Canadian Firearms Journal - September 2011

CANADIAN

Firearms Journal September - October 2011

$4.50

t e g r o F e W ...Lest

Fully Committed On All Fronts:

Canada’s National Firearms Association

Around the NFA… In Memoriam Major Raymond Laycock

It is with great sadness we announce the peaceful passing of one of the founding fathers of Canada’s National Firearms Association, Major Raymond Laycock, of Strathmore, Alberta. The Major, as he was affectionately known to his many admirers and friends, passed peacefully on August 19, 2011 at the age of 82 years; joining his wife of fifty-six years, Hazel Rita Laycock who predeceased him on July 6, 2011.

A legend within Canada’s recreational firearms community, the Major was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on July 15, 1929. Following completion of his formal education, he went on to work as a surveyor for the P.F.R.A, Geological Survey of Canada and Imperial Oil. Later, he transitioned to the Oil/Gas Industry as an administrator with Shell, Banff, Aquitaine and Canterra Oil Companies.

Prior to joining the military, Major Laycock gained a reputation as a true sportsman and classic “man of action,” as a result of his many and diverse hobbies and interests. In the 1950s and 1960s, he raced Norton and Vincent motorcycles as a member of the Calgary Motorcycle Club.

Seeking new challenges, in 1960, then “Mr. Laycock,” joined the Canadian Reserves as a private soldier serving with the artillery. As with so many other challenges, he excelled and was to soon exchange his enlisted insignia for that of an officer’s commission; subsequently serving with the RCOC (Ordnance Corps), and later the RCASC (Service Corps). In 1973 he retired as DCO of the Calgary Service Battalion, with the rank of Major.

Following his retirement from the military, Major Laycock became an active member of Canada’s recreational firearms community. In addition to becoming a founding member of the National Firearms Association, with fellow legend David Tomlinson, the Major also helped found the Okotoks Rifle & Pistol Club, and the Guns of the Golden West.

His love of firearms, the shooting sports and appreciation for our firearms heritage was evident in the joy he took from his lobby efforts and political action on behalf of Canadian gun owners, and the fledgling NFA. The Major was a fixture on the western gun show circuit, and gave freely of his time and expertise to any and all fellow shooters who chanced to stop by for a quick word or question.

including: black powder shoots; was an early pioneer of Fast Draw competition in Canada, taking several trophies in the fledgling sport; and was an early convert to the world of action pistol.

Perhaps one of his proudest moments as a competitor came in 1979 when he secured a place with the team representing Canada at the International Practical Shooting Confederation’s (IPSC) World Shoot IV, held in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Major Laycock became well-known to Canadian shooters, from coast-to-coast, through his newspaper column – The Major’s Mortar – that ran for several decades in the Gun Runner. Always the man of action, retirement was not in the Major’s vocabulary; in the last several years, he kept active as a member of the Canadian Corps of Commissionaires (Southern Alberta), working at the Calgary Airport.

The Major is survived by his children and their spouses: Anne Moore and James Robinson; Theresa and Larry Schwab; and Rayder and Jenny Laycock and his grandchildren: Amanda and Greg Griffiths; Axel Weir; Lillian Laycock and Jarrod Laycock.

A Memorial Service was held at the Strathmore Royal Canadian Legion, Strathmore, AB on September 11, 2011.

In lieu of flowers and out of respect for the Major’s thirty-eight years as a Royal Canadian Legion member, donations to the Calgary Poppy Fund, No. 1, 4539 – 6 Street N.E. Calgary, Alberta T2E 3Z6 may be made.

Messages of condolence may also be left for the family at ww.myalternatives.ca Speaking on my own behalf, I was proud to have called the Major a friend, and he played a major role in recruiting me as a volunteer field officer for the National Firearms Association. He helped show me the ropes in those early days and I credit him with my decision to eventually serve in an executive capacity with the NFA. Canada’s recreational firearms community has indeed lost one of the last remaining founders of the modern pro-firearms rights movements. We are all lessened by his passing. Fare thee well Major...

The Major loved all facets of the shooting sports and participated in many different types of shooting activities 2

September - October

www.nfa.ca

CANADIAN

Firearms Journal September - October 2011

$4.50

Inside This Issue

Regulars

Around the NFA ...............................................................2 Sean G. Penney

From the Editor’s Desk ...................................................4 Sean G. Penney

t t We Forge

...Les

From The NFA Bookshelf ...............................................5 Wm. R. Rantz

Fully Committed On All Fronts:

President’s Message . ................................................. 6 -7

Canada’s National Firearms Association

On The Cover Allied soldiers advance during the Battle of Broodseinde on October 4th, 1917. Considered by many military historians to be the most successful attack of the larger campaign now known as the Battle of Passchendaele, British commanders employed new “bite and hold” tactics. The new tactics required that Allied forces limit their advances to objectives that they could both capture and hold against German counter-attack. Prior to the introduction of these new tactics, Allied advances had been stymied by well-entrenched German forces. The success of Broodseinde clearly showed Allied commanders that it was possible to successfully attack even the stoutest German defences.

Sheldon Clare

Vice President’s Column . ............................................ 8- 9 Blair Hagen

Letters to the Editor ............................................... 10-11

Sean G. Penney

Preserving Our Firearms Heritage Evoking Images of our Military Past........................... 12-13 Gary K. Kangas

Politics & Guns - Know Your Enemy........................ 14-16 Tyler Vance

Team NFA Update.................................................... 17-20

Grayson Penney

Clubs in Profile - Discovery Shooting Club.............. 34-35

The commander of the British Second Army, General Plumer, described the attack as, “The greatest victory since the Marne.” Their opponents, however, saw things somewhat differently and the official German history of the battle referred to the attack as, “The black day of October 4th “. No wonder, as the Germans suffered some 20,000 casualties, including 5,000 men captured and taken prisoner. British and allied casualties were equally high, with approximately 20,000 men either killed or wounded in action. There were a total of nine Victoria Crosses awarded during the Battle of Broodseinde.

Sean G. Penney

Photo: Ernest Brooks

Members Soapbox – Media Silence Disturbing..... 44-45

Mission Statement

Canada’s National Firearms Association exists to promote, support and protect all safe firearms activities, including the right of self defence; firearms education for all Canadians; freedom and justice for Canada’s firearms community, and to advocate for legislative change to ensure the right of all Canadians to own and use firearms is protected.

Legal Corner............................................................... 36-37

Sean G. Penney

The International Front –

What We Can Expect from the ATT............................ 38-39 Gary Mauser

Western Lawman - George Scarborough............ ..40-42 Jesse L. “Wolf” Hardin Chris McGarry

Features

HUNTFEST Ontario .................................................. 22-23 Gary Ramsey & Henry Atkinson

Thinking Outside the Box ..................................... 24-27

Grayson Penney

Making Power Factor ........................................... ..28-33

Robert Paddon

The contents of the Canadian Firearms Journal are copyrighted AGM 2011 . ......................................................................47 and may be reproduced only when written permission is Sean G. Penney obtained from the publisher. www.nfa.ca

September - October

3

From The Editor’s Desk Welcome to another issue of Canadian Firearms Journal! The response from readers over our last issue was fantastic and it was very heartening to learn that so many gun owners out there remain passionate about the issues still facing our community. Please keep the letters and E-mails coming and remember we created “Member’s Soapbox” to give you, our members, the opportunity to give voice to your opinion on issues of importance to Canadian gun owners.

The last “Soapbox” certainly sparked a heated debate amoung members over the relationship between law-abiding gun owners and the police; which is what we were aiming for. We need more open and honest debate in this country on the issues that really matter; as opposed to the usual left-wing spin we see far too often in the mainstream media.

Politics aside, this issue is also dedicated to the brave men and women who have served the cause of freedom by donning our nation’s uniform. From the trenches of Belgium and France to the beaches of Normandy; from the frozen hills of Korea to the sun-burnt rock of Afghanistan; in the air and both above and below the seas, their service and sacrifice has been the coin that has purchased our freedom.

This Remembrance Day, please take a moment to reflect on the magnitude of the sacrifice so many have made for us and continue to do so to the present day.

Please stop and take a moment when you encounter a veteran and thank them for their service.

This issue also marks the premier of two new features for Canadian Firearms

4 4

Journal. First there is our new “Around the NFA” feature. It is intended to highlight important news and events from across the country and around our org that we feel is of particular importance to our members and readers. Sadly, our inaugural feature is to mark the passing of one of the true legends of the National Firearms Association; Major Ray Laycock. The Major, as he was simply known to most of us “youngsters” back in the day, was a larger-than-life personality.

No one could ever deny his passion for the shooting sports, nor his dedication to protecting and defending our rights as responsible firearms owners. I had the great honour and pleasure to work with him as a volunteer field officer in the late 1990s, when he was still running the field officer program. His influence definitely played a part in my decision to accept a larger role within our National Firearms Association. His passing is a loss to our entire firearms community and one that is keenly felt by all who knew him.

The second new feature we’re showcasing this issue is, “NFA Clubs In Profile.” Given the great expanse of our country, the many different jurisdictions and the vast differences to be found within regional firearms communities, we thought it would make for an interesting exercise to profile selected NFA affiliated clubs to permit shooters from coast to coast to better appreciate the rich diversity that is our recreational firearms community. Big clubs or small, new or old, we want to hear from you. So, club presidents and executives, please drop us a line if you’d like to see your

September June/July - October

club profiled in an upcoming issue of Canadian Firearms Journal.

Obviously, this editor’s message is a little different than my normal contribution.

Alas, as our little magazine continues to grow, I am increasingly at the mercy of space limitations; so it is a constant chore to pick and choose which article will see print in a particular issue. For those wondering, look for “Made Right Here,” “The Gunsmith’s Bench,” and “Last Word” to return in future issues.

Such space limitations aside, I would be remiss in not welcoming our newest contributor to Canadian Firearms Journal, Mr. Robert Paddon. Robert is the sort of passionate young shooter and NFA member that we have been encouraging to take pen in hand and share with us his enthusiasm and love of our shooting sports. I’m sure we’ll be seeing much more of Robert’s work in the near future. So, on behalf of everyone here at Canadian Firearms Journal: Welcome aboard!

Have no fear; however, your favourite contributors are back once more with new takes on old issues and fresh offerings for your consideration and reading pleasure.

Hopefully we’ve managed to include a little something for everyone in this issue, and if we haven’t, please let us know by dropping me an E-mail: Sean@ nfa.ca Enjoy!

www.nfa.ca www.nfa.ca

NFA Book Shelf

by Wm. Rantz

Allied Rifle Contracts in America Mosin- Nagant * Mauser * Enfield * Berthier * Remington * Savage * Winchester

1914 - 1918 Authors: Luke Mercaldo, Adam Firestone, Anthony Vanderlinden Publisher: Wet Dog Publications 2011 ISBN: 0-9707997-7-2 Hardbound Color Cover, 8.75 x 11.25 inches, 224 pages, 440 B&W Photographs

ALLIED RIFLE CONTRACTS IN AMERICA is a highly specific reference book which focuses entirely on military rifles which meet the following criteria.

Each rifle must have been: - produced during the First World War; - produced by an American company in the United States of America; - produced under contract to a foreign government or military entity; and - have a design that is either of foreign origin or of American origin but altered to meet foreign specifications.

There are seven rifles fitting these criteria and a separate chapter is devoted to each of these historic military firearms.

- The Three Line Rifle, Model 1891 Mosin Nagant - Winchester Model 1895 Russian Musket - Model 1889 Belgian Mauser - Enfield Pattern 1914 .303-inch Magazine Rifle - Remington Model 99 Single Shot Military Rifle - Model 1907-1915 Berthier Rifle - Savage Model 1899 Montreal Home Guard Musket Mercaldo’s extensive research has enabled him to present the reader with the historical background related to the production of each of these firearms in the USA during World War I. Issues

www.nfa.ca

discussed include contracts, financing, labour problems, factory expansions, corruption and foreign military personnel who worked in the United States.

Specific information related to each firearm is easily located by referring to the “Content” located at the front of the book. Bold subtitles and easy to read text are noted features of ALLIED RIFLE CONTRACTS IN AMERICA. Photographs throughout this book are crystal clear and accurately captioned.

Readers will easily note important details in over 400 pictures ranging from armed and uniformed soldiers, firearm actions, bayonets to the smallest of proofmarks.

The chapter “Savage Model 1899 Montreal Home Guard Musket” contains a great deal of information which has not been available until the publishing of ALLIED RIFLE CONTRACTS IN AMERICA. The MHG was created when a group of prominent citizens became concerned that German forces could attack Montreal due to the void created when Canada’s forces were mobilized and sent overseas.

Mercaldo provides details related to the formation of the MHG, training, organizational structure and their search for a suitable rifle with which they would arm their members. The September - October

initial order for 500 “Savage Model 1899 Montreal Home Guard Muskets with bayonets and slings” was placed on November 11, 1914. The MHG had an option for another 2000 rifles which were apparently ordered within days of receiving the first shipment of rifles.

Existing factory records only confirm the delivery of a little more than 800 in total which makes these rifles a rare piece of Canadian history.

ALLIED RIFLE CONTRACTS IN AMERICA will appeal to gun collectors and firearm historians who are seeking to expand their knowledge.

Prospective purchasers considering any of these rifles will find Mercaldo’s detailed descriptions a most valuable reference when authenticating an individual firearm. In today’s market, unknowingly purchasing an altered firearm as an original can cost you dearly.

The decision to print the book in America, rather than China, has produced a library quality publication.

It retails at $49.95 plus shipping.

Author Luke Mercaldo has advised me that NFA members may purchase this book for $45 plus shipping until December 31, 2011. Order your copy directly from Wet Dog Publications at www.fn-browning.com or by calling (336) 394-4138 and mentioning the NFA special offer.

5

President’s Message

Making a Difference, Together…

by Sheldon Clare

In response to my question at a meeting this summer as to whether or not the Federal government would commit to do more than merely end the longgun registry, a Conservative cabinet minister‘s direct response to me was that all that the government had committed to do was to repeal registration and that there was no need to do anything else, because “…the Canadian gun control system basically works well.” Well, I beg to differ.

As anyone who has suffered through the gun control regimes that arose from the 1990s well knows, there is plenty wrong with the Firearms Act that needs to be addressed. Consider former bills C-17 and C-68, which are so destructive to ordinary Canadian firearms owners and have put up so many barriers to legitimate and previously legal firearms ownership.

First, the Firearms Act has enabled the creation of a large, expensive, and unnecessary bureaucracy which is causing the removal of firearms from Canadian society. Firearm crime rates in Canada have always been low and have been declining steadily for many years, well prior to the enactment of former Firearms Act bills C-17 (1992) and C-68 (1995). This legislation was unnecessary when it was enacted and it remains unnecessary now.

Secondly, the Firearms Act is a significant violation of the civil and property rights of Canadians who own and use firearms. Increasing prohibitions and classification of 6

firearms as prohibited and restricted effectively steals the ability of lawful citizens to enjoy the use of their property. Canadians are having their property seized and facing criminal charges merely for paperwork and usage offenses which were not crimes until this legislation was brought in.

Third, due to the current law which focuses on licensing, the police are not acting in the best interests of either public safety or the economy.

They are wasting time, effort, and scarce resources on administering demonstrably non-dangerous people, who are ordinary gun owners, instead of focusing on more dangerous violent offenders. The licensing system was Alan Rock’s wrong headed idea – it doesn’t prevent any criminal activity and we would be better served by going back to a simple certification system that shows that you have passed a criminal record check – the former Firearms Acquisition Certificate did that and it seemed to work, but it wasn’t a license. It simply isn’t right to have to have a license to own your own property. Licenses should be for use, like a hunting license is, and not for ownership, which the PAL clearly is – the PAL is a barrier to firearms ownership, not a route to it. That situation is simply wrong and needs to be fixed.

While eliminating long gun registration is an important aspect of necessary changes to the Firearms Act, it is a very small step towards resolving a much September - October

larger problem with Canadian Firearms laws. The laws and regulations arising from former Bills C-17 and C-68 have created a great rift between many firearms owners and those who would enforce the firearms laws. Repairing that rift is an essential purpose of repealing the Firearms Act and its arising regulations from those two bills, and returning firearms control to a process of certification and presumption of innocence. Ending registration of long-guns alone is simply not sufficient to fix the serious problems of the Firearms Act. To this end, Canada’s National Firearms Association is seeking status as a witness for the hearings on the bill to end the long gun registry. We will certainly support a real end to the registry, but it must include the destruction of the existing records.

If the registry is truly ended, then there should not be any need to call the government to ask permission to transfer the firearm – that would in effect be a de facto registry by another name and process. We are also asking for increased representation on the Minister of Public Safety’s Firearms Advisory Committee. We want to make sure that the minister is hearing our message loud and clear that Canada’s gun laws don’t work.

However, I need your help. It is crucial that you meet with and write to your MP and inform him or her that simply ending the registry is not enough.

President Cont. on Page 47 www.nfa.ca

Message du Président

Cet été lors d’une réunion, j’ai demandé à un Ministre Conservateur si le Gouvernement Fédéral était prêt à s’engager de faire plus de changements à la Loi sur les Armes à Feu (LAF) après avoir éliminé le registre des armes d’épaules. Voici sa réponse : Le seul changement auquel le Gouvernement s’est engagé est celui d’abolir le registre des armes longues et qu’il n’y a aucune nécessité d’effectuer d’autres changements à la Loi parce que ‘la LAF fonctionne bien, l’obtention de permis et le cours de sécurité sont de bonnes choses, alors nous ne voyons aucune nécessité d’effectuer d’autres changements majeurs à la Loi.’ Je suis totalement en désaccord.

Tous les citoyens qui ont subit les régimes de contrôle des armes à feu des années 1990, savent que la Loi sur les Armes à Feu cause beaucoup de problèmes qui doivent être réglés. Les 2 projets de Loi C-17 et C-68 ont érigés des barrières à la possession d’armes à feu à des fins légitime en plus de rendre illégales certaines fins et usages qui ne l’étaient pas auparavant. Ces 2 projets de Loi ont eu un effet très néfaste envers les propriétaires d’armes à feu respectueux des Lois.

En premier lieu : La Loi sur les Armes à Feu (LAF) a créé une bureaucratie gigantesque onéreuse et sans nécessité qui a comme effet de retirer les armes à feu légitimes de la société Canadienne.

Les crimes commis avec des armes à feu au Canada ont toujours été peu fréquents et ont diminué sans cesse depuis plusieurs années, et ce, bien avant la création des projets de loi C-17 en 1992 et C-68 en 1995. Ces lois n’avaient aucune nécessité à cette époque et la situation reste la même www.nfa.ca

aujourd’hui.

Deuxièmement : La LAF est en violation des droits civils et de propriété des Canadiens qui possèdent et font l’usage d’armes à feu à des fins légitimes.

