Canadian Firearms Journal - January 2010

Dec 2009 / Jan 2010

Megan Tandy & Team NFA

$4.50

Is the Long Gun Registry Really Dead?

DETONICS: Pioneers of Stainless Sub-Compact 1911s

Vancouver 2010 Shooting For The Gold

Armed Self Defence in Canada? NFA Life Member Dennis Galloway Faces the Ultimate Test!

Canada’s National Firearms Association Working for firearms owners in Ottawa, across Canada and Internationally

Tel: (780) 426-4866

Phase IV

Fax: (780) 426-4867

West Edmonton Mall

www.shootingcentre.com

Edmonton, Alberta

Handguns

Shotguns

Ruger Single Six ................. $495 & up

Mossberg c/w pistol grip ........................................................................$475 & up

Ruger MK III SS ............... $450 & up

Beretta Extreme I ......................................................................................... $1680

Ruger SRH 480 ........................... $850

Benelli M2 MX4 Camo ............................................................................... $1569

Springfield Armory GI 45 ......................

Springfield Armory XD 40, 9 45 ............................................ $825 & up Baby Eagle Hardchrome ............. $899 Glock 17 ...................................... $825 Beretta NEO’s ............................. $395 HK USP ................................... $1295 Sig Sauer P226 ......................... $1195

Rifles Stevens Model 200 ...................... $365 Tikka T3 Synthetic DM .... $675 & up Savage 111 c/w 3-9x40 DM ............................................ $695 & up Sako 95M Synthetic SS DM.... $1499

Canadian

Firearms Journal Greetings from Head Office Another year has begun – Where does the time go?

We had a busy fall, keeping up with membership drives, fundraiser campaigns and the many political activities we were involved with. The UN Small Arms Marking scheme, several court cases, including Bruce Montague’s, the proposed changes to the Canadian Explosives Act, the proposed bylaws and, of course, continuing working toward replacing C-68/Firearms Act served to keep us hopping in 2009.

2010 is shaping up to be just as exciting. We hope to complete the by-law renewal process and hold our Annual General

Meeting and Election of officers in the spring. We’re also hoping to attend as many Gun Shows as possible again this year so drop by and say hi! Thanks again to all the Clubs that donate tables to the cause; your support is important to all of us at head office and we always love meeting new people and making new friends.

We love interacting with members, so don’t hesitate to give us a call or stop by the office if you’re visiting Edmonton. The coffee is always on, so why not drop by for a cup?

Bev, Megan, Ted and Diane Diane - Office Manager National Firearms Association Phone: 780-439-1394, Fax: 780-439-4091

Inside this issue Regulars From the Editor’s Desk ...............................................................6 Sean G. Penney & Grayson Penney President’s Column - Bill C - 391: Strike Two ...........................8 Blair Hagen Vice President’s Column - Definition of Insanity ... ................10 Sean G. Penney Letters to the Editor ..................................................................12 Legal Corner - How a Bill Becomes Law .................................14 Grayson Penney Politics & Guns - The Peaceable Kingdom Myth .....................16 Sean G. Penney Gun Culture - A Gentleman & His Rifle!..................................18 Wm. R. Rantz Self-Defense - Roots of Gun Control........................................20 Bruce Gold Preserving Our Firearms Heritage - Boomtown .......................22 Sybil & Gary Kangas

On the Cover TEAM NFA Champion Biathlete and Olympic Hopeful Megan Tandy finished her World Junior career as a champion and is currently competing on Canada’s National Team. She is expected to secure a position on Canada’s Olympic Team shortly. We’re all very proud of her and wish her the best of luck.

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.

Team NFA Update - Olympic Hopeful ....................................24 The International Front -An International Update ....................32 Dr. Gary Mauser Made Right Here - KAL Tool & Die Mould Handles...............34 Sean G. Penney Old West Armory - Guns of the Soiled Doves ..........................36 Jesse L. Hardin Gunsmith Q & A - Maintaining the 1911 ..................................44 Grayson Penney The Last Word ..........................................................................46 Grayson Penney

Features The NFA Bookshelf - The Antique Bowie Knife Book ..............7 Wm. Rantz Winning Hearts & Minds: Effctive Debating Techniques ........28 Oleg Volk Executive Announcement: New By-Laws Passed! ...................29 Canada’s 2009 IPSC National Championships .........................30 Charles Schafer

The contents of the Canadian Firearms Journal are copyrighted and may be reproduced only when written permission is obtained from the publisher.

The Detonics Story ...................................................................40 Sean G. Penney

by Sean G. Penney & Grayson Penney

Hi Folks,

W

ell, if you, our faithful readers are once again reading this, you’ve decided to give us another shot after having an opportunity to peruse our first attempt at editing and publishing an outdoor/firearms related magazine. Thanks for the vote of confidence!

The many positive responses we received were greatly appreciated and please keep the comments coming.

Remember, the Canadian Firearms Journal is your magazine.

I hope you all enjoy this issue as much as my co-editor and I did putting it together. Obviously, with fixed publication dates, we aren’t able to scoop the 24 hours news channels, but the recent victory on Bill C-391 still warrants coverage. Both Blair and I touch on a number of issues related to the legislation and what comes after. There are still a number of steps involved before C-391 becomes law. For those unfamiliar with how such bills become law, check out this issue’s “Legal Corner.”

In “Politics & Guns,” I examine the myth that Canada has always been a “Peaceable Kingdom” founded solely on the basis of peace, order and good government. History begs to differ and I take a closer look at what modern lawlessness means for Canadians forced into a self-defence situation.

Returning writer Bruce Gold takes a more direct approach and tackles the root of gun control and explores further issues of self-defence.

Probably the most interesting and exciting contribution in this issue is our center spread and BC Provincial President Sheldon Clare’s interview with TEAM NFA member Megan Tandy, whom we expect will be representing both Canada and TEAM NFA at the 2010 Olympics in Whistler.

Without further to-do, I think I’ll pitch right in and recommend you check out the latest from Gary Kangas in our regular “Firearms Heritage” feature.

“Boomtown” looks back at BC’s wild and wooly past and permits modern shooters to actually experience some of the drama and excitement the cow punchers, gamblers, loggers and miners of the old western boomtowns experienced first hand.

Jesse Hardin provides some added insight into the same era and looks at the “Guns of the Soiled Doves” and their famed hideout guns and derringers.

Gary Mauser is back once again with his International Update on firearms issues being debated at the World Forum, United Nations, etc…issues that should be of definite concern to all responsible gun owners.

He also has a pretty exciting announcement to make on behalf of the NFA concerning the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR).

Newcomer Charles Schafer covers the 2009 IPSC Nationals held in Nova Scotia and gives some insight into how the competition came about and the excitement and fun to be had.

Bill Rantz too, is back, with another “Classic Book Review” and he profiles a very interesting gentleman and fellow shooter in “Gun Culture.”

Back by popular demand, is our new “Made Right Here” feature, and Sean reviews the complete line of mould handles and mould block rebuild kits currently being offered by Canadian producer KAL Tool & Die. He also takes a look at one of the pioneering gun manufactures of compact and performance 1911 pistols in, “The Detonics Story.”

Finally, I examine the case for armed defence in Canada, and still find time to have, “The Last Word.”

I hope you enjoy.

6

April / May 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

by: Wm. Rantz

The NFA Bookshelf The

Antique Bowie Knife Book by: Adams, Voyles, Moss

Museum Publishing Company 1990 Hard Cover With Dust Jacket 552 Pages, 8 ½ X 11, Colour Photographs

I

n 1988, after a meeting of the Antique Bowie Knife Association in Fort Worth, Texas a group of collectors talked about creating a book which showcased the finest Bowie knives from the most outstanding collections known.

The idea generated such interest and enthusiasm amongst the most knowledgeable collectors that work began immediately.

Bowie knives from all over the United States, Mexico and South America were mailed to a central location where they were photographed and returned to the owner. The identification and significance of each knife was established so that it could be shared with those who purchased THE ANTIQUE BOWIE KNIFE BOOK. Upon completion of this task over 250 of the world’s most renowned Bowie knives had been fully documented and this information would be available to the public for the first time.

The printer chosen was Museum Publishing Company and a grand total of 1100 “numbered” copies were produced. The book was sold out by prior subscription and to my knowledge never reproduced.

Current searches via the internet have turned up two copies that are for sale at this time. One is an ex library copy in good shape offered at $550 US (but one must wonder how it left the library!!!).

The second copy is available from a book dealer in England for $1730 CAN plus shipping and insurance.

www.nfa.ca

Obviously, at the prices now charged for THE ANTIQUE BOWIE KNIFE BOOK, as well as the limited number of copies originally produced, the chances of owning your own copy are minute at best. The reason that I have chosen this book for review is that it clearly establishes the criteria that cause the value of a reference book to increase over time.

The factors that have made THE ANTIQUE BOWIE KNIFE BOOK sought after and valuable are easily recognized. The information presented in this book is priceless to Bowie knife collectors.

Each knife was professionally photographed in colour and each picture is a full 8 ½ x 11 ½ inches. The most advanced collectors have shared their knowledge regarding each Bowie knife so that the reader is aware of the significance, rarity and history of each specimen. The fact that a known and very limited number of copies of this book were produced acknowledges that demand will always exceed supply.

The book itself is of the highest quality possible.

An eye catching dust jacket attracts your attention with a classic George Wostenholm Bowie sitting on red velvet. The hard cover, library binding and paper were all the best available. Incredibly detailed photographs of the world’s most desirable Bowie knives flow from cover to cover.

The advance initial offering of THE ANTIQUE BOWIE KNIFE BOOK was at a price of $150 US. This was no doubt a significant amount of money for a book in 1990. Something to think about when you consider purchasing a high quality reference book!

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

7

by: Blair Hagen, National President

President’s Column Bill C-391: Strike Two

A

most remarkable thing has happened in the Parliament of Canada. On November 4th, members from all parties, except the Bloc Quebecois, voted in favour of adopting a private members bill to “end the long gun registry”.

The bill was the work of Manitoba Conservative MP for Portage-Lisgar, Candice Hoeppner. Her Bill C-391, having passed the single biggest parliamentary hurdle in the path of any bill potentially seeking Royal Assent, namely Second Reading, moves on to the committee process for review; leaving the stage set for the dismantling of the much hated long-gun firearms registry.

The vote was 164 in favour of the bill, with 137 opposed.

In Parliamentary circles, the vote wasn’t even close and the various naysayers and gun control spin doctors were proven wrong once again.

Bill C-391 was intended to serve as the first step in the restructuring of Canada’s firearms control laws by eliminating one of the most important aspects of the entire failed gun control system: the long gun registry. Unfortunately, Bill C-391 goes no further. It does not reform the licensing system; it does not address any of the more offensive statutes and regulations of the Liberal

8

October / November 2009

Firearms Act of 1995 and it does not eliminate any of the other needless mounds of red tape; other than that already associated with the long-gun portion of the program. It merely proposes to end the requirement to hold a registration for a nonrestricted long gun.

This isn’t intended to minimize the results of the November 4th vote. Far from it; as without question the C-68 Firearms Act suffered a crippling blow on that date. After first being exposed by Auditor General Sheila Fraser in 2002, as having gone 500% over budget since its inception, the long-gun registry became a symbol of government waste and political largess. Its failure to stem the tide of violent crime in major metropolitan centers cost it even more credibility with Canadians. It’s rejection by the firearms community of Canada, and the opposition generated to it among Canadians of all political stripes and walks of life guaranteed that the controversy over its imposition never faded or subsided. It grew as every outrage associated with the hated legislation manifested itself on the public stage and to the people of Canada. The November 4th vote was but the culmination of this growing public disenchantment with the registry.

In the face of this waning support, even amongst the opposition parties,

Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff has proposed that the registry be kept, but “decriminalized”. That means that you would still be required to hold a registration for your long gun and get approval for it’s transfer to another license holder, but the failure to do so would be a “summary conviction,” rather than a full on Criminal Code charge the way it is today.

This sounds reasonable, but do they really understand the failure of this hallmark legislation of the Chrétien/ Rock Liberal government of the 1990’s? Perhaps they just wish to preserve some edifice of it so that one day, when Liberals are reelected, they can once again demand the registration of every firearm in the country? Mr. Ignatieff and the Liberals need to answer these questions.

Undoubtedly, once C-391 gets into committee, the opposition parties will attempt to undermine the original intent of the bill. They will try to give the impression that they are attempting to remove the worst excesses of the C-68 long gun registry, while keeping all of it’s infrastructure in place so that when the Liberal Party gets re-elected to government, it can once again be expanded, and the civil disarmament agenda in Canada can once again advance in earnest.

Canadian Firearms Journal

www.nfa.ca

That’s the key here. It appears that the Liberal and NDP parties wish to salvage and maintain as much of the current bloated and draconian firearms control bureaucracy and firearms control laws as possible.

Having been given no reason to trust them, I can only speculate that this is so their gun control regime may more easily be rebuilt and probably expanded at some point in the future.

How disingenuous.

All of this belies the intellectual dishonesty to be found in the opposition parties when it comes to the issue of gun control. In 1995, they were of the belief that it was absolutely necessary to criminalize anyone who failed to get a firearms license and register their guns. When faced with potential defeat via a free vote, suddenly that point is “negotiable.”

However, the time for compromise is long past. There can be only one solution to the failure of the Liberal’s gun control program: the complete replacement of the 1995 Liberal C-68 Firearms Act. Elimination of the long-gun registry is but the first step in a multi-step process. Once it goes, we also need to immediately renew our efforts to replace the remainder of the Firearms Act, especially the mandatory firearms licensing requirements for simple possession and acquisition of legal firearms.

Firearms ownership has always been an entrenched right granted to all Canadians via English Common Law and its origins can be traced directly to the Magna Carta. However, the Liberal Party of Canada has never respected such a right and in this respect, C-68 was intended to be the first step in their grand scheme to complete the “social re-engineering” of Canada. The elimination of core cultural traditions and customs of firearms ownership were but the first

www.nfa.ca

step in that “re-engineering.” By introducing mandatory licensing the Chrétien Liberals hoped to turn what was an absolute right into a privilege.

National Firearms Association has always opposed this deceitful example of political artifice on the part of the Liberals and has strenuously argued in favour of a common-sense certification system. A system of non-partisan certification that respects the Canadian right and cultural tradition of firearms ownership; while fulfilling all of the Government of Canada’s legitimate and relevant goals of public safety.

Also, please bear in mind that the promise to end the frivolity and government sanctioned waste of the Liberal C-68 gun control program cannot stop with the elimination of the long gun registry. Half of the once lawfully owned handguns in Canada have been banned under the current legislation and are being removed from private hands via a system of delayed confiscation.

The same situation exists with other similar classes of firearms, many of them of a historically significant nature.

Confiscations of entire classes of firearms have been steadily taking place since the mid 1990’s, as their owners have run afoul of the paperwork offences created by the firearms control bureaucrats.

National Firearms Association has always contended that this unnecessary complexity and overweening bureaucracy associated with the administration and delivery of the gun control program was a deliberate and calculated stratagem of the Liberal exactly for these purposes.

The law-abiding become “paper criminals,” through acts of omission, and then are essentially criminalized or bullied into turning over their

Canadian Firearms Journal

firearms for destruction in exchange for all charges being dropped. We have seen this despicable gambit employed most recently in Toronto via gun control “poster child” Chief Bill Blair’s “Project Safe City.”

