New pics put up in photo gallery,

Bushmaster firearms M17S customized by Kevin at Tools of the Trade.

check em out!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://gunowners.org

Monday, August 30, 2010

Thank you, everyone, for your hard work over the last few months. Because of your lobbying efforts, the NRA has decided NOT TO ENDORSE anti-gun Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his contest against Sharron Angle.

As you may remember, GOA had alerted you last month to press reports indicating that the NRA might endorse Reid. Followers of the Wall Street Journal read on July 2 that:

The chief lobbyist for the National Rifle Association made an interesting admission to The Weekly Standard following a Wednesday report by RedState.com that the powerful gun lobby might back Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid in his general election battle against Republican Sharron Angle.

It’s not that they might endorse Reid — because they might, said chief lobbyist Chris Cox — but that the issue doesn’t appear to be as much about the records of Reid and Angle, but rather the specter of a Senate run by either Democratic Sens. Dick Durbin of Illinois or New York Sen. Chuck Schumer.

GOA asked you to contact the NRA and to urge them NOT TO ENDORSE Reid. Well, as of last week, the NRA officially announced that they would not endorse him!

This is extremely good news, because it makes it more likely that gun owners in Nevada will now be able to make a more informed decision in November. Now, if we can just encourage the NRA to take the next step and endorse the pro-gun Sharron Angle!

Over her eight years in the Nevada legislature, Angle stood 100% in favor of the Second Amendment, and was a steadfast leader in protecting the constitutional liberties of all Nevadans. Reid, on the other hand, has been a steadfast OPPONENT of the right to keep and bear arms, having earned an F rating from GOA.

To see Senator Harry Reid’s anti-gun record, please see:
http://gunowners.org/is-harry-reid-pro-gun-or-anti-gun.htm

GOA has been exposing Reid’s record for months, and has even set up a special section on our website to expose his record. During this time, we have seen Reid’s numbers drop, while Angle has surged in the polls — in fact, she overcame what was at one time a 20-point deficit during the primary to win the nomination in June.

Angle and Reid are now in a dead heat, as the Rasmussen polling firm shows the two candidates are tied at 47 percent.

ACTION: Please ask the NRA leadership to endorse Sharron Angle in the Nevada Senate race — as she is an extremely pro-gun advocate. Encourage your family and friends to contact them as well.

You can call the NRA at (800) 392-VOTE (8683).

The U.S. government is opposing Korea’s bid to sell thousands of aging U.S. combat rifles to American gun collectors.

By Jung Sung-ki

The U.S. government opposed South Korea’s bid to sell hundreds of thousands of aging U.S. combat rifles to American gun collectors, a senior government official said Thursday.

The ministry announced the plan last September as part of efforts to boost its defense budget, saying the export of the M1 Garand and carbine rifles would start by the end of 2009.

The U.S. administration put the brakes on the plan, citing “problems” that could be caused by the importation of the rifles.

The problems the U.S. government cited were somewhat ambiguous, said an official at the Ministry of National Defense on condition of anonymity.

“The U.S. insisted that imports of the aging rifles could cause problems such as firearm accidents. It was also worried the weapons could be smuggled to terrorists, gangs or other people with bad intentions,” the official told The Korea Times.

“We’re still looking into the reason why the U.S. administration is objecting to the sale of the rifles and seeking ways to resolve the problems raised,” he said.

Critics say the ministry pushed to sell the firearms in a hasty manner without enough consultation with the U.S. beforehand, as calls were growing to increase defense expenditure.

The Seoul government sought to sell the outdated U.S guns back to the United States.

A total of 86,000 M1 rifles and another 22,000 carbines were to be sold, as the weapons have been mothballed for about five decades in military warehouses. The per-unit price of the M1 rifle is about $220 and the carbine is more than $140, according to the ministry.

M1s were made first in 1926 and used in World War II and the 1954-1975 Vietnam War. The carbines were first produced in 1941 and used during the 1950-1953 Korean War.

The USP (Universale Selbstladepistole or “universal self-loading pistol”) is a semi-automatic pistol developed in Germany by Heckler & Koch GmbH (H&K) of Oberndorf am Neckar as a replacement for the P7 series of handguns.

History

Design work on a new family of pistols commenced in September 1989 focused primarily on the U.S. commercial and law enforcement markets. In 1991, USP prototypes participated in rigorous testing alongside H&K’s entry in the OHWS (Offensive Handgun Weapon System) program requested by the U.S. Special Operations Command (USSOCOM) and which would later result in the Mk 23 Mod 0. The USP prototypes were then refined in 1992, based on input from the OHWS trials and the design was finalized in December of the same year. The USP was formally introduced in January 1993^[2] with the USP40 model (the base version) chambered for the increasingly popular .40 S&W cartridge, followed soon by the USP9 (using the 9x19mm Parabellum cartridge), and in May 1995—the USP45 (caliber .45 ACP).