L’augmentation des prohibitions et des classes d’armes définies comme prohibées et à autorisation restreinte dérobe aux citoyens respectueux des lois la jouissance paisible de leurs biens. Les Canadiens se font saisir leurs biens et font face à des accusations criminelles, uniquement pour la commission d’erreurs administratives et pour des gestes qui n’étaient pas illégaux avant l’arrivée de cette Loi. Troisièmement : La Loi actuelle étant basée sur l’émission de permis fait que les policiers qui l’appliquent n’agissent pas dans les meilleurs intérêts de la sécurité publique ni de ceux de l’économie Canadienne. Ils perdent leur temps, leur énergie et gaspillent des ressources précieuses à l’administration de citoyens qui ne sont pas un danger pour la société. C’est-à-dire des propriétaires ordinaires d’armes à feu, plutôt que de s’attaquer aux criminels dangereux. Le système d’émission de permis fût la mauvaise idée d’Alan Rock. Il n’a aucune incidence sur la prévention d’activités criminelles. Nous sommes mieux d’instaurer un système de certificat qui atteste la vérification de casier judiciaire d’un requérant. En ce sens l’ancien AAAF fonctionnait bien et n’était pas un permis. C’est une mauvaise politique que d’obliger les gens à détenir un permis pour avoir la permission de posséder leur propre biens! Les permis doivent exister pour exercer des activités comme la chasse et non pour ‘posséder’, ce que le Permis de Possession-Acquisition (PPA) est, en September - October

toute évidence. Le PPA est une barrière à la possession légitime d’armes et non le chemin à suivre pour en acquérir.

Ceci est une situation horrible qui doit être corrigée.

L’élimination de l’enregistrement des armes longues est un aspect important des changements nécessaires à la LAF, mais ce n’est qu’un petit pas vers la résolution d’un plus grand problème créé par les lois Canadienne sur les armes à feu. Les Lois et Règlements prenant leur source dans les projets de lois C-17 et C-68 ont créé un gouffre de méfiance entre les propriétaires d’armes à feu et ceux qui veillent à l’application de ces Lois. L’objectif premier de l’abrogation de la LAF et de ses règlements est l’élimination de cette méfiance. Un retour vers un système de certification et de présomption d’innocence dans le contrôle des armes à feu est essentiel pour guérir ce climat malsain. La fin du registre des armes longues n’est pas suffisant pour régler les sérieux problèmes avec la LAF. Pour rétablir un climat de confiance, l’Association Canadienne des Propriétaires d’Armes à Feu tente d’avoir sa place comme témoin lors des séances du Comité pour le projet de loi qui vise à éliminer le registre des armes longues. Nous appuierons la fin du registre mais cette fin doit aussi inclure la destruction de toutes les données existantes. Si le registre n’existe plus, il n’y aura plus aucune nécessité de demander la permission au Gouvernement de céder une arme longue à une autre personne. Si jamais cette demande de permission demeurait, il s’agirait bel et bien d’un registre concu différemment.

Nous demandons aussi d’être mieux représenté au Comité du Ministère de la Sécurité Publique. Nous voulons nous assurer que le Ministre entende notre message : Que les Lois Canadiennes sur les armes à feu ne fonctionnent pas!

Par contre, nous avons aussi besoin de vous. Il est essentiel que vous écriviez President Cont. on Page 47 7

Vice President’s Column Gun Control: A One-Way Street No More…

Blair Hagen, Vice President, Communications

On the apparent eve of the ending of the long gun registry portion of the Liberal’s C-68 Firearms Act of 1995, there are several important things that must be remembered.

Regardless of what the end of the long gun registry looks like, this is an important victory for the firearms community of Canada. Imposed in a most bloody minded and ideological fashion in 1995 by the Liberal government of Jean Chretien and his justice minister Allan Rock, long gun registration was to be key in the long standing goal of civilian disarmament. A goal first contemplated by another “progressive” Liberal prime minister, the late and unlamented Pierre Elliot Trudeau.

For those of us who have been involved in “gun politics” over the past several decades, it has been a very long, bleak, and often disheartening struggle we’ve faced in our quest to protect and preserve our recreational firearms community against the forces of civil disarmament in Canada. Oftentimes, despite our best efforts, it seemed that final victory would remain ever elusive.

Successive “progressive” federal Liberal governments implemented a brash program of “social re-engineering,” of both the public and the firearms community; all part of their larger gun control efforts. Wide acceptance of gun control as being a traditional “Canadian”

8

value was their ultimate objective.

Equally desirable was the propagation of the false belief that any efforts to preserve long-standing Canadian gun rights and cultural traditions, through political action or other means, would prove fruitless. “Gun control” in Canada was to be a one-way street that would be characterized by ever-increasing and seemingly, never-ending restrictions being placed upon legal ownership. It was anticipated that such a street would inevitably lead to complete firearms prohibition and the final victory of the liberal civil disarmament movement.

But today in 2011, after our nearly three decade fight against confiscatory gun laws, there is now light at the end of the tunnel. For the first time in the history of modern Canadian gun control, a gun law will have been rolled back.

how nonsensical, will also remain for now.

As such, the continued legislative attacks on the rights and property of such owners, as well as the even more insidious machinations of non-elected actors, such as gun control bureaucrats within the RCMP firearms hierarchy, must end.

The pointless red-tape and bureaucratic hurdles to firearms ownership erected by past Liberal governments must be torn down. Obviously, our fight must continue, yet we still need to recognize our victories, however big or small, and that necessarily includes the long gun registry.

But for now, for average Canadians, the ending of the long gun registry means this:

The abolition of the long gun registry is only a small part of the much needed reforms that are required to fundamentally redress Canada’s broken and failed firearms control system. The licensing system, which is being used by the gun control bureaucracy to target and strip thousands of Canadians of their rights and property will remain, at least for now.

You may no longer be required to hold a little paper registration for your nonrestricted long gun, but you will still be required to have a valid firearms license.

It will still be a criminal offense to allow that license to expire, and if you do the gun control bureaucrats will send the police to your door to take your guns away; just as surely as when long gun registration was required.

Similarly, the arbitrary firearms classification system, which is still being used to confiscate property from thousands of law-abiding Canadians citizens who have attempted to comply with all legal requirements, no matter

If you never obtained a firearms license before December 31st 1998, and never registered your property, as was required before December 31st 2002, you will still be a criminal – the same as you were

September - October

www.nfa.ca

before long gun registration was ended.

It will still be a criminal offense to be in possession of any firearm without the mandatory Liberal C-68 firearms license; even though the Conservatives form government and you may have been in peaceful possession of that property for over 50 years.

If you are in possession of restricted firearms, prohibited handguns or long guns, and failed to license yourself before December 31st 1998, or re-register that property before December 31st 2002 and do not hold a current valid registration for that property, you will still be a criminal and you will be tracked down and punished by the gun control bureaucracy.

If you do have a valid firearms license and hold registrations for restricted or prohibited firearms, the Chief Firearms Officer of your province will still attempt to revoke your license and registrations for not conforming to their own self imposed “policies”. That’s right, your firearms license and registrations can still be revoked, not for being charged and convicted for a firearms offense under the Criminal Code of Canada, but for failing to comply with a “policy”.

Blair in action at a recent Alberta gun show.

Blair talking “gun politics” at the August BBQ hosted by the Abbotsford, BC Conservatives.

If your firearms license is revoked, you cannot be in possession of any firearm, whether it requires registration or doesn’t require registration. Suddenly the ending of the long gun registry loses some of its shine, doesn’t it?

way street to civil disarmament.

Make no mistake; it is certainly not my intention to downplay the significance of the end of the long gun registry, but rather to remind everyone that what is being proposed by the government is very modest and does not necessarily include any of the other critically needed firearms law reforms we were promised in the past.

However, there may be some in the government who feel that ending long gun registration fulfills their promise to reform Canada’s broken gun laws.

There may be some in the gun control bureaucracy who feel that the rest of their empires are safe from reform or intrusion, but the facts of the matter are as follows:

What the end of the long gun registry does do is show Canadians that bad gun laws can be reformed. It is now politically possible to correct all of the other problems created by Canada’s broken firearms control system. Finally.

After the firearms law reforms that take place this fall, the majority of the problems with, and the outrages created by, the 1995 Liberal C-68 Firearms Act will remain unchanged. The Liberal Firearms Act will remain largely intact.

As such, gun control is no longer a one-

Canadians who have no business being

www.nfa.ca

September - October

targeted by the gun control bureaucracy will still run afoul of its myriad of regulations, policies and made-up paper offenses, and when they do, they will be calling on their Conservative members of parliament and Conservative government ministers for answers and assistance.

Canada’s National Firearms Association will still be front and center in Ottawa asking MPs and ministers to account for the continued targeting and harassment of Canadians through misdirected gun control laws.

The fight goes on…

9

Letters to the Editor Dear NFA, I just received my latest copy of the Canadian Firearms Journal. The July-August 2011 issue was loaded with interesting articles and commentary. These three articles were of particular interest to me: (1) The International Front: How to argue for scrapping the long-gun registry by Gary Mauser (2) Western Lawmen: Bat Masterson - Integrity, Independence & Panache by Jesse Wolf Hardin (3) Handguns of WWI by Bob Shell, with Sean G. Penney Well worth the read from start to finish.

Thanks.

Dennis Y. Dear Dennis, Thanks for taking the time to drop us a line. Constructive feedback is always welcome and your letter helps us identify areas where we are getting things right, or alternately, where we need to work a little harder.

The Canadian Firearms Journal remains both a “work in progress,” and a true labour of love for all of us here at the NFA. We know that trying to please everyone all of the time is a recipe for failure, but we’ve been making a concerted effort to make sure there is a little something in every issue for every member.

Your recent letter, and the others like it, seems to indicate we’re getting things more right than wrong. For all of us here at the Canadian Firearms Journal that is most heartening to learn. Thanks again!

- Editors

Dear NFA, I am writing in response Jon McCormick’s recent Member’s Soapbox article entitled, “The Thin Blue Line” which appeared in the July-August issue of Canadian Firearms Journal. I have to say that there are some holes in the argument the author attempts to convey.

Rather than dissecting his argument in detail, (space does not allow) I wish to rebut Jon’s position with a few simple statements of fact that highlights the weakness of his position.

Firstly, there is the fact that the recent BC Auditor-General’s report on the RCMP was not made public prior to their contract coming up for renewal. Equally disheartening was the lack of protest and deafening silence heard from our political leadership in the province. Taxpayers have a right to know.

10

Secondly, incidents such as the recent (Sept., 6, 2011) fumbling of the Sparwood “Amber Alert” episode and similar cases does not do much to engender trust in the competence of our police forces and have become almost common-place.

Thirdly, the author’s argument seemed to essentially discount the damning history of police abuses upon civilians that currently exists.

I would argue that taxpayers have every right to put police forces under a stern magnifying glass and to demand of their senior officers and political taskmasters full accountability.

This is doubly true for those individuals who have been victims of RCMP and other law-enforcement misconduct.

I would argue that public criticism is necessary in order to effect real and lasting change.

In closing I must ask: How many bad apples in uniform does it take before the good apples finally decide to stand up for citizens and honour?

Peter B. Dear Peter, Thank you for your well reasoned response to the article in question. I think your points and criticism are well-founded.

Before publishing that edition of “Member’s Soapbox” I knew we were going to get more than a few letters and E-mails.

The direction senior commanders and politicians have opted to take Canadian policing in the 21st Century has certainly contributed to a growing disconnect between the police and law-abiding civilian populations. This widening gap is especially obvious to those of us belonging to the recreational firearms community.

Here at CFJ we wanted to help spark a new debate on this critical issue and so tried to present readers with counterbalancing perspectives on the issue. For instance, the recent “Police & Guns” series by CFJ columnist Tyler Vance, who prefers to take a less “understanding” position on the issue than Jon. Some would argue that rather than simply remaining shrill critics of Canadian law-enforcement, Canada’s recreational firearms community would be better served if members instead opted to temper their anger, however justified, with constructive suggestions aimed at resolving such issues amicably; to the mutual benefit of all. Such proponents believe that by presenting logical and reasoned arguments it makes it far more difficult for the other side to discount our position by playing to stereotypes such as the “angry, old-men with guns,” or “uneducated redneck.” Since any

September - October

www.nfa.ca

student of military history will tell you that it is strategy, not tactics that win wars, is it time gun owners went on the offense and started formulating winning long-term strategies?

For those readers having different opinions, please weigh in on the issue! We’d love to hear from you!

- Editors

Dear NFA, A friend directed me to your website recently as I mentioned I was interested in getting my firearms license. However, I couldn’t find where I could sign up to take the Canadian Firearms Safety Course. You guys need to improve your website!

Mark J. Hello Mark, Thanks for your E-mail. Unfortunately your friend inadvertently misled you. Canada’s National Firearms Association is in no way connected to the government’s Canadian Firearms Program/ Canadian Firearms Centre and we do not offer the Canadian Firearms Safety Course.

We are a pro-firearm rights lobby org. We do not provide instruction or certification for firearms licensing. If you would like to locate an official CFSC instructor in your area I would suggest you contact the CFP at 1-800-731-4000. One of their customer service representatives should be able to provide you with the information you require.

As for our website: We’re in the process of planning a major overhaul of the site and cleaning up some of the content that was transferred from our previous web presence at the launch of the current site a couple of years ago. We hope to make it much more user friendly and resolve some pesky architecture problems that our programmers have been having a heckuva time resolving to our satisfaction. Please bear with us!

- Editors

Canadian

Firearms Journal

The Official Magazine of the National Firearms Association

Editor .................................................................... sean@nfa.ca Sean Penney & Grayson Penney General Manager ......................info@nfa.ca or ginger@nfa.ca Ginger Fournier ................................................... 780-439-1394 Accounts / Membership / General Info .... membership@nfa.ca Legal Inquiries .................................................... legal@nfa.ca

National Executive

National President .......................................... 1-877-818-0393 Sheldon Clare.................................................... sheldon@nfa.ca Vice President, Communications.....................1-877-818-0393 Blair Hagen............................................................ blair@nfa.ca Treasurer......................................................... 1-877-818-0393 Bill Rantz..................................................................bill@nfa.ca Secretary.......................................................... 1-877-818-0393 Ted Simmermon.......................................................info@nfa.ca

Regional Directors

British Columbia - Yukon...............................1-877-818-0393 Sheldon Clare .................................................. sheldon@nfa.ca Blair Hagen ........................................................... blair@nfa.ca Alberta – NWT – Out-of-Canada...................1-877-818-0393 Ed Lucas ................................................................... ed@nfa.ca Ted Simmermon ..................................................... info@nfa.ca Saskatchewan ..................................................1-877-818-0393 Jim Smith ……........................................................info@nfa.ca Manitoba – Nunavut........................................1-877-818-0393 Inky Mark ………................................................. info@nfa.ca Ontario .............................................................1-877-818-0393 Bill Rantz .................................................................bill@nfa.ca Henry Atkinson ....................................................henry@nfa.ca Quebec .............................................................1-877-818-0393 Phil Simard ............................................................ phil@nfa.ca Stephen Buddo ..................................................... steve@nfa.ca Maritimes – Newfoundland & Labrador..........1-877-818-0393 Sean Penney........................................................... sean@nfa.ca Creative Design by The AD Guys ...................... 780-488-5776 Angie Hutchison ....................................... angie@theadguys.ca

Canadian National Firearms Association

Join us on www.nfa.ca

Box 52183

Tel: 780-439-1394 Edmonton, Alberta Toll Free 1-877-818-0393 Canada T6G 2T5

Fax: 780-439-4091 info@nfa.ca www.nfa.ca

September - October

11

Preserving Our Firearms Heritage

EVOKING IMAGES OF OUR MILITARY PAST - LEST WE FORGET

By Gary K. Kangas

Canada has a long and proud martial heritage. While revisionist historians may prefer to ignore or forget this fact, our county was born in battle, and the modern nation of Canada was founded on the fields of Vimy.

For those of us committed to preserving our firearms heritage, such visceral images and sounds as the thunderous roar of the guns on the Plains of Abraham, the white smoke billowing over a sloping grassy plain of a 1700s battlefield, the stark image of a lone militiaman frantically attempting to recharge his flintlock musket; conjure thoughts of the sacrifice and debt of honour we owe those nameless citizen soldiers - those who gave so much so that our country could live. On this Remembrance Day, I would hope we all take a few moments to ponder the sacrifices our fighting men and women have made for us today.

From all walks of life and class, race and region, all who have worn the uniform have contributed to creating our proud firearms heritage today. Take pride in them and in our heritage they have bequeathed to us.

One way some within our community pay homage to this proud heritage is through historical re-enactments.

Carefully researching the era they wish to re-create, enthusiasts take every precaution to ensure their uniforms, firearms and accoutrements are correct to that period.

Each year, thousands of Canadians participate in battle recreations and put off exciting performances for the public. The Fort Rodd Hill encampment, held this past spring, is one such event.

The fun and excitement of such events is palpable. Fort Rodd Hill, however, is somewhat unique, since where else are you going to see so many eras put on display in one place? Visitors may observe a soldier serving with the Royal Engineers from the 1860’s engaging in a musket drill. Many get swept up in the gaiety and pageantry of

12

the moment. Scrambling to obey, their two band Enfield rifled muskets flashing in the sunlight as they follow the commands of the Regimental Sergeant Major, the 19th Century engineers focus on the drill until nothing else exists: Loading, ramming, capping, ready aim, fire! The rippling volley of gunfire erupting in fire and smoke down the line. The RSM gives the order again and the process repeats...

After this stunning display, a Royal Canadian Navy sailor dressed in 1911 uniform displays his Long Lee Enfield in .303 British, sharing the history of the era, arms and equipment. The excitement continues as a Bren gun rattles and the crack of flanking No. 4 Mark I Enfields is heard, as a WWII-era squad in full battle gear crawls along the grassy slope. The public gallery is transfixed. The Bren gunner rapidly changes barrels, inserts another magazine and the Bren fires again as the squad mounts one last, desperate assault and secures their objective.

The dedicated re-creators of Fort Rodd Hill assemble authentic camps, exhibit arms and accoutrements, and even military vehicles from many periods. The exhibits at the upper battery included a boot camp for 1860’s Royal Engineers. On the plain below a number of historically correct tents were erected, many having an oiled canvas or fabric fly to shoot the rain away. Blank firing demonstration, such as the Bren gun action above, may be observed at the WWII military encampment. Almost always, the visitor gallery devours the action, noise, uniforms and colour of the exhibitions and leave happy and well-satisfied.

The 1880’s Victoria City Policeman, and their mounted unit, tasked with standing watch over a collection of muzzle loading firearms, is a particularly popular crowd-pleaser. Nearby, and equally popular, was a stand displaying the complete kit for a Canadian Mounted Rifles

September - October

www.nfa.ca

trooper of WWI. It correctly represented another Victoria unit, the 2nd CMR B.C. Horse; while just as impressive was the WWII camp, along with its display of period vehicles and heavy weapons.

Best of all, spectators are welcome to tour this genuine Fort, its various gun emplacements, quarters and buildings from top to bottom. Our military history from the mid 1700’s to WWII and even

www.nfa.ca

Korea is on display for all to see and remember. As such, these events play an important role in bringing our heritage alive for new generations, and in doing so, ensures that our firearms heritage is preserved. Most importantly, they also serve as a living reminder of the sacrifices made by the generations of dedicated Canadian servicemen and women. Lest we forget‌

September - October

13

Politics & Guns

by Tyler Vance

Know your Enemy: Canadian Hoplophobia & the Quest for a Cure “I like guns, I like the way they look, I like the shiny steel and the polished wood.