This entire process is an unwarranted and inexcusable political contrivance and must be stopped immediately. The private property rights of Canadians must be entrenched so that their property cannot be frozen, seized or coerced into surrender via bureaucratic fiat by an anti-gun, partisan federal bureaucracy. A bureaucracy whose mandate, as they see it, is the complete disarmament of Canadians by any means necessary regardless of who resides in the PMO’s office.

Further, private property rights must be inviolable if we are to remain a truly free and democratic nation.

Change must come.

Make no mistake. C-391 is a win for us; absolutely. However, our work isn’t done and we cannot afford to coast right now. The results of the free vote on the bill have served to galvanize anti-gun sentiments throughout urban elite circles.

Gun control lobby groups like the Coalition for Gun Control, which have been on life-support since the Liberal “gravy train” ended in 2006, have become “relevant” again; at least within the realm of the leftwing Canadian media, and have new life breathed into their movement.

As such, we need to keep pressure on government and opposition members alike to expedite C-391’s progress through committee and third and final reading; followed by a quick trip through Senate and final Royal Assent. Now is not the time to get cocky or over confident, we all remember just how fast things can come undone in politics. Remember Bill C-301?

October / November 2009

9

by Sean G. Penney, National VP Communications

Vice President’s Column Coalition for Gun Control’s Arguments in Favour of the Long-Gun Registry: Definition of Insanity

I

’m writing this column a couple of weeks after the historic vote on Bill C-391 in the House of Commons. A vote that saw a host of NDP and Liberal MPs vote with the Government to dismantle the much reviled long-gun registry. The lone independent MP, hailing from the province of Quebec, also saw fit to support the law-abiding hunters, target shooters, and sportsmen of his riding.

It is telling to see just how popular the Liberal’s fatally flawed gun control program really is in Ottawa when former high-ranking Liberal cabinet minister and former Solicitor-General, Wayne Easter actually voted to dismantle the registry. This from a man formerly in charge of over-seeing the entire gun control program! So what changed?

Perhaps it was because this was the very first free vote on the subject of gun control in Canada?

For the most part, it is common knowledge these days that the Liberal gun control program has been a flop. Despite recent attempts at whitewashing the outrageous costs of the wholly puerile, politically correct, public-relations-stuntclothed-in-the-guise-of- public-

10

October / November 2009

policy-making, that is the Canadian Firearms Program, the people know better. However, no matter what happens, Canadian taxpayers are out over $2 Billion dollars with little to show for it.

Gun control advocates still continue to argue that the registry has in fact, saved many lives since its implementation. That is simply not true and is more a manifestation of gun control advocates ability to cherry pick “facts” and equivocal “statistics” from non-scientific studies than anything else.

In his paper, “Debunking Myths About the Canadian Firearms Registry,” Professor Gary Mauser is able to succinctly repudiate those false claims. As he noted, at the time of his study, total homicide rates had actually increased since 1998, along with the total number of suicides; this despite small reductions in actual firearm-related suicides. As in so many other industrialized nations, suicides simply used alternative methods when firearms were less readily available. Again, no lives saved.

If we use unadorned “official” government statistics taken directly

from Government of Canada websites, there are approximately 7 million registered long-guns in Canada today. However, of the 2,441 homicides recorded since that mandatory long-gun registration was implemented in 2003, fewer than 2% were committed with registered long-guns (either rifles or shotguns).

That works out to a grand total of 47 registered long-guns since 2003. Not a single one of those 47 deaths were prevented because of the firearms in question were registered, so what is the point to all of this? Would that money have been better spent on health care or better police training?

Arguing that the registry’s “real” value comes into play after the crime has been committed also doesn’t wash. Illegal smuggling by organized crime and by straw purchasers in the US is by far the principal source of crime guns now found on the streets of Canada. Using Department of Justice homicide statistics, for which verifiable details are available, 84% of the firearms used in gun crimes were unregistered and of those, almost 75% were identified as illegally smuggled firearms originating in the United States.

Vancouver Police statistics are even

Canadian Firearms Journal

www.nfa.ca

more damning; with a whopping 97% of firearms seized being unregistered and illegally smuggled into the country from the US. Even the RCMP’s National Weapons Enforcement Support Team, an agency not known for its love of firearms owners, reports that 94% of the firearms they’ve seized are also illegally smuggled into the country.

Can any reasonable person, no matter how repugnant they find firearms, continue to justify the atrocious waste of taxpayer’s money on a program and registry that doesn’t work, never has and isn’t expected to do so anytime soon?

Yet gun control zealots such as Wendy Cukier continue to argue that there is still justification to maintain the long-gun registry; and to continue to spend tens of millions of dollars annually to keep the entire Canadian Firearms Program operating. In a bizarre twist, Cukier and her supporters are now, not only admitting that billions have already been wasted, but are actually using those same figures as a justification for keeping the registry! To paraphrase their argument, it would be a “waste” to simply abandon the registry at this point as the largest cost over-runs are now behind us. They still can’t help fudging the numbers, however, and the “bargain” price of just $2 million per annum is now their official price tag for keeping the registry in operation. In actual fact, the annual operating costs for the entire firearms program averages between $85 and $115 million per year. Yet more smoke and mirrors on the part of the Coalition for Gun Control that brings to mind the famous Einstein definition of insanity: Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

- Albert Einstein If the current argument in favour of keeping the registry doesn’t meet www.nfa.ca

that definition, I don’t know what will.

An inconvenient truth that also arises is the fact that the long-gun registry isn’t complete. Using official government import and export records and pre-registry RCMP statistics, approximately 20+ million firearms had been imported into Canada. In 2001, the “official” number was reduced to 16.5 million guns with no explanation. To date, approximately 7 million firearms have been registered. Even assuming that quite a few of these other guns have been turned in for destruction in the interim, or have been seized by police, there is in excess of some 9-10 million firearms that remain unregistered and unaccounted for.

Using the same statistics, anywhere from 900,000 to some 2.5 million gun owners have simply chosen not to comply with the Canadian Firearms Program and have not obtained a firearms license or registered their guns. These numbers are also so high, that registry supporters cannot dismiss them out of hand. The question then is where are the guns? If in excess of 10 million firearms had been turned into the Crown for destruction where is the documentation and why haven’t our TV’s been filled with images of guns being crushed, melted and chopped up?

The problem of those “gone guns” is compounded by the massive data entry error rates the registry has had to contend with since its inception.

Those error rates are so high that they’ve essentially rendered the entire registry of little practical utility, especially in terms of lawenforcement; since the information cannot be trusted.

police officer would dare trust their life to such information? Any properly trained officer always assumes that there are firearms present in any circumstance unless and until he/she confirms otherwise.

There is little question that gun control advocates are getting desperate and their arguments reflect this fact. One recent political commentator described their position and attempt to “debate” the issue as being akin to a “train wreck.” It would be insane for any government to continue to throw good money after bad knowing what we do today.

Yet as commentator Chris Selley wrote recently, “…cost is beside the point, surely, if it’s just a bad or unnecessary idea to begin with. If the demonstrable benefit is zero, it can’t outweigh any cost.” $2 million or $2 dollars, keeping the registry simply isn’t worth it.

However, until C-391 gains Royal Assent, gun control advocates are going to continue to hammer away at the bill’s supporters. It is our job to let our MPs know that we support them. We need to continue to engage the gun grabbers in real debate. We need to get just as vocal and for every letter or fax sent by a gun grabber, we need to send two. This is crunch time folks and we can’t afford to have any players sitting on the side-lines. All gun owners need to step up and do their part.

Especially now, as the gun control pendulum slowly swings our way; after an interminably long wait of almost fifteen years of toil and trouble. A victory on C-391 is ours to win or lose. I say it is time we racked up one for the win column… we’re due.

Registry employees continue trying to clean the data, but the task they face is equivalent to emptying a swimming pool with a soup spoon.

The old adage, “garbage in/garbage out” holds true. What front-line

Canadian Firearms Journal

October / November 2009

11

Letters to the Dear NFA,

Dear NFA,

I have been a member ever since the NFA was formed. I believe you guys are doing a good job and I really found Sean Penney’s article, “What Makes a Modern Sporting Rifle,” in your Oct/Nov issue, to be of great interest to me as the owner of a Colt AR-15 target rifle.

Congratulations and thanks for your persistent efforts to help bring about the end of the long-gun registry as evidenced by the recent historic free-vote in the House of Commons. With this win, does that mean I can get rid of all those annoying paper registration certificates? What about my PAL?

I also have two CZ 858 rifles that fire a 7.62x39mm round. One is restricted, on account of the barrel length of 390mm, and the other is non-restricted, as the barrel length is greater than 470mm. Both can use standard 30 rnd. capacity magazines that have been limited to hold only five rounds just like the AR. I can take the longer bbl. CZ deer hunting, while I can only fire the other two at an approved range. What makes the other two inherently more dangerous? The two inches of barrel length perhaps? How does the government justify this discrepancy?

Burt C.

Dear Burt, We agree that our current system of classification is confusing and wholly arbitrary. This is due mainly to how the Liberal’s Firearms Act was actually written. Rather than classify by type, authors of the bill named specific firearms and variants.

As a result, firearms that have been imported after this law entered into force, have often escaped more restrictive classifications, as they are not specifically named in the Act.

Dear Gary, Thanks for your kind words, but there are many individuals, groups and courageous MPs who played key roles in this victory as well. We couldn’t have done it without them and they all deserve a big thumbs up.

However, the recent vote was not the end of the process. Before Bill C-391 can become law, it must first pass through the parliamentary committee review process, go through a third reading in the House, be approved by the Senate and finally be signed into law by the Governor-General. Sounds complicated, but the key vote is now behind us.

Unfortunately, our gun laws do not have to make sense, yet we must still comply with them as law-abiding citizens. The NFA continues to work toward replacing these bad gun laws and returning common sense and natural justice for all gun owners to the equation. Banning or restricting guns purely based on cosmetics is stupid and pointless as your CZ rifles clearly show.

Unfortunately, the registry is still with us until then, so you need to hang onto those registration certificates. Also, please remember that if passed, C-391 will only eliminate the non-restricted, long-gun registry. There will still be mandatory registration of all restricted and prohibited hand guns and long-guns and you will still be required to possess and renew your firearms license.

Editors

Editors

How much difference is an inch or two in barrel length going to make to you as a CZ-858 owner? In practical terms you’d be hard pressed to determine any appreciable difference. There would be next to no practical difference in terminal ballistics.

12

Garry A.

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

Editor

Canadian

Firearms Journal The Official Magazine of the

National Firearms Association Editor................................................................ CFJEditor@gmail.com Sean Penney & Grayson Penney

Dear NFA, While I’m a long-term member of the NFA and life-long gun owner, I realized that I was one of those guys who wasn’t really “engaged” in the fight to protect our rights as law-abiding gun owners. I want to get more proactive and the recent win on C-391 has shown me that we can make a difference. What can I do?

Stephen P.

Advertising.........................................................................info@nfa.ca Diane Laitila (780) 439-1394 Accounts / Membership / General Info ................ membership@nfa.ca Legal Inquiries ................................................................. legal@nfa.ca

National Executive National President .........................................................(780) 439-1394 Blair Hagen natpres@nfa.ca

Dear Stephen, Thank-you for making such an important decision! Joining the NFA was a great first move. We are heartened by your decision to get even more pro-active.

National Vice-President Communication......................(780) 439-1394 Sean Penney natvpc@nfa.ca National Vice-President Finance...................................(780) 439-1394 Henry Atkinson natvpf@nfa.ca

Making time to send hand-written letters to your MP, Opposition Party Leaders, local newspapers, etc…, on a regular basis, is a good first step. Taking the time to get educated on the issues and helping other shooters do the same is another great option.

Provincial Contacts

However, if you really want to get engaged, why not become a volunteer NFA Field Officer? They act as our eyes & ears in your local community and provide the NFA with a visible, physical presence within your shooting community.

Saskatchewan ................................................................. skpres@nfa.ca Dan Lupichuk (306) 332-3907

Editors

British Columbia ............................................................bcpres@nfa.ca Sheldon Clare (250) 563-2804 Alberta................................................................................info@nfa.ca (780) 439-1394

Manitoba .................................................................mvormeng@nfa.ca Mike Vormeng (204) 886-2667 Ontario ...........................................................................onpres@nfa.ca Bill Rantz (705) 385-2636 Quebec ...........................................................................pqpres@nfa.ca Phil Simard (514) 365-0685 Vice-President sab@nfa.ca Stephen Buddo (450) 430-0786 Nova Scotia .................................................................... nspres@nfa.ca Dave Udle (902) 567-3600

Questions?

Do you have a question? Something you want clarified? Please send us a letter or an e-mail. We would love to hear from you.

Letters should be directed to the Editor. Legal and political questions should be directed to the NFA Legal Department. Letters must include the Name, Address, and Phone Number of the sender.

P.O. Box 52183 Edmonton, AB Canada T6G 2T5

New Brunswick......................................................................................

Harland Cook (506) 459-7416 Newfoundland ................................................................natvpc@nfa.ca Sean Penney (709) 598-2040 Cathy Keane (709) 368-3920 Publication Sales Agreement 40050578

National Firearms Association Box 52183 Edmonton, Alberta Canada T6G 2T5

Tel: (780) 439-1394 Fax: (780) 439-4091 info@nfa.ca www.nfa.ca

e-mail: info@nfa.ca www.nfa.ca f

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

13 1

by: Grayson Penney

Legal Corner How a

Bill Becomes Law

W

ith the recent historic vote in the House of Commons on Portage-Lisgar MP Candice Hoeppner’s private member’s bill, Bill C-391, which is aimed at dismantling the failed long-gun registry, - we at NFA thought it timely to provide our members with key background information related to the legislative process in Canada.

14

reading. From there the bill is passed onto the Senate for debate, review and adoption. While Liberals currently enjoy a majority in the Senate, by the time C-391 reaches the Senate it is anticipated that the

Despite some confusion in the media and your local gun stores, the recent November 4th vote approving passage of C-391 does not mean that the long-gun registry is now gone, nor does it mean that C-391 is now law. It is not. However, the bill has passed what is called “Second Reading” which is the most critical vote and stage of the entire process. The bill does not affect firearms licensing, and gun owners are still required to possess a valid license just as long as they are in possession of a firearm.

How a Bill Becomes Law •

notice of motion for leave to introduce and placement on Order Paper;

•

preparation of a bill by a committee (where applicable);

•

introduction and first reading;

C-391 has passed an important hurdle, the second reading. It is at this point that most controversial bills are hotly debated in parliament and, depending on popularity, are either defeated, thus killing the bill, or are approved and are sent on to committee for review. While in committee no substantial amendments are permitted to the bill that would change the principal intent of the bill. Thus, Liberal and NDP committee members cannot defeat the intent of the bill’s sponsor by adding a “poison pill” to the bill that would force government MPs to vote against it.

•

reference to a committee before second reading (where applicable);

•

second reading and reference to a committee;

•

consideration in committee;

•

report stage;

•

third reading (and passage);

•

consideration and passage by the Senate;

•

passage of Senate amendments by the Commons (where applicable);

Conservative MP Garry Brietkreuz is the current chair of the Public Safety committee which is tasked with reviewing C-391. It is anticipated that opposition MPs will try to draw out the review process to the full 90 days permitted under Canadian Law, but there is little doubt that it will be sent back to the House for third and final

•

Royal Assent, and

•

coming into force.

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

balance will have swung in favour of the Conservatives due to retirements and resignations due to illness, etc‌ From the Senate, the bill goes to the GovernorGeneral for Royal Assent, followed by entry into force and then the bill becomes the law of the land.

