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Posts Tagged ‘guns’

Indian gun rights group joins international coalition

Posted by Richard on October 11, 2011

The National Association for Gun Rights India (NAGRI) has joined the International Association for the Protection of Civilian Arms Rights (IAPCAR), a coalition of 16 groups from 8 countries dedicated to protecting the natural human right of armed self-defense.

IAPCAR was founded by Julianne Versnel, director of operations for the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Alan Gottlieb, Chairman of the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA). Via SAF email:

“It is heartening to see groups like NAGRI who are passionate and active for civilian arms rights joining our coalition,” said IAPCAR executive director, Philip Watson.

 “In the wake of the tragic Mumbai massacre, Indians are rethinking their country’s repressive gun restrictions and see the need to empower citizens. Self-defense is a civil right; the denial of this right should not be tolerated,” Watson observed.

 “NAGRI is delighted to be associated with IAPCAR. All pro-gun associations and civil rights organizations should join hands,” said Rakshit Sharma, a representative of NAGRI.

I'm guessing that the people who founded NAGRI in 2010 are familiar with my favorite Mohandas Gandhi quote

Among the many misdeeds of the British rule in India, history will look upon the Act depriving a whole nation of arms, as the blackest.

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Concealed carry comes to Wisconsin

Posted by Richard on June 22, 2011

And then there was one:

Wisconsin stands on the verge of becoming the 49th state in the country to allow citizens to carry concealed guns, after the state Assembly made a bipartisan vote to legalize that practice Tuesday.

The measure passed 68-27, with 11 Democrats voting in favor of the bill along with the body's lone independent and all Republicans except Rep. Don Pridemore (R-Hartford), who had wanted stronger legislation. Rep. Jeff Stone (R-Greendale) said his vote was mistakenly not counted and he would seek to correct that.

The approval of the bill marks one more piece of long-blocked legislation that Republicans have been able to pass now that they control all of state government. The bill to allow the concealed carry of guns and other weapons such as Tasers passed the Senate on a bipartisan vote last week, so approval in the Assembly sends the bill to Gov. Scott Walker, who supports the measure.

Once the measure is signed by Gov. Walker, Illinois will be the only remaining state in the nation that completely bans concealed carry. Nine states issue concealed carry permits, but give the issuing law enforcement agent (usually sheriff or police chief) some discretion on who to approve. The other 40 are "shall issue" states — anyone who meets the statutory requirements (generally some training and no felony conviction or adjudicated mental health problem) must be issued a permit — or "no stinkin' permit required" states (Vermont and Alaska). 

And as a result, our streets are running red with blood as crazed gun nuts shoot it out over parking spaces, cutting in line at the express lane, etc. Oh, wait … they're not. Violent crime continues to decrease as gun sales and carry permits increase.

In fact, it seems almost like violent crime rates are inversely related to rates of gun ownership and carry. Just what you'd expect if (1) the vast majority of people are peaceful and non-violent; (2) violent crimes are almost exclusively committed by a very small percentage of the population who have no moral compass or impulse control and aren't deterred by laws alone; and (3) that small violent minority can be deterred to some extent (and if necessary, stopped) by members of the peaceful majority who are prepared to defend themselves and others.

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Four black men and a gun

Posted by Richard on July 24, 2010

Marcus Cole is a professor of law at Stanford University. He recently posted an homage to four men and a gun that brought a tear to my eye. It begins thus:

As an American, I owe a tremendous debt of gratitude to many, many people who have risked and given their lives to defend our liberty. But as I reflect on the recent Supreme Court decision in McDonald v. City of Chicago, I thought I should take a moment to mention four Americans who have made a relatively uncelebrated contribution to the freedom I cherish and enjoy. I owe a special debt to four black men, and one gun.

The most important of these men, to me, was my father. When I was a boy, he and my mother moved our family of six from the Terrace Village public housing projects in Pittsburgh’s Hill District to a predominantly white neighborhood. While many of our neighbors welcomed us, we were not welcomed by all. I recall a brick through the front window, and other incidents. But burned into my memory is the Sunday evening when my father was beaten with a tire iron on the street in front of our home, and in front of us, his four little children. Those three young white men were never caught.