I don´t care if they´re big or small, if they´re for sale, hell, I want´em all!

I like guns, I like guns, I like guns!”

- Steve Lee, Singer/songwriter

“Imagine your worst nightmare, your scariest neighbor, your angriest employee or the most frightening student at your child’s high school loading up on ammo this weekend at a convention center near you. It’s perfectly legal. It happens all the time, and we act as though there is nothing we can do about it….

I am unmoved by claims of freedom, lifestyle or privacy in this realm….

I am afraid of guns. I am afraid of people who like guns, own guns … I am a little scared all the time….

I no longer want gun control. I want an absolute ban on the manufacture, sale, possession and use of handguns….”

- Sally Tisdale, American writer & gun control activist

Defining Hoplophobia Hoplophobia is a term first coined by Colonel Jeff Cooper, former US Marine, war hero, competitive shooter and the man widely accepted as the progenitor of the modern technique of combat pistol shooting. His new technique utilized a two-handed grip, with the firearm raised to eye-level. His experimentations in practical defensive combat shooting the 1950s and 1960s eventually led to the founding of the first true modern “combat” action shooting competition, now known the world over as IPSC, or International Practical Shooting Confederation. It wasn’t for nothin’ then that he became known as the “Gunner’s Guru.”

14

September - October

www.nfa.ca

In addition to IPSC, Col. Cooper was also the first to quantify and define a psychological condition called hoplophobia; a concept that has become increasingly important within the modern gun control movement. Alas, to the uninformed and deliberately disinterested within our recreational firearms community hoplophobia remains just another esoteric psychological concept that few gun owners ever consider. This is a mistake and gun owners continue to ignore the socio-political effects of the condition at their own peril. Whether we realize it or not, we are exposed to hoplophobia on a daily basis through our newspapers, television, and other media, and forced to confront it on a personal basis at school or college, and even our workplaces.

In 1966, Col. Cooper published the first written definition of the condition, defining it as: “An unreasoning, obsessive neurotic fear of weapons as such, usually accompanied by an irrational feeling that weapons possess a will or consciousness for evil, apart from the will of their user. Not equivalent to normal apprehension in the presence of an armed enemy.”

Cooper developed this concept from the original Greek Hoplon which loosely translated can mean instrument or tool, but more properly it is the root of hoplite (man-at-arms, gendarme) and thus principally signifies “weapon” in modern English derivations. The second part of the term, phobia is, of course, also derived from the Greek Phobos, meaning morbid fear or terror and thus we are left with, “an unreasoning, obsessive neurotic fear of weapons.”

The good Col. was obviously a man of learning, and much to the chagrin of his anti-gun detractors, could not simply be written off as just one more uneducated gun nut. In fact, Cooper was a historian with a Masters Degree in History from the University of California at Riverside and a B.A. in Political Science from www.nfa.ca

“Where fear is present, wisdom cannot be.”

- Lactantius

Stanford. Since then his concept has gained increasing acceptance both within the firearms community and mental health professions.

Alan Korwin, of GunLaws.com, more recently attempted to further refine the terms thusly: Hoplophobia, n. Irrational, morbid fear of guns (c. 1966, coined by Col. Jeff Cooper) May cause sweating, faintness, discomfort, rapid pulse, nausea, sleeplessness, nondescript fears, more, at mere thought of guns. Presence of working firearms may cause panic attack.

Hoplophobe, hoplophobic.

Hoplophobia in Canada It is this unreasoning fear of guns, and by association gun owners, that is at the heart of the continuing anti-gun debate raging across Canada right now in the wake of the Harper Government’s decision to reintroduce legislation aimed at dismantling the failed longgun registry. As someone on the de facto “frontlines” of the socio-political battle over gun control, it is almost second-nature for me to instantly recognize, record and cross-reference instances of rampant hoplophobia that I am confronted with personally, in newspapers, and in the electronic media.

Whether Canadians are aware of it or not, hoplophobia continues to have an impact on their lives, regardless The whole aim of practical politics is to keep the populace alarmed (and hence clamorous to be led to safety) by menacing it with an endless series of hobgoblins, all of them imaginary.

- H. L. Mencken

September - October

whether or not they own guns. There is no question that such fear has most definitely had a negative impact on our society, our rights as responsible firearms owners and forced gun owners to change the way we conduct ourselves when in the public eye, the actions we take, the places we go and even the sorts of conversations we may have in public without fear of retribution or consequence.

Political correctness and the anti-gun agenda of the so-called “progressive” left now forces most Canadians to self-censor to the point that it has become almost an unconscious reflex.

Sadly, this development is but one more example of just how successful the Liberals have been in their goal of socially re-engineering Canada. In this respect, hoplophobia has become one of the most important tools in the arsenal of the gun control movement in Canada, and the anti-gun ideologues that direct it.

Hoplophobia has little influence over the true believers, the anti-gun ideologues such as Wendy Cukier of the Coalition for Gun Control, or the former director of IANSA, Rebecca Peters. Such individuals are well aware of just how morally bankrupt their arguments are and are intimately familiar with the relevant facts related to gun control.

Cukier and Peters know the facts, probably better than most profirearms advocates, and have chosen to deliberately obfuscate and manipulate the data to support their own political agenda. They attack the right of lawabiding citizens to own and use firearms and are opposed to citizens exercising their right to self-defence because it contradicts their own political agenda of keeping the populace fearful and alarmed, and desperate to be led to safety.

In short, they willfully help incite hoplophobia and actively work to deny citizens the tools necessary to protect themselves by erecting as many obstacles to legal firearms ownership as possible. This strategy works and 15

it continues to discourage firearms ownership, making the possibility of a complete ban on gun ownership in the future that much more plausible.

We’ve seen the same pattern play itself out in Great Britain, Australia and throughout much of Europe where antigun ideologues in the mould of Cukier and Peters use fear as a weapon; a tool to whip up terror, and solidify political support for their own political agendas.

Obviously, hoplophobia as a psychological condition does not apply to such actors, but rather to the average citizen who remains unfamiliar with the issues surrounding gun control, or one who has fallen victim to antigun propaganda and misinformation disseminated throughout society by groups such as the Coalition for Gun Control. Their influence is insidious in this, as it has become seemingly all pervasive and socially accepted; aided and abetted, in no small, part by the chronically biased left-wing Canadian media.

“No passion so effectually robs the mind of all its powers of acting and reasoning as fear.”

- Sir Edmund Burke

passenger was acting erratically, making threats, being abusive or brandishing an actual weapon. However, none of these harbingers of pending doom were found to exist following police interventionv and investigation.

Ultimately, no firearms were found, nor improvised weapons. No ammunition was present. No threats had been made, nor had any passengers, unruly or otherwise, been acting in any sort of aggressive manner. As it turned out, the person who initiated the entire incident that culminated with reports in national newspapers of a terrifying “gun scare” on yet another Greyhound bus, based his actions on a partially overheard conversation between several other passengers in which the word “gun” had been used.

Hoplophobia – An Illustrative Example Gun. Just a few weeks ago the Canadian Press and affiliate papers ran a story with the headline: “Gun scare stops Greyhound bus headed for Calgary.” The so-called gun scare ultimately proved to be a false alarm sounded by a passenger suffering from what must be a terminal case of hoplophobia. The bus in question was stopped on the Trans-Canada Highway, just east of Calgary, by multiple police cruisers who surrounded the targeted vehicle. The police were responding to a call from the driver of the Greyhound who had been approached by a near panicked passenger.

I’m sure many readers still remember the tragic murder of Tim McLean three years ago on a similar bus. For those who don’t remember, Tim McLean was the young man beheaded and cannibalized by a deranged fellow Greyhound passenger just west of Portage La Prairie, MB while on his way to Winnipeg. With that memory still so fresh I can appreciate a person having legitimate concerns if another 16

Just the word itself was enough to cause this man to leave his seat and make his way to the front of the bus to inform the driver of his fear that another passenger had used the word “gun” in conversation with another passenger.

Having been informed of the passenger’s concerns, the driver was left with little choice but to call-in the potential “incident,” as per the protocols instituted by Greyhound in the wake of the McLean slaying. The end result was a rapid response by multiple police units; who responded to the call as if it were a real active shooter scenario.

The bus was intercepted and essentially “The one permanent emotion of the inferior man is fear - fear of the unknown, the complex, the inexplicable. What he wants above everything else is safety. “

- H. L. Mencken

September - October

blockaded by patrol cars, while other officers boarded the bus to assess and investigate the complaint. Traffic flow was restricted along that particular section of the Trans-Canada Highway.

Motorists found themselves needlessly delayed, while the risk of potential accidents increased exponentially as distracted drivers rubber-necked at the sight of all the flashing lights and uniformed police surrounding the bus. Passengers on the Greyhound found themselves and their belongings subjected to police search and scrutiny, not to mention extra hours added onto an already exhausting journey. When the final costs are tallied, it is safe to say that this “incident that wasn’t” will have cost Canadian taxpayers hundreds, if not thousands of police man-hours, and tens of thousands of dollars to absolutely no point.

As for the blameless passengers who had made the “mistake” of attempting to carry on a quasi-private conversation about shooting and guns? They were fingered by their accuser to police for questioning and subjected to rigorous searches of their persons and belongings. No weapons of any kind were found.

When no guns were discovered and no threats found, the police eventually released the bus and the Greyhound’s passengers permitted to continue with their journey. No charges were filed nor complaints laid against the accused or their accuser.

Obviously, this incident was a complete overreaction on the part of the first passenger. Just as obvious is his irrational fear of firearms. His fear was so great that simply hearing the word spoken by another individual was sufficient cause for him to leave his set in search of aid from the bus driver.

In the end, law-abiding gun owners are left to deal with the fall-out from yet another negative newspaper article; the bus passengers had their civil rights placed in potential jeopardy; and they were most certainly needlessly inconvenienced while; the accused in Enemy … Continued on Page 21 www.nfa.ca

Team NFA Update

By Grayson Penney

Megan Heinicke September was a surprisingly busy month for TEAM NFA member Megan Heinicke. While the snow remained several months away, warmweather competition was heating up in preparation for the start of the 2012-13 race season. A consummate professional, Megan was prepared for the trials to come, despite taking a nasty fall over the summer in a freak rollerski training accident at her summer training facility in Oberweissenthal.

At the time, the paved road courses were in the process of being resurfaced.

Checking with the work crew to see if the site’s upper loop was safe and clear to ski, Megan got the all-clear.

Unfortunately, another work crew resurfacing the lower loop had opted to use the freshly completed upper loop as an access route for their heavy equipment without the knowledge of the other crew.

Due to an unfortunate communications error, Megan was 12km into the upper

loop of the Oberweissenthal training facility and skiing fast when she met with a line of heavy equipment in the process of resurfacing the track’s lower loop. At race speed and with nowhere to go, Megan’s only choice was a controlled crash in order to avoid hitting the heavy equipment.

Considering her speed, Megan got off very lightly, ending up with just a few stitches in her left knee, a wellbruised knee-cap and sundry minor abrasions and bruises. Despite the unscheduled break in her training schedule, Megan recovered amazingly quickly and was back hard at work within a couple of weeks. We’re all very thankful for this fact.

Much of August was occupied with recovery and additional training, with Megan spending some three weeks doing altitude training in Switzerland.

Over the course of the training camp, Megan slept and an altitude of 2432m at

Megan shooting in prone position

www.nfa.ca

September - October

17

Ski championships at Langdorf. German women are typically the top ranked women’s biathlon team in the world, so the level of competition was expected to be quite high. Competing in the German nationals thus provided Megan with an excellent opportunity to gauge her performance level against the best in the world.

Working on prone technique at Andermatt, Switzerland.

Megan in prone shooting position

the top of Furka Pass in the Swiss Alps. However, the majority of her training was done at the roller-ski training facility in Realp, which is located at a lower elevation. Trainees were also lucky enough to be permitted the use of the Swiss military training center in Andermatt for shooting skills and drills.

According to Megan, by the end of the camp she had used every training method available to make her way up the closest pass roads: road biking, mountain biking, classic roller-skiing, freestyle roller-skiing, double poling and even mountain-biking with her son Predo, whom she towed behind her in a bike trailer!

On the shooting front, Megan reported that she started the camp with the best shooting she had turned in so far this year; posting her best overall shooting percentages for prone and standing position, her most consistent timing for her first shots and her overall fastest shooting times.

However, these successes may have played a role in her becoming a little too over-confidant, and Megan admits that she allowed her focus to relax at the range, which translated into what she described as “less than satisfying” results toward the final portion of the camp. Despite this disappointment, Megan felt that while the Swiss altitude camp was her longest training camps to date, it was also her most important, because it clearly showed her what was working in her current training regime, and what wasn’t.

Taking the lessons learned from the previous camp, Megan made time to fit in a short four day “mini-camp” in Ruhpolding the first week of September. It was smart race strategy, as Ruhpolding was also slated to be the site of several of the key races that make up the German national roller-ski championships scheduled for mid-September. At the end of the short camp it seemed that Megan had worked out her shooting “issues” and the new techniques introduced by her coach to improve her sprint times seemed to be working well.

By the middle of September Megan was back in full competition mode, racing in the German National Roller18

Participating as a guest athlete, Megan competed in a pair of roller-ski races, the 7.5km Sprint and 10.7km Pursuit, that served as the German championships as well the part of the German team trials. According to Megan, she was both nervous and excited before the races, as she really had no “realistic feeling” for her ski speed compared to other athletes. Ultimately, both races proved to be a validation of her new training regime and provided a confidence boost, despite the less than ideal race conditions. In the 7.0km Sprint, Megan ended up placing 7th out of 33 athletes and was only 47 seconds off the winning pace.

Having proved to herself that she could keep up with the top German women, Megan was really excited to run the following Pursuit race. Starting extremely fast, Megan stayed within striking distance of the previous Sprint races top six finishers. Shooting deliberately and accurately Megan hit all of her targets and was in third place going into the final shooting stage of the race; just one second off the 2nd place athlete’s time. By races’ end, Megan unfortunately found herself off the podium, but still in a very respectable 4th place. Given the extremely competitive field involved and the Olympic calibre of the talent on display, Megan’s performance definitely exceeded even her own expectations, and put her competitors on notice that she was one to watch.

Rob “Fang” Engh With only a couple of few weeks to go before the World Shoot in Greece as this update is being written, Rob is fully focused on his final preparations and training. European bureaucracy almost derailed things, as a result of the excess of paperwork required in order to ship the cases of match ammunition needed for the shoot from Canada to Greece.

Purchasing ammunition directly from match organizers may have been simpler; however, the high failure rate and poor performance of such ammunition at the previous World Shoot forced international competitors to assume the extra costs associated with air freighting the required cases of competition ammunition to Europe. Quebec-based firearms retailer CRAFM stepped up, and volunteered to ship the ammo required by the Canadian contingent for them. Extra costs aside, being assured that their ammunition would function 100% of the time was seen as a wise investment for a team focused on winning.

September - October

www.nfa.ca

Perhaps it is a function of the ongoing economic turmoil in the host country of Greece, but there have been a number of organizational issues with Greece’s World Shoot, including lack of information and/or information not being made available to competitors in a timely fashion to better permit adjustments to travel plans, etc...

Regardless of these minor issues, Rob remains upbeat and is hopeful that all such hassles will be forgotten once he and his teammates land in Greece and put boots on the ground. Rob is looking to best his performance from the last World Shoot and move up in the rankings. If the string of top-place finishes he has been turning in of late is any indication, we’re sure he is going to make his presence felt in Greece!

Here at Canadian Firearms Journal we’ve gotten many messages from young shooters interested in IPSC and action shooting competition over the past year. They, along with many of Rob’s growing legion of TEAM NFA fans have requested more information on the gear and guns Rob uses in competition.

According to Rob, his preferred competition gun is the CZ-75 SP01 Shadow in 9mm Luger. Rob’s pistol is only lightly customized to stay within the rather rigid provisions of IPSC’s Production Division. He has added a www.nfa.ca

taller (6mm) front sight to better match his preferred 147gr CamPro bullets used in all of his race ammunition.

Rob also runs the CZ “combat/ competition” hammer and stainless guide rod in conjunction with an 11lb recoil spring. At the present, he is also using a 13lb hammer spring, although he did say he wished he could run an 11lb hammer spring if it was possible.

This season Rob has also been doing some experimenting with grip thickness and is currently running the “thick” CZ aluminum grips.

In terms of ammunition, Rob tells me that he only uses CamPro bullets in competition. According to Rob, the Montreal-based bullet maker is producing one of the best bullets on the market, and all of his match loads sport their superior 147gr TMJ bullet.

Obviously, if Rob is using component bullets, he is using handloaded ammunition. Like so many other action pistol competitors, loading his own is the only way Rob could afford to continue to train and compete, even with the backing of his current sponsors. At present, Rob’s favourite load consists of 3.5gr of Hodgdon Titegroup powder, the 147gr CamPro TMJ bullet, once-fired 9mm brass and Federal’s small pistol primers.

As a high-volume shooter, Rob switched to a progressive reloading press years ago. Today, all of Rob’s training and match ammo is loaded on a Dillon RL1050 progressive press, with a Mr. Bullet Feeder attached.

Rob is effusive in his praise of both the Dillon machine and the Mr. Bullet feeder. In Rob’s opinion, the latter is September - October

Top (Left to Right):

Rob in action at a recent competition.

CZ-75 SP01 chambered in 9mm Luger similar to Rob’s.

DAA magazine pouch awaiting set-up.

Bottom: Blade-Tech DOH holster.

simply the single best accessory for the 1050 you can buy, and using it he can turn out as much as 2600 rounds an hour!

In terms of race gear, Rob is a fan of the Blade-Tech “Dropped & Offset” holster.

While somewhat of a non-traditional choice of race holster, Rob noted that he used to run a dedicated race holster, but found that he could drive the gun out of the holster too easily on the draw.

With the Blade-Tech DOH that is not going to happen. In Rob’s own words he can now, “Hammer down and rip the gun from the holster as hard and fast as I want with no worries.”

According to the manufacture’s website, “The “offset” feature of this holster allows for a greater degree of outward cant, which positions the grip of your pistol away from the body in a vertical position for more positive indexing.

This popular holster also features a “drop,” which lowers the placement of the pistol for an easier reach, allowing 19

DAA “Race Master” magazine pouch.

his race gear for the added stability it provides.

Blade-Tech DOH holster.

the arm to remain more extended.”

As a consequence, the model has become very popular with action pistol competitors such as Rob, as it allows a faster, more secure presentation of the pistol. For his competition set-up, Rob notes that he prefers to use the TekLok belt attachment with an aluminum block from Angus Hobdell of CZ Custom.

Rob added the TekLok attachment to

20

In terms of gun belts, Rob is currently running a DAA outer belt with a CR Speed inner belt. After much experimentation, Rob says he finds the outer DAA belt to be better built and stiffer, however, believes that the CR inner is, “miles ahead of the DAA product.” Therefore, the only thing to do was mate the two together to give him is “ideal” gun belt.

Finally, the newest addition to Rob’s race rig is DAA’s aluminum “Race

September - October

Master” magazine pouches. Rob is effusive in his praise of the new mag pouch. The design, according to him, offers rock-solid mounting, with plenty of adjustment, and is extremely versatile. So far, in Rob’s experience, the DAA mag pouches seem to work well with virtually every magazine on the market and are super smooth to draw from.