The legislative process, or more properly the actual creation of law, is perhaps the single most important function of Parliament. By design, it is often a long

and drawn out process that forces debate on the principal value of the proposed legislation. The Canadian Parliamentary process is essentially a carbon copy of the British model and the two basically follow the same process.

The noted order is a much simplified description of the process. In truth, the process is deliberately complex to serve as a means of checks and balances to prevent trivial or flippant law-making.

No matter the issue, no bill can become law under the Canadian system without first having the same, exact text gaining the approval of both the lower and upper Houses of Parliament, followed

by Royal Assent. Thereafter, the bill is assigned a Chapter number and will enter into force either on the day Royal Assent is made, on a date specified by the bill itself, or as specified on the orders of the Governor in Council.

Each one of us is...

An ambassador, a teacher, and a mentor. One of the most important functions of the 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 the 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 the

National Firearms Association to help protect my rights to own and use firearms. $100

$50

$25

$________

My Cheque or Money Order enclosed Charge my Visa/MasterCard/AMEX Card #:______________________________________ Expiry: ____________ Signature: ______________________________________________________

Name: _________________________________________________________ Address: _______________________________________________________ City/Town: ________________ Prov:_________ Postal Code: ____________ Ph.:__________________________ Fx.: ______________________________ E-mail: ________________________________________________________ Mail this form to: National Firearms Association, Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5

www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

15

by Sean G. Penney

The Peaceable Kingdom Myth: Modern Lawlessness in Canada

A

s I sit at the computer writing my latest column, a lawsuit brought against the Ontario government of Dalton McGuinty and the Ontario Provincial Police began in the Superior Court of Ontario. The plaintiffs in the case were Caledonia, Ontario residents, Mr. David Brown and his wife Dana Chatwell. They’re suing their government and the OPP for their de facto refusal to protect them, their son and their property during the native uprising and uncontested state of anarchy that arose in their hometown in the spring of 2006.

Mr. Brown has stated that they felt abandoned by their government, the police and essentially ended up being victimized by both the native protestors and the OPP. The latter occurred following Mr. Brown’s arrest by the Ontario Provincial Police, - when he refused to recognize a native erected barricade that was preventing him from returning to his home following a baseball game. Surrounded and jostled by the native hooligans, Mr. Brown was physically intimidated and ultimately arrested by the OPP for not respecting the native border. Unbelievable!

Three years later, the images remain fresh in my mind of mounds of burning tires blocking public streets, power lines and transformers being torn down and destroyed, cars being thrown over an overpass and bridges being burned; while the bucolic, friendly, “little” town of Caledonia became a sad, yet infuriatingly, “Canadianized” version of Mogadishu, Somalia. Its residents trapped in some twisted version of the Hollywood movie, “Blackhawk Down.”

What we witnessed there was a complete and utter breakdown in government, law and order and basic infrastructure. The local fire department was unable to respond to deliberately set fires due to security concerns and fears of native reprisals. Law enforcement no longer existed within the “borders” of the native fortifications and area residents found themselves subjected to unceasing 16

October / November 2009

harassment, physical and psychological abuse and ultimately were civically “emasculated” when they were forced to start carrying native issued “passports.”

After weeks of being subjected to these home-grown terror tactics, Mr. Brown, once known as the “Q-King” of the neighbourhood for his ever popular neighbourhood barbeques, was at the end of his rope. Over the preceding weeks he had seen the carefully constructed life he and his wife had made for themselves, and their son, disintegrate before his eyes. A life’s work and savings was essentially rendered worthless as they saw the $30,000 investment they had made in Dana’s home-based hair-styling business collapse, along with their property values; while their physical dwelling was vandalized and damaged and their private property stolen. Eventually the violence and ceaseless protests and 24/7 martial drumming forced them to send their teenage son away for his own safety.

David, desperate to protect what was left of his home and life’s work, forced himself to stay up round the clock, often sitting in his kitchen in the dark, shotgun resting between his knees; while his faithful dog served as early warning system and patrol partner. This went on for days and weeks, until finally, Mr. Brown found himself resorting to illegal stimulants in order to stay awake and vigilant enough to repel the unknown number of potential home invaders, vandals, arsonists that were to be found amongst the legitimate native protestors.

An unwise decision, admittedly, but given the strain he was under at the time I can appreciate the desperation which almost certainly drove this average, married family man and father to step over that line. However, given just how badly the lines, between what was lawful and what was lawless, had become blurred – due solely to the McGuinty government’s lack of action and the protestor’s equal lack of respect for the law itself, I can forgive him this mistake.

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

As an outside observer, I can’t say that all natives were guilty of such despicable and lawless acts during the uprising, they were not. I’m not prejudiced in any way, shape or form against any first nation’s peoples.

Heck, I grew up playing with kids of native heritage and several of my college roommates were card-carrying status natives. Those guys remain extremely good friends of mine to this day. We share many common interests, including a love of the outdoors, responsible firearms ownership and hunting. Those experiences, however, shaped who I am today and that, I think, permits me to look at the Caledonia “crisis” with objective eyes.

Unfortunately, within any group, regardless of ethnicity, race or creed, there are always those who will revel in anarchy, destruction and blood, should the opportunity present itself. Unfortunately for the Brown’s and their neighbours, more than a few such individuals arranged to man the barricades in Caledonia that spring and ultimately took advantage of the Ontario premier’s lack of intestinal fortitude and Neville Chamberlainesque faith in appeasement to solve his government’s challenges.

While it may not be popular to admit it, the OPP, to a degree, were also victims of the McGuinty government’s congenital inability to cope or deal with anything of a potentially politically explosive or politically incorrect nature. The premier and his ministers were tested and found wanting, much to the detriment of the Brown’s and the other residents of Caledonia. The protestors, some would say domestic terrorists, overtly demonstrated a complete lack of respect and recognition of our society’s mores and norms…and the government did nothing. “Policy implications” were at play.

As a student of political science, “policy implications,” translated, essentially meant that the rights and freedoms of the law-abiding residents

of Caledonia were sacrificed on the altar of political correctness and/or the “politics of the situation.” The McGuinty government was paralyzed with fear that Caledonia would become another Oka or Ipperwash. As a result, the OPP found their hand’s tied, much to the chagrin of frontline officers and residents alike. Yet, despite the premier’s highly developed sense of confrontation avoidance, it would seem that he is finally being called to account, through the bravery of Mr. Brown and his family. While I wouldn’t be surprised if the province offers to settle out of court, given McGuinty’s established track record of buying off opposing parties in order to avoid having to actually govern, - it is significant that his government, his premiership and his law-enforcement agencies are finally being called to account and to defend their decisionmaking or lack thereof.

There is no question the system failed Mr. Brown. Badly. However, even when the dawn was furthest away and he found himself abused and victimized by the system and the protestors, and his life and that of his family under threat; Mr. Brown opted to exercise his right to self defence as laid out under Sections 34-37 of the Criminal Code of Canada. I certainly don’t approve or condone all of his actions, but this one I can respect.

Dr. Gary Mauser, in his paper, “Armed self defense: the Canadian case,” described self defence as a “troublesome right.” Common sense and tradition would support our inalienable right to protect ourselves from attack or physical harm and, to varying degrees; this right has been entrenched in law such as our Criminal Code. However, successive liberal governments, starting with Pierre Trudeau, have attempted to strip those rights, and indeed, the very ability of Canadians to exercise same via their grand scheme to “socially re-engineer Canada,” (as Liberal Senator Sharon Carstairs described it, starting with their introduction of Bill C-68.)

Universal registration of firearms, Senator Carstairs contended, was but the first step in this process. As we have seen most recently in the city of Toronto, left-wing liberal mayor, David Miller and his equally leftist Chief of Police, Bill Blair are doing their best to carry on with this preposterous scheme via their equally specious crime-prevention enterprise, “Project Safe City.” As we have seen, registration does equal confiscation and in doing so, Chief Blair and Mayor Miller are stripping their otherwise law-abiding citizens of their ability to offer a genuine defense against the urban thugs and gangsters that have turned Canada’s largest city into a cesspit.

This is a miscarriage of justice and will do nothing to prevent crime or improve public safety. Gun grabbers such as David Miller, Dalton McGunity, Bill Blair and Wendy Cukier all argue that their actions are justified since they are serving the public “good.” or at least the public good as they interpret it. They have essentially taken the right to self-defence out of our current public debate on the future of our rights as responsible firearms owners and citizens. As Dr. Mauser has pointed out, hunting and sport aside, the intensity of the entire debate dramatically increases when firearms and the issue of self-defence is addressed. I would argue that this is resultant from the anti-gunner’s fear of firearms and more importantly the so-called “threat” the courageous individual act of defending oneself poses to their, “…faith in the rule of law.”

What individuals such as Wendy Cukier, David Miller or Bill Blair fail to address is what happens when there is no law? Look at New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, look at Mogadishu, and look at Caledonia. The actions of Mr. Brown in Caledonia, or more recently, B.C. jeweler David Galloway, were wholly justified and posed no threat to their

Continued on page 19 www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

17

by: Wm. Rantz

A Gentleman & His Rifle!

The Gentleman J. P. (Paddy) Reain was born in County Down, Northern Ireland in 1907. The Reain Family moved to Canada about 1920. Life in his new country provided Paddy with the opportunity to pursue adventure, develop many skills as well as tremendous knowledge of machines, firearms, politics and war.

Paddy was fascinating to talk with and I was fortunate enough to share many discussions with him over the years. He had spent a total of 25 years in the Canadian army and several years in the merchant marines. Paddy married Irene Rantz of Petawawa, Ontario and had two sons Jimmy and David. A great portion of their time together was spent living in Cookstown, Ontario. After his wife Irene passed away, followed shortly after by the sudden and unexpected passing of David, Paddy moved to Petawawa and lived his final years on the old Rantz homestead.

During the summer of 1992 I photographed Paddy at the age of 85, beside his bicycle, which he still rode, sharing time with his great niece Lisa and great nephew Ryan. He still enjoyed entertaining young children with tales of Ireland’s little people. Aging lungs had forced Paddy to give up his musical passion for the bagpipes which he had played for many years.

Paddy passed away in 1995 at the age of eighty-eight. As with the passing of all seniors, a great deal of knowledge and experience was lost forever. Prior to his death Paddy had given me a rifle of which we had spoken many times. My fascination was not only with the rifle but the fact that Paddy possessed the skills required to build it himself.

It is this rifle I would like to share with the members of the National Firearms Association as it speaks volumes about the man who turned wood and steel into a fine shooting muzzleloader.

The Rifle Paddy Reain wanted a muzzleloading rifle which would enable him to shoot groundhogs on the farmland around Cookstown, Ontario. He began looking for the lock, stock and barrel that would together form a great rifle for that specific purpose.

18

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

The lock was based on the lockplate of an 1864 Enfield. Paddy built new springs and modified the hammer to allow his homemade trigger mechanism to function effectively.

The stock was constructed from a single piece of birdseye maple plank that Paddy located in Sprucedale, Ontario. It is highly figured and one solid piece that runs from the buttplate to the hand cast forend cap. Three brass wedges hold the barrel firmly in place and an attractive yet functional brass patchbox completes the stock.

Paddy had previously constructed a rifling machine to allow him to hand rifle barrels. The steel chosen for this rifle was discarded by a company drilling in the area at that time. The barrel is 41 inches long, 0.937 inches wide and the bore is 45 calibre with eight groove rifling. Several years later the rifling machine was placed on display at a relative’s antique store and was unfortunately destroyed in an overnight fire.

When assembled the rifle was 57 ½ inches long and weighed an awesome 11 ¾ pounds. A Ross receiver sight was adapted to the tang creating an overall 45 ½ inch sighting plane. This rifle dwarfed the Winchester and Savage rifles of the era but according to Paddy was extremely accurate and certainly did a fine job when hunting the varmints for which it was intended. His recommended load was a patched round ball over 60 grains of FFG and Paddy further advised me to sight the rifle 1 ½ inches high at 65 paces for optimal trajectory.

When I take this rifle in my hands I am filled with memories of Paddy. He was certainly a unique and very interesting individual with a love of firearms.

My father Ernie took me deer hunting at a property that Paddy owned near Gravenhurst, Ontario in the late 1950s. Paddy was hunting with a 57 Snider which he let me shoot several times. No doubt Paddy’s respect for antique firearms became part of my character that day. I feel very fortunate to have enjoyed his company on many occasions and extremely proud to have been able to call him Uncle Paddy.

In closing, there are many seniors at our shooting clubs, hunt camps and gun shows that possess knowledge gained only through a lifetime of experience.

Sharing time with these individuals will enhance both of your lives as well as increase your personal knowledge and passion for the shooting sports. Do it now…. as time passes much faster than we dare to admit.

www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

Continued from page 17 personal faith in the rule of law, or indeed the actual rule of law itself; for both men were forced by their attackers into a state of being where no such law existed. Both men found themselves in the most primal of survival situations where only the Law of the Jungle and not that of man ruled. Wendy Cukier and David Miller may kid themselves and pretend that the right to self-defence is no longer applicable to the Canadian polity, but I beg to differ. Their supporters may try to argue that gun ownership and by inference the use of firearms for self-defence is somehow “unCanadian” and simply unprecedented for our “Peaceable Kingdom, but the aftermath of Hurrican Katrina, the uprising in Caledonia and the everyday predation of thugs and gangsters on honest, hardworking people in our large urban centers shows just how thin that veneer of civilization really is.

It is time for liberals, of all stripes, to put aside their fears and mistaken preconceptions of responsible, law-abiding firearms ownership, and our inherent right to self-defence, and open a real debate on how the world actually is and not how they pretend it to be. Canada, as a “Peaceable Kingdom” has always been nothing more than a wellspun myth. Our nation was founded upon the backs of brave explorers, planters, fur traders, voyageurs and soldiers who carved for themselves, out of the pristine wilderness, a new life with musket and rifle in hand. Now, centuries later, while we may have pushed the jungle back somewhat, predators still exist and the “Peaceable Kingdom” remains nothing more than a myth.

October / November 2009

19

by: Bruce Gold

Roots of Gun Control: Pseudo Science & Self-Defence

“I

nvestigating the Link Between Gun Possession and Gun Assault,” by Charles C. Branas, et al. * is a recent paper that has found much acceptance within pro-gun control advocacy circles.

The authors contended, that, “on average, guns did not protect those who possessed them from being shot in an assault.” According to their conclusions, “…individuals in possession of a gun were 4.46 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession [of firearms].”

To fully grasp the fallacy inherent within this study, it is helpful to place it within the context of the larger gun control debate.

One of the most persistent patterns of the gun control debate is the use of cost / benefit studies to “prove” one view or another. The anti-gun crowd has adopted the tactic of only looking at the cost side of firearms. Beneficial use, when recognized at all, is trivialized as “hobbies,” with little social value beyond a somewhat questionable personal recreation element. In order to keep the sleeping giant of the hunter’s lobby disinterested, reassurances are usually given or implied that “honest sportsman” are not the target; it’s just the other guns – the bad ones - that are the issue This has allowed the popularization of a false cost / benefit calculation. The authors accentuate the dangers and/or costs of firearms, while trivializing or ignoring the benefits.

As such, the argument can be made that guns, in the hands of citizens, are just too dangerous to be tolerated. The authors use high profile shootings to frame the gun control debate as a straightforward value judgement between somebody’s “hobby” and murdered innocents. Obviously the deck has been loaded against legal firearms ownership and responsible firearms owners.