When my father, with his surgically reconstructed eye socket and jaw, was released from the hospital, he did something he never once considered when we lived in the projects. He bought a gun.

Please read the rest. Thank you, Professor Cole.

 

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Assault pistol lust

Posted by Richard on August 20, 2008

Jed at FreedomSight has a picture of 45superman's new "dreaded .50 caliber 'assault pistol,'" and a link to the latter's post about it. I'm not sure how this happened, but Jed's picture is better than the ones at Armed and Safe, so start there. But follow the link for more pix and the whole story.

Needless to say, I'd like to have one. But the pix leave me a bit puzzled. With a straight mag in place, I guess you've got options for placement of your support hand. But the drum mag looks like it would only work for lefties. Or am I confused? Maybe I just need a chance to handle the thing and try it out. 🙂

It shouldn't matter that much to me, really. As a right-handed left-eyed freak, I've never really resolved to my satisfaction the issue of how I should shoot — right-handed or left-handed? I tend to go with the former for handguns and the latter for long guns. But I'm open to experimentation.

I blame the cross-dominance for my mediocre skill level. Although lack of range time could enter into it…

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Obama promotes guns

Posted by Richard on June 18, 2008

Sen. Barack Obama decided to sound tough at a Philadelphia fundraiser:

“If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun,” Obama said. “Because from what I understand folks in Philly like a good brawl. I’ve seen Eagles fans.”

Drew at Ace of Spades nailed this one:

Now, it’s a kind of funny thing for him to say at a fundraiser but consider two things.

If a Republican had used a gun metaphor against Obama or any Democrat, the world would have come to an end. The press and the Democrats (pardon the redundancy) would go batshit crazy about it and my guess is McCain would borrow Obama’s bus to throw the offender under it.

Secondly, it’s great for Obama to talk all tough but there’s the little part about him not being man enough to take up McCain’s joint appearance challenge.

(HT: Doug Ross

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Jeanne Assam honored

Posted by Richard on December 14, 2007

Jeanne Assam, the armed New Life Church parishioner who saved scores of lives by shooting Matthew Murray, has been honored by the Second Amendment Foundation. Here’s the press release:

BELLEVUE, WA – For her remarkable display of heroism and courage under fire, the Second Amendment Foundation announced today that it will recognize Jeanne Assam, who confronted a gunman on Dec. 9 at the New Life Church shooting in Colorado Springs, with the Eleanor Roosevelt Award.

The Roosevelt award was created by SAF founder Alan Gottlieb, co-author of America Fights Back: Armed Self-Defense in a Violent Age. The award honors exceptional women who use firearms in self-defense and the defense of others. The award is named in memory of former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt, who frequently carried a revolver for personal protection, even while she lived in the White House, and during the times that she campaigned in the South for civil rights.

“Jeanne Assam, an armed private citizen who volunteered to provide security at the New Life Church, was suddenly faced with a deadly emergency and without hesitation, disregarding her own safety, she rose to that challenge,” Gottlieb said. “By confronting a killer, Assam undoubtedly saved many lives.

“The news media, perhaps to try diminishing Ms. Assam’s bravery and the significance of her intervention, have revealed her dismissal as a Minneapolis police officer several years ago,” he added. “We concur with church Senior Pastor Brady Boyd, who observed that all of us have past experiences we may regret, and that she should not be ‘convicted or crucified for being a heroine.’ Today, the entire nation should be proud of Jeanne Assam, and grateful that her life’s path led from Minneapolis to Colorado Springs.

“Jeanne Assam did an incredibly brave thing under circumstances that could easily be described as above and beyond the call,” Gottlieb stated. “Every day in this country, armed private citizens defend themselves or others, frequently preventing or stopping crimes. Their actions go largely unrecognized and more frequently ignored by the press and public officials who would rather suppress the notion that Americans can fight back.