We wish Rob the best of luck at the World Shoot.

Team NFA - Continued on Page 33

www.nfa.ca

Enemy … Continued from Page 16 question, were also forced to deal with the added embarrassment of the original accusation. At the same time, finite police resources were stripped from other areas in order to adequately respond to this incident, with taxpayers footing the bill. Was the public good served in this case? Was the public endangered because of it? How was police response times affected in the case of a real incident or serious accident on that particular section of the TCH? Sadly, this incident is not unique in our post-modern, Liberal-engineered polity, and similar scenarios are becoming increasingly common across the country. For instance, just last week Halifax police shut down a section of the city’s north-end, following report of a man with a possible firearm in the area. No gun was ever found despite an exhaustive search and the closure of a public street.

On college and university campuses across the country, we now see enforced lock-downs of students and staff in response to hoplophobic individuals mistaking umbrellas and camera tripods for gun barrels. Across the country, elementary, junior and senior high schools are similarly lockeddown when a toy gun is discovered or a video game accessory is mistaken for a real firearm. Students and staff are then subjected to the emotional trauma associated with police tactical responses to potential “active shooter” scenarios.

Post-traumatic Stress Disorder is now a growing problem for such civilian victims and bystanders.

As a consequence, some would argue that perhaps the “cure” our political leadership and senior police commanders have instituted in response to the symptoms of hoplophobia is just as bad as the original infection.

“Collective fear stimulates herd instinct, and tends to produce ferocity toward those who are not regarded as members of the herd.”

Quest for a Cure Is it even possible to cure hoplophobia?

Before we can properly answer that question, perhaps it is time Canadians asked themselves if they prefer this new world order built upon a foundation of irrational fear. Each of us needs to ask if we’re prepared to abandon this primal herd instinct.

Under the system constructed by the Liberals, average Canadians are conditioned to fear guns to the point of irrationality. They, in turn are teaching their children to also fear firearms; a sentiment that far too many public schools and misguided “educators” are helping to reinforce. When this fear, whether real or imagined, bubbles over and a call is placed to police this hoplophobia is reinforced once more by the overreaction of police.

Many who suffer from hoplophobia call police because they are afraid and are in desperate need of reassurance that they are protected. The irony is that in their quest for “safety” they may unwittingly be contributing to their own psychosis; given the intimidation factor of heavily

“The world we see that seems so insane is the result of a belief system that is not working. To perceive the world differently, we must be willing to change our belief system, let the past slip away, expand our sense of now, and dissolve the fear in our minds.”

www.nfa.ca

-Bertrand Russell

armed police clad in black body armor and brandishing military assault rifles.

Anti-gun ideologues such as Wendy Cukier count on this fear, and the growing militarization of Canadian lawenforcement to create “incidents” that her organization may take advantage of to garner more publicity, and further propagate this seeming omnipresent state of fear within our society.

Unfortunately, there are no easy cures or simple fixes. The Liberals have realized undeniable success in their social re-engineering endeavours since the 1960s. The rise of hoplophobia in Canada is partially a by-product of this process. Yet, a cure is not impossible.

In order to attack the contagion effectively, however, gun owners need to understand the psychological processes at play in those suffering the effects of hoplophobia.

We need to understand what motivates these individuals and why they have such an irrational fear of inanimate objects in order to effectively communicate with them. Effective two-way communication is the only hope responsible firearms owners have in ever reaching such individuals and potentially dispelling the irrational fears they have acquired or have been forced to assume. Only then can we start looking at the larger picture and acting on the larger socio-political stage.

In the second part of Know Your Enemy: Canadian Hoplophobia & the Quest for a Cure, we’ll examine the psychological roots of hoplophobia, what they are, how they’re formed and discuss the most effective cures available. Don’t miss Part II in our November/December issue!

- William James

September - October

21

HUNTFEST ONTARIO

By Gary Ramsey and Henry Atkinson

Orangeville, Ontario was the setting for Wild TV’s Huntfest, the first time for the show in Ontario.

It was a very good show but the weather was a factor. Ontario was in the grips of a 36˚C heat wave.

Your NFA reps were in a steel building with no air conditioning, no fans and no breeze from outside; with temperatures nearing 40˚C on the Saturday afternoon, bottled water out-sold beer. By 1:30 pm each day, the crowds began to disperse. Perhaps a weekend in June or early September should be considered for next year.

As for the show itself, it was well organized and had something for everyone, including game calls, optics, outfitters, archery, taxidermy, air guns, ATVs, and hunting equipment in general.

Each day the stage featured a constant line-up of speakers and presenters. We were proud to have Matt Neumann, six time Canadian National Biathlon Champion and TEAM NFA member, in our booth, and as a presenter on stage. The NFA cosponsors Matt in his quest for a spot on Canada’s biathlon team for the 2014 Olympics. Each day Matt gave an informative talk on his sport and did some excellent public relations work for the NFA, as well as pointing out where our booth was located.

Staffing the NFA booth were Treasurer, Henry Atkinson, and Field Officers: Gary Ramsey, Dave Hardwick and Charles Zach. Matt also joined us,

22

and his biathlon rifle attracted a lot of attention.

We were glad we attended, because over the three days we sold over $1,200 in memberships, and gave out countless membership application forms. All of us on the NFA team agreed that one of the highlights of the show for us was meeting and spending time with Matt. One has to marvel

September - October

www.nfa.ca

at his perseverance, dedication and love for his sport.

So you may be asking what biathlon training is all about?

Training for Matt means being at the shooting range by 8:30 AM at the latest. He practices marksmanship for two hours, followed by two hours of roller skiing and/or running - all this before lunch. Want some variation? Try a 200 km bike ride in under 8 hours.

Matt showed us his laptop with his training schedule over several weeks. It resembled an accountant’s spread sheet. One item of interest in all the data was his shooting percentage in conjunction with his heart rate.

Matt shoots and trains eleven months of the year, with just one month off to recharge the batteries. His training regimen will increase 6% per year in preparation for the 2014 Olympics.

He began competing when he was 10 years old. Just last year he moved up to senior level, a big challenge for any athlete.

Matt knows the principles of shooting; he has to accept the fact that he must compete at the highest level and stay mentally focused. Every shot must count, and that includes practice. He simply can’t afford to become complacent and just “go through the motions.” A missed target in a competition can result in

a penalty lap and cost valuable time. Biathlon training is not for the faint of heart!

What’s next for Matt? Trials for the first IBU European tour will take place in November.

He hopes to place in the top 30. Matt is also aiming for a gold medal in the Canadian National Championships in March of next year. After that is the World Senior Championship in Germany toward the end of 2012. All of this leads to the 2014 Olympics.

What a shame there is no federal funding for athletes at Matt’s level. He explained a complicated carding system where the top six receive funding. There are a number of factors involved, including tournament levels and international competition.

This young man truly deserves our support. He represents the very best in young Canadian athletes. We expect to see Matt in the 2014 Olympics.

www.nfa.ca

September - October

23

more trigger time for us. Shooting, especially handgun shooting is a perishable skill, so any extra range time aids in the improvement and maintenance of such a skill set.

“Stolen” range days aside, attitudes toward policing in Canada is becoming increasingly polarized. While many within our firearms community have taken a somewhat hostile attitude toward LEOs, especially as a result of recent high-profile incidents involving police misconduct and/or the targeting of law-abiding gun owners, we all need to maintain a degree of objectivity. By-and-large, street cops are not the enemy of the firearms community, but rather it is their senior political bosses – those who wear stars on their epaulets and who continue to propagate an anti-gun institutional ethos.

I’m not apologizing for the true bad apples. I’m a firm believer in the concept of equal justice. However, I would argue that in order to advance our own agenda it would make sense for us to do our utmost to recruit additional allies to our cause. Truth be told, most Canadian police forces are a fairly accurate reflection our society. Some like guns some don’t.

Some are good shots, others barely qualify.

Thinking outside the box:

Handguns, basic training & mending the civilian-police rift

By Grayson Penney

Like so many other cash-strapped gun clubs across Canada, my home club regularly rents out our range to local law enforcement, including the RCMP and Royal Newfoundland Constabulary, for their scheduled qualification tests. As for so many others, the extra cash such rentals bring in helps keep struggling club’s going.

Some club members will grouse when “their” range is unavailable for immediate use, but others, such as my son Sean, see these rental days as something akin to Christmas morning because of the opportunity to scrounge free 1X fired range brass. Brass continues to be the most expensive component for any handloader, so wherever Sean can economize costs, the savings are directly translated into 24

It is this latter phenomenon that has always interested me. I’ve always been troubled by the numbers of mediocre (to put it generously) marksmen/gun handlers turned out by Canada’s professional police training academies and schools. Watching them qualify at my local club, it isn’t hard to immediately identify the true gun handlers amongst their ranks, nor those who see the process as something of a distasteful chore to be endured.

It is this latter group that has always made me wonder. Is it simply a matter of the latter officers disliking guns and/ or shooting, or was it the manner in which they were first introduced to firearms and/or shooting to blame? Would a more positive introduction to shooting make new recruits more sympathetic to our community in the future? Should we start thinking outside the box to better achieve our goals?

Most of you reading this probably grew up hunting and shooting and come from long lines of hunters and/or military men. Many of you probably fired your first .22LR the day you were big enough to keep both ends off the ground. For my brothers and me, rimfire rifles and shotguns quickly became a daily part of our lives. Handguns were another story, and it wasn’t until my 20’s that I had my first real opportunity to join the ranks of Canadian handgunners.

As a young teacher serving in a remote community along the northeast coast of Newfoundland, I chanced to make the acquaintance of a gentleman who also happened to be a retired constable, veteran of WW II, and a life-long gun collector. Sensing a kindred spirit, it wasn’t long before an invitation was extended to view his extensive collection. I was subsequently granted the rare opportunity to handle true

September - October

www.nfa.ca

examples of the gunmaker’s art. Royal blue finishes, handengraved cylinders by European masters, gold filled filigree and custom carved grips created from such exotic materials as African elephant ivory, polished giraffe bone, mammoth tusk and a plethora of alien hardwoods from around the globe were all on display.

Awestruck, I remember asking my friend which of said works of art was his favourite. I was more than a little shocked to see him pull from his gun safe a somewhat battered Smith & Wesson .22LR revolver. Handing it to me, I realized instantly that my initial impression had been ill-founded.

While the revolver’s finish was worn, the wear was honest and the revolver’s action was tuned like a fine Swiss watch.

The trigger broke like a proverbial glass rod and it was obvious, even to my unlearned eye, that it had been worked on by a true artist. The oversized, custom stocks provided a secure grip and allowed the barrel to better align with the shooter’s trigger finger, creating the most natural pointing handgun I’ve ever held. The custom gun sights presented the shooter with a sharp, clear sight picture that was neither too fine, nor too coarse. Despite the tiny calibre, it was clearly evident that this was the gun of a true professional.

Although he never wrote any books or became a famous celebrity, I’m sure his contemporaries of the time, Elmer Keith, Ed McGivern or Bill Jordan would’ve instantly recognized a fellow gun fighter had they run into him. He was someone who possessed an exceedingly extensive breadth of real-world shooting experience, and a man who had put much serious thought into creating his own personal vision of the ultimate shooting implement.

I believe that there is a direct correlation between how a prospective new shooter is introduced to shooting and the formation of their later attitudes toward it, and the development of advanced gunhandling skills. Here in Canada, as in the United States, far too many agencies insist upon starting their recruits out with their standard service pistol, useing standard loads. Those with greater upper body strength or inherently better hand-eye coordination may develop into passable shots. A few may eventually grow into world-class shooters, despite their abrupt introduction to handgun shooting at Depot, or the academy; but for many, their service pistol will remain nothing more than a part of the uniform. Something to be tolerated, at best, or at worst, reviled.

As such, why not start these new shooters and raw recruits out with a .22 pistol instead? Today, high quality .22 rimfire conversion kits for most common service pistols abound.

Many makers of such service pistols even go so far as to make dedicated, full-size rimfire models that duplicate the form and function of their centerfire siblings in almost every way. Costs are minimal, when compared to the savings to be realized in training ammunition, even more so when juxtaposed by the wholesale prices offered to most police agencies. It just plain makes sense.

Savings aside, no matter the firearm or even the technique employed, the core basics of pistol shooting remain unchanged: proper grip, finger placement on the trigger, proper trigger squeeze, sight picture and breath control.

Whether using a traditional Weaver stance or more modern Isosceles, these key elements of marksmanship and gunhandling ultimately determine if the shot taken will be a good one, regardless of who is pulling the trigger.

In the weeks that followed, I was privileged to learn how to really shoot a handgun using that same custom .22LR under the tutelage of a truly gifted shootist. Under such expert instruction my skills grew exponentially and it wasn’t long before I had worked my way up to that fine old Smith’s larger K and N-frame siblings. Four decades later, I remain convinced that a quality rimfire pistol is not only the absolute best way to introduce new shooters to the rewarding world of handgun shooting, but to also teach them how to shoot handguns well.

When lives are on the line, accuracy must be of primary importance, regardless whether or not you are a cop responding to a robbery call or a civilian defending themselves against attackers in the dark. As such, wouldn’t giving our police recruits the tools to become better shooters, and providing them with an incentive to practice on their own time, better serve the public good than the system currently in place.

This leads us back to the phenomena of mediocre LEO accuracy and gunhandling we discussed earlier. I suspect that many of the fine men and women who offer themselves up for public service in the ranks of law-enforcement often enter the field of law enforcement wholly unfamiliar with firearms, - handguns especially. With the many legal restrictions and bureaucratic hurdles placed in front of potential handgun owners over the past three decades, legal handgun owners have become near an endangered species.

The odds, therefore, are not high that a police cadet or trainee would have extensive handgun shooting skills or experience.

Far too many serving officers either hate or dislike their annual “quals,” so much so that they focus their energies on merely meeting their agency’s minimum pass/fail requirements - rather than developing and maintaining the marksmanship and combat skills needed to win a gun fight.

The failures of the current training model are clearly seen in current official hit ratios associated with officer-involved shootings. Presently, the average hit ratio for most North American law-enforcement agencies is somewhere around 20%. This means that police only hit the “bad guy” 20% of the time, or once for every five rounds discharged. RCMP,

www.nfa.ca

September - October

25

FBI and individual departmental statistics support this assertion. If we’re concerned for public safety, ask yourself where are those other four rounds ending up?

Academy, Nevada’s Front Sight Firearms Training Academy or Oregon’s Thunder Ranch.

Compare that hit ratio to the 80%-90% for civilian defensive shootings in the United States. Obviously, holders of CCW licenses in the United States have proven capable of performing spectacularly well under fire, and can boast a far higher hit ratio than the average police office. Just as importantly, they also have a far lower rate of “collateral” damage in the form of innocent bystanders hurt or killed.

Why such a dramatic dichotomy between police and defensive civilian shootings?

Such schools focus on developing not just a student’s marksmanship, but also their actual gunhandling ability and the mind-set necessary to effectively employ a firearm under a high-stress environment. As famed gun scribe, Marine veteran and founder of Gunsite, Col. Jeff Cooper was fond of saying, “Owning a piano does not make one a pianist any more than owning a handgun makes one a good shooter.”

Almost always, the instructors employed by these schools have extensive law-enforcement, military and/or Special Forces backgrounds with actual combat experience.

I would argue that it boils down to practice and a more refined skill set when comparing the average police officer to the average CCW holder. The civilian shooter is far more likely to have had a more pleasurable introduction to handgun shooting. They enjoy shooting, or at least recognize that it is not something that can be neglected; as they are truly committed to developing the skills necessary to protect themselves and their family from harm. Many opt to expand their base knowledge and hone their skill sets by signing up for dedicated training courses offered by professional shooting schools such as Arizona’s Gunsite

Students often pay hundreds, if not thousands of their own dollars to attend these courses, and over a period a day or days will fire more rounds than many police officers will in their lifetime. And they do so with smiles on their faces! Watching recent police qualifications at my local club, I didn’t see too many similar smiles on the firing line, nor the same level of gun-handling you’d see amoungst civilian shooters. Actual individual shooting performance was often mediocre, (with some exceptions) and was nowhere near the same skill level regularly demonstrated by the most average of civilian action pistol shooters. This isn’t a condemnation of participating

Each One Of Us Is...

An ambassador, a teacher, and a member. One of the most important functions of Canada’s National Firearms Association is making firearms ownership and use relevant to growing numbers of Canadians.

To prosper, we must have a steady flow of new shooters and enthusiasts entering our proud firearms heritage.

Your membership and your donations to Canada’s National Firearms Association are helping us develop the programs Canada needs to make sure our firearms heritage continues to grow.

I Want To Help Make It Happen!

Here is my contribution to Canada’s

National Firearms Association

􀁔 $100 􀁔 $50 􀁔 $25 􀁔 $________

􀁔 My Cheque or Money Order enclosed

􀁔 Charge my Visa/MasterCard/AMEX

to help protect my rights to own and use firearms.

Card #:______________________________ Expiry: ______________ Signature: ________________________________________________ Name: ___________________________________________________ Address: __________________________________________________ City/Town: ________________ Prov:_________ Postal Code: _______ Ph.:__________________________ Fx.: ________________________ E-mail: ___________________________________________________ Mail this form to: Canada’s National Firearms Association, Box 52183, Edm., AB T6G 2T5

or Call

our Toll Free Number at 1-877-818-0393

Megan Heinicke (formerly Tandy). An Olympic Athelete and proud member of the NFA 26

September - October

www.nfa.ca

police officers, but rather is a condemnation of how they were introduced to pistol shooting. It also highlights the need for dramatic improvement in current training regimes.

As the debate over concealed carry and the Canadian right to self-defence heats up, advocates are going to have to take a more proactive role in directing the course of said debate. We need to lead by example. Not only do we need to show the public that civilian shooters are capable of meeting and/or exceeding the same training standards required of front-line police officers, we need to help raise the bar for all.

Pending government cutbacks and shrinking training budgets means there are some hard decisions yet to be made. Perhaps it is time that the public decide whether or not they are getting good value for their law-enforcement dollar under the present status quo. Chief Bill Blair, head of the CACP and Toronto Police Service, is on record as stating that given the choice, he’d opt to keep the gun registry rather than hire more front-line police officers. This sort of short-sighted, partisan thinking must stop. Before firearms ownership was politicized and the “gun control issue” was adopted for the budgetary largess it would mean for police departments across the country, the “constable on patrol” was once the

www.nfa.ca

staunchest friend of the law-abiding gun owner.

We need to do our part to make this a reality once more.

Better education and training are critical to achieving these aims. In helping to make the average police officer a better marksman, an opportunity also presents itself to help create additional firearms fans and shooters as well. The benefits to Canadian gun owners would be twofold. First, and most importantly, we’d be directly helping to enhance public safety by improving police-related hit ratios, while concurrently reducing the potential for collateral damage (remember the mantra of the anti-gun CGC...if it saves one life?).

Secondly, the more officers in uniform we have who genuinely like shooting, the greater the likelihood that they will become private gun owners themselves. Such recruits to our ranks would be less likely to continue to elect antigun representatives to top executive positions within their various police unions and associations. It should also yield a membership that is more likely to speak out against the misinformation and anti-gun propaganda being distributed by their political chiefs and senior commanders in support of the gun controller’s agenda.