The USP marked the first time H&K chose to incorporate many traditional handgun design elements, such as those of John Browning‘s M1911, in one pistol.^[3] Two principles guided its development—the first being the use of a molded polymer frame, and the second being the creation of a “pistol paradigm“. Heckler & Koch observed the strong points of its previous successful pistols for insight in developing the USP. Previous H&K pistol innovations include the unique squeeze-cocking mechanism of the P7, the precise roller-delayed blowback operation of the P9S, and the plastic frame and double action only trigger system used in the VP70Z. In contrast to these ambitious designs, the USP uses a Browning-style cam-locked action, similar to that developed by John Browning for use in the Hi-Power pistol.^[4][5]

Design details

The USP is a semi-automatic pistol with a mechanically locked breech using the short recoil method of operation. This rather conventional lock-up system has a large rectangular lug over the barrel’s chamber that rides into and engages the ejection port cut-out in the slide. When a cartridge is fired, pressures generated by the ignited powder drive the cartridge casing back against the breech face on the slide, driving back both the barrel and slide as they remain locked together in the manner described above. After 3 mm (0.12 in) of unrestricted rearward travel, the projectile has left the barrel and gas pressures have dropped to a safe level. A shaped lug on the underside of the barrel chamber comes into contact with a hooked locking block at the end of the steel recoil spring guide rod, lowering the rear end of the barrel and stopping the barrel’s rearward movement. The recoil spring assembly is held in place by the slide stop lever’s axis pin and a round cut-out at the front of the slide. For enhanced reliability in high-dust environments, the locking surface on the front top of the barrel’s locking lug is tapered with a forward slope. This tapered surface produces a camming action which assists in positive lock-up in the presence of heavy fouling and debris.

One of the most significant features of the USP is the mechanical recoil reduction system. This system is incorporated into the recoil spring assembly, located below the barrel and consists of a heavy, captive coil spring around the guide rod. Designed primarily to buffer the slide and barrel and reduce recoil effects on the pistol components, the system also lowers the recoil forces felt by the shooter up to 30%. The USP recoil reduction system is insensitive to ammunition types and does not require adjustment or maintenance. It functions effectively in all USP models.^[3] Using this same recoil reduction system, one of the related H&K Mk 23 .45 ACP pistols fired more than 30,000 high pressure +P cartridges and 6,000 proof loads without damage or excessive wear to any major components. Abuse and function-testing of USPs have seen more than 20,000 rounds of .40 S&W fired without a component failure. Milspec environmental tests were conducted in high and low temperatures, in mud, immersed in water and in salt spray. In one particular test, a bullet was deliberately lodged in the barrel and another bullet was fired to clear the obstruction. The barrel was successfully cleared with only minor structural deformation and continued to produce consistent groups when test fired for accuracy.^[6]

Major metal components on both the USP and Special Operations Pistol are corrosion-resistant. Outside metal surfaces, such as the steel slide are protected by a proprietary “Hostile Environment” nitride finish.^[3] Internal metal parts, such as springs, are coated with a Dow Corning anti-corrosion chemical to reduce friction and wear.^[7][8]

The USP is composed of a total of 54 parts and is broken down into 7 major components for maintenance and cleaning: the barrel, slide, recoil spring, recoil spring guide rod, the frame, slide stop and magazine. This is done by retracting the slide back to align the slide stop axis pin with the disassembly notch on the left side of the slide and withdrawing the axis pin.

Variants

The USP was originally built around the .40 S&W cartridge,^[2] but a 9x19mm Parabellum was introduced at the same time. In May 1995, Heckler & Koch introduced a .45 ACP variant.^[9] The USP Compact series was introduced in 1996^[7] and is available in 9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP, and, exclusively to the Compact model, .357 SIG. Other variants of the standard USP include the USP Tactical, USP Expert, USP Match, USP Elite and the standard sidearm of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr) – the P8.

One of the remarkable features of the USP is the wide variety of the trigger styles available, which may be quickly swapped. There are nine commercially available modifications (called “variants” by HK).^[3][5]

By using a modular approach to the internal components,^[4] the control functions of the USP can be switched from the left to the right side of the pistol for left-handed shooters. The USP can also be converted from one type of trigger/firing mode to another. This includes combination of double-action and single-action (DA/SA) modes and double-action only (DAO) modes.^[3]

In addition to a wide selection of trigger/firing modes, the USP has an ambidextrous magazine release lever that is shielded by the trigger guard from inadvertent actuation. The rear of the USP grip is stepped, and combines well with the tapered magazine, making magazine changes faster due to lack of user-assisted guiding. Finger recesses in the grip frame also aid in magazine removal. On 9 mm and .40 caliber USPs, magazines are constructed of polymer reinforced with stainless steel. Magazines on the USP .45 are all-metal. All USP magazines will drop free of the pistol frame when the magazine release is depressed. Also, the USP does not have a magazine lockout feature (also known as a magazine disconnector). Thus, it is possible to fire a chambered round even with the magazine removed. An extended slide release lever is positioned to allow easy operation without changing the grip of the shooting hand.

