U.S. News – Report: 2 ICE officers killed, 1 wounded at federal office building in Long Beach.
But it’s a “GUN FREE ZONE”. And these are the people who are supposed to protect ME while I’m there…
Ill be on American Biker Talk Radio just after 10:20am Today talking about the Orange County Sheriff’s Office excusing criminal activity by its lobbyist because he was ignorant of the law.
Listen in: http://www.americanbikertalkradio.com/
Robert L. “Skip” Jarvis, Jr. State Attorney for the Florida 3rd Circuit stood before the Senate Criminal Justice Committee today to support it;
Senator Margolis (D – Miami) voted for it;
So has EVERYONE else who has had a chance so far…
The House and Senate bills that will at least allow current and veteran military members under the age of 21 to get a Concealed Weapons/Firearms License have thus far met with unanimous , bipartisan, support in the first four committees it has come before.
A first in Florida politics!
No pro-gun bill has ever in modern history had such overwhelming support in Florida! EVER!
It seems that in an election year, with our troops coming home in droves, even the most anti-gun legislators can at least agree that our troops should be able the defend themselves and their families at home.
There are over 8,000 adult service members under the age of 21 living in the State of Florida. Countless more resident veterans and annual military visitors who will have their right the bear arms advanced by these bills.
But I have promises to keep, And miles to go before I sleep.
This is a good first step toward full recognition of the right to bear arms by all law-abiding adults.
Our Legislative Agenda for 2012 is here: http://www.floridacarry.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=section&layout=blog&id=9&Itemid=33
The XDm line still needs that to round out the offering. I’m told that a single stack sub-compact XDs is coming. I expect it to be a true single stack, more like the PPS or 1911 than a quasi-single stack like the Glock 36. Gun development is not easy so nobody quite knows when it will be out yet. I’m waiting…
Now here it is: XD-S – Springfield Armory USA … Even Sooner than I expected.
The XDs .45 Single Stack was announced at the Shot Show Media Shoot. Every blogger but me (I had to work my day job) now has trigger time on it and the initial results are good!
Anybody want to buy a really nice Glock 36 that ALMOST turned me in to a hypocrite?
A friend asked for my impressions of shooting the XDm .45 Compact v. the Glock. He’s thinking about replacing his Glocks with XDm (s). What is the plural of XDm?
I put about 70 rounds through the XDm today including: Win White Box 230gr FMJ, 230gr Gold Dots, Corbon 185gr +p JHP, 230gr Hydra-shocks, and three very very old silvertips.
I also fired 19 rounds through the G36.
No malfunctions.
Trigger
Recoil
Sights
Accuracy
Florida Carry’s very own Robb Allen is getting the word out about Miami being forced, by us, to repeal its gun control laws.
With great power comes great schadenfreude
At first I though I would just take a few XDm 3.8″ Compact .45 v. Glock 36 Compact .45 pictures. I’ve seen some side-by-side vs. Glock 30′s but not with the G36…
It’s shorter in the grip than my Glock 36 but the difference isn’t huge…
My G36 has the +0 Pierce Grip Extension because my little finger falls right on the gap between the mag base-plate and the grip without it. The G36′s stock mag base is too thick to be flush. It is also too thin and misshapen to rest a finger on. The +0 Pierce Grip Extension made this situation right for me. None of the dreaded G36 Pinky Pinch for my delicate little digit!
With the XDm .45 Compact, my little finger wraps up nicely under the 9 round mag. It goes there instinctively and feels quite natural to me.
Not surprisingly, the grip on the Double-Stack .45 ACP XDm is wider than the grip on the “Single-Stack” .45 ACP G36. There’ll be more on this subject later in another post.
Overall the XDm is wider than the Glock 36 but the XDm has a few tricks that reduce the feeling of that extra width.
The G36 slide is thinner than a G21 or G30, but it is still a Glock. As is typical, the Glock slide is very squared, has a very smooth finish, and has some serrations at the back so you can grip it. It’s block profile is really not optimized for concealed carry.
The XDm slide is about the same width as the G36, at the top. It’s about the same width as a G30 at the bottom. This is one of the XDm Tardis tricks. The tapered profile does reduce the feeling of width in the slide.
The XDm finish is much improved over what was on the original XD line prior to 2006. XD and Glock both use a salt bath ferritic nitrocarburizing process to case harden and corrosion protect the metal. Glock then uses a very slick, semi-gloss black parkerizing as the final finish. XD completes its finish using a more tactile matte black parkerizing.