September - October

27

By Robert Paddon

Norinco NP 20 Browning HP

I shoot defensive pistol with the Alberta Tactical Handgun League (ATHL) at the Mountain View range in Olds, Alberta. ATHL is a member of the International Defensive Pistol Association (IDPA). In our IDPA sanctioned matches our ammunition has to make Power Factor (PF). PF is a method to ensure that all shooters are shooting the same basic load. This ensures a shooter does not get an unfair advantage with a soft load. A soft load has less recoil and thus the shooter can bring the gun back onto target quicker.

In the 2010 provincial championship I shot my Model 66 Smith & Wesson .357 Magnum revolver. At one stage in the match, our ammunition is shot through a chronograph. If your ammunition does not make PF then your scores for the day don’t count.

While my chronograph at home was not working I was hopeful my .357 Mag loads would pass, which they did.

I asked the official if he would mind trying out my 9mm Luger loads with my Nornico NP20 semi-automatic pistol - by the reloading recipes it should pass. Well, unfortunately my loads failed by 40-60 fps. This is why it is important to chrono your loads before a match.

My 9mm Luger load is a 124 grain Full 28

Metal Jacketed Round Nose (FMJ RN) bullet with 4.4 grains of IMR 700X powder. So 125,000 PF divided by 124 gr bullet = 1008 feet per second (fps).

Why did my loads not meet minimum PF? Depending on what reloading manual you look at, I am already at or past the recommended maximum powder charge for this load. Should I change the type of powder? That is not an option because I have 5 lbs. of IMR 700X powder in my powder locker. That is enough powder to make approximately 8000 rounds of ammunition.

Is it my type of handgun that is causing the velocity drop? I could shoot my Browning High Power (HP) pistol but I removed my magazine safety from it and that does not make it legal for IDPA matches. If I reinstalled the magazine safety then the magazines won’t drop out and thus my magazine changes take 2 - 6 seconds longer.

Should I just buy factory loaded ammunition for sanctioned matches?

Since I am frugal, I really don’t want to pay $18 to $44 for each box of factory ammo. Usually in a match you go through 4-6 boxes of ammunition, plus it seems local gun shops are always out of my preferred brand of handgun ammunition and component bullet September - October

weights. And besides, my reloads only cost me just $9 -$10 per box of 50 rounds.

Over the winter season I did some reading. I reviewed my various reloading manuals to look at what they recommended for my 9mm Luger load (Table 1). My first problem was my bullets are bulk bullets, not Speer or Sierra. Since Speer and Sierra bullets are expensive and hard to find, I normally buy 124gr FMJ RN bullets in 1000 piece boxes in Canadian BDX, Cam-Pro, or Frontier brands.

It generally comes down to price and availability. The second problem is the barrel length on my Norinco NP20 is 4.75” long. All the reload data is based on different barrel lengths and twist rates. The third problem is that the manuals do not give a consistent cartridge overall length (OAL). I chose a cartridge with an OAL of 1.150” because that is what factory 124 FMJ RN ammo is set to.

See Table 1: Reloading Data I also found while reading the Hornady handbook that if you change from a standard primer to a match primer then you have more consistent velocity.

When I made up my last batch of 9mm Luger ammunition I used CCI, Winchester and Federal small pistol www.nfa.ca

I checked all the settings and prepared to make up my test ammunition. I had never used the Remington primers Manual Barrel Bullet Powder Velocity Overall Length before and found that 10/50 failed to seat Speer 1979 edition 4 inch 1 -10 inch twist 125 RNSP 4.1 1038 Speer 4.6 1087 correctly. I rechecked the tool that seats Lyman Pistol and Revolver 4 inch 1 -10 inch twist 125 JSP- Speer 3.0 835 the primer, and it was set correctly. All Reloading Handbook 2nd edition 4.4 1095 1.120 Lyman 48th edition 4 inch Universal 125 JHP -Sierra 3.8 930 other brands of primers had no problem Receiver 4.2 1022 1.075 seating properly into the Winchester Lee - Modern Reloading 124 jacketed 4.3 reprinted 2001 edition 4.8 1105 1.135 cases. I made up 50 rounds with each Sierra 1978 edition 5 inch 1 -16 inch twist 125 FMJ - Sierra 3.7 1000 4.4 1200 1.090 brand of primer and each cartridge had Hodgdon website 4 inch 1-10 inch twist 125 FMJ - Sierra 3.0 845 an OAL of 1.150”. When switching 3.6 1007 1.090 primer brands, I also rechecked to make sure my RCBS Uniflow powder primers. I always thought a primer is a Store clerks just laughed at me when I dispenser, with micrometer adjustment, was still dispensing correctly. Each primer. It just causes a spark. If they are asked for match grade primers. time it was dead on for 4.4 grains of all small pistol primers, should I not get The only shop that carried chronographs IMR 700X. All ammunition was made the same results? Nope! in Edmonton was also out of stock. using the same keg of powder. After So after reviewing everything I decided Even after repeated visits, over several each batch of ammunition was loaded, to experiment with my current 9mm months, they still did not get any into it was boxed and properly labelled.

Luger load. I would use the same stock. So I went on-line and found brand of powder, bullet, and case. I that I could send my old Chrony brand After I had made up my four test batches, would use 4.4 grains of IMR 700X chronograph in as a trade-in for a new I adjusted my bullet seating depth, and loaded four more boxes, using the in a Winchester case, with Canadian discounted Chrony. different brands of primers selected.

BDX 124 FMJ RN bullets. I would During the Edmonton trip, I also picked The cartridge OAL was set to 1.090”. change the type of primer and cartridge up some Federal “American Eagle” Again, I had primer seating depth issues OAL. Would changing the brand of 9mm Luger in 124 grain FMJ RN to using the Remington primers. primer affect the velocity? Would use as a bench mark when testing my changing the cartridge OAL affect reloads. Federal says this ammunition When the snow finally melted and the the velocity? Would a shorter overall is supposed to do 1150 fps. I looked for weather got above freezing, I grabbed length affect cartridge feeding? Would other brands of 9mm Luger - 124 grain my Norinco NP 20 pistol, chronograph, accuracy change? I went to Edmonton FMJ RN, but could only find a limited and ammunition and went to the to buy some primers. I had to visit amount of over-priced Remington Ponoka Fish and Game range to try my experiment. I set the chronograph up 10 three shops before I found the CCI, ammo in that bullet weight. feet from the muzzle. It was a sunny day Winchester, Federal and Remington small pistol primers needed. I tried to Once I had gotten all my supplies and the Poly-diffusers were installed on get small pistol magnum primers for together, I hit the reloading room and the instrument. Temperature was 11˚C the experiment, but was only able to dusted off my RCBS Rock Chucker or 52˚F. It was really the first nice day find one brand available in Edmonton. press with its Piggy Back II adapter. of spring. The approximate elevation of the club is 805 M or 2641’. Would the elevation of Olds, AB. at 1040 M compared to Ponoka, AB. at 804 M make a difference? The handgun had Reloading been cleaned prior to going to the range Components and the bore was free of oil.

Table 1: Reloading Data

I started off by shooting 15 rounds of the Federal “American Eagle” ammunition. I picked up the brass and let the handgun cool for a few minutes before shooting the next batch of ammunition. The second batch was my reloads that were made in 2010-0307. In this batch I had used a mixture www.nfa.ca

September - October

29

Table 2: First test run - Norinco NP20 American Eagle

Batch

Factory loads

American Eagle 955

Average Batch Velocity

Factory loads

measured in Feet per Second

Average Velocity

measured in Feet per Second

Batch

2010-03-07 Winchester Mixed Primers primers 2010-03-07 Winchester Mixed Primers 990 1071 primers

Remington Primers

CCI Primers

Federal Primers

Remington Primers 1073

CCI Primers 1091

Federal Primers 1102

955

990

1071

1073

1091

1102

American

2010-03-07

Winchester

Remington

CCI

Federal

American 1.150 OAL Eagle Factory 960loads 1.150 OAL

2010-03-07 1.150 OAL Mixed primers 1046 1.150 OAL

Winchester 1.090 OAL Primers 1138 1.090 OAL

Remington 1.090 OAL Primers 1120 1.090 OAL

CCI 1.090 OAL Primers 1125 1.090 OAL

Federal 1.090 OAL Primers 1148 1.090 OAL

960

1046

1138

1120

1125

1148

Eagle3: Second Mixed Primers Primers Table test run -Primers Norinco NP20 Primers Factory loads primers

Batch Average Velocity

measured in Feet per Second

Average Velocity

measured in Feet per Second

of primers and bullet brands. This was the ammunition that had failed at the ATHL match. I then fired the four batches made with different primers for 15 rounds each. All this ammunition had an OAL of 1.150”. See Table 2 for test results.

See Table 2: First test run - Norinco NP20 What you will notice is that the Federal Small Pistol Primers did give a higher velocity than the other brands of primers. Overall my loads easily passed the PF requirement of 1008 fps. It is likely that my being more consistent and methodical in my reloading practices helped make better quality loads.

What was really surprising was my American Eagle - Factory loads. They were supposed to do 1150 fps. Could this be a result of elevation where Federal had tested their ammunition, or was it my gun?

After shooting my first six magazines of ammunition, I let the handgun cool

for ½ hour before I shot the experiment again. I would reshoot the American Eagle and 2010-03-07 batches of ammo with an OAL of 1.150”. The other four batches would have an OAL of 1.090”.

See Table 3: Second test run- Norinco NP20 This time the average velocity on my 2010-03-07 batch had risen from 990 fps in the first test run to 1046 fps in the second test run. When reviewing the test results I found that 3/30 rounds in the 2010-03-07 batch had come in with a low velocity of 613, 618 and 815 fps respectively. All other ammunition from this batch had been above 1000 fps. So if I drop these three low velocity rounds out of the results, then my 2010-03-07 batch has an average velocity of 1052 fps.

Over several weeks I had made my 2010-03-07 batch of 3000 rounds of ammunition. I had used Federal, Winchester and some CCI small pistol primers; several different cans of 700X

Table 4: OAL versus velocity Batch OAL 1.090” OAL 1.150” Difference

30

Winchester Primers Average velocity

Remington Primers Average velocity

CCI Primers Average velocity

Federal Primers Average velocity

1138 1071

1120 1073

1125 1091

1148 1102

67

47

34

46

September - October

powder; and Cam-Pro and CDN BDX bullets. I compared 20 Canadian BDX bullets to 20 Cam-Pro bullets. Both bullet brands are 124 gr FMJ RN with similar Ogive. The Canadian BDX bullets had an average weight of 123.3 grains while the Cam-Pro bullets had an average weight of 124.2 grains. So maybe all these factors combined with consistency in my reloading process made a difference in bullet velocity with the 2010-03-07 batch.

Overall 4/30 rounds of the 2010-03-07 batch had failed to meet the velocity requirement of 1008 fps for PF at Ponoka. While at Olds only 2/6 rounds made PF. Different chronographs were used at the Olds and Ponoka locations.

Other shooters had complained that their match chronograph results (Olds) were lower than what they had found when testing ammunition on their own chronographs.

If you look at Table 4 and compare the average velocities you will notice that by seating the bullet deeper by .060”, it did increase the velocity. I noticed no pressure issues on the primers. OAL of 1.090” did not cause any feeding issues.

See Table 4: OAL versus velocity But how is the accuracy between the different primers and bullet seating depths? I tested this by shooting five round groupings both at 10 & 20 yards targets. I found that all brands of primers had similar grouping and accuracy. At 10 yards the point of aim was the point of impact. At 20 yards the point of impact was 2-3 inches above the point of aim. I found the ammunition with OAL of 1.090” had groupings that were slightly left of centre.

I was disappointed with the velocity performance of the Federal “American Eagle” ammunition and was left wondering if it was this particular lot of ammo or my test gun. To find out I headed back out to the Ponoka range to re-test, but this time substituted my Browning High-Power (HP) target model with a 4.75” barrel.

I set up the chronograph in the same www.nfa.ca

manner as the previous day at the range.

The temperature for the re-test was somewhat higher, with average temps hovering around 20˚C compared to the 11˚C the previous day at the range. All other procedures were the same.

What surprised me with the results was the great increase in velocity by using the Browning HP. The American Eagle ammunition now made its factory specification. Again the Federal primers had the biggest effect on velocity.

See Table 5: First test run – Browning HP If you compare the results from the two test runs (Table 6) you will see a considerable increase using the Browning HP. Why the difference?

Upon researching these two firearms and comparing them, I found a difference.

The Browning HP is a “Recoil operated action,” while the Norinco NP 20 has a “Delayed blowback operated action”. In the Norinco you will find a small gas passage, just in front of the chamber, which diverts gas from the fired cartridge to a piston which attempts to keep the action closed longer. Therefore, out of the muzzle on the Norinco you get less gas, and thus lower muzzle velocities.

See Table 6: Comparison of First Test runs – Norinco NP 20 versus Browning HP When I fired the second test run with the Browning HP using ammunition with an OAL of 1.090”, I again got an increase in velocity. This time the CCI primers performed the best. See Table 7.

See Table 7: Second test run- Browning HP

Table 5: First test run - Browning HP All cartridges with overall length of 1.150” Batch

American Eagle

Factory loads

2010-03-07 Mixed primers

Winchester Primers

Remington Primers

CCI Primers

Federal Primers

1170

1160

1215

1225

1223

1237

American

2010-03-07

Winchester

Remington

CCI

Federal Primers

955

990

1071

1073

1091

1102

American 1170 Eagle

Winchester 1215 Primers

Remington 1225 Primers

CCI 1223 Primers

Federal 1237 Primers

215

2010-03-07 1160 Mixed primers 170

144

152

132

135

1170

1160

1215

1225

1223

1237

Average Velocity

measured in Feet per Second

Batch Norinco

Average Velocity measured in Feet per Second

Eagle 6: Comparison Mixed Primers of First Primers testPrimers Table runs Factory loads primers - Norinco NP 20 versus Browning HP

All cartridges with overall length of 1.150”

Browning

Average Velocity Measured in Feet Batch per Second

Factory loads

Difference Average Velocity

measured in Feet per Second

10 yards I found batches Winchester of that Remington my original load grains of Americanboth 2010-03-07 CCI of 4.4 Federal Batch delivered Eagle goodMixed Primers Primersa 124gr Primers ammunition groupings.

700 XPrimers powder using FMJ RN Factory loads primers Basically, the point of aim was the point with OAL of 1.150” appears to be Norinco Average Velocity 955 990 1071 1073 1091 1102 of impact. At 20 yards I found similar dead on.

I just have to be consistent measured in Feet per Second groupings, but the point of impact was with my primer use and reloading Browning Average Velocity approximately 2-3” the point1215 practice. decided to 1237 stick with 1170 above1160 1225I have 1223 Measured in Feet per Second of aim. The cartridges with OAL of Federal primers for my competition Difference 215 170 144 152 132 135 1.150” had slightly tighter groupings. loads. So will this ensure I meet PF The groupings were also more centred when using any of the four Norinco on the targets. The cartridges with OAL NP20 or Browning HP test pistols? To of 1.090” had groupings slightly to the find the answer I headed back to the left of centre. reloading bench to load another batch So after all this experimentation I found of ammunition, using Federal primers.

Table 7: Second test run - Browning HP Winchester Winchester Remington Remington BatchBatch Primers Primers Primers Primers 1.090”1.090” 1.090”1.090” OAL OAL OAL OAL Average Average Velocity 1255 1255 Velocity 1257 1257

measuredmeasured in in Feet per Feet Second per Second

CCI CCI Federal Federal Primers Primers Primers Primers 1.090”1.090” OAL OAL 1.090”1.090” OAL OAL 1266 1266

1257 1257

The average velocities were a lot closer using the Browning HP, see Table 8.

See Table 8: Cartridge OAL versus velocity Since the Federal primers had been the most consistent, I decided to load 100 rounds each with OAL of 1.150” and 1.090”. This time I would shoot the new loads to check for accuracy and grouping using both the Norinco, and Browning Hi-Power pistols. At www.nfa.ca

Table 8: Cartridge OAL versus velocity Using Browning HP BatchBatch

Winchester Remington CCI CCI Federal Winchester Remington Federal Primers Primers Primers Primers Primers Primers Primers Primers Average velocity Average velocity Average velocity velocity Average velocity Average velocity Average velocityAverage Average velocity

OAL OAL 1.090”1.090” OAL OAL 1.150”1.150” Difference Difference

1257 1257

1255 1255

1266 1266

1257 1257

1215 1215 42 42

1225 1225 30 30

1223 1223 43 43

1237 1237 20 20

September - October

31

Table 9: S & B Primer versus Federal Primer Norinco S/N …1874

Primer S & B OAL 1.090” Primer S & B OAL 1.150” Primer Federal OAL 1.090” Primer Federal OAL 1.150”

Norinco S/N...1989

Norinco S/N...1897

Browning Hi-Power

Average velocity

Average velocity

Average velocity

Average velocity

Average velocity

629

704

953

630

1139

1154

1171

1175

1169

1217

1105

1007

1126

1010

1188

852

846

Later, I was also able to purchase some Sellier & Bellot (S & B) primers and opted to put together some extra loads to compare with the loads using the Federal primers. Once more, the four Norinco NP 20 and Browning HP pistols would serve as test guns.

The results found in Table 9 are quite interesting. The Norinco handguns did not like the S & B primers, while they worked well in the Browning HP. You will also notice that depending on which Norinco NP 20 I shot, ammunition made with Federal primers and an OAL of 1.150”, were just on the border line to make minimum PF. Table 9: S& B Primer versus Federal Primer To ensure that my ammunition works for competition, I need to stick with Federal primers, and an OAL of 1.090”.

I will just have to adjust my rear sight to bring the point of impact back to centre.

This experiment has been quite interesting. While the amount of ammunition shot was relatively small for statistical purpose, it does lead me to believe that not all primer brands are the same. What the difference is I don’t know. Maybe a chemist or ballistic expert could explain it to me someday.

As a relatively new handloader, this experiment has reinforced the importance of being consistent in choice of components and procedures I use to handload. While both brands of 124 gr FMJ RN bullets looked the same, they were not. Likewise, primer brands are not interchangeable. Also, it is important to follow the rules, so make 32

Norinco S/N...4913 1092

770

1172

sure to label the finished product with all relevant details. So, follow the rules, and before you make up a large batch of ammunition, be sure of your recipe, grab your chronograph and hit the range. It really makes sense to ensure that the load you’ve chosen is actually delivering the desired performance.

Be save and have fun!

DISCLAIMER:

The load data contained in this article is intended for use with specific components and is provided for entertainment purposes only. Other manufacturer’s components may not produce equivalent, and/or safe pressures or velocities. It is highly recommended that the user be familiar with the basic rules of reloading safety and to consult reputable reloading manuals before attempting to replicate the loads and procedures referenced above. Reloading safety information is available from the National Reloading Manufacturers Association (NRMA) and the Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute (SAAMI), free of charge by writing: NRMA/SAAMI Safety Folders One Centerpointe Drive Suite 300, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035 Data contained herein is intended for use by individuals who are familiar with correct and safe handloading practices and procedures. Because Canadian Firearms Journal/NFA and its affiliates have no control over the individual loading practices and/or components used, no responsibility is assumed by Canadian Firearms Journal/ NFA or its affiliates in the use of this data.