Variants 1 and 2 (double action/single action, decocking and safety lever)

Variants 1 (lever on left) and 2 (lever on right) allow the user to carry the pistol in a single-action mode (cocked and locked) with the manual safety engaged. This same pistol, without modification, can be carried in double-action mode, with or without the manual safety engaged, and with the benefit of a decocking lever.

Variants 3 and 4 (double action/single action, decocking lever, but no safety)

Variants 3 (lever on left) and 4 (lever on right) provide the user with a frame-mounted decocking lever that does not have the “safe” position. This combination only allows the hammer to be lowered from SA position to DA position. It does not provide the “safe” position to prevent the pistol from firing when the trigger is pulled.

Variants 5 and 6 (double action only, with safety lever)

For the double action only user, variants 5 (lever on left), 6 (lever on right), and of the USP operate as double action only pistols with a bobbed hammer always returning to the DA position (forward) after each shot is fired. To fire each shot, the trigger must be pulled through the smooth DA trigger pull. Variants 5 and 6 have a manual safety lever.

Variants 7 and 8 (double action only, no control lever)

No control lever is provided on variant 7. Variant 8 is similar to variant 7.

Variants 9 and 10 (double action/single action, safety lever, but no decocking)

Variants 9 (lever on left) and 10 (lever on right) allow the shooter to carry the pistol in a single-action mode (cocked and locked) with the manual safety engaged. This same pistol, without modification, can be carried in double-action mode (hammer down), with or without the manual safety engaged. The double action mode offers a second strike/double action capability in case of a misfire. The control lever has no decocking function on variants 9 and 10 so one would have to carefully lower the hammer manually.

LEM (Law Enforcement Modification) Trigger

Developed especially for the U.S. government, the Law Enforcement Modification (or LEM for short), is a USP DAO (Double-Action Only) model with a unique trigger mechanism. This mechanism improves the double action trigger performance and reduces the weight of the DAO trigger pull to 7.5-8.5 pounds, utilizes a stronger hammer spring, and shortens the trigger reset. Aside from the LEM mechanism, it is identical to the USP Variant 7 (DAO) model.

USP Custom Sport

Almost identical to the standard USP, the Custom sport is aimed at target- and practical shooting users. The Custom Sport has a match grade barrel, match trigger and adjustable sights.^[10]

USP Compact

The USP Compact in .40 S&W.

The first USP Compact models appeared in 1994. These are scaled-down USPs, and are available in all the same cartridges as the full size version, and additionally the .357 SIG.^[1] Due to the smaller size of the frame, magazines for the Compact variant may have a handgrip extension to better accommodate the shooter’s hand. Standard flat floorplates are also available for the USP Compact magazines. The USP Compact comes standard with a bobbed hammer equipped with a flat rubber external thumb grip. This reduces possible snag from the hammer on a holster or clothing while the pistol is being drawn, but still allows the USP Compact to be cocked from a decocked position even in the absence of a spurred hammer. This can be done since decocking the weapon does not fully drop the hammer, leaving it in a somewhat “half-cocked” state. However, the USP Compact cannot be cocked from a dry-fired position as the hammer will be flush to the back of the slide, although the operator could pull the trigger approximately halfway back in a dry-fired position to put the hammer in a half-cocked state, allowing the hammer to be fully cocked with the thumb. A spurred hammer, similar to the one that comes standard on the P10 can be installed onto the USP Compact. USP Compact models lack the mechanical recoil reduction system of the larger full sized USP pistols. Instead, a more compact recoil buffering system is composed of a polymer bushing, around the captive recoil spring, which is designed to absorb energy at the end of the slide’s travel rearward. This polymer bushing, with an estimated lifespan of around 20,000 rounds, is used instead of the double spring/captive recoil spring/guide rod found in the full sized USP.

In addition to the variants previously described for the full size USP, an ambidextrous safety is available from the manufacturer as a separate part. After installation by a competent gunsmith the USP Compact effectively becomes a right or left-handed firearm with respect to the decocker and manual safety functions.

Heckler & Koch does not authorize caliber conversions, but a separate barrel for a .357 Sig or .40 S&W can be purchased from HK, or from companies like Midway USA or Jarvis, Inc. EFK Fire Dragon,^[11] an Arizona based pistol accessories company produces conversion barrels for both Full Size and Compact USP models. These conversion barrels can convert a .40 S&W to .357 Sig, and vice versa. They also manufacture 9mm conversion barrels. These 9mm conversion barrels can convert a 40/357Sig to a 9mm, but not a 9mm to a .40/.357 Sig. Also, a more powerful recoil spring may be needed for a .357 Sig conversion as the .357 Sig operates at a higher PSI. Heckler & Koch currently does not make the Full Size USP in .357 Sig, making the .357 Sig conversion for the Full Size .40 S&W a highly desirable addition.