However, their skewed anti-gun position has a major weakness. Guns are regularly used for self-defence and are known to deter criminals and reduce crime. More importantly, there is empirical data to support this position.

Consequently, the crime control benefits of guns are now becoming more widely accepted. It can be argued that 20

October / November 2009

this is due, in part, to the dramatic rise in CCW legislation throughout much of the United States that permits private, law–abiding citizens to carry concealed firearms for selfdefence. Instead of the predicted bloodbaths, crime rates have dropped in CCW states, and the ordinary citizen has proven themselves fully able to handle both stress and firearms. The anti-gunners have responded to this very unwelcome empirical evidence with a renewed assault on the effectiveness of guns for self-defence.

Data for the study was collected between 2003-2006 and focused primarily on crime statistics for the city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and the incidence of selfdefence with a firearm. A case control study design was used to determine the relationship between being shot during an assault and the victim’s possession of a gun at the time.

Case control is a method that tries to identify the causeeffect relationship statistically. The history of one group’s (participants) exposure to a suspected risk, is compared with the history of another group (controls) who resemble participants in as many relevant respects as possible, but don’t share the condition of interest. In this study, the condition of interest was being shot during an armed assault. Statistical analysis was used to determine whether the outcome (being shot) was more common amongst those with the suspected risk (being armed).

The findings of this analysis were expressed as odds ratios.

After narrowing the population studied, for example by excluding victims under 21 who could not legally carry a gun, the authors focused on 677 victims who where shot during a firearms assault and 684 persons who where not assaulted and not shot. The two groups, case participants (those shot) and control participants (not shot) where matched based on age, race, gender, and time of the incident.

Control group members were sampled from all of Philadelphia via random-digit dialling. Respondents

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

where regarded as being in possession of a gun, “…if they reported any guns in a holster they were wearing, in a pocket or waistband, in a nearby vehicle, or in another place, quickly available and ready to fire at the time of their matched case’s shooting.” The Participant group was classified as to gun possession based on police reports.

Assumptions and Stories All research and analysis was based on various assumptions about how things work, what constitutes evidence and where such evidence might be found. Real research strives to make these assumptions as correct as possible and strives to find empirical evidence to support them. Pseudo science seeks assumptions that will bias the findings in the desired direction.

Dr Branas begins by assuming, “…that the resident population of Philadelphia risked being shot in an assault at any location and at any time of day or night.” He regards this as an, “…acceptable assumption because guns are mobile, potentially concealable items and the bullets they fire can pass through obstacles and travel long distances.”

Since all members of the population are equal in their “potential” exposure to the risk, he can include people (his controls) who, “were, for instance, asleep at home during the night, or at work in an office building during the day.”

The author justifies his selection of a control group based on an assumption of equal risk. However, the facts do not provide sufficient justification for that assumption.

It is common knowledge that some geographical areas, and some activities, are more dangerous then others. The Philadelphia Police Department, which supported his research, maintains a public web site locating high crime area. We might also note that his own research data invalidates the author’s own assumption. Some 83% of his participants where shot while “outside” whereas only 9% of his control group, none of whom were shot, were outside.

However, if his assumption that all areas are equally dangerous is true, then he can use it to argue against reverse causation. He can argue that guns are involved in violence because guns cause violence and dismiss the notion that gun involvement in violence is caused by people reacting to a threat.

Dr Branas also introduces that tried and true standby of pseudo science and the anti-gun movement; that is the story. This consists of simply fantasizing a scenario that justifies and supports one’s position. The good doctor, without presenting any empirical evidence from his study simply imagines that gun possession (for defence) is more dangerous because a, “…gun may falsely empower its possessor to overreact, instigating and losing otherwise

tractable conflicts with similarly armed persons. Along the same lines, individuals who are in possession of a gun may increase their risk of gun assault by entering dangerous environments that they would have normally avoided.

Alternatively, an individual may bring a gun to an otherwise gun-free conflict only to have that gun wrested away and turned on them.” With this reasoning, the root cause of violence, a critical element in the study, is glibly assigned to gun owners and their reckless behaviour.

Actual Results The study compared all gun assaults where the victim was shot (case participants) with a demographically similar group in which no assaults or gunshots were reported.

(Control participants).

All Gun Assaults

Case

Control

Participants

Participants

total number 677 number shot 677 % shot 100% Gun possession % 5.92% “outside” at time of shooting % 83.13%

684 0 0% 7.16% 9.05%

Dr. Branas calculated that “individuals who were in possession of a gun were 4.46 times more likely to be shot in an assault than those not in possession [of a firearm].” Unfortunately, how he calculated this number is something of a mystery, since he did not describe the calculation in his paper. It is also somewhat mysterious because it is statistically impossible to derive the effect of gun possession from the groups being compared. (Since, the outcomes have been determined by how the groups are defined - 100% shot and 0% shot - the effect of having a gun for self-defence on outcomes can not be established.)

In order to determine, at least statistically, what the relationship of “having a gun” has to do with being shot during a firearms assault one would have to consider all “firearms assaults” and compare the differences in outcomes for the armed and unarmed victims. The probability of outcomes such as shot or not shot could them be calculated and compared. We might also note in passing that the control group (not assaulted, not shot) had a higher percentage of gun possession, which contradicts Branas’s conclusions.

In short, this is another example of pseudo science using incorrect assumptions, strange statistical analysis and glib imaginative “scenarios” to justify a pre-determined agenda with the veneer of science.

Bruce Gold is a freelance researcher and writer interested in a number of public policy issues. He has a website at http://www.FactFallacyFirearms. org and can be reached for comment at goldb@telus.net * http://works.bepress.com/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1087&context=dennis_culhane (November 2009, Vol 99, No. 11 | American Journal of Public Health 2034-2040)

www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

21

By: Sybil & Gary Kangas

Boomtown A cowboy town preserving our Firearms Heritage

Gary & Sybil Kangas have produced Wild West shows, videos and stage productions. Their writing has been published in: Trails End Magazine, Guns & Ammo and the Cowboy Chronicle plus various newspapers and journals. They are international competitors in Cowboy Action Shooting, life members of the Single Action Shooting Society (SASS) and long time members of the National Firearms Association.

The Comox Valley is an historic place due to its geography. In the 19th century loggers tended their booms on Comox Lake. The adjoining mountains supported trappers, traders, frontiersmen and the aboriginal people. In Cumberland, adjacent to the area, were mines and miners. To the south, the seafaring men of Nanaimo and the ranchers of the Cowichan Valley could be found. All enjoyed a close relationship with firearms and indeed, firearms were by necessity a critical part of their dayto-day lives.

Fast forward some 100+ years and you’ll find on the east side of Comox Lake a jewel of a range belonging to the Courtenay Fish & Game Association.

Phil Peterson is a very progressive member of the Courtenay Fish & Game. Phil being an avid Cowboy Action shooter envisioned a cowboy town range, and then turned inspiration into perspiration. He and a very focused cadre of conspirators designed and built a cowboy range equaling any that exist called Boomtown. Entry to the town

Photo credits to: Rick Garrick, Holger Dittberner, Gary Kangas, Ingrid Fossam, James Doe, Photography, and Lars Olsson, Photography 22

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

The National Firearms Association has an active and growing membership of shooters and hunters. If you would like to reach each and every one of them, advertise in the

Canadian Firearms Journal.

Interested?

Call us at (780) 439-1394 or e-mail us at info@nfa.ca

is through a mine shaft. You exit the 21st century and enter the 19th century. The range has multiple bays, featuring mining, freighting, livery, a fort, provincial police station, numerous false fronts, a house, well, saloon and a general store under construction.

Phil’s associate, Ed Gee and seven other members have created this wonderful Cowboy Action shooting venue. They have tirelessly pursued acquisition of materials and with eager hands of a few others have developed the bays, props and facades.

The Cowboy Action shooting unit is called The Valley Regulators another creation of Phil and associates.

They have hosted the Single Action Shooting Society Canadian Regional in 2008 and 2009 called “Bustup at Boomtown.” They will host the Regional again in September 2010. Boomtown is also the site of monthly matches and the Valley Regulators summer match “Showdown at Boomtown.” Their achievements are a credit to their vigor, ability and determination.

Preserving our firearms heritage requires effort and we are grateful that individuals such as Phil and committee are willing to contribute on this scale.

www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

23

Olympic Hopeful

The NFA was privileged to meet with TEAM NFA Olympic biathlete hopeful Megan Tandy during training in Whistler, BC. Megan Tandy is a 21 year old biathlete. She was Canadian champion for her age category, and is likely to be named to the Canadian Olympic Team this December. She completed her Olympic qualification last season. She is training in Europe this fall to prepare for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver-Whistler. Megan is from Prince George BC and has competed in biathlon since 2001 & concluded her junior career with two gold medals at the Oberhof, Germany, Summer Junior World Championships. Megan began her biathlon training at the Caledonia Nordic Ski Club where she fell in love with shooting and skiing.

NFA – Hi Megan thanks for being here.

Megan – Thanks for having me.

NFA- So why biathlon?

Megan – I get asked that a lot. I cross-country skied as a kid and took Jack Rabbit ski lessons: my Mom and Dad wanted me out and active and I loved it, so that helped a lot. I also had a babysitter when I was young and he did biathlon and I thought he was a pretty cool guy, so when I saw the athletes out shooting I said “Mom, I want to try that!” I think that the biggest thing was that Jeremy Campbell and Fiona Coy, the volunteer coaches at Otway in Prince George, were really positive, very safety oriented, and made it fun so that my parents felt secure when I first tried the shooting aspect of the sport. I actually hit five out of five in my first attempt, and that really sold me – it was so satisfying. There is nothing like reactive targets and from the first five shots I was in!

NFA – You’re currently training in Europe. The Europeans really treat biathlon and other shooting sports differently than here in Canada; do you find that to be the case?

Megan – Yes. I would definitely say that biathlon has an enormous amount of support in Europe compared to Canada. It is much more popular in Europe and in some countries, like Germany, it’s the number one watched winter sport. The public interest and fan support is comparable to how Canadians back our hockey players.

It is also much more casual, even coming and going from the country with our firearms, it’s a lot simpler over there. You’ve got to have your paperwork and follow the rules, but it’s not usually too complicated from a travel perspective, unlike North America.

NFA – Obviously biathlon requires a specialized firearm. What can you tell us about your preferred competition rifle?

Megan – It is a .22 long rifle, it is very biathlon specific. Mine is a highly customized Anschutz, model 1847; it is a sprint barrel, so it is the lightest model available. Every angle and measurement of the stock is designed to fit my size, shape and shooting position perfectly and was made by a master stock maker. In biathlon we have some pretty specific rules regarding the minimum allowable rifle weight, trigger pressure and stock dimensions. As a result, my stock is within grams of the minimum weight and is shaped to give me maximum height in my standing shooting position. I always travel with a spare stock to training camps and more importantly, competitions. That 24

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

way if I have a fall or collision skiing and break my stock I can replace it immediately and will only lose one race – as long as I don’t damage my action or sights of course.

In biathlon you are looking through a peep site 50 meters from the targets.

My preference is the round sight with the little circle inside and I prefer the one with the horizontal line parallel with the ground so that I can see if my rifle is canted and how much. I have tried a variety of sights but generally stick with the same size unless it is foggy or very dim light in which case I tend to move to something a bit bigger.

NFA – When you miss a shot what goes on in your mind? Are you thinking about that last shot or the next shot?

Megan – It depends. In a race it has to be a bit of both. I need to think about the last shot because I have to think why I missed, in case there is a sight correction that I need to make, before taking another shot. At the same time I can’t freak out, and I can’t lose my rhythm and focus. Generally my rule is, if you miss one shot, ignore it. Keep on the plan, keep on the rhythm, keep on whatever the mental keywords or focus may be. If you miss two shots, take a second to think about why. You are either going too fast, or something’s not right, you’re overlooking some aspect, maybe

www.nfa.ca

the wind’s come up, because you shouldn’t miss two shots. Sometimes it is just regrouping.

NFA – In biathlon things happen fast; it is all about time and score. How important is your ammunition for success?

Megan – Ammunition is very important because often we are shooting in very cold temperatures.

Every year I have a variety of ammunition tested at zero degrees and again at -20. This means that my barrel also needs to be cold for the testing.

My ammunition has been tested by a professional and I always make sure I buy enough of the same lot number so that all my races for the entire season will be using the same ammunition.

My race ammo will shoot all of the bullets literally on top of each other at -20 degrees from 50m. It is important because every shot has a huge impact on the race – I know I will not miss a target during the Olympic Games because of my ammunition! It is also good because of my brain – if I miss, it was not the rifle, and it was not the bullet. I know there’s the only the human factor.

NFA – What are you using for ammunition, or this a closely guarded secret?

Megan – I am using Lapua Biathlon Polar as race ammunition; it’s the

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

ammunition of choice for this season.

I train with Lapua Standard Club because it’s more affordable and it’s pretty decent. So yeah I have had about 3,000 rounds of the Polar that just rocks my barrel.

NFA – How many rounds are you shooting in a season?

Megan – Last season, just under 10,000 rounds. Lots of athletes, as you increase in age, shoot up to 13,000 rounds in a season. It goes quickly when you are shooting all the time. Sometimes I look at my box of ammunition and see, wow it’s gone.

It is expensive, and a lot depends on sponsorship. Often Team Canada gets an allotment of Lapua ammunition; usually Midas or Super-Club, via sponsors, but it never goes as far as we’d like. It is a big expense.

NFA – In my small-bore experience I found that shooting a fouled bore actually improves accuracy. Do you shoot a dirty bore when you compete?

What maintenance regime do you follow for your rifle?

Megan – I typically shoot a fouled bore. In terms of cleaning the bore pre-race, there would always be one or two shooting sessions in between the cleaning and the competition. I would never clean my bore the evening or morning before a race. In terms of maintenance, you clean the extractor,

October / November 2009

25

extractor pins, and sights. Whenever my rifle gets wet, I always run a patch through the bore after.

NFA - Biathlon is a physically challenging sport. How do you compensate while shooting?

Megan – It mostly comes down to timing and control. If I am skiing in a race my heart rate is between 180 and 192 depending on the course. About 100 metres before the range I am slowing myself down, I have stopped pushing to go faster and although I am still skiing my focus has moved from skiing to shooting. The means I am taking longer, deeper breaths, I am checking the wind flags and deciding if I need to make a sight correction before I reach my shooting lane, I am taking in where other athletes are on the range – depending on the race, I can chose where I want to shoot which means I have the tactical decision to shoot right beside another athlete, maybe put some pressure on them, or to shoot alone where maybe I can better focus on myself, or to shoot where the wind is most similar to my zero wind, or to shoot on a lane close to my zero lane and of course, I need to make sure I am shooting in the correct section of the range (prone or standing). By the time I am in full position on the mat (which is only 20 seconds later) my heart rate is going to be down to between 160 and 170, which for me is manageable. Part of the key is that it cannot be too slow. It still takes a lot of control, but in terms of the heart rate there is definitely a zone where it is more manageable. If it is too high, it is out of control; if it is too low, then you have that thumping in your head and ears.

NFA – The targets you shoot are quite small aren’t they, especially at 50 Meters?

Megan – Yes, 11.5cm diameter for standing and a 4.5cm diameter circle for prone.

NFA – What do you find is the most challenging aspect of all of this?

