- National Firearms Association

Transcription

CANADIAN
Firearms Journal
January/February 2011
Fully Committed On All Fronts:
Canada’s National Firearms Association
$4.50
Inside
This Issue
Greeting from Head Office
The New Year is upon us and all of us here at NFA HQ
are hard at work processing all the new membership
applications that 2011 has brought us! Keep them
coming!
We have a heavy gun show schedule ahead of us this
winter, leading right into spring. If you are planning
a show, drop us a line and let us know, so we can add
it to the schedule, and also let our growing network
of NFA Field Officers know about your event. If you
haven’t already done so, please seriously consider
becoming an NFA volunteer! We’re just an E-mail or
toll-free call away.
Regulars
From the Editor’s Desk ...................................................... 4
new ones for the very first time.
Sean G. Penney
Finally, if you haven’t already done so, please take
a moment to complete our membership survey in
this issue of CFJ, or fill it out on-line at www.nfa.ca.
Your views are important to us and the answers you
provide will help us better serve you, our members.
Don’t miss out on your chance to win one of three
fantastic NFA ‘SWAG’ bags!
From The NFA Bookshelf –
Reloading Tools, Sights and Telescopes
for Single Shot Rifles ................................................................. 5
Wm. R. Rantz
Notice of Election/Call for Nominations .................7-8
NFA Exerctive
President’s Message – . ................................................. 6 & 9
Cheers!
Sheldon Clare
NFA Legacy Fund – ........................................................ 10-11
Diane, Megan, Bev & Ted
NFA Executive
Preserving Our Firearms Heritage – ................ 12-13
Preparations are already well underway for the 2011
AGM. We look forward to getting reacquainted with
so many of our ‘old’ friends, and meeting many more
Gary K. Kangas
On The Cover
Politics & Guns
Self-Defence: Absolute Right.............................................14-19
Female shooters are one of the fastest growing
demographics within Canada’s recreational firearms,
community. They form an important and vital part of that
community and it is therefore time we finally put to rest
old, tired stereotypes, such as only men own guns.
Today’s responsible firearms owner is just as likely to
be a mother, sister, aunt or daughter as a father, brother,
uncle or son. Women from all walks of life, backgrounds
and ages are opting to join our ranks and we’re all the
stronger for it. As responsible firearms owners, we need
to take an active part in encouraging and recruiting more
new shooters to our sport. Photo by Oleg Volk
Mission Statement
Canada’s National Firearms Association exists to promote,
support and protect all safe firearms activities, including the
right of self defence; firearms education for all Canadians;
freedom and justice for Canada’s firearms community, and
to advocate for legislative change to ensure the right of all
Canadians to own and use firearms is protected.
Tyler Vance
Members Survey – ...................................................25
NFA Executive
Made Right Here –
North Eastern Arms.................................................. 34-37
Sean G. Penney
The International Front –
Liberal IED’s & the United Nations........................... 38-39
Gary Mauser
Old Western Armoury –
The Lawmen: Wyatt Earp...................................................40-44
Jesse L. “Wolf” Hardin
Legal Corner.....................................................................46-47
Sean & Grayson Penney
Features
Gun Control and Magic .. ..................................................20-21
Bruce Gold
Teaching Ladies to Shoot. ................................................22-23
Norman Gray
Kids & Guns: Intro to Modern Sporting Rifles.........26-27
Troy Jones
The contents of the Canadian Firearms Journal are copyrighted Battle Rifles of the Central Powers-..............................28-33
and may be reproduced only when written permission is Bob Shell & Sean G. Penney
obtained from the publisher.
2
January - February
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca January - February
3
From The
Editor’s
Desk
Welcome to another edition of Canadian
Firearms Journal. You’ll notice some
changes with this issue’s date; ordinarily
this would’ve been our “February/March”
issue. The new system we’re transitioning to
simplifies things and should allow members
to keep track of their subscriptions more
easily. No worries, you didn’t miss an issue
or get your magazine late. We apologize for
any inconvenience.
This issue you’ll find contributor Tyler
Vance back with an extensive review
and debate on the issue of self-defence in
Canada. Recent high-profile incidents in
New Brunswick, Ontario and Alberta have
put this issue front-and-center, so much so
that we felt it appropriate to devote additional
space to this extremely important right.