“We created the Eleanor Roosevelt Award to recognize the efforts of armed women who practice personal safety,” Gottlieb concluded. “In Jeanne Assam’s case, we are honoring a truly remarkable woman who placed herself in harm’s way for the safety of others. We are humbled by her good and noble deed.”

UPDATE: Check out the excellent editorial about Jeanne Assam and the right to carry at Investor’s Business Daily.

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National Ammo Day/Week

Posted by Richard on November 19, 2007

Today, November 19, is National Ammo Day. And in deference to those who have trouble keeping to a tight schedule, Nov. 17-25 is National Ammo Week. It's been dubbed a "BUYcott of ammunition," with gun owners urged to buy a hundred rounds:

The goal of National Ammo Day is to empty the ammunition from the shelves of your local gun store, sporting goods, or hardware store and put that ammunition in the hands of law-abiding citizens.  Make your support of the Second Amendment known–by voting with your dollars!

There are an estimated 75 MILLION gun owners in the United States of America.  If each gun owner or Second Amendment supporter buys 100 rounds of ammunition, that’s 7.5 BILLION rounds in the hands of law-abiding citizens!

The gun/ammunition manufacturers have been taking the brunt of all the frivolous lawsuits, trying to put these folks out of business.  Well, not if we can help it!  And we CAN help it by buying ammunition on November 19!

I plan to do better. I'm heading over to Big 5 Sporting Goods in a little while to pick up a 250-round "mega pack" of 9mm Remington UMC for just $49.99, and a box of 525 CCI Blazer .22LR for just $12.99.

That Tanfoglio Witness CO2 BB pistol on sale for $39.99 looks tempting, too. I don't go shooting very often; with a BB pistol, at least I could practice in the basement.

And besides, this one's powered by that evil greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide. I like the idea of simultaneously thumbing my nose at the enviro-whackos and the anti-gunners.

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New AG supports RKBA

Posted by Richard on November 13, 2007

David Codrea's The War on Guns had a bit of good news Friday: just-confirmed Attorney General Michael Mukasey believes that "the Second Amendment protects an individual right to keep and bear arms." Sen. Durbin cited that statement as one of the reasons he voted against Mukasey.

Codrea had been concerned about Mukasey because he supports Giuliani, and because Sen. Schumer supported his nomination. He expressed relief, if not exactly enthusiasm:

Excluding all other considerations, and with the caveat that this is based only on the rhetoric, it would appear gun owners could have done worse

And frequently have.

Hip, hip, hooray! (for now)

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Exercise Your Rights Day

Posted by Richard on August 28, 2007

Today is National Exercise Your Rights Day, according to the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms:

“Jesse Jackson, the Brady Campaign and other anti-gunners are launching a series of protests and so-called prayer vigils against our individual Second Amendment rights on Tuesday,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb, “and firearms owners have the same rights of free speech and assembly.

“We encourage gun owners to visit gun ranges, gun stores and sporting goods shops, especially if these facilities are singled out for protest activities,” he continued. “What better way to show our appreciation for the First Amendment than by exercising it to defend the Second Amendment?

“Mr. Jackson has been searching the landscape to find an issue that will restore his relevance,” Gottlieb observed. “How ironic that a man whose reputation was built as a civil rights activist would promote a nationwide campaign of social bigotry against firearms owners.”

Think I'll drop by Gander Mountain and buy some ammo.  

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Laser pistols don’t kill people, …

Posted by Richard on May 26, 2007

Thirty years ago yesterday, Star Wars opened in just 32 theaters across the country, and producers worried it would lose money. In Los Angeles this weekend, well over 20,000 fans are attending a five-day celebration of the anniversary, the Postal Service has issued Star Wars stamps, and George Lucas is making clips from the Star Wars movies available for "remixing" at StarWars.com.