26

October / November 2009

Megan – I would say there are two challenging aspects of the sport for me… first, it’s mental. It’s not the breathing or my body or whether my muscles are tired or shaking or full of lactate but what’s going on in my brain. I have a very aggressive mental approach to the competition. It is difficult for me to come to the range and think “target – trigger”, my brain wants to be on the ski course. The other thing is I’m too analytic…I like to know where I am in the race and know who is behind and in front of me. One of my major goals is to shut out every other thought and only see my target for that 25 seconds.

prone and standing positions. The point of training this almost daily is to make the shooting rhythm so automatic that it almost runs itself – it becomes instinct. The key is stay focused enough in the race so that I can break the rhythm and stop an imperfect shot if I need to.

NFA – And you hit that regularly – you are an 80-90% shooter according to your stats.

Megan – By the end of last season I was shooting my best ever race percentages; over 90% between World Championships and the Vancouver World Cup. I think one of my strengths is being able to bring all my skills together at the right time and being able to rise to the challenge.

NFA – One of the things that I have noticed in travelling in Europe is that the newspapers are full of shooting results, over here nothing.

NFA – Every second that you take counts, how do you balance the time?

Megan – It is all controlled; the general theory in training is that your range procedure and your shooting rhythm should be fast enough that you are able to hit say 80% and then you should work to improve from there.

This year my coach, iLmar Heinicke, and I set some shooting goals in terms of time. He actually made me a recording to train with that tells me when I should be in position and then dictates every shot in the rhythm we chose. I have a separate one for my

Megan – There is a pretty big difference, I am not sure, a lot of it maybe comes down to the media – there is a lot of negative association with firearms in the Canadian media.

And while elements of that attitude may be found in the European media, there is this whole positive side of firearms that they also recognize.

It’s the sporting side, the precision shooting side, the biathlon, the hunters who are genuinely hunting and so on.

I think that people who aren’t exposed to firearms in a positive way growing up simply don’t get it. When you grow up watching Bambi when you are a kid, and you live in the city without exposure to shooting as something positive, it is an alien concept to some people. Our young people don’t grow up wanting to be a biathlete or admiring athletes in shooting sports as a result. In Europe they do. I’m hoping the added exposure the Olympics will bring may change that fact.

NFA – Speaking of the Olympics, what are the range facilities like in Whistler?

Megan – The Olympic facilities are awesome. We’ve got the automatic

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

targets, paved range, paved roller-ski trails. It’s a world-class biathlon site.

Everything can be lit. All the key measurements are perfect – distances, angles etc., and everything can be roller skied or skied depending on the season. That is a huge advantage because roller skiing and shooting is the closest thing to what we do in the winter for summer training. Being able to train that way in the summer is critical.

NFA – Morale is a big part of being a top tier athlete. Have you ever had any doubts about what you are doing?

Megan – I love what I’m doing, so morale really hasn’t been that big of an issue for me. I have a great support system, and if I do have a bad day, guaranteed there is a list of people that I can call and say “what’s up, I am having a bad day in this place...” and get a morale boost. My coach, family and friends really take pretty good care of me! We also have a pretty awesome team, so there’s not much “drama” and we always have a lot of fun in our free time; we offer each other a lot of support when we have good times and bad times. However, living out of a suitcase and sharing a room with another person for months on end does make you appreciate a night at home in your own bed.

NFA – So your whole life is biathlon right now. What is your routine?

Megan – I am up early with a run, some chin-ups and bungies as morning activities. Generally I am looking at a morning session that is usual biathlon specific – this mean 1.5 to 2.5 hours of skiing with shooting. In the spring it is less specific and is a mountain run or a 2-6 hour bike ride. Typically, I have a nap in the afternoon, before my afternoon session. The afternoon sessions are usually shorter and are either strength or a shorter recovery workout. However, you can’t train all the time. You have to find a balance.

If you don’t take the break when you need it, you are going to get to a point where suddenly your training is negatively impacted because you are www.nfa.ca

stressed. For me the balance comes from friends, family, schoolwork – a change of pace.

NFA – What do you see yourself doing after biathlon, is there an after biathlon?

Megan – Yes, there is an after biathlon.

I was taking some university courses, but have decided to put that on hold until after the Olympics. I know I will return to school eventually. I love learning and I am interested in some aspects of physiology and psychology.

Recently I have also thought about having a career in sport administration - maybe working for the IOC, or in sport marketing. After? I eventually want to get married and have a family and kids and maybe become a volunteer coach as well; and give kids the positive start that I had - wherever I happen to be living. Ironically, I’d also like to travel Europe and see the museums and historic sites that I hear about but never have the opportunity visit while on tour. Right now it is always hotel, site, rest, sleep, train and so on!

NFA – I’m sure things must get a little surreal at times. Do you ever pinch yourself?

Megan – Yes, the first time that I qualified for Junior Worlds there was a lot of pinching going on. World Championships – me? This year the pinching has been all about the 2010 Olympics – it has been a dream of mine for so long. Looking back, it has been five years that we’ve been looking toward that ultimate goal. To be focused on that goal for so long and to have imagined it and then finally be at a point where I am actually training for the 2010 Olympics…Surreal is right! However, I think all my hard work and training will pay off with an Olympic berth. I’m currently the #3 ranked woman in Canada, so I’m hoping that that I will be named to the Olympic team this December.

NFA – NFA entered into a sponsorship deal with you a while ago. With all

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

the recent successes you have seen, is fundraising any easier?

Megan – I would say at this stage in my career it is probably better, because at this point I do have some good competitions behind me as well, as the Olympics coming up. I do have some great sponsors; the NFA is my second biggest sponsor, and that makes a huge difference. That takes one tour cost off the list. My main income is from sponsorship right now.

Sometimes people assume that just because I am racing World Cup I have a lot of financial support. However, the reality is I am still on a really tight budget and have to consider what tours I take etc. This season is tougher, financially, than the last two years have been as I made the decision to train with BC High performance coach iLmar Heinicke at the Olympic site, rather than train with the national team this season. It has been great training and I know it was the right decision; however, it meant losing my Sport Canada Carding money. I have no regrets, because I know I will be a stronger, smarter, and better athlete on the start line for our home Olympics because of it; but it isn’t always easy.

Money will always be challenge I guess for any amateur athlete. Last season, for instance, my tour fees alone totaled almost $12,000.

NFA – Thank-you Megan. We appreciate your time and from everyone at NFA we’d like to wish you good luck for the future and especially for Vancouver 2010!

Megan – I just wanted to say a big thank you to all my supporters and the NFA. The support you have given me via the magazine and my sponsorship has really made a huge difference. If it wasn’t for sponsorship I wouldn’t have been able to compete last season; so I want thank everybody who stood behind me and supported me all this time. Hopefully I’ll have the opportunity to make you all proud once again during the Vancouver games.

October / November 2009

27

by: Oleg Volk

Winning hearts & minds:

effective debating techniques

S

ometimes, we get a chance to talk to people opposed to gun ownership. Debates turn into angry arguments and, more often than not, the two sides part, failing to convince the other. Yet, from the advertising point of view, debates with individuals or small groups are ideal for transmitting ideas, changing hearts and minds. What can we do to succeed?

We can first begin to succeed by not insulting the opposition. Can you imagine a Coke commercial which would call Pepsi drinkers degenerates and try to shame them into giving up their loathsome vice? It would hardly be the vehicle for conversion of the target market. Yet people on our side often say: “I really gave that damn anti a piece of my mind!” and then wonder why the other party failed to reform.

Personal contact with other people gives us certain opportunities denied to mass marketers and media. The foremost advantage is the ability to find out exactly what the other person thinks. Instead of launching into a rant, why not begin by asking questions? Most people are very fond of telling their views to others, especially if the questions are open-ended and nonadversarial. “What do you thing about...” or “How would...” are good basis for such inquiries.

Formulating the answers to such questions also allows the other person some soul-searching in the privacy of their own mind. Showing a genuine interest in the foundations of someone’s views provides us with a good understanding of his thought process and 28

October / November 2009

background. It also puts that person in charge of the conversation and emotionally comfortable.

The answers provided would give you a good idea of the others’ views.

When facing a staunch and active opponent, debating to impress the onlookers would be a more realistic option than trying to convert a person set in his beliefs. Conversely, if facing a fence-sitter, you should help that person arrive to his own conclusions by supplying facts and posing logical questions. The first step to succeeding in a task is knowing the goal, be it persuasion of the other debater,

impressing the audience, or convincing an opponent to cease a particular activity without necessarily endorsing your views.

For your efforts to yield positive effects, you must conduct yourself in a polite, cordial and civil manner.

Scaring or annoying the audience into quitting is a loss of an opportunity.

Because we and “them” do not always speak the same language, avoid hyperbole in your explanations. The listeners may take an exaggeration for effect quite literally. Likewise, avoid slang or argot terms, such as “perp” or “goblin.” Those may sound fine to us,

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

but would emphasize the divide between you and your audience. Speak their kind of language instead.

When it comes to marketing methods, several standard approaches can work. One of the simplest and most effective is authority endorsement or reference. Keep in mind that the definition of authority has little to do with competence on a specific subject. Although an obvious and respected figure for us, John M. Browning would not be known or well-received by people who are not firearms enthusiasts. Conversely, the Dalai Lama or the Pope, or some popular entertainer may know little of the topic but be influential by the virtues of other credentials.

Another approach centers around benefits to the person with whom you are debating the issue, or to his immediate family or friends. Illustrate relevant points, using simple analogies, such as the comparison of seat belts, fire extinguishers, firearms and other emergency management tools. Demonstrate how long it takes to dial a cell phone compared to drawing a sidearm. For the demonstration, a cell phone would make a fine stand-in for a pistol.

Since emotion, rather than logic, drives many decisions, appeal to that. Prompt an ethical stand on such topics as equal treatment before the law, right to personal safety from harm and coercion, the evils of collective responsibility and prior restraint. Point out the lack of logic in the laws. A typical logical chain can go like this: “Do you think that off-duty or retired police officers should be able to carry side arms for self-defense?” If they reply in the negative, that off-duty carry does not serve the interest of the state, then you know that the respondent cannot be converted and endeavor to impress the bystanders instead. If the answer is “yes”, then ask if it is the training, rather than the badge, that makes a person eligible to carry a weapon. Then suggest that similarly trained people who are not cops ought to be able to protect themselves also. Tailor the specific question and answer sequence to the situation at hand.

The main advantage of the Socratic method is that it allows a polite, non-confrontational debate with people who agree only on the most basic of concepts. Do not press the others to admit to being influenced by you or to changing their minds. The process is usually gradual, and tends to come as a part of a greater philosophical re-alignment towards greater respect for individual freedom. In my case, the evolution from an ignorant person with neutral to negative views towards gun ownership to an educated positive view took about six years. The change came from the combination of conversations with friends, reading books and personal experience. We can help others learn at their own pace.

Executive Announcement:

New By-laws Passed!

T

he vote on the new by-laws for Canada’s National Firearms Association is in. By an overwhelming majority, you, our members, have accepted the new by-laws.

The rules for by-law change require a 3/4 majority (75 percent) of eligible members who cast a ballot to actually vote in favour of accepting the new by-laws.

This minimum standard was more than met as the results below clearly show.

Ballots were counted by the staff and independent volunteer scrutineers in the Edmonton Office. Here is the final ballot count: Official Results: 2009 National Firearms Association Vote on New By-Laws Ballots Received: .............4905 Votes in Favour: ...............4390 Votes Against: ..................47 Spoiled: ............................468 The result is that 89.5 percent of voters supported the new bylaws, less than one percent was opposed, and 9.5 percent of the ballots were spoiled.

As a result, 2010 will be a transitional year for the NFA. The results must be reported and approved by the appropriate federal authority governing corporations.

Immediately thereafter, there will be a call for nominations and election of the new directors, followed by an AGM and convention tentatively scheduled for Edmonton this spring.

Dates and an agenda will be announced in the next CFJ. The regular pattern of elections and voting required will be fully instituted for 2011. Thank you to all those members who voted for participating in the democratic process.

www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

29

by: Charles Schafer - Atlantic Marksmen Association

Canada’s 2009

IPSC

National Championships

N

ot even a sluggish economy or relentless wet Nova Scotia weather stopped more than 200 International Professional Shooting Confederation (IPSC) competitors from converging on the Atlantic Marksmen Association outdoor range in Devon for the IPSC nationals.

difficulty in scoring hits in the center zone of the target. A shooter’s final score is based on a combination of time and target hits.

The 2009 Nationals was a four-day event (July 29th to August 1st) that attracted handgun competitors from across Canada. The event called on all of their skills (safety protocols, planning, memory, and physical fitness) in challenging a series of 17 stages that each shooter had to navigate through during the course of the competition.

Poppers come in two varieties classic and mini. A classic popper is made from heavy steel plate and is about one meter tall. It is attached to a hinged base and is designed to fall backwards when struck by a bullet. The falling motion of the classic popper is often exploited by stage designers using various configurations of steel cables and pulleys to initiate the swinging or rotation motions of classic IPSC targets that have been positioned in other parts of the stage.

Shooters were challenged by many unique and imaginative stage settings. For instance, in one stage the competitor had to run along a walled path where the walls have occasional openings that bring targets into view. However, the targets themselves were not the usual bull’s-eye variety that people are used to seeing.

Mini poppers are circular steel plates that are about 20 centimeters in diameter. The competitor usually find them set up at various distal locations of a stage in order to test both the shooter’s long distance marksmanship and to make sure that any ricocheting rounds are deflected to safe areas of the range on which the stage has been constructed.

IPSC classic cardboard targets are six-sided and about 50 centimeters high and 40 centimeters wide. Several concentric zones are outlined on the target by perforations that cannot be seen by most competitors at a distance of more than several meters. Participants must try to shoot two rounds at what they believe to be the center zone of each target while either on the move or from a standing position.

The goal is to move through each stage as quickly as possible while scoring as many center zone hits as possible - and being continuously mindful of a host of safety rules.

A stage may have as many as 16 classic cardboard targets, or a combination of targets and steel poppers. Some of the cardboard targets used in the nationals’ stages were attached to rotating or swinging frames to increase the level of 30

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

2009 Nationals stage names typically tended to reflect the unique sense of humor of their designers. As such, competitors found themselves challenging stages with names like Double Crossed, Grog Accident 98, Captain Wolf’s Labyrinth, and Last Place for the Damned.

One stage called the Cannon Ball Accident proved immensely popular and required the shooter to stand at the starting line holding a cannon ball in both hands with handgun loaded and holstered. At the sound of the start signal, he or she had to drop the cannon ball onto a guiding track and then shoot two classic poppers and a classic IPSC target.

Dropping the cannon ball onto the track caused it to roll toward a release that activated two additional individual pendulum-mounted classic IPSC targets. Once activated, the swinging targets moved back and forth from left to right but could only be shot at when they appeared from behind a plywood wall that obscured about 50% of the arc of their swing. That element of the stage alone provided a fairly rigorous test of the competitor’s speed and shooting accuracy.

For the 2009 Nationals, the Open Division featured 58 competitors, with Ontario’s Alex Szakacs taking first. The Standard Division proved even more popular, with 61 shooters participating in the competition. Mike Burrell, also of Ontario, ended up taking top honours in the division.

However, the real horse race was found in the Production Division, where Quebec’s Jean-Phillipe Drolet emerged top shooter out of a field of 74 top competitors. Wheel gun aficionados weren’t left out of the fun either. While there was a somewhat limited field this year, the Revolver Division still boasted a respectable 12 entries, with yet another Ontario shooter, Hugh Black capturing first place.