I could have lined up this next picture better but the slides are also the same length. According to Glock and Springfield Armory, the G36 is .03 shorter… Anyone have a micrometer handy?
The slide serrations on both the XDm and the Glock are effective. That said, the XDm serrations provide a better grip. When combined with the more grippy finish of the XD line, manipulating the slide is just easier with wet sweaty hands or gloves.
The XDm also has front serrations. Meah… Can’t hurt so why not; but that’s not where I usually grab for.
Overall the XDm 3.8″ Compact .45 ACP is looking like an outstanding concealed carry gun and a worthy replacement for the Glock 36 that I really gave every possible chance to. Sorry Glock, it’s not you… It’s me. I just need more and I don’t like your angle, even if you are a bit thinner.
Then the XD .40 Service Model started looking like it needed to be compared… And it turned out that this little pistol is also a lot bigger than it looks.
If you slap in the 13 round full size mag, with the grip extension sleeve on it, the XDm is transformed in to a full sized duty gun.
The Compact XDm has a longer sight radius than the XD. The controls are improved over the XD, Both work great but the XDm is more refined.
With the Grip Extension, 3.8″ starts looking very close to a 4″ Service Pistol.
The XDm .45 also holds more rounds than the XD .40! It should though, the grip is longer.
The Croation Tardis Pistol looked small a minute ago!
The finish also comes in to play here for me. My XD .40 is pre-2006 and the finish on it is not nearly as nice as it should be. I could have sent it in to Springfield before now to be refinished but I was unwilling to part with my service sized gun for long enough to have it done.
Now the XDm is the bog boy on the block. I guess I can finally send my XD off to be refinished in some superb Black-T.
Overall the XDm 3.8 fits in well for me. It can fill the need for a Compact Concealed Carry gun and a Full Sized Home Defense and Open Carry pistol.
It’s not a slim sub-compact. The XDm line still needs that to round out the offering. I’m told that a single stack sub-compact XDs is coming. I expect it to be a true single stack, more like the PPS or 1911 than a quasi-single stack like the Glock 36. Gun development is not easy so nobody quite knows when it will be out yet. I’m waiting…
There is an old Irish proverb:
“May those that love us, love us.
And those that don’t love us,
May God turn their hearts.
And if He doesn’t turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles
So we will know them by their limping.”
Here’s to the limping efforts of the enemies of freedom and human life.
In Florida there are only 60 days per year where you can legislatively resolve an issue. The Texas Legislature only meets every other year. The session is longer in Texas, 140 days each odd-numbered year, but strategy in working on gun issues in states like these is critical given these limited opportunities.
Special Sessions are common in states like these where the business of the people does not always coincide with the legislative calendar. Special Sessions are usually only called for issues where there is significant public outcry, strategic political importance, or a real compelling need for action.
Gun issues brought up during special sessions are usually knee jerk anti-gun reactions to an issue or tragedy where people blame the inanimate object rather than the criminal. That’s how open carry got banned in FL, someone decided to OC in a park and stare-down the kids so that he could, in his words, ”test the law”. One misguided man’s test gave fuel to the just defeated anti-gun lobby and resulted in a 1987 special session ban on unlicensed open carry that stands to this day.
In January the Florida Legislature comes in to session early due to redistricting. There are not a lot of gun issues on the agenda during this election year. The biggest issue is a bill that will allow qualified military members and honorably discharged vets under 21 to obtain a concealed weapon / firearm license. Hardly a controversial issue, but a step in the right direction nonetheless.
So, It’s an off-year for gun rights in 2012 legislature. That’s okay though. It took seven years to pass Shall Issue Concealed Carry in Florida. We are patient, we are relentless, the facts are on our side, and we will secure our rights. However, 2012 will be a huge year in the Florida courts, at the local level, and we will still gain some ground in the legislature.
At the beginning of 2011 there were over 300 local jurisdictions who were violating state preemption of firearms regulation. Our goal is that there be 0 violations by the end of 2012. Most jurisdictions have already realized that we intend to bring every possible measure available to bear against violators to ensure compliance with the law and security of the right to bear arms. We already have one lawsuit ongoing and more are pending VERY soon.