The information is to be used at the sole discretion of the user and the user assumes all risk.

September - October

RCBS Rock Chuker single-stage press with piggyback.

CAUTION: Canadian Firearms Journal has not independently verified the accuracy of all of the data contained in this article. Failure to follow safe loading practices could result in severe personal injury, including death, and/ or damage firearms, the user or bystanders.

Technical data and information contained herein are intended to provide information based upon the limited experience of the author under specific conditions and circumstances only. They do not detail the comprehensive training, procedures, techniques and safety precautions that are absolutely necessary to safely carry on similar activity. Always consult comprehensive reference manuals to learn proper safety procedures, techniques and precautions before attempting to reload ammunition or any similar activity. Be alert, as publisher cannot be responsible for errors in published load data.

www.nfa.ca

NFA. Matt delivered several fantastic presentations at the Orangeville, Ontario and Edmonton Alberta “HUNTFEST” outdoor shows. Matt stopped by the NFA booths at the shows to meet members, chat with fans, talk about his sport and TEAM NFA, and sign autographs. We were also very pleased when Matt found time to attend both the Prince George and Calgary Gun Shows, where he again gave freely of his time. Helping to man the NFA booths, Matt met with hundreds of show attendees, NFA members and fans, happily answered questions from the public, signed autographs and did his utmost to help promote the NFA.

Matt and his fellow “Rocky Mountain Racers”

Matt Neumann Team NFA - Continued from Page 20 Matt wrapped up his summer training regime last month with a week-long training session on Alberta’s Haig Glacier, accompanied by his fellow Rocky Mountain Racers. It capped what Matt calls his new “standard” summer training program. Matt’s training program would put most professional athletes to shame. A standard training day for Matt has him waking up at dawn every morning, followed by a long work-out, lunch, more exercise, another big lunch, followed by the major training session of the day, and capped with a cooling cycle and bed. Sleep is extremely important to allow Matt’s body to rest and recover from the stresses and strains placed upon in during the daily training sessions.

It takes extreme dedication for someone to subject themselves to such physical and mental challenges day after day.

www.nfa.ca

However, Matt is rather prosaic; arguing that this is what is takes to compete at an elite level in International Biathlon. As he says, “You cannot expect to do anything special during the winter without putting in a long focused summer.” He’s quick to add, that while such a summer may seem boring, he and his trainers made sure to keep things interesting. In total, for summer 2011, Matt logged literally thousands of kilometres on his road bike; enjoyed two high volume/altitude glacier ski camps; participated in cycling camps in Osoyoos, Creston, and Cultus Lake, AB, as well as his regular shooting and roller-ski training in the Canmore area.

I should also note that Matt was gracious enough to take some precious time off from his training to make a number of trips on behalf of the NFA to promote our organization and TEAM

September - October

Matt wrapped his summer with a final trip to the Haig Glacier in the first week of September. According to Matt he is quite pleased with the progress he has made and is feeling confident that he is at the level he needs to be in order be competitive on the Canadian biathlon circuit. With the official start of race season less than two months away at the time of this writing, Matt plans on spending the remainder of the fall in Canmore preparing for the first race of the season, - the IBU Cup trials set for 14-15 November. Matt sees this race as being a pivotal one as it will set the tone for the rest of his season, so he is doing everything in his power to ensure that he is in peak physical condition. Matt’s goals for the upcoming year are twofold: first and foremost, to qualify for the first IBU Cup tour; and secondly, to secure a place on the podium and medal at the Canadian National Championships once more.

As he gears up for the new race season, Matt tells me that he remains both excited and thankful to be heading into the race season with a solid base under him and a significant amount of support from family, friends, fans and sponsors.

With his work ethic, we’re sure that Matt will be bringing home lots of hardware in the season ahead. Best of luck to Matt and all of our TEAM NFA members!

33

NFA Clubs In Profile:

Discovery Shooting Club, Elliston NL

By Neal Tucker

j

The Discovery Shooting Club (DSC) is a small, but growing club located in Elliston, Trinity Bay, on the Avalon Peninsula of Newfoundland. To say the club had an unusual beginning would be an understatement. Oddly enough, its roots lie not with area hunters or shooters, but rather with a small local tourism organization tasked with promoting the club’s home community of just 350.

The year was 1999, and said organization was busy planning a summer festival for the area. Lucky for local shooters, one of the planners also happened to be a gun owner. With the usual music, refreshments and other community events covered, he suggested that some sort of shooting event be added to the list of planned activities. His suggestion met with approval, helped along by his offer to also handle all of the organizational details.

The original event was a success and some participants suggested that it might be fun to start up an actual club. However, it was not until 2001 that these informal discussions became serious, and a proposal was made to establish a proper range and club on the outskirts of the community. Building a permanent range would permit local groups to more easily organize future shooting-related events and would benefit local hunters. At the time, local hunters had few, if any, safe locations suitable for sighting in their hunting rifles. On occasion, some would opt to do so in locations that were less than ideal. This was a particular concern for the area’s responsible hunters. The point was also raised that if a formal range was established, local handgun shooters and owners of restricted firearms would finally have an opportunity to use their firearms on a regular basis, rather than having to drive hours to the next “closest” approved range.

Several notices and sign-up sheets were placed in surrounding communities to assess interest. Once it became clear that people were interested in forming a club, a suitable site was found, and some initial construction and landscaping was begun. Unfortunately, this activity almost immediately resulted in vocal public opposition from unexpected quarters. Organizers were flabbergasted to learn that said objections were being raised by a number of sportsmen from nearby communities, rather than some anti-gun crusader, as they expected. Sadly, all too frequently, Canadian gun owners often prove to be their own worst enemies. Thankfully, in this case, the concerns raised were resolved quickly and most local opponents were ultimately satisfied, allowing construction to proceed. Unfortunately, the distraction posed by the conflict did result in delays that only saw the new range open for use in December of 2002.

Since that time there has been a great deal of activity at the DSC, as the club continues to grow and prosper. The initial dissension

34

that threatened its formation is now a faded memory and execs continues to work extremely hard to reinforce connections to the town of Elliston, and neighboring municipalities. As a result, these relationships have only grown stronger over the years.

As president of DSC, I’ve learned that just about every shooting club and range is almost wholly dependent upon the support of its members for survival. However, as a small, rural club, I also see community involvement as becoming an increasingly important factor to our club’s success. In this era of political correctness, public opinion is a force that no shooting-related organization can afford to ignore. In the absence of positive role models, and the continued perpetuation of negative stereotypes of guns and gun owners in the media, forging close bonds between your club and the local community is vital. Experience has shown that having our club and membership become active participants in local community life and events has served to dispel any lingering negative stereotypes, and has done much to present our sport in an extremely positive light.

By 2006 it was becoming obvious that DSC, and the management of the range, had grown too unwieldy for it to continue to exist as a quasi-subsidiary of the original community-based tourism group that founded it. Shortly thereafter, the club was officially incorporated under the name of the Discovery Shooting Club; becoming a distinct legal entity and a wholly independent, not-forprofit gun club.

Beyond our obvious purpose to promote safe shooting, newly minted DSC members decided to adopt the additional aim of, “supporting local organizations in the furtherance of the area,” as part of the club’s mandate. This is something members have taken to heart. Since securing independence, DSC has made substantial gains in local support for the club, and club execs actively work to strengthen the club’s community-based bonds; even going so far as have DSC join the local Chamber of Commerce. Just a few short years later, DSC was honored to be named the Chamber’s 2009 choice for the “non-for-profit organization that that had made a significant contribution to the area.”

In this added role, DSC continues to support charitable ventures and organizations such as the local volunteer fire department’s telethons, charity auctions, and other fund-raising initiatives via donations of free memberships and/or active participation in their fundraising efforts. More recently, DSC members were proud to have played a

September - October

www.nfa.ca

role in the establishment of a new “heritage foundation” for the community of Elliston.

The club even provided the foundation with its first cash donation, and covered the initial cost of creating its website. And, with that, the Discovery Shooting Club came full circle; as the club owed its existence thru the good graces of yet another communityminded group. This was DSC’s chance to return the favour and pay a debt of gratitude to the people of Elliston and surrounding area. It was extremely gratifying for the club executives and members to be in a position to give back to the community in such a fashion. As such, it can be argued that the local community has become as much a part of our club as we are a part of it. By doing so, we have become a valuable and respected community-based actor; one that cannot be easily discarded should the political climate change and anti-gun forces gain the upper hand nationally, or even internationally.

In its short existence, DSC has also benefited from generous individual donations from members that allowed it to made capital improvements to its facilities. It was thanks to an initial donation by a single member that the club was able to construct the first partial firing-line shelter. As finances permitted, a more permanent structure was erected later. DSC also enjoyed the support of local municipalities. The local town council even donated a shed to the club, while another member volunteered to transport it to the range, free of charge.

Cash poor, like so many fledgling clubs, DSC sought funding wherever it could be found, and succeeded in securing financial support from Human Resources and Development Canada (HRDC), via their Job Creation Partnership program. This project resulted in the creation of an entrance gate for the club, roofed the firing-line shelter, and permitted additions to the height of the range’s backstops, - which allowed the club to extend the rifle range to 100m.

As a club, DSC also strives to encourage community youth to participate in our shooting sports. Our club firmly believes that without new shooters being recruited into our sport, it will become increasingly difficult for Canadian gun owners to protect what remains of our core gun rights and privileges. I took it upon myself to introduce my young nephew to his first .22LR rifle, under my own, very close supervision. He loved it, and is now well on his way to becoming an accomplished sportsman in his own right. From an early age he was taught the difference between “pretend” guns depicted in video games, and actual firearms such as the rifle he had

www.nfa.ca

used during trips to the range. There have been many other recruiting successes over the past few years; and numerous young people have had the opportunity to fire their first shot at DSC’s annual Peter Tucker Memorial Shooting Challenge (PTMSC); an event named in memory of my father, who taught me to shoot many years ago.

To further involve young people in this sport, DSC added a youth division to the PTMSC to encourage more participation. If our youth learn the safe and responsible use of firearms from safety-minded individuals, instead of violent television programs or video games, perhaps a more positive attitude toward firearms will eventually permeate society. As responsible firearm owners, we should all try our best to spark the interest of young people in the shooting sports; and by doing so we just might ensure the future of private firearm ownership for generations to come.

From my perspective as a club president, to be truly successful, members of a club must get actively involved in helping to grow and improve their club beyond simply purchasing a membership. However, that is easier said than done. At DSC, we are fortunate to have had a few exceptional members who have gone above and beyond anything we could have anticipated. For instance, two members took it upon themselves to voluntarily construct a new metal gate and flag pole for the club; replacing the now dilapidated wooden originals at their own cost. Not only did they donate their time and materials, they even came to the range and installed them.

On another occasion, unbeknownst to club executives, another member replaced all plywood target stands that were in need of replacement. We were quite pleasantly surprised to see all that new wood appeared out of nowhere, and had to actively seek out this member in order to thank him. Many others have made lesser, but certainly not any less appreciated, donations of time, money and materials.

In closing, I would be remiss if I did not note that an earlier article about our club was published in an issue of the NFA’s old Pointblank membership magazine. Thanks to the publicity garnered from that article, our then fledgling club not only received letters of support, but also a number of much-needed financial donations from fellow NFA members from across Canada.

We cannot express how much that support was appreciated.

Finally, for those reading this article if you are not already a member of your local shooting range, please consider becoming

September - October

DSC members Ben Baker (foreground) and Dick Ellsworth (back) shooting in the Annual Peter Tucker Memorial Shooting Challenge

Daniel Tucker, author’s nephew (left) and Gerry Holloway (right)participating in the Annual Peter Tucker Memorial Shooting Challenge.

DSC youth member Landon King (in red) with his brother shooting and father standing by. Landon placed 3rd.

one. Any club would welcome your talent, energy and support, in whatever forms you can provide; be it physical, financial, or simply taking the time to introduce another person to our shooting sports. I am sure everyone reading this article would be inclined to agree it is a worthwhile and rewarding activity.

If you’d like to learn about the Discovery Shooting Club, you may drop Neal a note at the address below, or visit the DSC web site.

Neal K. Tucker Discovery Shooting Club P.O. Box 206 Elliston, NL A0C 1N0 www.discoveryshootingclub.com

35

Background The Norinco Type 97A is a semi-automatic sporting firearm manufactured in China. Originally imported by Lever Arms Service Ltd., a well-known firearms retailer/importer in the Vancouver area, the Type 97A was a new model to hit the Canadian sporting arms market. The original shipment consisted of some 30 rifles. Based upon information provided by the firearms manufacturer and an approved RCMP verifier, the Type 97A was duly approved for importation and registration as a semi-automatic, restricted class firearm on September 24, 2007, by the Registrar of Firearms. The firearm was placed in the restricted class due to barrel length.

The following March, the husband of the applicant, Ms. Nelly Tereshchak, purchased one these rifles. The registration for the firearm in question was subsequently legally transferred into her name and a registration certificate issued for the firearm on April 1, 2009.

As a result of the successful introduction of the new model to the Canadian market. Lever Arms and another firearms retailer/importer, Canada Ammo, both placed large orders with Norinco, including a longer barrel model that would’ve met the requirements for registration as a non-restricted firearm.

However, during the importation process the CBSA opted to impound the shipments and alerted the RCMP and Registrar of Firearms. While all paperwork was in order and the importers had followed all rules and regulations, several units were removed from the containers and forwarded to the RCMP for further inspection and testing.

l a Leg er n r Co nney

by

G. Pe Sean

ak

ch h s e r

e T . v R.

7A 9 e Typ n o c io in Nor ssificat la Rec ion is Dec

36

The RCMP subsequently ruled that this type was “easily converted” to fully automatic and unilaterally reclassified all Type 97 rifles from restricted class to prohibited. This unilateral reclassification resulted in the revocation of all registration certificates, including those for Type 97A rifles already transferred to legal owners several years before. Subsequently, a notice of revocation was mailed to Type 97A owners, including the applicant, informing them that their firearm had been reclassified as a prohibited firearm and that it would have to be turned in for destruction in March 2010.

It is at this point National Firearms Association became involved, as affected members contacted the organization for advice. Pursuant to the Firearms Act, it was recommended that all owners immediately file for a reference hearing with their provincial court to appeal the revocation.

This was a legal maneuver to buy time for owners and the NFA to further investigate and formulate a defence against what was seen as an unnecessary reclassification, and one that was possibly of questionable legality. A test case was required to challenge the reclassification and revocation of registration. NFA member, Nelly Tereshchak, volunteered to serve as the test subject.

One of the key issues of contention was the form of the notice of revocation.

It did not specify the basis upon which the RCMP determined that the firearm in question was a prohibited firearm, nor the process with which they “easily converted” the semi-automatic firearm to fire fully automatic.

Essentially, Type 97A owners had to accept the RCMP determination on blind faith. It was felt that the RCMP/Registrar of Firearms had failed to fully comply with s. 72(2) of the Firearms Act by not including any explanation of their findings, how such a decision was reached and the reasons for the revocation.

Despite additional requests for clarification, the RCMP refused to provide further information related to this conversion process and redacted literally pages of documents that were requested through an official “access to information” request of the CBSA, RCMP and other federal agencies involved in the case.

September - October

www.nfa.ca

Reference Hearing A request for a reference hearing pursuant to s. 75(3) of the Firearms Act was duly filed with the Provincial Court of British Columbia on behalf of the applicant, Nelly Tereshchak. The role of the court under s. 75(3) is to determine whether or not the revocation was justified based upon evidence presented.

The problem with s. 75(3) is that the burden of proof rests solely with the applicant to prove the revocation was not justified. Unfortunately, Judge Galati opted to restrict his interpretation of what constituted a justified revocation based upon the test of reasonableness as established in the case of British Columbia (Chief Firearms Officer) v.

Fahlman, 2004 BCCA 343.

Defence counsel, Mr. Derek Birch, attempted to have the judge consider additional case law relevant to s. 75(3) drawn from other provincial courts that adopted a broader interpretation of the scope of review; however, Judge Galati chose to limit his deliberations to Fahlman alone.

As a result, defence counsel was presented with the near impossible task of calling evidence that would show that the decision of the Registrar of Firearms to revoke Tereshchak’s registration, which was essentially made in secret 18 months prior, was not a “reasonable” decision. Witnesses called on behalf the defence were Ms. Nelly Tereshchak, Mr. Blair Hagen, as a representative of the importer and retailer, and Mr. Travis Bader, firearms expert.

The point of both Ms. Tereshchak’s and Mr. Hagen’s evidence was to show that everything was done in accordance with law and the established practices of the time. The firearm in question was always a restricted firearm, was registered as such, functioned as such, and was legally transferred to restricted license holders who had purchased their firearms at great expense and in good faith. At the time, the Type 97A remained a legal commodity that could be bought and sold with the full advice and consent of the Registrar.

No one within the firearms community had any inkling or warning that this state of normalcy was to abruptly change, due

www.nfa.ca

solely to the Registrar’s abrupt reversal in the spring of 2010; when the unilateral decision was made to declare the Type 97A prohibited. In doing so, the registrar failed to provide a reasonable explanation for such a decision, as required by law.

Both Ms. Tereshchak and Mr. Hagen were quite effective on the stand, and Ms. Tereshchak’s appearance and demeanor helped to dispel any potential pre-conceived notions that participants to the hearing may have had due to the type of firearm at the heart of the case.

Ms. Tereshchak did not fit the mistaken stereotype of the camouflage-wearing, “gun nut” that is “supposed to be attracted to full-auto style” firearms that is perpetuated in the media.

The role of Mr. Bader, as the firearms expert, was to clearly establish that the Type 97A functioned purely as a semi-automatic firearm in its civilian configuration as manufactured. With the RCMP refusing to reveal exactly how they “easily converted” said firearm to function as a prohibited full-auto, it was difficult prior to the hearing to formulate a cogent response, as virtually any firearm can be converted to fully automatic given enough time and a well-equipped machine shop.

This fact played a large role during NFA deliberations as to whether or not a successful challenge could be launched.

Lacking knowledge of how the RCMP achieved their conversion, the decision was made to proceed on the basis that the Norinco Type 97A was not unique among restricted or non-restricted firearms. As such, in relative terms, it was no easier to convert to automatic fire than many other firearms currently available on the Canadian market, and would require either replacement of key parts or the deliberate tampering with the firing mechanism.

Reasons for Judgment Unfortunately, due to a court imposed publication ban, the process of converting the Type 97A from semi-automatic to fully automatic cannot be revealed or published. Ultimately, the judge accepted the opinion of Mr. Murray Smith, who is the manager of the specialized firearms support services section of the

September - October

RCMP, and who testified as to the ease of conversion. It was this same opinion that was used to reclassify the Type 97A and revoke Ms. Tereshchak’s registration.

Mr. Smith testified that he believed the Type 97A fell within the definition of a prohibited firearm as set out in s. 84(1) of the Criminal Code.

Judge Galati relied upon the terrible precedent established by R. v.