But not all Star Wars fans are celebrating this weekend. An Aussie on his way to a 30th anniversary photo shoot made the mistake of letting his Star Wars laser pistol poke out of his backpack and alarm the hoplophobes in a Melbourne mall. Police, not knowing whether the laser blaster was fully charged, took no chances:

"It was a replica gun. We weren't sure what we were dealing with," Senior-Constable Daniel Sage told the Herald Sun newspaper. Photographs showed a gun closely resembling the weapon carried by Star Wars rogue Han Solo in the cinema classic.

The man had been on his way to pose for a community newspaper ahead of the 30th Star Wars movie anniversary when he was surrounded by armed police, forced to the ground and handcuffed.

Police said despite being a harmless replica and a close match to a weapon from a galaxy far, far away, the man would be charged with possessing an unregistered firearm.

Don't Australians realize that laser pistols don't kill people, people kill people? (Also, battle droids …)

In other movie news, today is the 100th birthday of Marion Morrison, better known as John Wayne. The Duke carried a plain old revolver, not a laser pistol, but he changed movies forever, too. Check out the fine tribute poem posted by commenter shirley at Firetop.

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Second Amendment Carnival XI

Posted by Richard on April 24, 2007

I finally got around to checking out this month's Second Amendment Carnival at Free Constitution, and I encourage you to drop by if you have even a passing interest in firearms-rights issues. I've barely sampled the many links, and I've seen some serious, high-quality, thought-provoking posts. Some pretty funny and fun stuff, too.

For instance, Acme Anvil Co. argued persuasively (and with tongue in cheek, I assume) that a Guiliani administration would buy you a gun if you can't afford one. More seriously, Politics, Guns & Beer (great name for a blog) compared carrying a gun to wearing a seat belt in a terrific treatise on firearms — and it's only Part 1. How does a 21-year-old coed from Idaho become so wise?

Beyond that, you'll find links to Rhymes With Right, The Smallest Minority, Say Uncle, LawDog, and more — a fine collection of posts that you really should check out. 

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Concord and Lexington

Posted by Richard on April 19, 2007

In recent years, today's date has unfortunately been linked to the abominable murderous acts that took place near Waco, TX, in 1993 and in Oklahoma City in 1995. But the date also commemorates happier events. Some people celebrate it as Bicycle Day, the date in 1943 when Swiss chemist Albert Hofmann first deliberately ingested LSD and then went for a bike ride. (Hofmann, BTW, is 101 and still active.)

But most importantly, this is the date on which a ragtag, self-organized militia that called themselves the Minutemen prevented British troops from imposing gun control on the American colonists. The Second Amendment Foundation wants us to remember and celebrate that:

Thursday, April 19 marks the 232nd anniversary of the battles of Lexington and Concord that started the American Revolution with the "Shot Heard Round the World," and the Second Amendment Foundation notes that the aftermath of this week's events in Virginia clearly show that European animosity toward our right to keep and bear arms still exists.

In the wake of the horrible tragedy at Virginia Tech, noted SAF founder Alan M. Gottlieb, European media – and particularly the BBC – has bared its visceral disdain toward America's Second Amendment and the traditions of liberty and independence it represents and protects.

"Clearly," Gottlieb said following three days of combative day and night interviews and debates primarily conducted by BBC reporters and commentators, "there remains to this day a horrible, condescending attitude toward armed American citizens. Haven't the British yet gotten over the fact that a ragtag, often disorganized force of American colonials, wielding their own arms, was able to defeat what at the time was the most powerful armed force in the world?

"Our forefathers," he continued, "armed with their own flintlock rifles and pistols, and an assortment of muskets – the ‘assault weapons' of their era – threw off the yoke of oppression under which they were forced to live. When British broadcasters today demand to know just what it is about gun ownership that Americans defend so vigorously, the answer is too simple for them to comprehend. Simply put, we defend this individual civil right because without our own guns two centuries ago, we would still likely be saluting a king instead of electing a president. We would likely be British subjects instead of electing our own Congress and state legislatures.

"We know our system isn't perfect," Gottlieb observed. "But America's freedom and liberty are second to none. Otherwise, people would be waiting in line to leave instead of sneaking across borders to get in. April 19, 1775 gave us that, and the Second Amendment protects it. And just so the BBC and other European media aren't misled, we're not giving it up."