Like most amateur sports practiced in Canada, the 2009 IPSC Nationals was a highly organized collaborative effort between the club hosting the event, the Nova Scotia Sport and Recreation Department, and a plethora of individual and corporate sponsors from across Canada. However, despite all of that support, the ultimate success of the event turned on the dedication and hard work of a large number of Atlantic Marksmen Association volunteers. They gave of their time and skills for several weeks before the start of the event to build the stages, organize local logistical matters for out-of-province competitors, while also making sure that all stages were built to specifications and maintained in www.nfa.ca

good working order throughout the event, along with other competition facilities and venues.

About the only thing the volunteers couldn’t control was the famed Nova Scotia climate. As things turned out, Nova Scotia’s weather changed from rainy to cloudy with sunny breaks several days before the start of the event. No matter the weather, nothing seemed capable of repressing the fun and camaraderie shared by all the competitors, even organizers and volunteers.

The IPSC Nationals, like most other Canadian amateur sports, brought together some of the country’s best handgun marksmen, including a nice mix of veteran competitors and youthful challengers.

The event’s participants represented a diverse group of both male and female shooters coming from all walks of life and professions.

In the work-a-day world most of these competitors would rarely, if ever, cross paths, but IPSC continues to serve to bring people together no matter where they’re from. Each year, IPSC shooters from across the country, gather together to see who is the best and have a great time doing it. This year’s nationals also featured a respectable level of participation by Atlantic Marksmen Association members. Some of the best of these, along with their counterparts from other provinces, will ultimately find their way to various world-level competitions throughout the remainder of the year.

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

31

by: Dr. Gary Mauser

An international update

NFA

members can take pride in knowing that the NFA is fighting for firearms owners around the world. The NFA is the only Canadian organization that is a full member of the World Forum (WFSA), which is an international group that represents the shooting sports at the United Nations, European Union, the Organization of American States and other international bodies. The WFSA is a non-governmental organization (NGO) in Roster Consultative Status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. (http://www.wfsa.net/)

What’s happening at the United Nations?

The World Forum is active in defending your rights: it recently sponsored a symposium on “The Ecologic and Economic Benefits of Hunting” in Namibia. This event attracted African political leaders and was quite successful in promoting hunting as a way to improve the lives of rural Africans. This may seem a reach, but since the UN obsesses about Africa, it is important to provide an example of how firearms can benefit Africans. At the Velden meeting in October, the Forum took another step forward in the ongoing struggle to improve the rules for transporting firearms on international flights. Unfortunately, it is too easy for honest citizens to be imprisoned or fined for inadvertently breaking local gun laws when they must change planes on an international flight in an anti-gun jurisdiction, even though their firearms are unloaded and locked in their luggage.

The Programme of Action on Small Arms.

In addition to backing the World Forum, the NFA is proud to be a founding member of a new international group: the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR). The main goal of IAPCAR is to educate the general public about the right to own and use arms for self-defense purposes. IAPCAR fills a void in the international community and will work alongside of the World Forum. No other international organization focuses on personal protection as an international human right.

32

October / November 2009

As usual, a wide variety of disarmament initiatives are wending their way through the UN labyrinth. The United States has been one of the few countries courageous enough to oppose the UN’s ostensibly idealistic efforts to disarm civilians. That has all changed now that Obama is President, and Hilary Clinton is the US Secretary of State. Whatever the UN decides to recommend is likely to become the international standard tomorrow.

Every two years the Biennial Meeting of States (the BMS) holds another “Conference to Review Progress Made in the Implementation of the Programme of Action to Prevent, Combat and Eradicate the Illicit Trade in Small Arms and Light Weapons in All Its Aspects” meets at UN Headquarters in New York. The next BMS will be in the summer of 2010. The World Forum will be there to defend the rights of civilian firearms owners. I will have more to report in future issues of the CFJ. The stated goal of the Programme of Action (POA), which was endorsed by the UN in 2001, is to establish a global framework for curbing the illicit trade in small arms. It should not be too surprising to note that this goal actually involves regulating all commercial firearms sales, not just policing illegal sales. Any new restrictions on commercial firearms will restrict availability for civilians. The POA contains substantial agreed norms and programs on several issues, including preventing and combating the illicit production and trafficking of small arms and light weapons; ensuring effective controls of the legal production of those weapons; their holding and transfer; weapons collection and destruction. Digging deeper we discover that the POA excludes any meaningful control on government-togovernment arms transfers, and instead of being restricted to military arms, such as mortars or machine guns, it focuses on normal firearms owned by civilians, e.g., handguns, rifles and shotguns.

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

There is an enduring confusion in the goals of UN disarmament efforts. The language suggests that the UN is focusing on the control of military arms in post-conflict situations, but in actuality, the proposals are broad international rules or treaties that include all firearms in the hands of civilians in all countries of the world.

A large number of groups who are dedicated to disarming civilians will converge on the UN headquarters in New York next summer of 2010 for the next UN Biennial Meeting of States. A variety of proposals to restrict civilian access to firearms will again be on the table for discussion. The UN uses the Canadian program of owner licensing and gun registration as the model for civilian gun control. The South African gun control system appears to be based upon the Canadian model.

One of the ideas that was endorsed at the BMS in 2008 was the idea to mark and tag ammunition -- one of the more radical proposals of IANSA. This proposal has not gone away.

The Arms Trade Treaty Independently of the “Programme of Action,” recent developments at the UN increase the likelihood that an eventual ATT will be negotiated at a UN Conference in 2012. As an accredited UN NGO, the World Forum has representatives who attend and monitor these meetings.

Unfortunately, our budget is a tiny fraction of groups, such as IANSA or Saferworld, that are dedicated to eliminating civilian firearms ownership. (http://www.iansa.org/index. htm; http://www.saferworld.org.uk/).

After holding numerous regional meetings on the ATT, at the end of October 2009, the U.S. joined a nearly unanimous 153-1 UN vote to adopt a resolution setting out a timetable on a “strong and robust” Arms Trade Treaty (ATT) with the “highest common standards” to control international transfers of conventional arms. They agreed to schedule a UN conference to produce an accord in 2012.

If successful, this will be the first UN treaty covering commercial firearms that includes the entire world.

Most Western countries, including the USA, UK, France and Germany, have now said they back the ATT process.

So far, only nineteen states have abstained but they are expected to take part in the process. Zimbabwe was the only country to vote against the proposal to establish a timetable for the ATT. There is a Canadian connection with the ATT. One of the founding members of the ATT Steering Committee is a Canadian NGO, Project Ploughshares, which describes www.nfa.ca

itself as a “Canadian disarmament and peace-building organization” based in Ontario. Earlier this year, Project Ploughshares was awarded £323,000 ($571,000) by the UK Foreign Office to help the UN promote an ATT. Why should Canadian gun owners be concerned?

Costs of firearms and ammunition will increase and their availability and variety will decrease. The ATT or the POA by forcing commercial firearms firms to comply with more stringent international regulations will drastically increase the costs of firearms. Smaller manufacturers and importers will be forced out of business. The UN’s concern with increased rules and regulations will reduce access to firearms and ammunition for legal civilian firearms owners.

The Canadian Foreign Affairs Ministry under the Chrétien government had been a strong supporter of UN efforts to disarm civilians. Since Stephen Harper became Prime Minister Canada has begun to reduce its support for UN disarmament programs. It can’t happen soon enough.

Your Business Card Could Appear Here!

Interested?

Call us at (604) 250-7910 or e-mail us at Advertising@CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

33

KAL Tool & Die Mould Handles

M

any of you may remember from past articles that I am a proud “leadhead” or dyed in the wool bullet or “boolit” caster. The high cost of factory reloading components, lack of local availability and prohibitively expensive shipping costs all contributed to my decision to start casting my own bullets.

The savings I’ve realized have paid for my casting gear many times over.

I now usually run multiple electric furnaces containing different alloys and use multiple mould blocks to keep the rate of production high and to prevent the moulds, themselves, from getting too hot or too cold and thus causing my rejection rate for unacceptable bullets to rise.

In order to run this kind of production line, you can’t afford to be fiddling with changing out mould handles and/or looking for the proper screw driver or wrench to do it with. Each set of mould blocks really should have a dedicated set of handles. The problem with this is that OEM mould handles have become insanely expensive.

It was with great pleasure then, that I first discovered the product line being offered by a newcomer to the industry, Mr. Rick Kalynuik, of KAL Tool & Die. Best of all, his entire product line is made right here!

As such, it was with great anticipation that I opened the parcel containing three new sets of KAL mould handles; along with a mould rebuild kit for review.

All items arrived in perfect condition 34

October / November 2009

and were professionally packaged by someone who knew what they were doing and cared whether or not the customer received their purchase in perfect condition.

Unpacking the KAL Tool & Die mould handles I was immediately struck by their familiar profile that is very reminiscent of the RCBS style handles; that, and the sense of quality they exuded. Examining them carefully, there was a complete absence of any extraneous tool, forge or casting marks that most other handles have. All metal was well polished and sported an attractive blue/black finish that stood up well to the rigors of several intensive casting sessions.

I like for my mould handles to be a little tight when new and then allow them to wear in slightly without becoming so loose that they’re constantly flopping around. These broke in wonderfully and showed no excessive wear, even after a deliberate attempt on my part to simulate thousands of opening and closing cycles. Quality shows though and I have no doubt that these handles will last any caster a life time.

Owning many pairs of RCBS, Lyman, H&G, LEE, and SAECO handles I can honestly say that the KAL T&D handles stack up very favourably.

Handle material is a very attractive maple that is almost white in colour.

Despite deliberate abuse on my part and exposure to high heat sources, none of the KAL T&D maple handles cracked

E RI G H D A

T

M

by: Sean G. Penney

HERE or split. I’ve probably got a dozen or more two and four-cavity mould handles that are held together by epoxy or hockey tape due to serious cracks, and in a couple of cases, complete longitudinal splits. After using the KAL T&D handles for several months I do not anticipate that this will ever be a problem with normal use.

Currently KAL Tool & Die are offering five styles of handles that will accommodate most of the major commercial mould blocks on the market today.

Five styles available: 2 Cavity “LS” Style .................$30.00 (Fits Ideal / Lyman Small S/C moulds) 2 Cavity “LL” Style ................$30.00 (Fits Lyman Large D/C & S/C moulds) 2 Cavity “R” Style ...................$30.00 (Fits RCBS moulds) 6 Cavity “6X” Style .................$32.00 (Fits Lee 6 cavity moulds) 4 Cavity “4X” Style .................$32.00 (Fits Lyman 4 cavity moulds Rather than just do a simple product review, I wanted to dig a little deeper and get into the arcana involved in the whole manufacturing process. Let’s face it, lead bullet casters, by their nature, are tinkerers and experimenters, so details matter. Owner Rick Kalynuik graciously made time for the following interview just before we went to press.

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

NFA – Thanks for taking the time today.

I guess we should jump right in. I have to say I’m now a fan of your product, as a backyard tinkerer myself, what type of materials, i.e., steel do you use/prefer to use for your handles & why?

Rick - All handle blanks are made from cold-rolled, pickled (acid washed) 1018 mild steel. The properties of this material allow for easy forming into the net shape required with the aid of specialized forming dies.

NFA - What manufacturing process do you use to make the handles & sprue plates? Are all parts produced totally in-house or is anything pieced out to sub-contractors, etc…?

Rick - All mould handle blanks are laser cut and hydraulically formed in specialized forming dies; with the aid of a 100 ton Hydraulic punch press.

Any additional machining requirements (holes, etc.) are done on a CNC Machine Centre. Sprue plate blanks are laser cut as well. All additional machining, holes, sprue wells, etc., are done on a CNC mill as well. The only out-sourcing is the blanks (tong portion) for the handles and the sprue plates. These parts are laser cut, according to my CAD drawings and specifications, and supplied as raw flat blanks.

NFA – I was especially pleased with the furniture on my KAL T&D handles, what type of wood do you use and how exactly are they produced?

Rick – We use Maple exclusively for our handles, purchased from a Canadian supplier as round dowelling. All machining is done in-house on the CNC machining center with the aid of some fixturing.

NFA – What sort of final finishing is done to create the final product that is shipped to customers?

Rick - The handles are the most time consuming component of the mould handles. After machining, all wooden

www.nfa.ca

handles have to have a stainless steel ferrule attached (made in-house as well), sanded, sealed, and then have 3 coats of a polyurethane finish applied.

NFA - What sort of recommendations do you make in terms of maintenance for the product?

Rick - A simple application of light oil should be applied periodically to help prevent surface rust from forming. Preheating your moulds by balancing them and the handles on the edge of the pot is not recommended.

The best method is to use a single element hot plate or the element from a discarded coffee maker, allowing the base of the mould to sit flat against the heat source. This prevents the handles from “Scorching” and “Burning”.

NFA – As you know, one of the reasons why we created the “Made Right Here” feature for the CFJ was to help high-light Canadian companies that are producing products and services that are just as good as or better than non-Canadian products.

What can you tell me about your own operation that might be of interest to the next entrepreneur to be found within Canada’s recreational firearms community?

Rick - My business is nothing fancy. I’m the only employee, with the exception of Mrs. Kalynuik, who helps with the books and takes care of shipping orders for me. Other than that, in conjunction with a CNC Machining Center, and some conventional equipment, I do all the work myself, including machining, programming, CAD design, etc.

I have my shop set up at home, and it makes life somewhat easier. I normally do custom machining and mould making for the casting (aluminum

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

& high pressure zinc) and injection moulding (rubber & plastic) industry.

NFA – What sparked your interest in manufacturing your own mould handles? Can you tell me a little about the R&D process that was involved?

Rick - I started work on the mould handle project about five years ago. If I recall, I was in need of another pair of mould handles, only to find out that they were going cost me almost $50 Cdn. So I figured, with my Tool & Die background, I’ll make my own.

My original concept was drawn up with some CAD software, which allowed me make changes without doing any machining or having to make costly tooling. Once I was satisfied with the design, I proceeded to make all the necessary tooling and forming dies, inhouse. I do recall lots of “hair pulling” and some frustrating moments while working on the project at the beginning.

But, in the end, I think it was all worth it. The product ended up being as good, if not better, than original OEM handles.

NFA – Where can potential customers check out your product or place an order?

Rick – Everything is listed on my web site, including the current price list.

Here’s a link to web site, again nothing fancy, but it’ll give the reader’s an idea of what is available: http://kal.castpics.net/ You can also reach us via snail mail at: KAL Tool & Die 656 Stewart Street, Winnipeg, Manitoba CANADA, R2Y 1N9

October / November 2009

35

Guns of the Soiled Doves: Derringers & Old West Prostitutes “These women are expensive articles. In broad daylight they may be seen gliding through the sandy streets in Black Crook dresses, carrying fancy derringers slung to their waists, with which tools they are dangerously expert.”

-Henry M. Stanley, Julesburg, 1867 Women are not and never have been helpless marks, as the modern sporting gal, female cop or wife with a concealed carry permit proves.

And certainly they were no mark in the days of the Wild West. This was true for Colt packing cowgirls as well as homesteaders feeding and protecting their families with a well handled shotgun. And it was true for those glitter-faced “working girls” as well, while tending to the amorous urges of rail layers, hide hunters and card sharks alike.