USP Tactical

HK USP Tactical 9mm of the Pasukan Gerakan Khas, fitted with Brügger & Thomet sound suppressor, Picatinny pistol rail and Aimpoint Micro T-1.

The USP Tactical (9mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) incorporates a fully adjustable rear sight, a higher-profile front sight (as to be visible above the suppressor), an extended threaded barrel and O-ring, a match grade trigger, and an adjustable trigger stop. Sound suppressors designed for the USP Tactical are available from Brügger & Thomet, Knight’s Armament and SilencerCO. A unique feature of the USP Tactical is that the barrel is left-hand threaded (counter-clockwise to tighten), which makes the pistol incompatible with suppressors designed for the MK23 Mod 0.^[12]

The KSK of the German Army and the German Navy Kampfschwimmer use the USP Tactical under the designation “P12”.^[13]

USP Compact Tactical

HK USP Compact Tactical .45 ACP with SureFire weaponlight

The USP45CT is a highly modified USP45C developed for use by U.S. special operations forces. Termed the CT for Compact Tactical, the HK USP45 Compact Tactical combines the proven features of the full-size USP45 Tactical pistol in a smaller, more concealable package.

USP Expert

USP Expert 9 mm with Hogue rubber grip and bobbed hammer (not standard).

The USP Expert (9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP), was introduced in 1998^[14] and includes all the features of the Tactical, with the exception of the threaded barrel. The USP Expert also retains the USP match trigger. It also features an extended steel slide, which mostly hides the longer O-ring barrel and adds weight to help reduce muzzle flip and felt recoil even further. The expert has adjustable target sights similar to the USP Match, Elite, and Tactical, however the slide differs in that the rear sight seat has been milled lower.^[14] The Expert may be used with an extended magazine well, or jet funnel, in 9 mm and .40 S&W calibers, which is intended for use in conjunction with larger-capacity magazines. The Jet Funnel magazines are clear plastic and hold 18 rounds for 9mm, and 16 rounds for .40 S&W. The jet funnel magazine can be used without the jet funnel installed and will protrude slightly from the bottom of the magazine well. However, once the jet funnel is installed, only jet funnel magazines can be used. The standard USP magazines will not work as the funnel will impede them from fully inserting in the grip and locking into place. The bobbed hammer was a factory option for the Expert if it was to be used in IPSC for the Standard Division, as the original version “in its ready condition” did not fit the box for Standard division in IPSC.

USP Match

The USP Match (9 mm Parabellum, .40 S&W, .45 ACP) is specifically designed to appeal to target shooters. In addition to the features offered on the Expert, the Match distinguishes itself by its barrel weight, which replaces the elongated slide found on the Expert. The barrel weight provides counterbalance to the weapon’s recoil, greatly improving follow up target tracking.^[15] Discontinued in 1999.

USP Elite

The USP Elite (9 mm Parabellum, .45 ACP) takes features found on the Tactical, Expert, and Match models, and combines them with a 6.02 in (153 mm) barrel and hand-fitted 9.45 in (240 mm) extended slide. The Elite also includes higher-profile fully adjustable front and rear sights.

Equipment

USP45 with SureFire light attachment

The USP has an accessory rail at the front of the frame that allows for attachments of aftermarket equipment like laser sights and weapon lights. The rail is of proprietary design (versus the more common picatinny rail) so equipment options are limited when compared to other tactical pistols. For instance, one of the few weapon lights compatible with the USP is the UTL (Universal Tactical Light) made by Insight Technology and is only available through H&K dealers.^[16] As a workaround, a couple companies have offered adapters that convert the USP’s rail for use with attachment that mount to picatinny rails. SureFire makes adapters for both the USP and USP Compact that are compatible with their accessories, and GG&G makes the two similar adapters for compatibility with Streamlight’s TLR range of weapon lights and lasers.^[17] In theory, since both companies’ adapters use the semi-standard picatinny design, the adapters should accept any standard pistol mounted weapon light, but because the USP has such a large trigger guard and since there is no strict standard for rail placement, some lights may not be with finger reach of the operator.

Testing

As the USP was developed at the same time as the SOCOM MK23, the pistol underwent much of the same rigorous testing. The barrel is cold-forged from chromium steel for increased life. USP barrels post-1994 use a polygonal profile, whereas 1994 and earlier models utilize traditional ‘land and grooves’ rifling. During testing, a bullet was deliberately lodged in a USP barrel. Another cartridge was then fired into the obstructing bullet. The second bullet cleared the barrel, resulting in a barely noticeable bulge. The pistol was then fired for accuracy and the resulting group measured less than 4 inches at 25 meters.^[18]

Temperature testing required the USP be frozen to −42 °C and fired, frozen again, and then be heated up to 67 °C and fired. These temperature tests were continually repeated with no adverse effects on the USP.^[18]

The gun was also subjected to NATO MIL-SPEC mud and rain tests, which were passed without difficulty. Water immersion and salt spray also presented no problems. German Navy combat divers have used the USP for two years without any signs of corrosion.