With a potential spring election looming,
perhaps it is finally time for Canadians to
force a frank and earnest debate in Ottawa.
Be sure to check out ‘Legal Corner’ as
well, as it also ties in with this subject.
This issue also marks the launch of our new
‘Western Lawman’ series from perennial
favourite Jesse Hardin, who takes a closer
look at Wyatt Earp and his myth. Gary
Kangas and Bill Rantz are back with their
regular features and Bruce Gold returns
with his tongue-in-cheek take on the slightof-hand and ‘magic’ that is necessary to
make spending $2 billion on a firearms
registry make sense.
we also welcome aboard new contributor
Norman Gray, who offers some interesting
suggestions on how best to introduce new
lady shooters to our sport. He is joined by
another freshman writer, Troy Jones, who
shares with us his experiences teaching his
kids to shoot using modern sporting rifles.
‘Team NFA Update,’ ‘The Gunsmith’s
Bench,’ and ‘The Last Word’ will return
next issue, along with Blair’s VP-Column.
In its place we’ve run this year’s ‘Notice
of Election’ and nomination form as the
prelude to this year’s AGM. Enjoy.
Become a Member of Canada’s National Firearms Association!
qYES! I would like to become a member of Canada’s National Firearms Association
q Individual Regular ($35/year) q Life Regular ($850) q Individual Senior 65+ ($30/year) q Life Senior 65+ ($500)
q Family* ( $45/yr) *Family Membership consists of 2 adults and anyone under 18, living under one roof.
q NFA Liability Insurance: $9.95 / person covered, per year. $5 million coverage._____ people covered x $9.95 = _____
q Enclosed is a list of individuals covered.
Payment Information Total Payment: $ ___________ q Cheque or Money Order enclosed q Visa/Mastercard/AMEX
Credit Card #:______________________________________________________Expiry: ___________________________
Signature: __________________________________________________________________________________________
Name of Member:
Address:
Postal Code:
Phone Number:
Email Address:
Please note: Canada’s National Firearms Association is a not for profit organization and abides by all privacy laws and rules. While you may receive additional marketing and general information from
Canada’s National Firearms Association, our members information is protected . We do not sell or provide list information to private, corporate or government organizations.
January
June/July
- February
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca
By Wm. R. Rantz
RELOADING TOOLS,
SIGHTS AND TELESCOPES
Back by popular demand, “Made Right
Here” showcases North Eastern Arms and
their innovative line of firearms parts and
accessories that is really causing shooters
here in Canada & the USA to sit up and take
notice. Bob Shell and I also partner up for
our long-awaited follow-up to the Battle
Rifles of WW I series. In ‘Part I’ of “Battle
Rifles of the Central Powers,” we look at
the main infantry rifles that saw action in
the hands of soldiers of the German and
Austro-Hungarian empires.
Gary Mauser checks in with another take
on the issue of gun identification and the
UN’s small arms marking scheme, while
4
4
NFA Book Shelf
For Single Shot Rifles
Author Gerald O. Kelver
Paperback, 8 ½ x 5 ½, 163 pages
Black and white photographs
Originally published in 1982 by Robinson Press
Reprinted by Pioneer Press
Single shot rifles manufactured during the late 1800s
and early 1900s are sought after collector’s items in
today’s market. They are cherished for their rarity,
workmanship and the history that they represent. Most
surviving specimens now spend years securely locked
in vaults and gunrooms, seldom seeing the outdoors
and rarely the local shooting range.
Original owners of single shot rifles bought these guns
for one purpose and that was to shoot them. Whether at
a local gun club or in a field out behind the barn they
were the day’s finest target rifles. The owner’s pride
was not limited to the quality of wood and steel. The
ability to outshoot your competitor was the ultimate
source of pride. Reflecting the view of a true marksman
and cartridge developer, Colonel Townsend Whelen
is quoted as stating, “The only interesting rifle is an
accurate one.”
Major manufactures of the day included Remington,
Ballard, Sharps, Stevens, plus many others, who
produced single shot rifles ranging from plain to fancy.
Calibers ranged from the .22-15-60 Stevens to the .50140 Sharps. No doubt each specific cartridge had its
following. How I wish the old timers were still here to
share their arguments as to the virtues of a particular
cartridge!
In order to keep their groups “tight” the shooting
fraternity realized that a perfect shot required much
more than just a quality rifle. Many factors had to be
considered which included powder, bullet selection,
sights and how steady one could hold the rifle.