If I tried the write about everything that is coming for gun rights in Florida for 2012 this would not be a blog post, it would require an entire book. Hold Fast, Dig In, be ready to get out there and work for your rights. We’ll be calling on you soon.
Today was a good day for the right to bear arms in Florida, luckily Justices Polston and Canady were in the minority when their dissenting opinion said that people who own guns should have them used against them in court without cause. Justices Polston and Canady would let you be convicted just for owning a gun that has noting to do with the charges against you!
The NRA and Unified Sportsmen of Florida worked hard in 2008 and 2010, respectively, to secure these justices appointments to the Florida Supreme Court. They just tried to bite the hand.
http://www.
The majority of the Florida Supreme Court today rightly held that the introduction of a firearm in court that is not related to the crime is prejudicial and inadmissible. Bravo to the Florida High Court Majority!
iPhone Recorded Granny Shooting Her Son-In-Law | The Smoking Gun.
Sure hope he doesn’t get charged with recording her without permission…
There is probably no campus in the country that has done more to prepare for an active shooter scenario than Virginia Tech. In the wake of the abysmally slow response to another active shooter in 2007 who killed 32 people and wounded 25 others, Virginia Tech and surrounding police agencies vowed to provide immediate response to active shooters at the university and to issue campus wide alerts the instant they become aware of an incident. They have also steadfastly denied students and faculty to right to defend themselves by lawfully carrying concealed handguns.
This is the proof that they have kept their promise to improve response…
14 Minutes to Respond – 20 Minutes to Issue an Alert
On Thursday, December 8th 2011 at 12:16 pm the Virginia State Police responded to the shooting of a university police officer on the Virginia Tech Campus.
Just before 12:30 pm VT Police were notified by a witness that one of their police officers had been shot on campus. VT police officers were dispatched to the scene of the shooting at that time.
At 12:36 pm, VT Police dispatchers finally issued its first alert which went out by text messages, e-mail, Twitter, and the university public address system.
“Gun shots reported- Coliseum Parking lot. Stay Inside. Secure doors. Emergency personnel responding. Call 911 for help.”
For at least 20 minutes students were blissfully unaware that they were in potential mortal danger and had no effective method of self-defense. For hours after the alert, students did as instructed, they defenselessly cowered in classrooms praying that they weren’t next on a murder’s agenda.
This makes about as much sense as setting your hair on fire and waiting for the fire department to come put it out… There are actually people who would force you to wait and burn rather than use a fire extinguisher now.
Update: Some times in the original post were up to 1 min off. Corrected based on best available data from verifiable sources including twitter time-stamps from the alerts cited.
I know I have left everyone hanging on this question since Nov 10th…
See the motion for injunction (click)
We will hear from Florida Judge Haddock on this probably in January.
http://www.orlandosentinel.
com/news/local/breakingnews/ Police said Johnson had a valid Florida concealed weapons permit and no criminal history.os-man-forgets-gun-carry-on- airport-20111207,0,5454214. story
He should have been allowed to just check the gun or put it in his car. Instead he is being charged with carry at the airport under 790.06(12)(a)(14) even though he was never in the secure “sterile area”. This prosecution is completely unjustified by the facts.
Airport Carry is legal in 44 states, but Florida will put you in jail
The Federal government has determined that the ”sterile area” is the “sensitive place” at an airport but Florida has gone much farther and banned even licensed carry inside the entire terminal; on this topic Florida is one of the most restrictive places in the country.
At least that’s what the petition for preliminary injunction we filed today asserts. More to follow soon.
If you watch Florida Carry’s News Alerts at all you’ll know… I’ve been pretty busy lately…
More to come here soon!
Florida Carry Sues Over University Parking Lot Gun Ban
Florida Carry, Inc. has today filed a lawsuit against the University of North Florida (UNF), seeking a permanent injunction from enforcing its unlawful ban on firearms and weapons. We also seek a court order to repeal their unlawful regulations, remove all preempted signs, also that UNF pay fines, costs, attorney’s fees, and damages. Since 1987 the Florida Legislature has preempted firearms law and issued statewide licenses to carry for self-defense.
Florida Carry filed this case on behalf of Florida Gun Owners and our members. One such member, Alexandria Lainez, is a single mother who has received extensive training in firearms and self-defense to be prepared to protect herself and her young child should that horrible need arise. Alexandria is a full-time student at UNF and worries that she has to choose between her family’s safety and her education on a daily basis while attending college.
