LTC

If left the option, I might well be content to rest fat, dumb and happy on some sun-drenched beach, serenely observing the wonders of nature, and delighting in the company of friends and family. Unfortunately, there are those who do not recognize my right to pursue personal happiness. Among them are the sociopaths and common predators to whom others appear as mere objects, and not human beings. Such have been with us always, but we must now add to this sorry lot the hapless fools who have been brainwashed into mindless self-destruction in the name of some corrupt Islamic cult of death or another. Cults that are lead by unfeeling, shark-eyed murderers whose perception of the world has been perverted to such an extent that the rights of others are insignificant obstacles to their own quite earthly desires for revenge and wealth. With theses sobering realities in mind, I have seen to it that my family and I have been trained in the practical defensive use of firearms. Although it is my fervent hope that none of us will ever be compelled to exercise these skills, it remains comforting to know that we all possess them. In the meantime, training now takes the form of regular and friendly competitions, ans well as leisurely hours spent plinking at the range. I have seen to this because I remember that proficiency with arms was once a nearly universal skill for preceding American generations, regardless of class, age, or gender. I am aware also that this adeptness has been tested periodically through our history. It is a facility that we as citizens must not let atrophy while we distract ourselves with more mundane and peaceful pursuits. It is a freedom that was given to us as a Right, which the framers of the Constitution thought important enough to list second only to freedom of religion, speech and assembly. But with this Right, and the legacy that it defends, also comes a duty. A duty that we should gladly accept as we remember how dear the cost of apathy and unpreparedness has been in the past. Make the application. Take the course. Get your LTC. Learn everything you can, then join a local gun club, and practice, practice, practice. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Protect your Second Amendment Rights. - Jeff Richards

HANDLOADING AMMUNITION	HANDGUN AMMUNITION FOR SELF-DEFENSE
Camo Painting your Rifle	Myth: Guns Are Bad!

Thomas Jefferson quoting Cesare Beccaria: Laws that forbid the carrying of arms...disarm only those who are neither inclined nor determined to commit crimes...Such laws make things worse for the assaulted and better for the assailants; they serve rather to encourage than to prevent homicides, for an unarmed man may be attacked with greater confidence than an armed man. Thomas Paine, 1775: Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order in the world as well as property. Horrid mischief would ensue were the law-abiding deprived of the use of them. George Washington, 1790 Firearms stand next in importance to the Constitution itself. They are the American people's liberty teeth and keystone under independence. From the hour the Pilgrims landed, to the present day, events, occurrences, and tendencies prove that to ensure peace, security and happiness, the rifle and pistol are equally indispensable. The very atmosphere of firearms everywhere restrains evil interference-they deserve a place of honor with all that's good.

British Gun Ban Disaster The Firearms Act of 1997 tightened that country's already severe gun laws and virtually disarmed the population, making armed self-defense illegal. Barely a year after, British media began reporting (examples below) a rapidly developing trend that has since become nothing less then a catastrophy for the average law-abiding British subject. London is now a place where you are 6 times more likely to be the victim of armed robbery than in NEW YORK CITY! London's famous "Bobbies", once renowned for their ability to enforce the law without needing to carry firearms, are now issued weapons (including full-auto machine guns) as a matter of course. Oh, did I mention that the number of police shot in the line of duty has skyrocketed since the ban? Or that there are many times more illegal guns on the streets of Britian since the ban. Or that the number of armed home invasions has soared. The Firearms Act of 1997, as any clear-eyed person of average intelligence might have predicted, only managed to make things safer for criminals. Something to keep in mind the next time you hear some poor ignorant soul touting how the banning guns would make us all safer. - Jeff Richards On January 18, BBC News Online reported "a huge surge in muggings": "The figures for recorded offences, a blow to the government's anti-crime crusade, show the first rise in England and Wales for six years. The number of robberies - most of them muggings - increased by 19% in the year to September 1999 compared with a fall of nearly 6% over the previous 12 months." The headline for a January 16 London Times article was: "Killings Rise As 3 Million Illegal Guns Flood Britain." Total crime in London rose by 22% for the year September 1998-1999, and armed crime rose 10%. Gun prohibition has also created a massive new black market smuggling in powerful guns for criminals. The January 14th Manchester Guardian reported that city is now being called "Gunchester." Police -- who are usually unarmed -- report some gangs are now armed with fully automatic weapons and that guns are "almost a fashion accessory" among young street criminals. The June 20, 1999 Sunday Express reported: "In recent months there have been a frightening number of shootings in Britain's major cities, despite new laws banning gun ownershipÖOur investigation established that guns are available through means open to any criminally-minded individual." The government's response? Plans being discussed include: further increasing penalties for gun possession; cracking down on drugs; creating a national DNA database of both innocent and convicted citizens; and restricting knives and air guns. (Sources: papers as named, BBC News Online; op-ed by Michael S. Brown)