Gerald O. Kelver, author of Reloading Tools, Sights
and Telescopes for Single Shot Rifles has succeeded
www.nfa.ca in providing a wide variety of information in a single
volume. In order to accomplish this, Kelver has utilized
many photographs, patent drawings and sections
reprinted from old gun catalogues originally printed by
major firearm companies.
Reading the first three chapters allows the reader to
become familiar with the most common commercially
produced loading tools and bullet molds of the day.
While now primarily collector items, these hand tools
were at one time essential if you wished to shoot on
a regular basis. “Store bought” ammunition was often
not available in uncommon calibers. When located it
tended to be too expensive to allow for an afternoon of
target shooting. Reloading one hundred years ago, as
today, allowed the shooter to experiment and develop
custom ammunition at minimal cost.
Kelver also provides the reader with extensive
information regarding early rifle scope makers and
their products. This section contains both historical
data and specific information that will help identify
and date old riflescopes. Collectors will find this
knowledge essential when matching an old scope to an
antique rifle.
Commercial sights and tools from companies such
as Bullard, Lyman, Maynard, Stevens, Sharps and
others are discussed and shown in both pictures and
reproductions of original advertisements. Kelver
wisely devoted a separate chapter to the sights and
tools of custom makers. Farrow, King, Pope, Schoyen
and Zischang are among the talented and legendary
craftsmen whose products are identified.
The final third of this book enhances the reader’s
knowledge about Scheutzen rifles which were the finest
of the single shot target rifles. Detailed information is
BOOKSHELF... Continued On Page 24
January - February 5
President’s
Message
Notice of Election
and Call for Nominations 2011-12
by Sheldon Clare
There is much speculation about an election this spring
as the opposition tries to build some sort of a platform
that can compete with the government’s relatively strong
economic performance. It is very much the case in Canada
that whichever party forms government will have to attract
seats from places where they are currently weak. For the
Conservatives it is clear that in order to get into majority
territory they will have to gain more seats in both Quebec
and in the Maritime provinces. There are also opportunities
in the West. Those MPs who flipped their votes are certainly
vulnerable to be replaced by Conservative candidates who
will support the wishes of their constituents and support a
pro-rights and freedom agenda. Such an agenda will do
much more than merely go after the so-called long gun
registry. The registration of firearms is certainly a problem,
but if it is a problem for long arms then it is a problem for all
other firearms and for the same reasons.
The NFA has long advocated a practical firearms control
system that concentrates on personally responsibility,
rather than on tracking property. The idea is that the lawful
possession of arms by ordinary people is not a crime and never
should be considered to be one. What is really needed is a
return to the old principle of the English Bill of Rights – you
know, radical ideas that people are presumed innocent until
proven guilty, and that every person’s home is their castle.
Our present constitution lists in Section 7 of the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms “…the right to life, liberty and security
of the person and the right not to be deprived thereof except
in accordance with the principles of fundamental justice. “
The problem is the first article of the Charter which subjects
all of the listed rights to “…reasonable limits prescribed by
law as can be demonstrably justified in a free and democratic
society.” And therein lies our problem – what are those
reasonable limits and how can they be reasonably justified?
Is it reasonably justified to limit the right of Canadian
residents to defend themselves, their families, neighbours
and property from criminal activity? Certainly not! In fact
the peer-reviewed research shows compellingly that when
people have ready access to firearms for self defence, the
incidence of violent crime drops dramatically.
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In this regard, I commend to you the excellent work of
Professor John Lott, Jr. in his latest edition of More Guns,
Less Crime. Professor Lott has been thorough in proving his
thesis as clearly stated in the title and in responding to the
alarmist criticisms of the gun-grabbers emotional arguments.
Personally, I think that as an NFA member, you could perform
a real service by buying a copy of Lott’s book and sending
it to your member of parliament. Perhaps a few of them
might actually take the time to read it and become informed
as to solutions to firearms legislation. Another good work to
pick up is that of Joyce Lee Malcolm, Guns and Violence;
the English Experience which shows the history of failed
firearms control and the erosion of rights around self defence
and firearms ownership.