Theirs was a world of iron and lace, the contrast and mating of white silk and blued receivers, of casehardened temperaments and a woman’s native grace. Wearing prodigious amounts of make-up long before it was the style to do so; they would come to be known as the “painted ladies.” In a century in which women were idealized to the extreme, these were the fallen angels - cruelly stripped of their wings. They were the “soiled doves,” supposedly brought to the “taint of earth” by their own need or greed, - women assisted in their descent by the very men who coveted their company and charms.

Over the course of the 19th Century hundreds of thousands of single males swept westward into the landscapes of their dreams. Hot on their heels were the women of adventure, eyes a-sparkle with their own bright visions of wealth and opportunity. They came for fame and fortune, or for a husband and a home. A small percentage of them brought a new set of names adopted to protect the reputations of family members back home, or sported sobriquets bestowed by an affectionate clientele: Squirrel-Tooth Annie. Velvet-Ass Rose. Spanish Queen.

Cotton Tail. Little Dollar. Nervous Jessie, Sad Story Mary and Molly b’Dam. They came intent on the respectability of frontier marriage or hard work, but found circumstances offered little alternative other than to seek their sustenance through a less respectable trade. A 36

October / November 2009

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

rigid double-standard dictated that widows and the abandoned would be particularly susceptible to Aphrodite’s once sacred calling, seeking dubious refuge in an industry of flesh.

Nowadays we might call them whores or prostitues, but the politically correct wags of yesteryear guaranteed the propriety of their high-minded papers by referring in more oblique terms to such newsworthy ladies: “an ill-fated ceiling expert,” “...a Cyprian beauty,” “line girl,” “girl of the night,” “frail sister,” “chippy,” or “cat.”

The newspapers of the day reported on their fights and flights, their up and down relationship with the city in question, the gunfire that often attended sporting places, and the frequent overdoses of laudanum that ended another girl’s years of pain or shame. An editor of a respected El Paso paper must have wished he’d given more attention to spelling and proof-reading and less to the floridity of his Victorian prose, when a misprint nearly cost him his life. He might not have been chased out of town by the three hundred pound madam “Fat Alice,” had he described her groin wound at the hands of .44-wielding competitor Etta Clark as damage to her “pubic arch” instead of her “public arch.” No doubt his replacement evinced a degree more deference, when reporting the testy affairs of the “working women” of Devil’s Addition.

While most doves laughed, cried and died in relative obscurity, the fame of some willful others endures to this very day including that of the kindly Julia Bulette, the self-promoting Calamity Jane and Doc Holliday’s “sin-peddling” paramour, Big Nose Kate or the cigarillo-puffing actress, Lola Montez, known for her offstage charms as much as her scandalous “spider dance.” Others included the notorious entrepreneur Mattie Silks.

R. D. Miller said of Mattie that she was “Beautiful and bad. She loved unwisely, lived dangerously, and sinned tremendously.” Indeed, many belied the stereotype of the sullen and beaten tramp, flamboyantly besting www.nfa.ca

men at their own games, mastering bullwhip and whiskey bottle, fickle faro wheel and trusty sidearm. One such tiger went by the name of Kitty Le Roy, and in her tempestuous twenty-eight years of life managed to inspire the following eulogy from an apparently smitten reporter: “Her brown hair was thick and curling; she had five husbands, seven revolvers, a dozen bowie knives, and always went armed to the teeth, which latter were like pearls set in coral.

The magnetism about her marvelous beauty was such as to drive her lovers crazy; more men had been killed over her than all the other women in the hills combined, and it was only a question whether her lovers or she herself had killed the most.”

Kitty fell with a bullet through her chest, in a bid to outdraw her fifth and final husband.

“I shot him because I love him, damn him!”

-Jennie Rogers, Denver Madame Most immigrant doves from the East brought with them as fine of clothes as they could afford.... and such hardware as was deemed necessary for a woman’s safety in the rough and tumble environs of the restless American frontier. These included petite coffin-handled dirks, pushdaggers designed to be clenched in a demure fist, and an “iron” better suited for leveling the playing field than pressing one’s clothes.

A “sporting woman” required of her arms that they embody certain attributes specific to her purpose, including a proud appearance, reliability of action, and a modicum of close-in power. Not the least of these considerations was the size of the firearm, the determining factor in their practical concealment. Girls working the lower class cribs were strictly forbidden to keep a gun in their sad cells, so any successful attempt to countermand the rules required clever concealment. The dance hall girls and saloon practitioners found

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

the handgun less provocative when retained out of sight of their clientele, and more effective in its intended use when preferred suddenly from a place of hiding. For such purposes a tool was ideally light weight with as little telltale bulk as possible.

For all the unmistakable romance of large caliber weapons like the Colt .45 “Peacemaker,” the majority of frontier skirmishes were settled by means of the ever-persuasive rifle, and most urban confrontations invoked the services of much lighter “pocketprotectors” and “house-pistols.” Smith and Wesson historian Roy Jinks notes that this company alone manufactured eight times as many small frame weapons than they did their larger single and double-action models. The prohibition of arms in the settling towns of the Old West inspired the procurement and secreting about the person of smaller caliber weapons than the oft preferred six-shooter, leading one frontier newspaper to editorialize on the cowardice of its male citizenry in circumventing rather than defying the new law in an “open and manly” fashion. Townsfolk, whether in the urbane East or the developing West, found a degree of increased security at the grip of a stowable equalizer stashed away in the pockets of jetblack frocks, rested under the laden drawers of boomtown cash registers, ensconced beneath the polished cherry wood bars or sales counters of establishments unwilling to brook the forced withdrawals so often attempted by their era’s thieves.

From its inception in 1825 through the late 1860’s the obvious choice was the Deringer, either Henry’s original or one of the many percussion copies.

While he made a tiny .28 bore models specifically for women, the vast majority sold were in .40 through .48 calibers. By the time of the California gold rush it could be found in the majority of miner’s kits, stuck into a sizable number of ladies corsets and riding muffs. So popular were Henry’s short barreled, big-bore handguns that the term “derringer” (with an added October / November 2009

37

“r”) was soon used to describe any minuscule sidearm, regardless of make or caliber.

The smallest practical muzzleloader, the dependable deringer remained slow to reload, giving the shooter but one opportunity to deliver its ball effectively. Repeating arms such as Samuel Colt’s revolvers, or the percussion pepperbox with its multiple revolving barrels, were generally too large for a woman’s daily use and concealment. It wasn’t until the years following the War Between The States that the doves redirected their loyalty to a wholly new kind of weapon, the breech loading, metallic cartridge handgun.

Of particular importance were those utilizing the Rollin White patent for bored-through cylinders, assigned the same year that Colt’s patent and monopoly of revolvers expired. The first of this kind was the eleven ounce Smith & Wesson #1 .22 rimfire revolver, introduced in 1856, followed by the #1 1/2 and #2 .32 rimfires. All were “tip-up” designs, and except for the #2 were petite enough to qualify as hide-out or “stingy” guns. While the metallic cartridges allowed for quick emptying and reloading, the black-powder .22 short load of the #1 was woefully anemic, leading period humorist Mark Twain to write that his 38

October / November 2009

seven-shooter “carried a ball like a homeopathic pill, and it took the whole seven to make a dose for an adult.” In field tests with one from my collection I limited shots to twenty feet, at which distance I could just barely keep the holes inside of a six inch circle, with the low-pressure .22 CB caps sticking flush in the pine boards. While no more accurate, .32 rimfires fired out of our #1 1/2 fully penetrate a 2” thick board at that same distance, leaving a moderately impressive exit hole. This particular piece is factory engraved in the grandiose style of Nimschke, and boasts a set of yellowing ivory grips.

One can easily imagine the latter, won with wages, or presented by a bowing customer hoping for more familiarity than the dollar affords. It could easily have been worn underneath the voluminous layers of a hurdy-gurdy dancer’s evening dress, or rested atop a velvet pillow at the head of a brass Victorian bed, defending the life, if not reputation, of its handler. Like satin sheets or like the face of one’s lover, it looks best in the glint of candlelight.

It was said that the illustrious madam Mattie Silks carried just such a weapon, among others, in keeping the peace at her posh Holladay St., whorehouse.

For a time she commandeered most of Denver’s “carriage trade,” with the princes of high-society enjoying the charms of her hand-picked girls, and in 1877 she engaged in a shootout with a fellow madam over the affections of a scoundrel she would later marry.

By the 1870’s doves carried not only these Smith & Wesson’s, but competitive contemporaries like the various makes of Southerner derringer, the Marlin XL, the Allen, with its 2.5” barrel, and the Starr button

trigger model. With the increased speed of reloading afforded by the use of metallic cartridges, single shots regained some of their earlier popularity. The Remington Vest Pocket models were available in both .22 and .41 rimfire, and proved flat enough to rest comfortably beneath a tight garter belt. Our specimen might be effective, at best, at “pillow length,” and preferably screwed into a perpetrator’s ear before firing. Better regarded by the “satin set” were the brass handled, often ornately engraved Moore patent derringers in the more formidable .41 caliber. Later sold under the name of National Arms Co., the rights to this all-metal pocket gun were purchased by Colt sometime after 1870, evolving into the more familiar Colt models #1 through #3.

Around this time there were those who demanded a greater number of shots before reloading, but insisted those extra rounds be housed in an arm easier concealed than the admirable Smith revolvers and their copies. Of the revolving barrel pepperbox pistols, perhaps the smallest is the Bacon Arms Co. .22. An obvious improvement was the very popular Sharps with four appropriately fixed barrels and a revolving firing-pin. In 1866 Remington followed-up their single shots with the dual superimposed barrels of the First Model, which is

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

today the shape most people think of when they hear the word “derringer.” Produced through 1935, over 150,000 First Models ended up in the possession of men and women alike. Admittedly, none of the above arms were suitable for employment beyond literally pointblank range-- but shortrange most confrontations would be. And more than once the mere sight of a firearm, any firearm in the hands of an enraged vixen was enough to settle whatever disagreeable matter presented itself.

Reporters for vintage newspapers like the Tombstone Epitaph often covered the exploits and arrests of their town’s ladies of the night, but they seldom mention the makes and calibers of their arms even when the affair reported on was a shooting incident. Better resources are the existent arrest records from turn-of-the-century municipalities. Every once in a while they will show an arm seized pursuant to an arrest, from the most common pocket revolvers to more bizarre numbers like the discshaped palm “squeezers” and brass-knuckle pistols. They show that nearly every imaginable caliber and brand of arm, renowned or forgotten, was employed by the maids of lust. The only universal quality appears to be their size, in later records featuring the top-break models of Iver Johnson and Harrington & Richardson predominantly in .32 and .38 S&W center fire, and the chorus of copies produced by companies called Empire State, Manhattan, Norwich, Liberty and White. Models boast titles like “Defender,” “Guardian,” “Conqueror,” “Paralyzer,” “Tramp’s Terror,” “Red Cloud,” “Earthquake,” “Bang Up” and “Boom.” I was moved by the sadly attractive look of one vintage arrestee in particular, and an austere property list that included a tin-heart necklace... and a revolver its manufacturers had christened “Faultless.”

Any dove retiring in the same town she once worked in, would need a display of tolerance from those around her.

Many of the women of the cribs married their favorite “John” and moved to a new town or isolated homestead instead, - some place where they could live out the remainder of their lives “respectably,” raising any children free of the bitter stigma of their previous vocation. Their offspring became the movers and shakers of society, meticulously concealing their family secrets. Others have been emboldened rather than restrained by their wild and wooly lineage, and their spirit lives on in the feisty and resilient women of the today’s rural West.

Then again, there were more than a few who stuck proudly to their night jobs – doing as they “damn well please,” tending to sad-faced men often more lonely than aroused, and seeing no need for either the acceptance or forgiveness of the impeccably restrained.

I quote Pauline Tabor, the “Madame of Clay Street:”

faith in myself... it has not lowered me or soiled me as a human being. By working in a rough-and-tough business outside the law I’ve developed a compassion for people and a deeper understanding of the problems which twist and torment their lives. At the same time, I have developed an intense contempt for the phonies, the hypocrites, the corrupt... At least, as a peddler of sex I can say that I’ve provided moments of pleasure, passion, and human warmth to a lot of lonely lives. I have no regrets, no apologies, no complaints.”

“Soiled” they were called, but we might also think of them as wild doves. It’s been written that the mere presence of frontier prostitutes led men to bathe and to behave, and may very well have had a calming or civilizing effect on them.

But just as well they were wild, as wild as those outlaws and gamblers that nightly left their tips on the dressers.

They defied the conventions of their urban contemporaries

in an unconventional frontier, throwing off the yoke of bodily restraint in a land as sensuous as it was untamed. To think of them simply as victims would be to do them an injustice; these pioneers in the search for freedom, these women in need of love. In the eras of failed crops and repelled Indian attacks the dove’s hardened survival, too, could be seen as an act of bravery.

Let us look back in time, between the curtains of her period boudoir as she straightens her blouse before admitting the next willing customer. The “john” waits outside on the fainting couch with diamond print, as she slips on her pantelettes, long stockings, chemise and corset, petticoat and bustle, laced bodice, skirt.... and a tiny handgun. After all, her impatient client could as easily be a ruffian or robber as a shy young cowboy or the top-hatted mayor. The dove glances one more time into the mirror, looks deep into her own telling eyes as she redraws the lines above them. In the silvering image she recognizes the hauntings of the past, overlaid with the sparkle of an ever-receding future.

“I’ve had my laughs and tears, my ups and downs, my surprises and my disappointments. But I’ve never lost www.nfa.ca

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

39

by: Sean G. Penney

The Detonics Story

A

ny fans of the popular 1980s & 90s action-adventure series “The Survivalist,” written by famed gun writer Jerry Ahern, will immediately recognize the name “Detonics.” Ahern’s protagonist, John Thomas Rourke, medical doctor, exCIA case officer, weapons expert, & survivalist par excellence was armed with a matched pair of highly tuned and accurized Detonics Combat Masters; carried in a custom double shoulder holster rig made by Lou Alessi. While cut-down “mini” .45 ACP 1911 pattern pistols are now relatively common, especially for those looking at the growing legal CCW movement in the USA, at the time, the Detonics’ offering was, well revolutionary.

Granted, the concept of a chopped 1911 wasn’t new, per se, Colt had started the movement with the release of their first Commander Series pistols back in 1949. Reducing the barrel length from 5” to just 4.25,” Colt had an immediate winner on their hands, especially within the civilian law enforcement community. However, the Commander was still a relatively bulky pistol and its size made carrying it concealed relatively difficult. As a result, most undercover detectives, federal agents and intelligence officers continued to carry the more easily cancelable “snub nose” .38 Special revolvers like the famed S&W “Chiefs Special”.

By the early 1970s, however, a number of very talented gunsmiths and engineers were starting to take a hard 40

October / November 2009

look at taking John Browning’s design to its next evolutionary progression.

Armand Swenson, famed Californiabased gunsmith, was one of the first to produce a custom chopped and channeled .45. However, these were strictly a “one-of” custom offering and weren’t commonly available to the civilian market in production form.

as the Detonics (.45 Associates) of Seattle Washington. Helmed by Sid Woodcock & Mike Maes, Detonics was originally conceived of as a specialty explosives company, aiming to fill the niche the larger explosives/ordnance companies, like their former employers EXCOA, weren’t interested or unable to satisfy.