Hasselwander, [1993] 2 S.C.R. 398, where the Supreme Court of Canada held that, “A firearm which can be quickly and readily converted to automatic fire fell within the definition of prohibited weapon which at the time included firearms capable of automatic fire.” Since the Type 97A can be made to fire fully automatic, it was therefore a prohibited firearm and the judge so ruled.

The Hasselwander decision, from the perspective of the firearms community, is an absolutely terrible precedent; one that is effectively eroding all firearms related law in this area due to its core principle - that it doesn’t matter what an object is, but what it can be turned into, as we saw in the recent R. v. Cancade.

In the end, defence firearms expert Travis Bader was forced to acknowledge that the Type 97A could be converted to full auto fire relatively easily due to its design.

Judge Galati was unmoved by counterarguments to the effect that essentially any firearm can be converted to full-auto; that many current designs are easy to convert, including many restricted and non-restricted firearms; that to do so is a criminal offence; that there is no epidemic of people converting firearms to full auto; and, the fact that intention to convert should be factored into the equation at some point. Instead, Judge Galati chose to rely strictly on Hasselwander and in his Reasons for Judgment stated: “On the evidence, the firearm in question meets the definition of prohibited firearm set out in s. 84(1) of the Criminal Code as clarified by Hasselwander. That being the case, the Registrar had no reasonable option but to reclassify the firearm as prohibited and to revoke the applicant’s certification of registration.”

Legal Continued on Page 43 37

What We Can Expect From The Arms Trade Treaty

By Gary Mauser

“No, there are no black helicopters. There is no secret treaty that Hillary Clinton (US Secretary of State) has signed. But on the other hand, the treaty is a significant threat to gun owners. I think the biggest threat may be the body that would administer the treaty.”

Tom Mason, representative to UN PrepCom3 for the World Forum on the Future of Sports Shooting This past summer a key UN committee met in New York and signed off on several provisions in the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) that will be presented to the UN for a final decision in 2012. The ATT is intended to regulate international arms sales, and by so doing it poses an unprecedented threat to responsible citizens who own firearms. Despite intense lobbying by the World Forum, backed by other gun-rights organizations such as the NFA, the Second Amendment Foundation and the NRA, it now appears virtually certain that the ATT, when it finally emerges from the UN, will include civilian firearms as well as ammunition.

Tom Mason of the World Forum has it right when he says that the most dangerous implications are the creation of a new UN agency to regulate international firearm sales, to be called the “Implementation Support Unit.” To fund the ISU, the ATT requires countries that host firearms manufacturers to set up a compensation fund for victims of gun violence worldwide.

This is a dangerous precedent as it essentially gives the UN the authority to impose taxes.

According to the latest draft of the ATT, each country would be obliged to submit a report to the ISU outlining “all activities undertaken in order to accomplish the implementation of this Treaty, including domestic laws, regulations and administrative measures.” The ATT also orders countries to set up national government agencies to track any guns that could be exported.

The treaty states, “Parties shall take all necessary measures to control brokering activities taking place within its territories to prevent the diversion of exported arms into the illicit market or to unintended end users.” The vague wording leaves open the possibility that the ISU will declare the registration of all guns necessary to prevent illegal exportation. Yes, that means the ATT would re-impose the long-gun registry. Yet it has been amply demonstrated worldwide that gun registration does not reduce criminal violence.

38

The ATT demands that all firearms and ammunition be specially marked. Yes, each round would be required to have a unique mark. In addition the ATT mandates that countries must keep all firearms records for a minimum of 10 years. The costs involved will be enormous. Another egregious provision in the ATT is the Victim Assistance Fund that is supposed to compensate victims of gun violence worldwide. This fund has surfaced repeatedly at Programme of Action and Conference of Parties meetings and is supported by a large number of African, South American and Caribbean countries. If the UN eventually adopts an ATT with this clause, manufacturers would be forced to contribute to a fund based on their international sales. This is taxation by another name. And of course retail prices would jump.

The United Nations Arms Trade Treaty has been slithering quietly through the labyrinth of UN politics since 2006. The ATT is strongly pushed by the United Kingdom, Japan and the Scandinavian countries. Much of the debate on the ATT has taken place, and will continue to do so, in side events at the UN that are very often closed to NGOs or outside observers.

This summer’s meeting, PrepCom3 in UN speak, or more properly, Preparatory Committee – 3rd Session, held in New York City, on July 11-15, 2011 was the most recent meeting advancing the ATT. This year, Canada surprised observers by being critical of the ATT. In the past, Canada had been a strong proponent of the ATT, but this summer, the Canadian delegation advocated exempting civilian firearms from the treaty. Unfortunately, the motion was rejected. The UN’s disarmament juggernaut was inexorable.

The UN is expected to make a final decision on the ATT next July. Early in 2012, there will be another meeting of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom4) to finalize the wording of the Treaty. Whether or not NGOs will be allowed to speak, actual negotiations and decisions will again take place behind closed doors. Next July, the ATT is expected to win wide support.

Some would counter my concern with the ATT by observing that the UN resembles the Papacy in many ways. The power of such organizations rests upon their moral authority. Some heed, and some do not. The ATT is just a template for a treaty; it is not even a treaty, and it will not be one until it is adopted by at least two countries. Even then, it would only apply in those

September - October

www.nfa.ca

Europe will in all likelihood support it, even though the European Union prefers its own version of disarmament.

Unfortunately, there has been virtually no effort in Europe to encourage objective academic research; anti-gun groups fund virtually all international research on gun control.

NFA representative Gary Mauser, flanked by Ron Schmeits, former NRA president & Ted Rowe, current WFSA president.

countries that agree to abide by it. All well and good, I say, but in certain circles this moral authority can be extremely powerful, and judging from the large number of national representatives who support the ATT at UN meetings, a great many countries are likely to subscribe to this treaty when the UN finalizes the details. In that case, the ATT could well become international law. Countries that did not go along with the international consensus could face commercial and political difficulties.

Under our majority Conservative government, Canada is unlikely to ratify the ATT. Stephen Harper is not a knee-jerk supporter of UN political fashions, whether the ATT or the Kyoto Accord. This summer, Foreign Affairs Minister Baird already signaled that Canada does not support the ATT. On the other hand, the Conservatives want to continue governing. Despite the Conservative government, the Ottawa bureaucracy remains stuffed with Liberal holdovers. As well, Ottawa and Central Canada are still dominated by so called “progressive” ideas. Gun owners need to do more, much more, to promote conservative and libertarian ideas. International pressure for civilian disarmament is not likely to evaporate.

The anti-gun NGOs are well funded and will continue pushing for greater restrictions and gun confiscations wherever they judge it possible.

The Liberal Party may be on the ropes www.nfa.ca

today, but conceivably they could win the next election, or the one after that.

Unless the zebra changes its stripes, when the Liberals return, they will support the ATT in a heartbeat. In the past, as we well remember, when the Liberals were in power, they acted as if a UN decision was legally binding (that is, if they supported it) and then they would ram implementing legislation through Parliament. That’s how we got the UN marking and tracing laws.

The United States is a special case.

The Senate opposes it, but Obama is strongly supportive. In order for any treaty to take effect in the US, the treaty must be ratified by two-thirds of the Senate. The Arms Trade Treaty, since it includes civilian arms, will die in the US Senate. To date, 51 of the 100 US Senators have signed letters to President Obama and Secretary of State Clinton promising they will oppose the ATT. On the other hand, Obama, like President Bill Clinton before him, has a wide range of administrative powers that he can use to impose treaties without Senate ratification. In any case, the US has unique capacities for defending individual rights in the Second Amendment, but this does not help other countries in the least.

Despite North American opposition, the UN is predicted to adopt the ATT. As I’ve outlined in earlier articles in the CFJ, there is widespread international support for civilian disarmament.

September - October

The political chaos in Africa is driving the United Nations push to disarm civilians. It stems from the usual liberal approach that imagines that the solution to a specific problem too sensitive for cosmopolitan people to address directly is a general law covering everyone. Is this reminiscent. of the Liberals Bill C-68? Chrétien and Alan Rock pushed for licensing firearm owners and gun registration when the problem rested with gangs of criminal immigrant youths, not hunters or farmers. When liberals feel guilty, we are all made to pay.

The ATT is an unmitigated disaster for responsible people living in Europe or North America. It must be opposed.

What are we willing to do to ensure Canada does not adopt the ATT? Remember, passive citizens end up getting the government policy desired by other more dynamic citizens.

References Bromund, Ted R. and Steve Groves, “The U.N.’s Arms Trade Treaty: A Dangerous Multilateral Mistake in the Making,” Heritage Foundation Backgrounder No. 2309, August 21, 2009, at http://www.heritage.org/Research/ InternationalOrganizations/bg2309.cfm.

Kopel, David B., Paul Gallant, and Joanne D. Eisen, “The Human Right of Self-Defense,” BYU Journal of Public Law, Vol. 22, No.43, pp. 137–43 (1998).

United Nations Office of Disarmament Affairs http://www.un.org/disarmament/convarms/ ArmsTradeTreaty/ United Nations General Assembly, “Global Scourge from Illicit Trade in Small Arms Continues to ‘Wreak Havoc,’ Says UN Disarmament Head, As Meeting on 2001 Action Programme Opens,” June 14, 2010, p. 8, at http://www.un.org/News/ Press/docs/2010/dc3247.doc.htm (July 15, 2010).

United Nations Security Council, “Report of the Secretary-General to the Security Council,” April 17, 2008, at http://www.poa-iss.org/ DocsUpcomingEvents/S-2008-258.pdf (July 14, 2010).

Versnel, Julianne, Second Amendment Foundation Director of Operations. SAF’S FINAL U.N. ATT REPORT, 7/15/2011. http://www.saf.org/

39

Western Lawmen:

Shoot First & Ask Questions Later: The Story of Lawman & Bounty Hunter George Scarborough Part 1 of 2 “I’d rather run men than cattle.”

- George Scarborough, 1893 June

An expression we often hear bandied about, “Shoot first, ask questions later” seems to have enigmatic origins that may or may not be historic. We hear it applied to everything from inner-city policemen, who fire on suspects without warning, to politicians who speak before they think.

What we most associate it with, however, is the Old West, where men on both sides of the law often chose pre-emptive action over anything resembling a Hollywood version of fair play. One man who epitomized this approach was the parttime lawman and part-time bounty hunter, whom detractors called “Old Scarbrow.”

And contrary to what Hollywood productions might lead us to believe, there were really very few genuine bounty hunters – private sleuths working to apprehend fugitives without the benefit of the law or the protective cover of a tin star – in the Old West. Bounties were generally far too low, and the chances of death much too high, to make it an appealing career choice for most.

There were a number of badge-wearing manhunters, however, who augmented their often pitiful deputy’s or marshal’s wages by cashing-in on the rewards offered for various notable miscreants.

The honorable triumvirate of Heck Thomas, Chris Madsen and Bill Tilghman readily come to mind, as does the name of George Scarborough. Scarborough’s doggedness on the trail, and courage in a fight made him a dangerous man to have on one’s tail. When he needed to enlist

40

by Jesse Wolf Hardin help in hunting down some of the most desperate of outlaws, well-respected fellow lawman, Jeff Milton, often turned to Scarborough. Milton trusted Scarborough even though he considered him just a mite too eager on the trigger at times, because, as Milton put it, George “aint afraid of no man.”

The few historians and western aficionados who have heard of Scarborough, usually know him only as the man who killed “Uncle” John Selman; the killer of John Wesley Hardin. Before pumping three bullets into Hardin from behind, and thus earning himself the most reviled of western titles: “Backshooter”, and coward, Selman had enjoyed a long career of banditry, rapine and general outlawry.

It was while Selman was free on bond, and awaiting trial for Hardin’s murder (after his first trial ended with a hung jury), that he met his maker at the hands of Scarborough. Ultimately, Selman’s luck ran out late one night as he was leaving the Wigwam Saloon, when he encountered a United States deputy marshal by the name of George Scarborough. In addition to Hardin, Selman was responsible for the death of Ranger Bass Outlaw, a friend of Scarborough’s. It isn’t clear who first initiated hostilities, but it was crystal who proved themselves the most lethal. After the gunsmoke cleared, Selman found himself literally shot to doll-rags; later dying on the operating table with four bullets from Scarborough’s pistol in him.

The date was April 6, 1896. Scarborough was acquitted of murder, claiming selfdefence.

The Selman fight was by no means

September - October

Scarborough’s first. He had enjoyed a busy career as a lawman; one that began some ten years earlier, when he was elected Sheriff of Jones County, Texas.

In the end, his was a storied career.

His willingness to bend the law, where necessary, to get the job done and his use of often brutal tactics, earned him a reputation for ruthlessness. It was this trait that made him such an effective manhunter, and ultimately why he became such a hated and feared figure amongst those who rode the Outlaw Trail.

Alas, as with so many others who lived by the gun, it seemed it was Scarborough’s fate to die by the gun as well; albeit in the line of duty. In the last action of his career as a lawman, Scarborough engaged two desperados by the names of George Stevenson and James Brock. During the gunfight, Scarborough succeeded in killing one of the outlaws. Unfortunately, he was not to emerge unscathed, suffering a serious wound to his leg. He died a few days later, just as his former nemesis John Selman did, on an operating table coincidentally six years to the day after the death of his friend Texas Ranger Bass Outlaw, and four years after he shot Bass’ killer, John Selman.

George Adolphus Scarborough was born October 2nd, 1859, in Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, just prior to the War Between The States. His childhood was partly spent in Texas, as his family tried to avoid the rampant race riots then raging in the Colfax area near New Orleans, and partly in Louisiana, as his father sought to dodge the Indian raids on the increase in southern Tejas at that time. George’s early work was as a cowboy, and reports that he rustled his share of cattle could

www.nfa.ca

Jeff Milton

George Scarborough & deputies.

have either been the defaming of a well behaved man by disgruntled associates and onlookers, or else, honest indications that the future officer once had a hand in some of the very same activities that he later arrested others for doing. One way or the other, he most certainly developed a depth of familiarity with the outlaws of the region, and this experience would serve him well in his later career. As a lawman, Scarborough’s reputation for “shooting first and asking questions later” is evidenced by the fact that he was tried three times for murder while wearing a badge. On the other hand, he was, exonerated each time by juries who could as easily held him to task, had they so desired.

It was in Jones County during his very first term as a lawman that an event happened that many tend to believe shaped his subsequent hard attitude, implacable manhunting techniques, and seemingly unhesitant applications of effectively directed violence. It was December 21st, 1885, one year before Winchester Firearms Company revolutionized the repeating rifle with the release of

their John Browning-designed, Model 1886 lever action; and only three years following the famed “Gunfight at the O.K. Corral.” On that day, Scarborough corralled a pair of young, hard-case robbers, A.B. “Add” Cannon and Joseph Brown, whom he then turned over to the care of his jailer, William C. Glazner.

He’d hired the inexperienced Glazner, in part because of how much the father of six needed the job, and no doubt later felt some responsibility for what followed as a result of that fateful decision. Asked for cigarette papers, the kindly Glazner turned his back on an underwear-clad Cannon just long enough to be struck on the head with an iron bar Cannon had concealed in a towel. Glazner was repeatedly clubbed until he was a bleeding mess. Unable to locate the jailer’s keys, the convict snatched the pistol from Glazners holster, and made his exit through a glass transom hinged above the office door.

Scarborough’s unsuccessful attempts to track down Cannon in the days and years that followed remained a sore spot for him the rest of his life. If he was indeed “trigger happy,” it was apparently

John Selman

not out of a blood-lust or even rancor, as much as an unwillingness to repeat Billy Glazner’s fatal error, and drop his guard. Scarborough vowed to never allow another man to get “the drop” on him and he was prepared to deal as much lead as was necessary to prevent such an occurrence. If there was any killing to do, Scarborough seems to have decided that henceforth he would do what it took to ensure that he was on at the giving end; rather than the receiving.

This fact was first borne out not long after, on October 15th, 1887, in a drinking establishment called the Q.T. or “Road to Ruin Saloon.” According to one tale, Sheriff Scarborough was at the bar facing the mirror when he saw a man he had been having trouble with by the name of A.J. Williams, walk into the saloon.

Williams, standing behind Scarborough alledgedly drew his gun, at which point George is said to have managed to draw, wheel around, and fire a fatal round, all before the other gunman had time to pull the trigger. An official hearing into the shooting required only five minutes to determine it, “The most clearest case

George Scarborough’s Winchester

www.nfa.ca

September - October

41

Scarborough’s Colt aliens then said to be pouring in over a too-porous border with Mexico... not Mexicans, mind you, but undocumented Chinese immigrants believed to be taking all the low wage jobs from American citizens. George’s prejudice against other races is well reported, including an incident where he viciously beat-up a black man for daring to sit at a table where there were whites, but the anti-Chinese sentiment, in particular, was typical of the time, and was reflected in the many “Celestials” that Scarborough arrested over his career.

Scarborough’s Court Documents of justifiable homicide we ever saw,” in spite of few witness claiming to have seen anything at all. The speed of the verdict in favour of the lawman was as much as anything an indictment of the deceased, with Williams generally considered a bad man worth removing. Even Mrs. Williams cast a harsh vote, when she supposedly ran up to the startled Sheriff and told him not bother apologizing for dosing her husband with lead. “He was hardly ever home anyway, and we lived in fear when he was.”

Scarborough’s next appointment was as a Deputy US Marshal, under his old acquaintance Dick Ware. The new appointment gave him responsibility for policing the thinly populated desert counties between the Pecos and Rio Grande Rivers, south and east of El Paso, where he was headquartered. His primary activities in this position were the arrest of smugglers, much as the Border Patrol is enlisted to do today, and he was known to confront (some said “shake down”) the suppliers of illegal alcohol and opium, and to interdict the much despised illegal

42

El Paso in the1890s, was considered the last Mecca for gamblers, “soiled doves” of the sex trade and con men, as well as a last bastion of the “Wild West;” even as the rest of the country was rushing headlong into what was considered to be the modern age. Taking residence within the city’s “sporting” milieu, were some of the most respected, or feared of gunmen, including John Wesley Hardin. Hardin, fresh out of prison and now sporting a law degree, proved no less deadly because of his incarceration, and remained one of the most dangerous men alive. He was joined by his violent brother-in-law, Mannie Clements, the notorious “Uncle” John Selman, “Fighting” Tom Tucker, Bud Frazer, and Billy the Kid’s killer, Pat Garrett. Oliver Lee, who at one time was under suspicion of murdering the politician Col. Albert Fountain and his young son Henry, was also in residence.

Other notables included Commodore Perry Owens, who shot up the Blevins gang in southeastern Arizona, and Martin M’Rose (or Mroz), a formidable Polishblooded rustler and outlaw who became one of John Wesley Hardin’s only clients, after the gunslinger hung out his lawyer’s shingle.

M’Rose earned the distinction of being Scarborough’s second documented kill, when late Saturday evening, June 29, 1895, he enlisted fellow lawmen Jeff (Jefferson Davis) Milton and Frank McMahon to assist in Martin’s arrest. M’Rose had taken refuge south of the border to avoid

September - October

criminal charges in the U.S., but was fairly fuming to hear his lawyer Hardin, was “making hay” with his wife Beulah.

It was said of Scarborough that he “never met a reward he didn’t like,” and it was to win the money offered for his capture that George ostensibly tricked Martin into following him across the Mexican Railway Bridge over the Rio Grande, and to an area where a field of tall sunflowers concealed McMahon and Milton.