We really need to work on changing the political mindset in
all of the parties that only pays lip service to firearms rights
issues when it might gain some votes. Bills like that which
the NDP’s Charlie Angus has introduced that tries to appeal
to a divided constituency are quite frankly garbage, and
are merely intended to appease the large numbers of NDP
supporters who own and use firearms. The NDP has yet
to figure who its constituents are, and it has again failed to
develop any sort of vision for the future – it is not a party that
is friendly to firearms owners despite what a few designated
members have tried to sell as concern for rural gun owners.
The NDP’s Bill C-580 is merely a technique to try to break
up what they quite legitimately see as a Conservative threat
to those few seats that they hold in areas of high firearms
ownership.
The firearms community has high expectations of the
Conservative party, should it form a majority government.
The Conservatives once promised to repeal the Firearms
Act, and quite frankly, merely getting rid of the registration
of long-guns is far from what is needed. It will take much
resolve and political involvement from each of us to get our
politicians to do the real work of getting rid of the firearms
control laws that have become a serious threat to the personal
rights and freedoms of all Canadians, not just those who own
firearms.
January - February
www.nfa.ca
Canada’s National Firearms Association announces that
elections will be held for the Board of Directors with
mailed ballots being counted in April. Interested parties
should submit a nomination form and a short (200 word)
biography and statement of intent to the National office
no later than March 15, 2011. Nomination forms are
available on request from the National Office. Forms are
also available for download at www.nfa.ca
In accordance with the bylaws, a total of eleven nominations
are sought for the following positions:
15. The property and business of the association shall be
managed by a board of directors elected from the following
electoral regions as described below:
Electoral Area
Require
To Be Elected Now
Alberta-Northwest
Territories & Out-of-Canada
2
1
British Columbia-Yukon
2
1
Manitoba-Nunavut
1
1
Labrador-Maritimes
1
0
Ontario
2
1
Quebec
2
1
Saskatchewan
1
1
Each electoral area containing at least 10 percent (10%) of
the voting members of the association on September 1 of an
election year is entitled to elect two, but only two directors.
A voting member may vote only for candidate(s) in the electoral area in which he or she resides.
c. A province, territory or out-of-Canada grouping may form
an electoral area when dividing the electoral area it is part
of will mean that both of that province, territory or grouping
and the remaining province(s) and/or territory or grouping
each have at least 5 percent (5%) of the voting membership
of the association. Provinces and territories not having sufficient numbers to form an electoral area will be combined
with an adjacent province or territory as determined by the
board of Directors.
Directors must be individuals, 18 years of age or older at the
time of the election, with power under Canadian law to sign
contracts.
16. Directors shall be elected by surface mail, electronic
mail, or secure call-in telephone ballot of voting members
for a term of two years, except as noted below:
Newfoundland-
a. Each of the above would form one electoral area when
electing its director(s). Out-of-Canada members will vote
as part of the Alberta membership. The combinations above
shall apply until such time as those specific provinces and
territories develop sufficient membership to form separate
electoral areas.
a. An electoral area with 2 directors shall elect one each
year, except in the first year in which these bylaws come
into effect at which time all directors will be elected. The
director, from an area with 2 directors, having the second
highest number of votes will serve a one year term and that
directorship will be up for election for a two-year term in the
subsequent election. In the event of a tie, the matter will be
determined by a draw. The directors for Saskatchewan and
Manitoba-Nunuvat will likewise be first elected as a one year
term so that about half of the board of directors is subject to
election each year.
Signed Diane Laitila
Election Officer
b. Each electoral area containing at least 5 percent (5%) of
the voting members of the association on September 1 of an
election year is entitled to elect one, but only one director.
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca
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January
- February
January
-- February
January
February
35
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www.nfa.ca
Nomination Form for Office of Director
of Canada’s National Firearms Association
Message du
Président
Candidate:
Name: ____________________________ NFA Membership Number_____________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
Telephone Number: ________________________ E-Mail: ______________________________
Candidate Profile: The candidate must provide a good quality digital photograph and a typed electronic
200 word biography that outlines his or her experience and reasons for wishing to serve as a director of
Canada’s National Firearms Association.
Date of Birth: ____________________
How long have you been a member of Canada’s NFA?: ______
Do you have power under Canadian law to sign legally binding contracts? YES/NO
Do you have a criminal record for which you have not received a pardon? YES/NO
I accept the nomination to run as a director for Canada’s NFA.
