms to a buyer. This bill equally affects consumers of firearms as the increased dealer costs would be passed along to the purchaser.

The bill also requires dealers to sign and to obtain the signature of the buyer or other transferee of a handgun on the Department of Justice Dealers Record of Sale (DROS) form indicating that the handgun has been delivered and the date upon which the delivery was made. It would further require dealers to date and sign a form stating that the buyer of a rifle or shotgun had taken possession of the gun.

SB 585 -- Would prohibit the lawful sale of firearms and ammunition at the Cow Palace exhibition facility near San Francisco, located in Agricultural District 1-A, and would make a violation of that prohibition a crime. Its purpose is to ban gun shows at the Cow Palace and to set a precedent for the banning of all gun shows at other state-owned facilities where many sportsmen buy firearms and ammunition.

In California all firearms bought and sold at gun shows must be transferred through a federally licensed firearms retailer who is required under federal and state law to run a background check on the prospective buyer.

SOURCE National Shooting Sports Foundation

Call today and vote NO on AB 962

You can oppose this bill by calling 1-916-445-2841 its on the automated message system that means its important and will be easy to oppose by calling and listening to the correct prompts (First press 1 then 2 then 2 then 2 to oppose).

Call over and over again even if the line is busy you will get through after a few times and call more than once to oppose AB 962 you can call as many times and vote as you like also email the governors office over and over make your self heard VETO AB 962.

You can send an email via the Governors home page at http://www.gov.ca.gov/interact/ (Type your name and email address, select Gun Control under the “Choose Your Subject” menu, hit “Submit” — then write your message.) Gov. Schwarzenegger has until October 11, 2009 to sign, approve without signing, or veto bills passed by the Legislature.


The final amended text of AB 962

New Law Targets Pistol Ammo But Would Also Embrace Rifle Ammunition
AB 962 will restrict the sales of pistol ammunition. Unfortunately, the restriction will include common rifle ammo such as .22LR, .22 Magnum, and .223 Rem, because these cartridges are also used in pistols. If codified into law, commencing February 1, 2011, AB 962 would require handgun ammunition vendors to obtain a complete profile on ammo-purchasers including: residential address, phone number, Driver’s License number, birth date, and signature. In addition, ammo buyers must provide a thumbprint when purchasing pistol ammunition. A violation of these provisions would be a misdemeanor.

In addition, AB 962 could effectively prohibit online or mail-order sales of pistol ammunition to California residents. This is because, according to the Leg. Counsel’s Digest, “delivery or transfer of ownership of handgun ammunition may only occur in a face-to-face transaction, with the deliverer or transferor being provided bona fide evidence of identity of the purchaser or other transferee. A violation of these provisions would be a misdemeanor.”

The good news is that AB 962 was amended to eliminate the provision that would criminalize the “sale or transfer” or more than 50 rounds of pistol ammunition per month. Had that clause survived, it would have a chilling effect on all youth training programs because rangemasters, scout leaders, or shooting coaches could be jailed for handing out more than one box of rimfire ammo.

Nonetheless, AB 962 is a terrible piece of legislation. Unless Gov. Schwarzenegger vetoes AB 962, Californians will no longer be able to mail-order most rimfire ammo, all centerfire pistol ammo, and a potentially large selection of rifle ammunition. We can’t tell you exactly what kinds of rifle ammo would be embraced by AB 962, because the bill relies on the vague definitions of CA Penal Code Section 12323(a): “‘Handgun ammunition’ means ammunition principally for use in pistols, revolvers, and other firearms capable of being concealed upon the person… notwithstanding that the ammunition may also be used in some rifles.”

I love the news: NOT!

Here is a great example of the news media twisting information to suit their agenda. This one is particularly blatant so I just want to make a note of it here.