No public college or university has any right to prevent students from having a firearm in their car as long as the firearm is lawfully possessed under state law. Any public college or university which attempts to restrict students’ rights on this issue is subject to being sued under Florida Firearms Preemption law which was amended this year to make the 24-year-old statute easier to enforce by organizations like Florida Carry.
Read the Complaint Here
October 1st brought Florida a welcome break from the summer heat and relief from local gun control laws for over 7 million Florida gun owners. We welcomed both the first cold front of Fall and the effective date of our Firearms Preemption Enforceability Law.
The hypocrisy of some city, county, university, and agency politicians and bureaucrats in the months leading up to now has been staggering! We have seen grandstanding, false information, fear mongering, unreasonable indignation, political spin, and blatant violations of the law from people who swore an oath to uphold the laws of this state. I guess we know how good their word is if they can’t even abide by their solemn oath or refrain from committing crimes themselves.
Florida Carry will be filing lawsuits in the coming days, the first of which may be as early as this afternoon. Of course the soon-to-be defendants in our cases are doing ALMOST everything they can to stay off our litigation list. But they fall short of doing the one thing that can help them… Respect state law.
All they have to do is repeal and remove their firearms and weapon laws, rules, regulations, signs, etc…
Get out of the gun control lobby’s pocket and do your agency’s primary job. Then you have nothing to worry about. Attempt to ban or criminalize otherwise lawful possession of firearms or other weapons, we’ll see you in court. And then we’ll take your money and your job.
790.33 (3) PROHIBITIONS; PENALTIES.—
(a) Any person, county, agency, municipality, district, or other entity that violates the Legislature’s occupation of the whole field of regulation of firearms and ammunition, as declared in subsection (1), by enacting or causing to be enforced any local ordinance or administrative rule or regulation impinging upon such exclusive occupation of the field shall be liable as set forth herein.
(b) If any county, city, town, or other local government violates this section, the court shall declare the improper ordinance, regulation, or rule invalid and issue a permanent injunction against the local government prohibiting it from enforcing such ordinance, regulation, or rule. It is no defense that in enacting the ordinance, regulation, or rule the local government was acting in good faith or upon advice of counsel.
(c) If the court determines that a violation was knowing and willful, the court shall assess a civil fine of up to $5,000 against the elected or appointed local government official or officials or administrative agency head under whose jurisdiction the violation occurred.
(d) Except as required by applicable law, public funds may not be used to defend or reimburse the unlawful conduct of any person found to have knowingly and willfully violated this section.
(e) A knowing and willful violation of any provision of this section by a person acting in an official capacity for any entity enacting or causing to be enforced a local ordinance or administrative rule or regulation prohibited under paragraph (a) or otherwise under color of law shall be cause for termination of employment or contract or removal from office by the Governor.
(f) A person or an organization whose membership is adversely affected by any ordinance, regulation, measure, directive, rule, enactment, order, or policy promulgated or caused to be enforced in violation of this section may file suit against any county, agency, municipality, district, or other entity in any court of this state having jurisdiction over any defendant to the suit for declaratory and injunctive relief and for actual damages, as limited herein, caused by the violation. A court shall award the prevailing plaintiff in any such suit:
1. Reasonable attorney’s fees and costs in accordance with the laws of this state, including a contingency fee multiplier, as authorized by law; and
2. The actual damages incurred, but not more than $100,000.
Over the past few years my small aircraft leasing business has been failing. I rent my little, 2-seat, trainer aircraft out to flight students. My two airplanes probably each cost less than most people’s cars. I rent them for cheep, during good times I break even. Over the past few years I have lost about $30,000 in my two planes due to the economic slump. Nobody has the money to train to be a pilot anymore.
Obama says this makes me a RICH DEVIL that must be TAXED!
Now Obama wants to impose a $100 per-flight user tax on my little planes!
Imagine having to pay $100 to drive to work every day and another $100 to drive home!
Florida’s Preemption Enforceability Bill, that makes our long abused firearms preemption statute (790.33) something quite a bit stronger than the legislative joke that it was for nearly 24 years, goes in to effect on Saturday. This marks the end of a long road toward getting the bill passed but starts quite a few new fights; this time in the courts.
Florida Carry will be filing cases and putting out press releases next week about the unlawful rules, regulations, ordinances, executive orders, and other assorted malarkey that we are challenging. It’s time to get in there a fight it out again.
We really could use your help!