Candidate’s signature: ____________________________ Date: _________________________
We the undersigned members in good standing of Canada’s National Firearms Association wish to nominate
____________________ _______________for the position of director.
Nous nous retrouvons encore à l’aube
d’une possible élection au printemps en
voyant l’opposition tenter d’établir un
programme capable de faire compétition
à la solide performance économique du
Gouvernement. Peu importe quel parti
formera le prochain Gouvernement, ils
devront tous gagner du terrain en faisant
élire des députés dans les régions ou ils
sont faiblement représentés. Pour les
Conservateurs, la majorité sera possible
en gagnant des sièges au Québec et dans
les maritimes en plus de quelques sièges
dans l’ouest. Les Députés qui ont changé
leur vote lors de la saga du registre des
armes longues sont particulièrement en
péril, pouvant être remplacés par des
candidats Conservateurs, qui eux, seront
fidèles aux souhaits de leurs électeurs
et appuieront un agenda pro-droits
et libertés. Un tel agenda s’adressera
à bien plus que le registre des armes
longues. L’enregistrement des armes est
problématique, s’il l’est pour les armes
longues, il l’est pour toutes les armes et
pour les mêmes raisons!
L’Association
Canadienne
des
Propriétaires d’Armes à Feu préconise
depuis longtemps un système de
contrôle des armes pratique et centré sur
la responsabilité individuelle plutôt que
sur le traçage de la propriété des gens.
Son fondement est que la possession
légitime d’armes à feu par des citoyens
ordinaires n’est pas un crime et ne devrait
jamais être considéré comme tel. Il est
essentiel de revenir aux anciens principes
de la Charte des Droits Anglaise qui
affirme des principes ‘radicaux’ comme
la présomption d’innocence jusqu’à la
preuve du contraire et qu’une résidence
est inviolable! Notre Constitution
actuelle, la Charte Canadienne des
Droits et Libertés, énumère dans l’Art. 7
: ‘Que chacun a droit à la vie, à la liberté
et à la sécurité de sa personne; Il ne
peut être porté atteinte à ce droit qu’en
Nominators:
Name: ____________________________ NFA Membership Number: ____________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
How long have you known this person? _____________________________________________
Nominator’s Signature: __________________________________ Date: __________________
Name: ____________________________ NFA Membership Number: ____________________
Address: ______________________________________________________________________
8
January - February
How long have you known this person? _____________________________________________
celui de Joyce Lee Malcom, Guns and
Violence; the English Experience. (Les
armes à feu et la violence, l’expérience
de l’Angleterre). Ce livre expose
l’historique des Lois ratées sur les armes
à feu en Angleterre et l’érosion des
droits de légitime défense et du droit de
posséder des armes à feu.
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca
conformité avec des principes de justice
fondamentale.’ Le problème se trouve
dans le premier Article de la Charte, qui
garantit tous les droits et libertés qui y
sont énoncés, à la condition suivante :
‘Ils ne peuvent être restreints que par une
règle de droit, dans les limites qui soient
raisonnables et dont la justification
puisse se démontrer dans le cadre d’une
société libre et démocratique.’ Alors
voici notre problème : Quelles sont
ces limites raisonnables? Et comment
sont-elles raisonnablement justifiables?
Est-ce raisonnable et justifiable dans
une société libre et démocratique
de restreindre le droit aux résidents
Canadiens de se défendre, de défendre
leurs familles, leurs voisins et leur
propriété contre des gestes criminels?
Certainement pas! En fait, il a été
démontré que lorsque les gens ont un
accès direct à des armes à feu pour se
défendre, l’incidence de crimes violents
baisse radicalement.
Je vous recommande les ouvrages
suivants écrit en anglais : Le premier,
le livre le plus récent du professeur
John Lott Jr. : More Guns, Less Crime
(Plus d’armes à feu, moins de crime).
Le professeur Lott réussi haut la main
à démontrer l’énoncé du titre de son
livre en répondant avec des faits aux
critiques alarmistes et émotionnelles
des hystériques anti-armes qui veulent
désarmer les gens respectueux des lois.
Je crois personnellement qu’en tant que
membre de l’Association Canadienne
des Propriétaires d’Armes à Feu, vous
feriez une bonne action en achetant une
copie de ce livre et en l’envoyant à votre
Député.
