​Russians can now carry guns for ‘self-defense’ — RT News

Until now Russian gun enthusiasts were only permitted to carry firearms for hunting or target shooting after obtaining a license through the Interior Ministry. Russian gun licenses are to be renewed every five years, and applicants face strict background checks and are required to take gun safety courses.The addendum to the law now lists self-defense as a legally acceptable reason for carrying a weapon.

via ​Russians can now carry guns for ‘self-defense’ — RT News.

How sad is it, having grown up in the middle of the “Cold War,” that now, there are times the Russian government seems wiser and more concerned to the freedom of its people than the US? Don’t get me wrong…I’d still rather live here than any place on Earth (excluding my own sovereign island perhaps). But Putin and the current Russian government often seem to be a head of the curve relative to our President and Congress these days and that’s a shame.

-GM

Taurus announces the Curve

From Taurus USA:

The world’s first and only curved firearm engineered to fit the unique contours of your body, Taurus Curve™ is one ultra-comfortable, ultra-reliable personal defense handgun.

Your body has curves, so why aren’t pistols shaped to match? That’s precisely the question our engineering team challenged themselves to answer-and the results are unlike anything you’ve seen before. Introducing the Taurus Curve™, the world’s first and only curved firearm. Engineered to fit the unique contours of your body with no visible printing, the Curve is easily one of the most groundbreaking firearms ever conceived. An extreme departure from your typical compact .380, you’ll find the Curve takes form and function to an entirely unprecedented level. With its patented, snag-free design, the Curve boasts the industry’s first-ever light and laser built right into the frame. Exceptionally accurate and extremely lightweight at just 10.2 ounces, the Curve is one ultra-comfortable, ultra-reliable personal defense handgun.

via Taurus International Manufacturing Inc.

For what it’s worth, I’ve been hearing about this gun since 2013. A friend even had an early prototype in his shop last year but, couldn’t show it to me because of a disclosure agreement. He said it would have everyone thinking, “Why didn’t I think of that!” I still say, “meh.” We’ll see. It is a Taurus after all. But, they’ve got a new CEO and a new direction…They fired the old one, Mark Kresser, apparently for being honest and admitting to the company’s spotty quality control and designs. Time will tell where this goes. But I sure hope they remember make one of lefties. But as it stands, they’ve apparently given up on the concept of an ambidextrous gun.

-GM

Right-To-Carry Gun Laws Linked To Rise In Violent Crimes

he new findings suggest that right-to-carry laws are “associated with substantially higher rates” of aggravated assault, rape and robbery, Stanford law professor John J. Donohue III, one of the study’s three authors, explained in a press release on Friday. Stanford law student Abhay Aneja and Johns Hopkins doctoral student Alexandria Zhang co-authored the report.

via Right-To-Carry Gun Laws Linked To Rise In Violent Crimes: Study.

It’s from the Huffington Post so no surprises here. As the saying goes, there’s lies, damn lies, and then there are studies made up to prove a point of view in direct contrast to that bastion of “pro-gun” data sources, the Federal Bureau of Investigations…

FBI Crime by Numbers

-GM

November 16 Podcast update

So I left the boys (Jeff, Jason, and Travis) alone for a weekend and they managed to lose 90% of the podcast they recorded. During the week, we are scattered to the four winds and it’s impossible to get all of us in the same place for more than a few minutes. But, I decided to try GoToMeeting to see what we could do. All of this is meant to say, a podcast is forth coming! Expect to see something later today.

-Gary

I was wrong about the Second Amendment: Why my view of guns totally changed – Salon.com

http://www.salon.com/2014/11/13/i_was_wrong_about_the_second_amendment_why_my_view_of_guns_totally_changed/?source=CCDL

Be warned, reading this will infuriate you. This man never supported the Second Amendment. But, it’s salon.com, a liberal rag if ever there was one. Still it is interesting they claim he once supported the 2nd Amendment to justify his assault of it.

GM