Safety testing exceeded the ANSI/SAAMI requirements adopted in May 1990. These included dropping a USP with a primed cartridge and decocked hammer on a variety of hard surfaces without discharging. The USP surpassed these commercial requirements, as well as German Army and police tests, including repeated drop tests from six feet (1.8 m), hammer first, onto a steel backed concrete slab. Proof round firing resulted in no cracks, deformations, or increase in head space. Attempts to fire the USP pistol with an unlocked breech proved unsuccessful.

Testing with a variety of ammunition proved the USP meets these high standards. During the USP testing phase, it was shown the recoil-reduction system reduces the force on the USP grip to approximately 300 newtons (67 pounds-force). Peak force shock on competing .40 caliber polymer and metal framed pistols was around 5,000 newtons (1,100 pounds-force). The primary benefit of low peak shock is a decrease in wear and tear on pistol components, a great concern with the +P cartridge in 9 mm, .40 S&W, and .45 ACP. Reduction of peak shock forces also contributes to softer recoil for the shooter, although these “felt recoil” values are much more subjective.

Service

KM2000 knife & P8 pistol of the Bundeswehr.

The USP was adopted in Germany by the Bundeswehr (German armed forces) as the P8 in 1994.^[19] The P8 has only minor differences from the standard USP model, these being translucent magazines, a reversed safety/decocker lever (on the P8, down indicates ‘safe’, and up indicates ‘fire’ — this is the opposite of the standard USP), and the ‘S’ and ‘F’ letters being printed onto the frame instead of onto the lever itself. The P8 has a traditional lands-and-grooves barrel instead of a polygonal barrel.^[20]

The P10, adopted by many German State Police forces, is in fact a USP Compact with the addition of a spurred hammer.^[21] Both P8 and P10 are chambered in 9x19mm Parabellum (9 mm NATO) only.^[20][21]

On August 24, 2004, SIGARMS and Heckler & Koch/HK Defense won major pistol contracts with the United States Department of Homeland Security. The contract was valued at $26.2 million.^[22] The HK pistol models chosen were the HK P2000 US, HK P2000 SK Subcompact, and the USP Compact/LEM (Law Enforcement Modification).^[23] The LEM trigger is basically HK’s version of SIG’s DAK trigger and vice versa. According to the company, the LEM trigger allows for faster follow-up shots (repeat shots) on target than a standard double-action-only system, due to a lighter trigger pull (7.3–8.5 lbf) and shorter trigger reset than standard DAO trigger systems. The LEM trigger utilizes a two-piece “pre-cocked hammer” composed of a cocking piece and an external hammer. The hammer is pre-cocked when a round is chambered (slide is cycled). The LEM system supposedly also provides for more reliable primer ignition, since it utilizes a stronger hammer spring.

The LEM trigger can be installed on existing USP compact pistols that were purchased before the LEM trigger came on the market — either by a certified gunsmith or by sending the pistol directly to Heckler & Koch. In addition, the USP compact pistol can retain its external safety even with the LEM trigger — making it the only modified double-action pistol with an external safety for added peace of mind.

Users

A German Navy boarding team member assigned to the frigate FGS Augsburg (F213) provides security with a P8 pistol for the remainder of his team as they board a local cargo ship by fast rope to conduct a search of the vessel.

German Bundeswehr soldiers using a G36 rifle and a HK P8 in a military exercise.

Country	Organization Name	Model	Caliber
Australia	Tactical Assault Group of the Australian Army[24]	–	–
Denmark	Danish Police[25] [26]	USP Compact	–
Estonia	Estonian Armed Forces[27]	USP Compact	–
France	French Navy (PA HK Marine)[28]	USP Compact	–
	Recherche Aéroportée et Actions Spécialisées (RAPAS)[29]	USP Tactical	–
Germany	Bundeswehr[19]	P8 USP Tactical (P12)	–
	Landespolizei[30]	USP Compact (P10)	–
Ireland	Irish Defence Forces[31]	–	–
Lithuania	Lithuanian Armed Forces[32]	–	9mm
Luxembourg	Unité Spéciale de la Police of the Grand Ducal Police[33][34][35]	–	–
Malaysia	Pasukan Gerakan Khas (PGK) counter-terrorism group of the Royal Malaysian Police[36]	USP Compact USP Tactical SD	9mm
Poland	Grupa Reagowania Operacyjno-Manewrowego (GROM) of the Polish Army[37]	USP family	–
Singapore	Special Operations Command of the Singapore Police Force[38]	USP Compact	–
Spain	Spanish Armed Forces[24]	–	–
	Grupo Especial de Operaciones (GEO) of the Cuerpo Nacional de Policía[39]	USP Compact	–
	Guardia Civil[40]	USP Compact	–
United States	Maine State Police[41]	USP45	.45 ACP

BELLEVUE, WA – Today’s revelation that the City of San Francisco might consider an ammunition registry scheme brought a promise from the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms that a lawsuit would quickly follow.

CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb said in a report in the San Francisco Examiner that Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier is working with the City Attorney’s Office to “craft legislation” regarding an ammunition registry shows the city has learned nothing from its defeat in court over a 2005 gun ban proposition. CCRKBA joined the Second Amendment Foundation, National Rifle Association and other plaintiffs in the lawsuit that nullified the ban because it violates state statute. Now that the Second Amendment has been incorporated to the states by the U.S. Supreme Court, proposals like this one are even more dubious, he observed.

“It appears that Alioto-Pier is trying to be too clever by half,” Gottlieb said. “It’s a de facto registration scheme hiding behind a make-believe effort to crack down on violent crime, and she knows it. We will fight it.”

He noted that it is ironic for the city to be considering such an idea on the eve of the annual Gun Rights Policy Conference, scheduled for the weekend of Sept. 24-26 at the San Francisco Airport Hyatt Regency hotel. Gun rights activists and experts from across the nation will gather at the hotel to discuss recent court cases, current legal actions and anti-gun proposals like the one now reportedly being formulated by Alioto-Pier.

“It would seem to me that with the state’s economy in tatters, cutbacks in public safety budgets and federal courts mandating that more criminals must be released from prisons that the city would not make it harder for citizens to defend themselves,” Gottlieb stated. “But in San Francisco, it is politically fashionable to penalize honest people for the misbehavior of the criminal element. It makes you wonder whose side the government is on.

“You can bet we’ll be discussing this at our conference in September,” he concluded. “Ms. Alioto-Pier has an open invitation to attend and explain her scheme to a room full of experts.”

With more than 650,000 members and supporters nationwide, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms is one of the nation’s premier gun rights organizations. As a non-profit organization, the Citizens Committee is dedicated to preserving firearms freedoms through active lobbying of elected officials and facilitating grass-roots organization of gun rights activists in local communities throughout the United States. The Citizens Committee can be reached by phone at (425) 454-4911, on the Internet at www.ccrkba.org or by email to InformationRequest@ccrkba.org.

Trigger the Vote!

Endorsed by Chuck Norris…what more do you need?!

Gun Owners of America E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Place, Suite 102, Springfield, VA 22151
Phone: 703-321-8585 / FAX: 703-321-8408
http://gunowners.org
Thursday, August 5, 2010

“After reviewing Ms. Kagan’s record and testimony at her confirmation hearing, the GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA concluded that, ‘The available evidence portrays her as a forceful advocate of restrictive gun laws and driven by political considerations rather than rule of law.'” — Sen. John Thune (R-SD), August 5, 2010

ON THE FLOOR OF THE SENATE TODAY

Senator Thune quoted GOA accurately. Elena Kagan is going to be a disaster on the Supreme Court.

Our gun rights are hanging by a thread. Prior to the vote in the U.S. Senate today, Senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama sounded the alarm: “Most Americans are totally unaware [that] the Second Amendment hangs by a mere thread [by] two 5-4 decisions recently….”

He was referring, of course, to the two gun-related decisions over the past couple of years where the Supreme Court narrowly ruled in favor of gun rights.

With this in mind, several Senators spent almost an hour today talking exclusively about the Second Amendment, its importance to all Americans across the country, and the danger that President Obama’s most recent pick to the U.S. Supreme Court poses to our gun rights.

Sadly, the Senate today voted 63-37 to confirm Elena Kagan to the U.S. Supreme Court. While this is disappointing, you need to realize that we got more votes against Kagan than we have ever gotten against a Supreme Court Justice that we’ve opposed — more than we garnered against Justices Sotomayor or Ginsburg. (Imagine, Justice Gingsburg only received three negative votes!)

Today, we gained tremendous ground. There were Senators who voted against Kagan today who had NEVER before voted against a Supreme Court Justice. And come this November, we plan to gain even more ground when a new batch of candidates take their seats in the U.S. Senate… when we will probably be able to filibuster (and defeat) any future U.S. Supreme Court Justice that President Obama nominates.

So thank you for all your help in fighting this nominee. Now, it is time for us to shift into high gear and hold the turncoats in Congress accountable. But more on that — and on today’s vote — below.