Il y en aurait peut-être quelques un
qui prendraient le temps de le lire et
deviendraient par le fait même, mieux
informé sur des solutions possibles
pour légiférer au sujet des armes à
feu. Un deuxième excellent livre est
January - February Nous devons travailler sans relâche
pour changer la manière de penser
de tous les partis politiques qui font
semblant d’appuyer l’enjeu des droits
de posséder des armes à feu lorsqu’ils
pensent pouvoir gagner quelques votes.
Les projets de loi comme celui du
Député Charlie Angus du NPD qui tente
de plaire à ses électeurs divisés, ne sont
franchement que des ordures et sont
présentés que pour apaiser les électeurs
du NPD qui possèdent et utilisent des
armes à feu. Le NPD n’a pas encore
réussi à bien connaître ses électeurs et
il a encore échoué à créer une vision
d’avenir. Ce n’est pas un parti ami des
propriétaires d’armes à feu malgré ce
que quelques membres désignés du parti
ont essayé de faire croire comme étant
un appui envers ces mêmes propriétaires
des régions rurales. Le projet de loi
C-580 n’est qu’une technique électorale
pour tenter de garder les sièges qui ont
été mis en péril par le changement de
vote lors du débat sur le registre des
armes longues, en particulier dans les
circonscriptions ou les électeurs sont
nombreux à posséder des armes à feu.
Les propriétaires d’armes à feu ont
des attentes très élevées vis-à-vis les
Conservateurs si un jour ils forment
un Gouvernement majoritaire. Les
Conservateurs
ont
déjà
promis
d’abroger la Loi sur les Armes à Feu,
et franchement, simplement abolir le
registre des armes longues est loin de
ce qui est nécessaire en cette matière.
Il nous faudra beaucoup de ténacité et
d’implication politique pour convaincre
les politiciens d’accomplir vraiment la
tâche d’éliminer les lois sur les armes
à feu qui sont devenues des menaces
sérieuses envers nos droits et libertés,
et ce pour tous les Canadiens, pas juste
ceux qui possèdent des armes à feu.
Sheldon Clare
Président. Association Canadienne des
Propriétaires d’Armes à Feu
99
Team NFA
Update
NFA Legacy Fund
Canada’s National Firearms Association is pleased to
announce the creation of our NFA Legacy Fund. The new
fund has been created at the request of members, and under
the direction of the new board of directors.
It is hoped that this new fund will provide interested members
with an opportunity to know that their treasured firearms
will be preserved after their passing, and ensure that their
guns will be saved from potential destruction; especially in
cases where they have no living heirs, or their heirs have no
interest in firearms ownership.
By directly donating or bequeathing their firearms to NFA,
members can be assured that their prized firearms will find
welcomed new homes in the hands of active, responsible
shooters & collectors from across Canada.
From consultations with members on this topic we are aware
that simply knowing that their prized firearm(s) will survive
them, and in turn become treasured family heirlooms to an
entirely new generation of shooters, offers a not unsubstantial
measure of consolation and contentment to many.
Sadly, the more common scenario played out with increasing
frequency today involves a call to the local police, seeking
legal advice on the proper disbursement of their loved one’s
firearms; followed by a personal visit by the local constable,
and culminating with the unsuspecting executor or heirs
relinquishing ownership of the firearms in question. The
latter are then fated for almost certain destruction.
Megan Heinicke
To discuss arrangements or to make a direct gift to the NFA
Legacy Fund today, please call toll free: 1-877-818-0393 or
E-mail: [email protected]
Editor .................................................................... [email protected]
Sean Penney & Grayson Penney
Executive VP, Operations [email protected]
Diane Laitila ....................................................... 780-439-1394
Accounts / Membership / General Info .... [email protected]
Legal Inquiries .................................................... [email protected]
National Executive
Info on Megan and a bit of extra space if you
need room for “From the Editior”
Mr. George McLeod
10
National Firearms Association to continue our
work to protect and advance our firearms rights
as responsible members of Canada’s recreational
firearms community, and our centuries old cultural
traditions and heritage of firearms ownership.
Canada’s National Firearms Association wishes
to recognize our friend, Gordon McLeod, for this
effort and extend our heartfelt appreciation for such
a selfless gift.
January - February
The TEAM NFA Update will return next issue. Pictured above is
our very own Megan Heinicke, holding the newest addition to her
family, Baby Predo at Age 3 Weeks. We look forward to the day
when we may perhaps welcome another addition to TEAM NFA.