M’Rose reportedly toyed with his Colt SAA .45 as they proceeded down the tracks, one with a bobbed 2” barrel that had been given him by his friend Vic Queen. At a prearranged signal from Scarborough the men stood up and all three drew down on M’Rose. As before, George would later assert that the other badman had cocked a pointed a gun at him first, and that he was somehow able to draw and fire his weapon faster than Martin could squeeze the trigger of his already aimed Colt. Undisputed by his fellow lawmen was the fact that it was George who fired first, with Milton opening up with a shotgun, and McMahon with a rifle thereafter.

For all his faults, M’Rose died “game,” making several attempts to rise from the ground after being shot down; Queen’s large frame belly gun in his hand. However, his fate was sealed with Scarborough’s first shot. It was later alleged that Scarborough lifted a money roll from M’Rose following the killing. If so, it was the only reward he was to see, since the flyer on the slain outlaw required that he be captured alive. Dead, M’Rose proved a fiscal disappointment, since the reward was only for the fugitive’s safe return and not the proverbial “Dead or Alive.”

The coroner would report “seven penetrative wounds” including two through the heart and six or seven buckshot wounds to the chest, with the initial and fatal round having been Scarborough’s.

Investigators later judged Scarborough’s actions justified, deeming the killing, a “lawful discharge of duties.” However, the subterfuge involved in tricking M’Rose back across the border, the unfairness of the fight, the brutality involved in shooting into M’Rose as he lay on the ground and allegations of perfidy saw the tide of fickle public opinion began to turn against Scarborough.

Part 2 continued next issue…

www.nfa.ca

Legal Continued from Page 37 In his Reasons for Judgment, Judge Galati did note that it was the fault of what he termed a “questionable policy” then employed by the Registrar that most likely resulted in an error in classification of the original Type 97A. While he also recognized that regulatory changes to the Firearms Act can only be made by the federal government, such powers, he argued: “In no way impacts on the authority of the Registrar of Firearms to administer the Firearms Act including the specific authority found in s. 71(1)(a) to revoke registration certificates for any good and sufficient reason. The only issue is whether the revocation in this case was justified in that it was a reasonable action to take.” …However, in all of the circumstances, I find that it was reasonable for the registrar to rectify the classification and registration errors initially made and, accordingly, the decision to revoke Ms. Tereshchak’s certificate of registration is confirmed pursuant to s.

76 of the Firearms Act. In essence he recognized that the Registrar was at fault in improperly classifying the firearm. However, he also reaffirmed the right to revoke a certificate issued in error under such circumstances pursuant to s. 71(1)(a) of the Firearms Act, which affirms the Registrar: “may revoke a registration certificate for any good and sufficient reason”.

Judge Galati did note that it was “unfortunate” that the Registrar of Firearms had erred in the original classification and registration of the first shipment of Norinco Type 97A firearms.

He also stated it was equally: “Unfortunate that the notice of revocation is questionable in its compliance with s. 72(2) of the Firearms Act as it does not speak to the investigation conducted and the reason for revocation.”

It would seem that Judge Galati recognized that it was perfectly reasonable that neither Ms. Tereshchak, nor Lever Arms Services Ltd., understood the reasons for the revocation of the certificate, because the Notice

www.nfa.ca

of Revocation didn’t explain anything.

Thus the reference to the Registrar’s “questionable compliance” pursuant to s. 72(2) of the Firearms Act: s. 72 (2) A notice given under subsection (1) must include reasons for the decision disclosing the nature of the information relied on for the decision and must be accompanied by a copy of sections 74 to 81.

In an attempt to mitigate the physical challenges presented by the Crown’s demonstration of the conversion process, defence counsel argued that this lack of information and details regarding the reason for the decision to revoke went to the “reasonableness” of the decision to revoke the certificate. Unfortunately, Judge Galati rejected this argument and ruled that despite the failures on the part of the Registrar of Firearms, the revocation of the applicant’s registration certificate was reasonable and therefore justified under s. 71.

Conclusions This was a tough loss for our recreational firearms community; however, it was a fight that needed to be fought, no matter how bad the odds of winning were from the outset. Realistically, with the specter of Hasselwander hanging over it, and facing an increasingly hostile judiciary when dealing with firearmrelated challenges as evidenced by R. v.

Cancade, there was little but a faint hope that the Provincial Court of BC would find in our favour. That didn’t happen.

At this juncture, having previously lost R. v. Cancade at the BC Court of Appeal, (a case which was far stronger, and which the NFA et al. should have won, as both the facts and the law was in our favour. - It was simply a case of the Court and the presiding justice, not being interested in looking at any of that in a “gun” case), and now having lost the s. 75 reference hearing in R. v.

Tereshchak - it is becoming clear that it is near impossible for the recreational firearms community to advance its interests utilizing a court-based strategy, at least where the interpretation of firearms laws are concerned.

and continue to do so, such as in the recent high-profile case of unsafe storage of R. v. Barnes in Ontario; a case in which the NFA was consulted, and one in which the Barnes defence team secured a positive outcome. However, these are predominantly cases about the “person” rather than about the “gun” (or magazine, i.e., R. v. Cancade, etc.). We have a long and consistent track record of court wins in such cases, and against similar charges such as transportation, display, etc…

The problem arises when it comes to challenges specifically dealing with the status of, or issues of classification of firearms, of magazines, or anything even peripherally related or dealing with so-called military or “assault” type weapons in our society - from Hasselwander itself, right through to R. v. Henderson, R. v. Cancade and now R. v. Tereshchak, etc… Unfortunately, these have resulted in a series of critical defeats for the recreational firearms community. It would seem that the courts, as a whole, are simply unwilling to interpret firearms law in a way which is beneficial to firearms owners.

With a largely Liberal-appointed judiciary facing gun-owners across the country, it would appear that the deck is stacked against us where interpretation of firearms laws is concerned. It may be time to re-direct the NFA’s always scarce resources toward more costeffective strategies aimed at advancing the interests of its members and the recreational firearms community.

The only other practical alternative is to seek substantive firearms law reform legislatively, through continued direct lobby efforts of the federal government.

While lobbying the (Conservative) federal government for legislative change remains a horrendously expensive proposition, with seemingly glacial returns on said investment, it seems to at least offer the possibility of progress - where our “progressive “courts do not. The elimination of the long-gun registry is but a first step in this process.

That isn’t to say that we cannot win firearms-related court cases. We have,

September - October

43

Member’s Soapbox: Media Silence on Gun Rights Disturbing

By Chris McGarry

For centuries, one of the most important roles of the press has been to provide a voice so that the common citizen can be heard and keep governments honest and in check through fair and balanced reporting of the facts. Ideally, the press should be required to stay objective – it doesn’t advocate anarchy nor does it take the side of the State, especially when people’s freedoms are at stake.

Over the past few decades, there has been a disturbing trend within the mainstream media to favor draconian and unconstitutional laws passed by various federal and provincial governments. A prime example of this is the left-leaning media’s strong support for the C-68 Firearms Act.

Twenty years ago, when Canadians were still reeling from the worst mass shooting our nation has ever experienced, the media (particularly the taxpayer-funded CBC) showed nothing but praise for the proposed changes to Canada’s gun laws being drafted by the government of the day. Many well-meaning though naïve Canadians bought into the myth that a stringent (not to mention pricey) firearm licensing and registration program was just the remedy for improving public safety and solving our ‘gun problem’ – a myth primarily propagated by the mainstream media.

44

While preaching about how gun registration has saved lives, (it hasn’t) or reminding Canadian citizens that they have no inherent right to bear arms (they might want to brush up on their history) the media has failed in its mandate to inform the public and maintain its objectivity. Few reports were ever filed concerning just how negatively-affected literally millions of law-abiding gun owners were by this vile law; citizens whose only “crime” was to own a gun.

Back in 2004, Bruce Montague, a gunsmith from Dryden, Ontario, decided it was time to challenge the Firearms Act. Mr. Montague fought hard for six long years, even spending a few months in jail only to have his appeal rejected by the Supreme Court of Canada last fall.

Now while I believe the Firearms Act will become history someday (hopefully by a Conservative majority government), I have to question why the mainstream press (save for a few newspapers, such as the National Post) refused to give any coverage to this blatant miscarriage of justice. Has the third estate become so anti-freedom that they are scared the average Joe will wake up?

There have been other victims of the September - October

Firearms Act, including Allan Carlos, Jonathan Logan and John Rew, whose failure to renew his license resulted in a SWAT team raid on his home at 3 AM Mr. Rew, an Alberta farmer, has since become an advocate for western separation.

In all of these cases, where was the media outrage? Why wasn’t the press out drumming up support for these men whose only crime was enjoying their rightfully owned property? Given the fact large corporations that own newspaper chains have been receiving loads of corporate welfare in recent years, perhaps keeping the masses in the dark may very well be part of the media’s agenda.

Karl Marx was once quoted as saying: “media will be the medium of the people.” Before the advent of the internet, the only options most people had were to receive their news through corporate-controlled TV, newspapers and radio.

Over the past decade or so, a new culture of independent media has sprung up with the growth of the internet. Many bloggers and activists, including Ezra Levant and Katie Montague, whose very popular series ‘Katie’s Firearms Facts’, which can be viewed on YouTube, have awakened www.nfa.ca

hundreds and thousands of ordinary folks to the fact that we are losing many of our traditional liberties, including gun rights and freedom of speech; something the mainstream press has failed to do.

When MP Candace Hoeppner’s Bill C-391 was defeated by a narrow vote in the House of Commons last fall, many organizations in Eastern Canada, including unions, police chiefs and nurses’ associations, hailed it as a victory for public safety.

As to be expected, the mainstream media gave ample attention to these special interest groups, while largely ignoring hunters, sportsmen and gun shop owners, who were simply interested in protecting their basic rights, as guaranteed under English Common Law. How has it come to this?

I have worked both as a journalist and

freelance writer since graduating from college in 2006. I have increasingly noticed that many of my colleagues in this field tend to be left-leaning on issues such as gun ownership and property rights.

During my second year of journalism school, I had a rather interesting debate with a fellow student, a very liberal feminist type who wasn’t exactly in agreement with a column I had written for the college’s monthly magazine espousing the benefits of gun ownership in a free society.

After telling me how proud she is of Canada’s failed gun control experiment, I asked this young woman how she felt about the fact that our current firearm laws only make innocent women more vulnerable to predators. Like many feminists who care more about their own agendas than the safety of

their sisters, she responded that there is no need for women to carry for self-protection since the police will magically arrive in time to save them.

Needless to say, the debate ended there.

With the launch of the new SUN News Network this spring that debate seems to be once more open for discussion.

However, the willingness of its leftwing competitors, such as the CBC, to promote only the “progressive,” antigun agenda and message, remains just as disturbing now as it did then. Equally disturbing is the lengths to which they seem willing to go in order to suppress this contrary voice. If theirs is the only “correct” position, why do they so fear an opposing one being presented for public consideration? The debate, like our fight to protect and preserve our rights as responsible firearms owners, must go on.

Become a Member of Canada’s National Firearms Association!

Call our Toll Free Number at 1-877-818-0393 or go to www.nfa.ca to join!

qYES! I would like to become a member of Canada’s National Firearms Association q Individual Regular ($35/year) q Life Regular ($850) q Individual Senior 65+ ($30/year) q Life Senior 65+ ($500) q Family* ( $45/yr) *Family Membership consists of 2 adults and anyone under 18, living under one roof. q NFA Liability Insurance: $9.95 / person covered, per year. $5 million coverage._____ people covered x $9.95 = _____ q Enclosed is a list of individuals covered.

Payment Information Total Payment: $ ___________ q Cheque or Money Order enclosed q Visa/Mastercard/AMEX Credit Card #:______________________________________________________Expiry: _________________________ Signature: ________________________________________________________________________________________ Name of Member: __________________________________________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________________ Postal Code: ______________________ Phone Number: _______________________________________ Email Address: _______________________________

Please note: Canada’s National Firearms Association is a not for profit organization and abides by all privacy laws and rules. While you may receive additional marketing and general information from Canada’s National Firearms Association, our members information is protected . We do not sell or provide list information to private, corporate or government organizations.

www.nfa.ca

September - October

45

President Cont. from Page 6

and the issue is clearly one about our cultural heritage. It would be a good idea to copy these two ministers with the letter that you send to your MP.

The Conservative Party previously committed to repealing Bill C-68 – what has happened to that commitment? I hope that firearms owners don’t find themselves under the bus of political expediency. One thing that all politicians should realize is that the firearms vote was a significant factor in the last federal election. It will also be a factor in the next one, and we have waited a very long time for relief of the suffering that successive unnecessary gun control laws have inflicted upon us.

Ask your Member of Parliament to take the message to Ottawa that Canada’s gun laws do not work. The Firearms Act is a hugely expensive failure that punishes the wrong people. Tell your MP to work towards a system that would base gun laws and changes to them on evidence rather than apparent political expediency and baseless emotional appeals. Tell them that more needs to be done sooner rather than later. Please encourage MPs to contact Canada’s National Firearms Association so that we can press for repeal of these bad gun laws and regulations. I am depending on you to back us up, because together we can make a difference.

If your MP is not a Conservative, then I strongly recommend that you address your comments to Public Safety Minister Vic Toews, and to Minister of Official Languages and Heritage James Moore. Public safety is the ministry responsible for the Firearms Act,

Fire Ma

y-

Jun

e2

011

CA

arm N A D I A N sJ ou rna

$4.5

l

0

Give them the perfect Gift or stocking stuffer this christmas... ww

w.n fa

.ca

July

-A

ugus

t

1

An NFA Membership for as little as $35.00!

Includes 6 issues of the Canadian Firearms Journal, plus hotel, rental car and travel discounts and more!

Call our Toll Free Number 1-877-818-0393 or go to www.nfa.ca!

46

September - October

President Cont. from Page 7 et rencontrez votre Député pour l’aviser que l’élimination du registre n’est pas suffisant. Le Parti Conservateur s’était déjà engagé à abroger entièrement le projet de loi C-68. Qu’advient-il de cet engagement? C’est à souhaiter que les propriétaires d’armes à feu ne deviennent pas encore les victimes des politiques expéditives des élus. Les politiciens doivent se rendre compte que le vote des enthousiastes des armes à feu a eu de l’effet sur le résultat des dernières élections Fédérales et ce même vote aura encore de l’effet sur le résultat des prochaines élections.

Nous avons attendu longtemps pour être soulagés de la souffrance infligée par des lois de contrôle des armes à feu successives et inutiles.

Si votre Député n’est pas Conservateur nous vous recommandons fortement de vous adresser au Ministre de la Sécurité Publique M. Vic Toews et au Ministre du Patrimoine et des Langues Officielles M. James Moore. La Loi sur les Armes à Feu découle du Ministère de la Sécurité Publique et les armes à feu font parti de notre patrimoine culturel. Il est une bonne idée d’envoyer une copie conforme des lettres aux 2 Ministres avec celle que vous enverrez à votre Député.

Demandez à votre Député de faire le message à Ottawa que les lois sur les armes à feu ne fonctionnent pas. La LAF est un échec extrêmement onéreux qui puni les mauvaises personnes.

Demandez à vos Députés de créer un système sur lequel les Lois seront basées sur des faits vérifiables, non sur des motifs politiques et des raisons émotives sans fondement. Dites leurs qu’ils doivent faire plus de changements le plus tôt possible. Encouragez-les de contacter l’Association Canadienne des Propriétaires d’ Armes à Feu pour que nous puissions les convaincre d’abroger ces mauvaises Lois et Règlements.

Je me fie sur vous pour nous appuyer car ensemble nous pouvons faire la différence! www.nfa.ca

AGM AUGUST 12, 2011 The snap federal election this past spring forced NFA execs to reschedule our AGM for late summer instead. It was a scramble for staff and directors to get everything ready by the weekend of August 12th, but somehow we managed. Our office staff, in particular Megan, Bev, Ted and Ginger are primarily responsible for making this year’s AGM another rousing success.

Under our current by-laws, NFA is required to hold elections for half of its board of directors each year. Directors normally serve two year terms; however, as 2010 was the inaugural year for this new structure, those regions having two directors were required to hold elections to elect one director each - the director having received the lesser number of votes for their region in 2010. The latter were only elected to a term of one year in 2010 in order to ensure that half of the organization’s directors would be eligible for election/re-election on alternating years. This was done to ensure continuity of leadership for the organization. However, by the close of nominations, there were no

www.nfa.ca

September - October

other nominees and the incumbent directors were re-elected by acclamation.

At the AGM, election of the new executive took place with Sheldon Clare once more elected National President, Blair Hagen, Vice President, Communications and Ted Simmermon, Secretary.

Ontario director, Bill Rantz, was elected Treasurer after incumbent treasurer, Henry Atkinson declined to stand for re-election. All four execs were elected unanimously.

At the AGM, President Sheldon Clare welcomed everyone to the meeting and proceeded to read the minutes of the previous AGM. After their acceptance, Henry Atkinson delivered the Treasurer’s Report and 2011 Budget, followed by reports from the chairs of NFA Legal, editor of the CFJ, and provincial reports.

Several NFA members also took the opportunity to address the meeting and make presentations.

While the new executives generally view the current AGM as a success, they would like to see even greater membership engagement and attendance for next year. Currently plans are underway to hold AGM 2012 in Ottawa so that members from both coasts may more easily attend. As plans are finalized they will be posted on www.nfa.ca and published in upcoming issues of Canadian Firearms Journal.

47

Pen

Belt Buckle Embroidered Patch

Canvas Hat ..................................Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________ T Black T Hunter Orange T Camouage T Clay Oilskin Hat - Brown ....................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________ Leather Hat..................................Qty. _____ x $40.00 = $__________ T Black T Green

Canvas - Black

T-Shirts ........................................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________ T Black T Sand T Kelly Green T Forest Green T Small T Medium T Large T XL T 2XL T 3XL Travel Mug

Tote Bag ......................................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________ T Red T Dark Grey T Blue Stainless Steel Travel Mug..........Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________

Canvas Hunter Orange

Silver Belt Buckle .......................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________ Knife with Carry Pouch ..............Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________ Pen.................................................Qty. _____ x $3.00 = $__________

Canvas Camouage

Large Crest Lapel Pin ...................Qty. _____ x $5.00 = $__________ Crest Lapel Pin

Embroidered Patch ........................Qty. _____ x $5.00 = $__________ Shipping & Handling:

Up to $20.00 - $5.00 Over $20.00 - $10.00 Total $__________

Canvas - Clay

Name: __________________________________________________ Knife w/ carry pouch

Address: ________________________________________________ City:____________________________________________________ Oilskin - Brown

Prov:______________________________________P.C.: _________ Ph: ( _____ ) ____________________ Fax: ( _____ ) ____________ T Cheque or Money Order enclosed

T Visa/Mastercard/AMEX

Card #:_________________________________ Expiry: __________ Signature: _______________________________________________ Kelly Green

Leather - Green

Mail to: National Firearms Association Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5 Fax to:

(780) 439-4091

*Prices subject to change Leather - Black

Sand

Tote Bag - Blue

Tote Bag - Dark Gray Tote Bag - Red

Forest Green