The Big-Bore Chronicles

Airtran and their rules that don’t match up with TSA.

From their website:

Ammunition – small arms ammunitions for personal use must be securely packaged in the original manufacturer’s packaging, or in a fiber, wood, or metal box specifically designed to carry small amounts of ammunition. Ammunition must be packed in baggage separate from the firearm.

50 caliber for rifles/pistols are Not allowed. 8 gauge shells for shotguns are Not allowed.

Once again what does the size of  a projectile have to do with anything? Of course I can understand their rule to pack ammo in a separate bag since they now charge for baggage. Get out your wallet. I guess we should start emailing their company and fly some other carrier until they change  their policy. 80 million gun owners in this country can swing a pretty big stick if everyone would just get involved.

To drop Airtran a friendly note about their absurd policy regarding guns and ammunition.

http://www.airtranairways.com/contact/contact_us.aspx

Handgun  Hunter  Magazine adds a feature for members to add their game recipes to share with everyone on the planet. The first recipe added is Amy’s Venison Teryaki that boasts a rich teryaki flavor and is a great recipe to serve as an appetizer or main dish. If you just want to check out some great game recipes any one can view them under the “Cool Stuff” menu item. If you’re a member and would like to share your recipe with the rest of us then login and click on Cool Stuff->Member Services.

Will wonders never cease. A small Texas school district in Wilbarger County, northwest of Ft. Worth, has agreed to let some teachers and staff carry concealed handguns to protect their school, which is reported to be a 30-minute drive from the sheriff’s office. Already the anti’s are screaming doomsday but I say it’s very unlikely that they’ll have any sort of problems. I love Texas.

Read more about it … 

The Atlanta airport administration has decided to spit on a new Georgia state law and continue a ban on guns in the public, non-sterile areas of its airport.

How does this effect gun owners?

Because the airport is asking the TSA to setup a nationwide regulation banning guns on airport property, including the public, non-sterile areas!!!

No more leaving a gun in your car while you catch a flight.  No more carrying a gun in parking lots or on public sidewalks at airports.  No more having a gun in your car as you drive to the airport to pick someone up or drop them off.

We must contact the TSA and the President and Vice President and ask them to keep the U.S. Government from implementing such a ban!

Send an email using the three addresses below.  Suggested text is included.

–

Email addresses:

president@whitehouse.gov, vice.president@whitehouse.gov, TSA-ContactCenter@dhs.gov

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Suggested message text:

SUBJECT:  Leave state law alone on lawful gun carry in airports!

Dear President Bush, Vice President Cheney, and TSA Administrator Hawley:

I am concerned that big city officials from Atlanta and elements of the anti-gun movement are moving to misuse federal power to accomplish what they cannot do in state capitols - i.e., criminalize gun carry in the public and non-sterile areas of airports.

The vast majority of state legislatures support the right to carry handguns in public, including the non-sterile areas of airports.  Any effort to reverse these state law decisions by way of the federal bureaucracy insults federalism and the right to bear arms.

According to the Supreme Court in the Heller decision the right to keep and bear arms is an individual right and, “[a]t the time of the founding, as now, to ‘bear’ meant to “’carry.’”

Please ensure the TSA stays out of gun ban politics in Atlanta and across the Unites States!

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME
YOUR ADDRESS

BELLEVUE, WA – The 2008 Democratic Party’s draft platform confirms that the party still “doesn’t get it” about Second Amendment gun rights versus the Utopian fantasy that gun control laws will somehow make neighborhoods safer, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms said today.

Handgun Hunter Magazine has established a Handgun Hunter Of The Year^TM award and will be presenting it for the first time on Wednesday, January 7, 2009 at the Dallas Safari Club’s annual convention and expo in Dallas, Texas. Kicking off the “DRUMBEATS” program for 2008, a distinctive bronze statue will be presented to the recipient of the award during the exhibitor’s banquet on the first evening of the convention. The individual selected shall be an avid handgun hunter, an active participant in preserving wildlife and habitat through wildlife management activities, a supporter of hunting and shooting sports, and a contributor to the sport of handgun hunting. This award is meant to be achievable by any individual regardless of means. The award judging period shall be for the 18 months prior to the close date. This year the deadline for applications is Dec. 1, 2008. The award period shall cover the time from May 1, 2007 until December 1, 2008.