As we go to print, mother and baby are doing well and Megan is
hard at work training for her return to competition in late February
or early March.
Join us on
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further to advocate for legislative change to protect the right
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11
Preserving Our
Firearms Heritage
By Gary K. Kangas
For Tom Kieffer preserving our firearms heritage
began at an early age. Tom was born August 19,
1927 in Ridgeway, Ontario and became aware of
the area’s storied history as a young boy. He lived
on Garrison Road and the local church has a plaque
commemorating the Fenian Invasion of Canada in
1866.
For those who do not know, the Fenians were Irishborn veterans of the U.S. Civil War. They wore the
green and gold uniform of the Irish Republican Army
and their goal was a free Ireland. In this cause, the
battle-hardened Fenians launched an invasion of
British-ruled Canada. Their goal was to secure the
Canadian capital and in order to use it as leverage and
force the British to relinquish control of their Irish
homeland.
However, the Canadian Militia, civilian volunteers
and British regulars, who
rallied in defence of their
homeland,
eventually
fought the Fenians to a
standstill - despite their
initial gains. In subsequent
battles, Canadian Militia
sharpshooters forced a
Fenian withdrawal back
across the border; where
they were summarily
arrested by U.S. Marshals, reinforced by units of the
U.S. Army.
The sense of wonder, action and romance growing
up in such a place central to Canadian history helped
shape Tom’s early life, and sparked his interest in our
firearms heritage and military history. At age 12, Tom
joined the local bugle band as a drummer. Two years
later he found himself a member of the militia as a
newly-minted cadet
Although Tom came from non-firearms owning
parents, his fascination with Canadian history,
firearms and the ‘Old West’ was unabated. Eventually
his mother bought him his first pair of cowboy boots;
setting him on a path to become the consummate
outdoorsman; just like so many of his childhood
heroes. At age 15 Tom began hunting and acquired
his first personally- owned firearm, an Ithaca 16 gauge
pump. By age 17 he had
advanced to big game,
and had started hunting
deer with his trusty Ithaca
and rifled slugs. He then
bought his first handgun
in Pembroke, Ontario,
a .22 Colt single action.
He was to later explore
the continent, camping,
hunting and fishing his
way from Ontario to British Columbia
and south, to California.
While growing up as a teenager,
during the height of WW II, Tom
could not resist the siren-call of duty
and attempted to enlist in the Regular
Army in 1944 at age 17. The recruiter
sent him home saying, “The war is
nearly over, so go home and stay in
school”.
Tom joined the Pembroke Hunt Club
in 1956, continuing to pursue his
passion for hunting and shooting.
He eventually became involved in
bullseye and silhouette shooting, as
well as archery.
Tom emigrated to California in 1963
and found his first antique cowboy
spur while roto-tilling his garden. He
found himself intrigued by the history
his find represented and thus began a
quest to add to his collection; and in
some small way help preserve our
history. His collection is now the envy
of many.
During his time in California, Tom
continued to hunt and shoot, and it
was there that he also acquired his first cowboy gun, a
Ruger 3-screw .357 Magnum revolver.
Tom returned to Canada in 1969, and while he
continued to shoot regularly, it was not until 2000
that he discovered Cowboy Action Shooting. Shortly
thereafter, he became a full-fledged SASS (Single
Action Shooting Society) member and has become a
formidable competitor - winning the Elder Statesman
category on a regular basis.
12
January - February
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www.nfa.ca Tom’s ever-present smile and light hearted manner
endear him to those he meets. He has a rascally glint
in his eye and his approach is always inviting.
Tom is a student of Canadian history and the old west,
a discerning firearms aficionado and hunter. At age
83 he is spry, active and a keen competitor. He is
an incredible role model for all of preserving our
Canadian Firearms Heritage.
January - February
13
Politics
& Guns
Self-defence:
Absolute Right
(See S. 34, 35, 37, 40 & 41) For certain stake-holders, including
gun control advocates and law-enforcement agencies, such
rights run counter to the equally important (from their
perspective) belief in the ‘rule of law.’ As Mauser has noted,
when firearms are inserted into the mix, the subsequent debate
becomes even more volatile. Reconciling these diametrically
opposing perspectives and priorities, has served to transform
self-defence into Mauser’s ‘troublesome right.’
by Tyler Vance
Growing up in small-town, rural Canada, a regular police presence
was never part of daily life. There is no ‘911 Emergency Service’ in
our area and the ‘local’ RCMP detachment is close to an hour’s drive
away. After business hours, calls to their switchboard are routed to
another central detachment another hour’s drive further away.