What he said.

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Feeling safer vs. being safer

Posted by Richard on April 16, 2007

VT flag at half-mastVirginia blogger Doug Mataconis appropriately noted that "Today, We’re All Hokies." But in an update to his earlier post about the shootings, he linked to a Roanoke Times article from earlier this year about the death of a campus self-defense rights bill in the Virginia legislature (emphasis added):

A bill that would have given college students and employees the right to carry handguns on campus died with nary a shot being fired in the General Assembly.

Virginia Tech spokesman Larry Hincker was happy to hear the bill was defeated. "I'm sure the university community is appreciative of the General Assembly's actions because this will help parents, students, faculty and visitors feel safe on our campus."

Apparently, a similar bill was defeated last year, too. Last August, the Student Center at VT was evacuated during a manhunt for a murderer. Dymphna at Gates of Vienna has excerpts from two contrasting commentaries in the wake of that incident. One was by Bradford B. Wiles, a graduate student who was evacuated. Wiles had a carry permit, but was unarmed while on campus because of the university's anti-gun policy (emphasis added):

Of all of the emotions and thoughts that were running through my head that morning, the most overwhelming one was of helplessness.

That feeling of helplessness has been difficult to reconcile because I knew I would have been safer with a proper means to defend myself.

I would also like to point out that when I mentioned to a professor that I would feel safer with my gun, this is what she said to me, "I would feel safer if you had your gun."

Commenter Amy Kovak rejected Wiles' argument (emphasis added):

At the risk of being accused of being a member of the liberal media, I'll put it out there that I don't particularly feel safe knowing that people can carry guns around me — even if those people have licenses to do so.

I suppose everyone wants to feel safer. Many people want to feel safer so badly that they fool themselves into believing the most nonsensical things. Apparently, Larry Hincker and Amy Kovak believed that prohibiting guns on campus would automatically prevent people from carrying guns on campus, thus making them safer.

Brad Wiles and his professor friend wanted to feel safer, too. Wiles didn't just want to feel safer, though — he wanted to be safer. Would being armed have made him so on that day? Maybe, maybe not. Guns aren't any more magical and foolproof than gun bans. But there's a lot more reason, logic, and evidence backing Wiles than there is behind the wishful thinking of Hincker and Kovak.

I wonder if Wiles was on the VT campus today, and if he was still disarmed and helpless. I wonder if Hincker and Kovak were on campus. If so, I wonder when exactly they stopped feeling safe in their gun-ban cocoon.

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Career suicide by blog

Posted by Richard on February 21, 2007

Outdoor Life’s hunting editor, Jim Zumbo, has had a blog at the Outdoor Life site. Apparently, Zumbo thinks only "sporting firearms" in the hands of "gentleman hunters" should be legal. I suppose he means bolt-action rifles and over/under shotguns with lovely walnut stocks and maybe some fine filigree — the kind of weapon one would be proud to show off at the country club while sharing cigars and brandy with one’s chums.

On Saturday, Zumbo posted a rant against hunters who use "assault rifles" — you know, self-loading, semi-automatic rifles with detachable magazines and ugly black plastic stocks instead of fine wood. In fact, Zumbo called them "terrorist rifles," thus linking the legions of fans of the AR15 and other "ugly black guns" to terrorism. The post is no longer available — in fact, Outdoor Life has removed his blog:

Due to the controversy surrounding Jim Zumbo’s recent postings, Outdoor Life has decided to discontinue the “Hunting With Zumbo” blog for the time being. Outdoor Life has always been, and will always be, a steadfast supporter of our Second Amendment rights, which do not make distinctions based on the looks of the firearms we choose to own, shoot and take hunting. Please direct any comments you have to OLletters@time4.com.