STAND WITH GUN OWNERS OF AMERICA

While today’s loss on the Kagan nomination was disappointing, don’t forget that we won a VERY KEY battle last week against legislation to squelch our voice 60 days prior to a general election — legislation known as the DISCLOSE Act.

This victory means that we will be able to hold accountable those Senators who stabbed gun owners in the back and voted for Elena Kagan today — and we’ll be able to hold them accountable all the way up to Election Day.

So gun owners need to stay engaged in the battle to retain and reclaim our rights. Even though Congress will be out of session this month, you can help us INCREASE our voice in Congress — and INCREASE our ability to reach more gun owners — by renewing your membership with GOA and encouraging others to do the same.

You can go to http://gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and join Gun Owners of America for the cost of a box of ammunition.

As you already know, GOA will NOT be compromising your rights. We will not compromise on your Second Amendment freedoms… nor will we compromise on your First Amendment freedoms which are necessary to defend those liberties.

During debate over the DISCLOSE Act last month, Senator Mitch McConnell praised GOA’s uncompromising approach on the floor of the Senate when he said that the legislation was “not about the Democrats’ affinity for the Second Amendment. If it were, they would have carved out an exception for the Gun Owners of America as well. As it is, the GOA vehemently opposes this bill. Why? Because they know it restricts First Amendment rights.”

We only have a little less than three months before the election. We need you now more than ever! Please go to http://gunowners.org/ordergoamem.htm and renew today.

HOLD YOUR SENATORS’ FEET TO THE FIRE

Many of you have Senators who pride themselves as being independent thinkers. They claim they are “Blue Dog” Democrats who support the Second Amendment.

But guess what: Virtually every single Blue Dog voted IN FAVOR of Kagan today. To see how your Senators voted, please go to: http://www.senate.gov/legislative/LIS/roll_call_lists/roll_call_vote_cfm.cfm?congress=111&session=2&vote=00229

Senators Harry Reid of Nevada, Jim Webb of Virginia, Max Baucus and John Tester of Montana, and many more… all the Blue Dogs voted for Elena Kagan, with the exception of Ben Nelson of Nebraska.

You need to realize: These so-called Blue Dogs can’t claim they didn’t know Kagan’s record on gun control. Nor can Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and the other four Republicans who voted for Kagan. They can’t claim that Kagan’s record is silent on the gun issue. They can’t claim she might support gun owner rights in the future.

Senator after Senator sounded the alarm on the floor of the Senate. Just take a look at what a dozen Senators had to say about Elena Kagan’s views on Second Amendment rights:

* Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL): “Ms. Kagan’s record regarding the Second Amendment leaves little doubt that she will be hostile to the rights of law-abiding citizens to own and possess firearms.”

* Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA): “Solicitor General Kagan’s record clearly shows she is a supporter of restrictive gun laws and has worked on numerous initiatives to undercut Second Amendment fundamental rights.”

* Sen. Richard Shelby (R-AL): “Ms. Kagan has spent her career implementing antigun initiatives and evidence of her antagonistic attitude towards the Second Amendment can be found from the beginning of her legal career.”

* Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT): “Ms. Kagan also worked in the Clinton administration to weaken and limit other individual rights such as the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. In her hearing, Ms. Kagan refused to acknowledge any real limits on the Federal Government’s power, which the Supreme Court has already expanded far beyond anything America’s Founders intended, to regulate everything imaginable in the name of interstate commerce.”

* Sen. Saxby Chambliss (R-GA): “Documents made available from the Clinton Library show she was a key player in that administration’s gun control efforts. She was a key advocate for multiple gun control proposals and even authored multiple Executive Orders that placed restrictions on gun owner rights.”

* Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS): “General Kagan’s prior work suggests that she would not protect an individual’s constitutional right to bear arms. As a policy advisor to President Clinton, Kagan promoted several gun control proposals, including background checks for all gun purchases in the secondary market, a gun tracing initiative, and giving law enforcement the ability to retain background check information from lawful gun sales. She also drafted executive orders to restrict the importation of semiautomatic rifles and to require all Federal law enforcement officers to install locks on their weapons.”

* Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX): “I was also troubled by her testimony with regard to the Second Amendment — the right to keep and bear arms. She did say the recent decisions in Heller and McDonald are ‘settled law,’ but I worry that her interpretation of settled law means until there are five new Justices who take a look at that settled law and just decide to change it…. Last year, [Justice Sonia Sotomayor] testified that Heller was settled law. But last month, she joined in a dissenting opinion in McDonald urging it be overturned, saying she did not believe the Second Amendment conferred a fundamental individual right to keep and bear arms.”

* Sen. George LeMieux (R-FL): “I am also concerned about Solicitor General Kagan’s views on the right to bear arms enumerated in the Second Amendment. I think she has too little regard for some of our Constitution’s most fundamental protections. As a law clerk, she was dismissive of the Second Amendment, saying she was not sympathetic to the amendment.”