For more information visit the award page:

Handgun Hunter Of The Year Award

FIOCCHI’S XTP ROUNDS CREATED FOR EXTREME PERFORMANCE!

Fiocchi’s latest entry in its new Extrema Pistol X.T.P. line is the .357 Magnum XTPHP 158-Grain round (Item No. 357XTP). The experts at Fiocchi Ammunition have created the new, high-performance Extrema Pistol X.T.P. line with the intention of producing the best possible defense and hunting handgun ammunition.

Fiocchi chose the X.T.P. bullet for this cartridge due to its exceptional performance characteristics of controlled expansion and down-range performance. This round’s bullet design, coupled with Fiocchi’s renowned nickelplated brass cases, has been specifically engineered to provide trouble-free, completely reliable feeding and smooth chamber extraction. Fiocchi has balanced this round’s fine components with reliably performing powders to obtain the perfect ballistic equilibrium.

Fiocchi XTP bullets are well known for their ability to expand across a wide range of velocities and are built to withstand incredible speed, yet still deliver controlled expansion and weight retention. Special construction of this bullet’s nose facilitates and controls expansion upon impact. The bullet’s cannelure is engineered to ensure the jacket and core remain locked solidly together during expansion. The result is Fiocchi’s top of the line XTP bullet with its ability to consistently deliver the deep, terminal penetration needed for one-shot kills.

Fiocchi’s .357 Mag. XTP round charges out of the muzzle at 1,250 fps and generates 548 ft./lbs. of energy. At fifty yards, its bullet has lost little velocity at 1,146 fps nor energy (461 ft./lbs.). At 100 yards, the round still produces an impressive 1,068 fps velocity and an impressive 400 ft./lbs. of energy.

I recently range-tested Fiocchi .44 Magnum loads in a 200 gr. (item 44B) and 240 gr. load (44XTP). The 240 grain bullets would be my choice for hunting deer and hogs while the 200 grain bullets are better suited to smaller game like coyote. Shot from a Ruger Super Blackhawk over my Oehler 35 proof chronograph, the 200 gr. loads zipped along at an average of 1465 fps and the 240’s showed an average velocity of 1252 fps. The heavier 240 grain loads produced 835 ft./lbs. of energy and like the new .357 Magnum rounds, they are also in the Extrema XTP line of ammunition. The XTP bullet is a proven performer and Fiocchi’s XTP loads should serve hunters well this fall. Note: The .44 brass is not nickel plated.

For more information on Fiocchi’s .357 Magnum XTPHP load, or Fiocchi’s full line of rifle, pistol, rimfire, shotshell and unique rounds contact:

Fiocchi Ammunition
1662 Nevada Way
Boulder City, Nevada, 89005
702-293-6174 • or visit www.fiocchiusa.com.

In the weeks since the Heller decision affirmed our rights under the 2nd Amendment it seems every gun policy in the country is under the microscope and for as much good as Heller did, there seem to be an untold number of government agencies and bureaucrats who are intent on doing every thing they can to circumvent the 2nd Amendment by trying to lawyer their way around the intent of our Founding Fathers. Of course it’s the same tired argument, that they are trying to make us safer when in fact, they are making the majority of us less safe and they are only making criminals and potential terrorist safer.

According to a USA Today article, the Transportation Security Administration is “reviewing” the laws that allow firearms to be lawfully carried in unsecured areas at airports. Now when has this been a problem? Do these people really think they are making us safer from criminals or terrorist by passing a feel-good law that disarms the citizens?

The article quotes Alan Black, public safety chief at Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport as saying, “I don’t really like the idea of people coming here with weapons and carrying them into terminals, but that’s their right as citizens of the state of Texas.”   Black notes that it is a “right” so I guess TSA is going to see what they can do to infringe on our rights because guys like Black don’t like people with guns. As public safety chief, he sure won’t lose his rights, only we do.

Time to start calling the elected officials.

On a more positive note — an aide to media darling, Hussein O., resigned on Monday after it was learned he had ties to a radical Islamic Imam. I guess it wouldn’t have sent a very good message, politically, to actually fire someone with ties to radical Islamic extremists. How about subjecting political aides to the same background investigations that handgun owners have to endure — oh wait, there are no handgun owners in Chicago. I feel safer already.