At the same time, two talented young engineers and shooters, Pat Yates, along with his good friend Ken Leggett, were working on the same problem of creating a chopped and reliable mini.45. After a number of failed attempts, a chopped, thinned and reliable prototype was complete by 1973 using a radical reversed recoil spring plug, integral buffer spring, proprietary barrel and guide rod. Yates’ design eventually saw the creation of a slicked up, mini-1911 that sported a new, contoured hammer, super-heavy duty firing pin springs, beveled mag-well, thinned grip panels, cut down operating controls and the deactivation of the grip safety, along with a radically stepped slide aft of the rear sight to allow easier cocking/decocking of the pistol. Yates continued to tweak his prototype, but by late 1973 it was essentially finished.

However, Woodcock was also aware of the on-going experimentation of Yates and saw potential in his early prototype.

Borrowing from Kevin Costner’s, “Field of Dreams,” Woodcock seemed to adopt the view that this radical new mini-.45 concept was a winner; believing that “if we build it, the buyers would come.”

Coincidentally, while Yates and Leggett were tweaking their chopped 1911 design, several of their fellow coworkers at the Explosives Corporation of America, in nearby Issaquah, Washington had left the company and struck out on their own, forming the first incarnation of what we now know

Woodcock finally convinced Yates to sell the rights to his mini-1911, along with his then radical bushingless design and recoil system. With Yates’ aid, Woodcock and Maes soon had engineering drawings and blueprints in hand and a patent from US Patent Office. In short order, they were officially in the gun business. A further year or so was spent in testing and development, with Yates’ personal prototype serving as their primary test bed. During this period, over 20,000 rounds of full house .45 ACP was run through the little 1911 and according to Yates, the same pistol continues to run today, over 30 years later.

In the meantime, Woodcock & Maes had assembled a talented team of young engineers to work on perfecting the

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

new Detonics mini-.45 for actual mass production, as the original Yates design has always been intended to be a builtone-at-a-time pistol; albeit, using as many standard 1911 parts as possible.

The first series of pre-production pistols were built in much the same manner as Yates, but it wasn’t long before the new Detonics company had finalized the specifications for what would become the famed Detonics Combat Master and had contracted for the production of new investment cast frames and slides and using their own carefully selected materials & alloys. Smaller, drop-in type parts that weren’t cost-effective to produce in house, were sourced from a number of outside vendors. Detonics, as a gun maker, was finally in business!

The new, improved Detonics .45 was well received and enjoyed popular critical support. Famed gun scribe and father of practical combat shooting Col. Jeff Cooper, writing for Guns & Ammo (12/74) offered high praise indeed, According to the Colonel: “This remarkable pistol is the smallest, lowest recoil single action .45 caliber semi-automatic in the world. The Detonics .45 is a premium quality professional tool for the serious handgun expert and combat shooter. It is capable of providing the brute force stopping power of the standard-sized .45 in a size no larger than a snubnosed .38, or “pocket” 9mm auto.

The Detonics .45 has an advanced mechanism which reduces the apparent recoil remarkably below the full-sized .45. This awesomely powerful pistol is smaller, more easily concealed, and has greater short/medium range rapid fire accuracy than any single action .45 weapon available today.

This masterpiece of combat design is gaining recognition as the finest defensive handgun in the world today.”

The original Detonics pistols offered full-size performance in a pistol that was about the size of many 9mm pocket pistols of the day. Thanks to its new bushingless, self-centering bull barrel design, radically improved recoil system, polished internals for reliable feeding of all ammo, including hollowpoints, shortened grip (designed to accept a flush fitting sixround Detonics magazine, rather than www.nfa.ca

the standard seven-round) for easier concealment, beveled magazine well for faster reloads and factory pinned grip safety, the Detonics design was absolutely state-of-the art.

Up to this point, the Detonics line of .45s, were limited to traditional blued steel. However, Woodcock et al, never content to rest on their laurels, continued their research and development work.

This work yielded some fantastic innovations, and it was this innovation that would set Detonics apart from other gun manufacturers of the era.

Soon the .45ACP offering was joined by 9mm and .38 Super compatriots, with the .451 Detonics Magnum following some time later.

Following the release of their first production guns in 1977, Detonics was quickly becoming the darling of the law enforcement community & undercover police everywhere.

Riding this wave of popularity, Woodcock and partners weren’t content to rest upon their laurels.

Then, Detonics, a company known for its innovation, set the industy on its ear once more. They went stainless!

Starting with the 10,000 series, Detonics began offering their mini.45, now called the Combat Master, in stainless steel, quickly followed by the full-size target model dubbed the Score Master & the commander sized Service Master.

According to former head gun smith, Peter Dunn, R&D was complete by 1979 and the first production guns hit the market in 1980. This was a radical jump in 1911 design and metallurgy and its impact can be seen in the production lines of essentially every 1911 manufacturer today. While other companies had tried to work with stainless steel before, none had succeeded in overcoming the excessive galling problem that early stainless steel alloys were known for. Detonics solved the stainless conundrum and in doing so changed the industry.

designs, using advanced materials and releasing into the retail market production 1911s that were essentially semi-custom, if not custom pistols.

We have them to thank for all the new “loaded” 1911s being produced by dozens of different companies today at prices far below what it would cost to take a bone stock GI 1911 and have the same extras installed by a qualified pistolsmith.

Features Pioneered by Detonics: • Functional reliability in a 1911-style pistol which was smaller than any ever manufactured before; • Cone-shaped barrel which required no bushing; • Recoil system with counter-recoiling multiple springs; • Recoil spring guide rod with buffer; • Springs easily removable for disassembly because they are not loaded under tension; • Ejection port lowered and scalloped for more positive ejection and to spare damage to brass; • First stainless steel semi-automatic pistol to overcome the metallurgical problem known as galling; • First semi-automatic to use a 3-Dot Sighting System • Loaded magazine indicator • Repositioned (forward) rear sight • Heavier firing pin Repositioned (forward) rear sight and sloped rear of slide in order to facilitate thumb cocking when the pistol is carried hammer down;

The original Detonics Company was a true pioneer, producing advanced

Heavier firing pin spring than conventional 1911-style pistols introduced as a safety feature against

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

October / November 2009

41

the pistol being dropped on a hard surface, thus helping guard against accidental discharge; Throughout the late 1970s and into the 80s, Detonics and their flagship pistol, the Combat Master enjoyed a wave of growing popularity, especially within the law-enforcement community. The Combat Master became the pistol of choice of many undercover officers and was an extremely popular choice as a secondary back-up piece for both detectives and uniformed LEOs. The early 1980s saw the further expansion of the Detonics brand with the creation of the full-sized Detonics Score Master and the commander-sized Service Master pistols in what company honchos now viewed as their “operator oriented” product line. However, it wasn’t only “operators” that saw the Detonics line as being something special.

The full-sized Score Masters, with their heavy bull barrels, quickly established a reputation for superior accuracy and became the darlings of competitive target shooters in a number of different sports. The Service Master offered perhaps the best of both worlds in its commander-sized package and served as a sensible compromise between the full-sized performance of the Score Master in a more conceable package; while offering less felt-recoil than the Combat Master in a more manageable package for casual shooters or concealed carry permit holders.

Even Hollywood came calling in the decade of big hair, Gucci loafers and pastel sport jackets over T-shirts.

Detonics found their product taking center stage in such monster TV action series as “Miami Vice,” and on the silver screen in the star-making Schwarzenegger vehicle “The Terminator.” Detonics pistols also enjoyed similar popularity in print media in such action-adventure novels as Jerry Ahern’s “Suvivalist” series, and “The Takers.”

Unfortunately, the “good times” were not to last and the late 1980s saw Detonics undergo a dramatic transformation that Detonics fans rue to this day. Cont’d…

Look for Part II of The Detonics Story in the Feb./March issue of Canadian Firearms Journal.

Images provided by: Ken Lunde, Oleg Volk & Sean G. Penney

National Firearms Association Membership Application Name: ____________________________________________________________________________ Address: City:

_________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Prov:____________________________________________________P.C.: ____________________ Ph: ( _______ )

___________________________________________________________________

Fax: ( _______ )

Your membership in Canada’s National Firearms Association will help us ensure that our culture and heritage will continue to exist, so we may pass it on to our children.

The National Firearms

Association...

Association ...

Defending the Rights of Canadian Firearms Owners ... locally, federally and internationally.

42

October / November 2009

__________________________________________________________________

Individual Regular ($30) Individual Senior 65+ ($25) Family ($40)

Life Regular ($750) Life Senior 65+ ($500) Send me a Business/Club application (Free)

NFA Liability Insurance: $7.95 / person covered. $5 million coverage. ____________

people covered x $7.95 = $ _______________

Total $______________________ Cheque or Money Order enclosed

Visa/Mastercard/AMEX

Card #:_____________________________________________Expiry: ______________________ Signature: ________________________________________________________________________ Mail to: National Firearms Association Fax to: (780) 439-4091 Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

Better

Solutions...

Not ou NotSportsm our Sportsmen Call toll-free for a free information package and DVD today!

1-888-VOTE CHP

W W W. C H P. C A

by: Grayson Penney

The Gunsmith’s Bench: Maintaining the 1911 Q.

I recently purchased a new Norinco M-1911A1 copy from Marstar. This is my first pistol. I know what to do to keep my Remington 870 running smoothly, but heard from a friend that I shouldn’t use too much grease on a 1911 as it would collect dirt and become a jam-o-matic on me? Can you tell me the proper course of action to maintain my pistol and keep it running smoothly? Thanks!

Lester W. via E-mail

A.

Hi Lester, Let me start by first congratulating you on becoming a first-time hand gun owner! As a life-long fan of Mr. Browning’s crowning achievement, (John Moses Browning, inventor of the 1911 pistol and a host of other equally famous firearms) the Government Model of 1911A1 you picked a great gun to start with!

The 1911 is a very easy gun to maintain and there are two basic maxims that I generally follow when cleaning and lubing my 1911s.

If it pivots, oil it!

If it slides, grease it!

Follow those two rules of thumb and you won’t go wrong.

Now if you want to get a little more technical, I generally stick with a product manufactured by Break-Free called CLP, which stands for Cleans, Lubricates, & Protects. It is a great product that is a little “cloudy” in appearance, so you need to shake it well before use. It helps protect and lubricate metal and the CLP will actually infuse the pores of your firearm! It can be a little harsh on bare flesh, so I generally grab a pair of cheap “surgical” type gloves that Princess Auto carries. A box with 100 pairs costs just a couple of bucks.

Points of Lubrication: The slide and frame rails.

The sides of the trigger bow and the rear flat.

44

October / November 2009

The complete sear and disconnecter.

The sear and hammer pins.

The hammer notches.

Sides of the hammer around the pin hole.

The pivot point of the hammer strut.

The spring and plungers inside the mainspring housing.

The locking lugs, lower legs, and front of the barrel.

Inside the barrel bushing or the outside of the barrel for bushingless models.

Inside and outside of the magazine button, spring and lock.

Safety shaft.

Safety lug area of the grip safety and the area around the pin hole.

The slide stop shaft.

The recoil spring and guide.

Inside the recoil spring plug.

Small amount on the extractor, and the firing pin and spring.

The Series 80 safety plunger and spring, and the activating levers in the frame.

I also remove the grips now and again and lightly lube all metal parts, including bushings, screws and the inside of the magwell with CLP to act as a rust inhibitor, - especially given the highly acidic nature of human perspiration. CLP really comes in handy here!

Don’t go crazy with the lubricant! A few drops can go a long way. What you’re shooting for is a thin film over the surface of the moving/working parts. That cuts down on wear, and should result in a smoother operating cycle.

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

By Grayson Penney

T

his past October I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to once again go moose hunting with my eldest son Sean and his younger sibling Curtis. I guess by necessity, Newfoundlanders always saw hunting as something of a communal event, whether it involved a wet fall hunt for Moose, a rough day on the water Turr (Murre) hunting or hitting the pack ice looking for a few Harp seals or their meaner and more dangerous cousins, the Hood seal.

Not to poke the wasp’s nest that is the modern animal “rights” movement, I should note that I come from the era when the seal hunt was just as important for the fresh meat it provided as it was for the cash the pelts yielded. In rural Newfoundland during the 1940s and 50s fresh meat was a rare commodity by the spring and people were desperate for protein that wasn’t dried & salted, pickled or canned. Electricity and refrigeration were equally scarce, so a feed of fresh seal flippers was looked forward to with great anticipation.

Often the entire Outport would turn out for the return of the sealing fleet to welcome them home and to help off-loading the barrels of fresh flipper and carcass.

While the days of the Wooden Boats & Iron Men are starting to fade away, there are some who are still doing our best to keep those traditions alive and, as in years past, we continue to share the results of our labours with friends and family. I was also gladdened to learn that the menu for House of Commons dining room now includes seal dishes! Maybe there is hope yet.

No matter; as Newfoundlanders we continue to enjoy the co-operative or communal hunt experience.

Admittedly, given the cost of fuel and supplies these days and the often hundreds of miles hunters are now required to drive to reach their game management area, it would be more cost effective to simply buy a side of beef from the local butcher.

However, those who opt for that route are missing the point. A freezer full of meat is still a great pay-

46

October / November 2009

off for all the effort that goes into a hunt, but as the world around me seems to get “faster” these days, the opportunity to spend real “quality” time with the boys or “da b’ys” has more appeal for me. Our society and culture have certainly made gigantic strides and advances in the last century, but as more kids grow up disconnected from their families, their culture and their environment I have to wonder at what cost?

Before I get too melancholy, I want to share with you one of those great personal anecdotes that make life worth living in these hurry-up-and-wait times.

Getting back to that moose hunt, the boys and I have always processed our own game. Kind of an, “…if you want it done right, do-it-yourself…” type of deal. By necessity, we hang the fresh quarters of Moose from support beams in our shed. This year, my grandson Ryan, who had just turned four, happened to wander into the shed in search of me.

We’d debated taking him along on the hunt and ultimately decided that we’d wait a year, as he’d still not turned four when we left and we didn’t want him to become frightened.

Rather than being scared by the sight of the hanging quarters or unmistakable scent of blood, Ryan was fascinated. A veritable chip off the old block!

Examining things from every possible angle and asking scores of questions I was amazed by just how engaged he was in learning all he could about the entire process. Continuing to cut meat, I looked up after several uninterrupted minutes of silence to see Ryan looking quizzically at the remaining quarters, brow furrowed and obviously deep in thought. Impressed by his powers of concentration, I had just gone back to butchering when I heard Ryan approach me from behind and felt a tug at my jacket. Looking up into my eyes, he bit his lip and quietly asked, “Poppy, what did the Moose do wrong to get himself shot?” …And that’s The Last Word!

CanadianFirearmsJournal.com

www.nfa.ca

Pen Belt Buckle Embroidered Patch

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

Canvas - Black

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

Tote Bag ......................................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________ Red Dark Grey Blue

Canvas Hunter Orange

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

Canvas Camouflage

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: __________________________________________________ Address: ________________________________________________ Knife w/ carry pouch

City:____________________________________________________ Oilskin - Brown

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

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

RUGER

®

.22 CALIBER

RIMFIRES 10/22® Target Rifle

77/22® Rifle

22/45™ Hunter Pistol

Mark III™ Target Pistol

GREAT FOR TARGET SHOOTING, PLINKING, COMPETITION SHOOTING AND SMALL GAME HUNTING. Ruger® .22 caliber rifles and pistols look right, feel right and are always on target. Known for their versatility and legendary reliability, these Ruger firearms can be depended on to provide fun for generations. With a mixture of proven design and modern features, the Ruger line of .22 rimfire firearms are priced to make shooting affordable.

www.Ruger.com Copyright © 2009 by Sturm, Ruger & Co., Inc.

111209