On Sunday, Libercontrarian came out of retirement to post Zumbo’s rant, along with his own highly appropriate critique and some interesting links. Apparently, Zumbo’s ignorant, elitist, and anti-2nd-Amendment attitude ignited a firestorm of protest. On Monday, Libercontrarian posted an update — Remington has terminated its sponsorship of Zumbo:

As a result of comments made by Mr. Jim Zumbo in recent postings on his blog site, Remington Arms Company, Inc., has severed all sponsorship ties with Mr. Zumbo effective immediately. While Mr. Zumbo is entitled to his opinions and has the constitutional right to freely express those opinions, these comments are solely his, and do not reflect the views of Remington.

Good for them. And good for Outdoor Life. And three cheers for ugly black guns. Hey, Zumbo, here’s a suggestion for a mea culpa that might save your sorry ass:

"The other day, I said some very stupid things, and I want to apologize. I’ve been reminded that the 2nd Amendment is not about duck hunting. And I realize that my personal aesthetic and emotional reactions to a particular type of firearm are totally irrelevant to your right to own and use it for any honest, peaceful purpose. I’m very, very sorry for suggesting otherwise."

If that doesn’t work for you, Zumbo, you’d best look into a career change. I’m sure that any of several gun control organizations, which lately have been trying to conceal their real agenda behind "safety" and "violence prevention" smokescreens, would be happy to hire you. They’re always looking for another "sportsmen for more gun-control" spokesman.
 

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Cordite and Cooper

Posted by Richard on October 2, 2006

I just found out today that Col. Jeff Cooper died last week. Cooper, known as “the gunner’s guru,” was a larger than life figure whose impact on the shooting sports, combat and self-defense shooting, and related matters is inestimable. Cooper almost single-handedly created what’s thought of as the modern “conventional wisdom” regarding handgun shooting, gun safety, and combat and self-defense techniques.

Cooper was 86 and in poor health, but he continued to write prolifically and with old-fashioned elegance and charm — albeit, at times with a rather sharp tongue. I always looked forward to his monthly column in Guns & Ammo — it wasn’t really a column, but a collection of brief anecdotes, opinions, and observations on a remarkably broad range of subjects. Here are a couple of examples from the August issue:

We are annoyed by the assumption on the part of certain public figures that the citiizen should be able to prove the need for the citizen to acquire a means of protecting himself. The citizen’s personal needs are no business of the state. Liberty, when in place, grants the right of the citizen to do what he chooses, as long as he does not stamp on the rights of others. Nobody needs caviar, or a pleasure boat or opera tickets. Whether he wants these things is no business of the state. On this side of the prayer rug, the Jihadis do not see it that way. That seems to be the main reason they have declared war upon us.


Is it that the pronoun “whom” has been abandoned? Perhaps it is that the English language is too ornate for the common people.

I learned of Cooper’s death via Spank That Donkey, where Chris led off Carnival of Cordite #74 with Michael Bane’s eulogy, which you should read. Check out the many other fine posts, too — most are quite a bit less somber. They range from fun stuff to gun stuff to politics. There are a couple of serious commentaries on the Bailey, CO, school shooting — one of them mine.

Which brings me to the (apparently copycat) deadly attack on the Pennsylvania Amish school. We really didn’t need more empirical evidence that a “gun-free” designation — even with a stiff prison sentence to back it up — is about as effective at protecting our children as the casting of a magic spell over the doorway. I don’t know what more to say, except that my heart goes out to the families of those little girls.

I think I’ll close with another Cooper quote, this one posted at Michael Bane’s place by a commenter. After thinking about the terrible deeds some men are capable of, Cooper’s point seems somehow appropriate — and comforting:

The rifle is a weapon. Let there be no mistake about that. It is a tool of power, and thus dependent completely upon the moral stature of its user. It is equally useful in securing meat for the table, destroying group enemies on the battlefield, and resisting tyranny. In fact, it is the only means of resisting tyranny, since a citizenry armed with rifles simply cannot be tyrannized.

The rifle itself has no moral stature, since it has no will of its own. Naturally, it may be used by evil men for evil purposes, but there are more good men than evil, and while the latter cannot be persuaded to the path of righteousness by propaganda, they can certainly be corrected by good men with rifles.

—Jeff Cooper, The Art of the Rifle

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