* Sen. Mike Crapo (R-ID): “I am convinced [Kagan] does not believe the Second Amendment reserves to all Americans a strong and broad right to bear arms…. Countless law-abiding Americans were denied their constitutional rights to keep and bear arms for way too long. It is imperative that the next Supreme Court Justice fully understand and accept and support these rights. I am not convinced that Ms. Kagan does, and that causes me great concern.”

* Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX): “[I have] serious concerns about her Second Amendment views and her correlating judicial record on the Second Circuit Court.”

* Sen. John Ensign (R-NV): “When I had the opportunity to ask Ms. Kagan about her views on the Founders’ intent of the Second Amendment, she informed me that although she had read much analysis regarding the Second Amendment, she had never studied its history or origin. Certainly, this statement was surprising to me, especially given her documented history of hostility toward the Second Amendment.”

* Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK): “The conclusion I draw from all this is that Ms. Kagan is, at best, uninterested in the Second Amendment at this point in her career. At worst, she is unsympathetic to the millions of Americans who, similar to this Senator, believe the Second Amendment is one of the most important of our constitutional liberties.”

These statements are just the tip of the iceberg.

Senators who voted for Elena Kagan cannot claim ignorance. They voted anti-gun, and we need to let them know that we, the American people, are coming to take back our government on Election Day.

They need to hear over and over again that “we will remember in November.”

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Gun Owners of America Political Victory Fund E-Mail Alert
8001 Forbes Pl, Suite 102
Springfield, VA 22151
http://www.goapvf.org
August 2, 2010

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is having a busy couple of weeks in Washington.

Last week, he attempted to pass the so-called DISCLOSE Act, which is intended to silence organizations like Gun Owners of America because we dare to disclose the voting records of Members of Congress.

Thankfully, that bill was defeated — at least temporarily. Reid and the bill’s sponsor, Chuck Schumer (D-NY), have promised to bring DISCLOSE back to the floor for another vote after the August recess.

If this legislation becomes law (it has already passed in the House), it will require groups like GOA to spend up to half of a 30-second ad identifying themselves and disclosing the names of top donors rather than talking about a congressman’s anti-gun votes.

At the same time, the bill exempts “incumbent friendly” groups like labor unions, the AARP, and the NRA.

And Harry Reid, the embattled Senator from Nevada, would like this bill to take effect before the 2010 elections!

Reid and Kagan

This week, Reid will bring to the floor the confirmation of anti-gunner Elena Kagan for the Supreme Court.

Senator Reid claims to support the Second Amendment and likes to tell folks back home that he is not a mere puppet of the community organizer who occupies the White House.

So, will he stand up for Americans’ gun rights and vote against a nominee who quite possibly could become the most anti-gun member of the Supreme Court?

Not likely.

Remember, Reid pushed Sonia Sotomayor to the Supreme Court after assuring Senators that she recognized the Second Amendment as being an individual right.

How did that turn out? In the recent McDonald case, Sotomayor joined the minority dissent that could “find nothing in the Second Amendment’s text, history, or underlying rationale that could warrant characterizing it as ‘fundamental’ insofar as it seeks to protect the keeping and bearing of arms for private self-defense purposes.”

Now comes Elena Kagan offering the same empty promises about respecting the Second Amendment and the Supreme Court’s decisions in Heller and McDonald.

Kagan said nothing in her confirmation hearings that would preclude her from gutting the Second Amendment every chance she gets. In fact, everything that’s known about Kagan paints a portrait of a forceful, politically-driven gun control advocate.

That being the case, there is NO WAY any Senator who claims to support gun rights could vote to confirm Elena Kagan to the Supreme Court!

But amazingly, Harry Reid STILL claims to be pro-gun, even though he repeatedly votes against the interests of gun owners.

In fact, GOA has listed over 40 anti-gun votes Reid has cast over the course of his Senate career.

Harry Reid has been playing games with your Second Amendment rights for far too long.

But he cannot continue to claim to be pro-gun and at the same time seek to silence groups like GOA and to confirm judges — like Elena Kagan — who will eviscerate the Second Amendment.

It’s time for a change.

Sharron Angle, who is running against Reid in the November election, is a consistent friend of your gun rights. She does not waver in the face of opposition from anti-gunners in Washington or in the media.

Gun Owners of America is proud to endorse Sharron in the upcoming election. And she can win, but only with the support of like-minded gun owners and sportsmen.

Harry Reid brags that he will raise and spend over $25 million. So if one million Second Amendment supports send Sharron just $25 each, she will match Reid dollar-for-dollar.

And that’s exactly what Gun Owners is urging. Can you help with a contribution of at least $25? If so, please visit www.sharronangle.com to make a donation.

The Nevada Senate race is the most important in the country. Thank you for standing with Gun Owners of America and Sharron Angle for U.S. Senate.

Sincerely,

Tim Macy
Vice-Chairman
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