Under perfect conditions, police response time may be measured in
hours. Usually, by the time police actually show up, the issue has been
resolved by area residents, or the miscreants are long gone, and the
only useful service responding RCMP can provide is to file a report
for insurance purposes. Unless wholly inept, the perpetrators are
almost never caught. In very real terms, most rural residents quickly
realize that they are on their own.
Mine is not a unique story, and small towns across rural Canada are
forced to deal with similar circumstances every day. Unfortunately,
not every town has been lucky enough to have avoided the taint
of increasing bodily violence, home invasions and violent crime
as has my own. Far too often, average, law-abiding citizens are
being left with no other recourse but to take up arms in defence of
themselves, their family and their homes; when calls to police for aid
go unanswered or are tragically late in the coming.
Yet, self-defence, as both word and concept, has become almost
taboo within the mainstream media and is increasingly viewed with
disdain amongst many urban populations. The latter seem incapable
or unwilling to recognize the simple truth that in a life-or-death
situation, where seconds count, waiting hours or days for a policeman
to respond to your frantic requests for help is simply insane.
Somehow, it has become more preferable and seemingly more
‘respectable’ for Canadians to be publicly mourned, as tragic victims
of violent assault, rather than celebrated as self-sufficient and live
survivors. In many cases the latter are often bizarrely criticized for
their actions and are classified by many as being equally culpable as a
consequence of their refusal to accept the ‘victim’s mantle’ - instead,
by choosing to take responsibility for their own safety they have
somehow become just another ‘combatant’ to be judged.
Such attitudes fly in the face of common sense and can only be a
direct result of the past four decades of Liberal social re-engineering.
To an amazing degree, ‘progressives,’ have seemingly ingrained
repugnance for self-defence, at least on a theoretical level, in many
Canadian’s psyche, and on a practical level, throughout much of
Canadian law-enforcement.
Fellow Canadian Firearms Journal contributor and noted scholar,
Professor Gary Mauser, has dubbed self-defence, the ‘troublesome
right.’ As Mauser has argued, all individuals have the right to selfdefence, including the use of physical force, to protect themselves
from assault. Our Canadian Criminal Code bears out this assertion.
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Recent events, have served to inflame this debate anew, and we
are now seeing a noticeable change in the attitudes of not only
rural Canadians, but suburban and urban dwellers as well. And
not all of them necessarily gun
owners either.
It is almost impossible to point
to any one single cause for this
dramatic shift in the Canadian
socio-political paradigm, but
perhaps it can be argued that it
is more a culmination of events
and variables over the past
number of years. The political
and legal fall-out from such
high-profile policing fiascos as
the Robert Dziekański affair
at Vancouver’s international
airport and the G-8 and
G-20 protests of last summer
have most certainly served
to highlight this increasing
‘disconnect’
between
the
Canadian political-left, and the
moderate political-center.
The increasingly questionable
decision-making
processes
employed
by
our
lawenforcement agencies when
dealing with clear-cut cases of self-defence have only
exacerbated things. In response, there is no question that leftwing pundits, political commentators and anti-gun advocates
opposed to self-defence are becoming increasingly strident in
their public statements and arguments. Yet, their faux-outrage
and poorly-concealed repugnance for the actions of those
individuals opting to ‘take the law into their own hands,’ or
more correctly to exercise their right to self-defence in the face
of violent assault and criminality are falling on increasingly
deaf ears.
rule of law,’ and would be forced back into a more comfortable
role for the part of both law-enforcement agencies and leftwing ‘progressives.’
The problem for the latter players, however, is the revolution
in technology that is severely hampering their ability to control
the ‘facts’ and thus the larger debate. Internet forums, blogs
and social networking sites such as Canadian GunNutz.com,
Small Dead Animals blog, Facebook and YouTube are ensuring
that the unvarnished truth, rather than their ‘spin’ is getting
distributed to the greatest number of Canadians in our history.
We are truly living in the ‘Information Age,’ and with advances
in technology, it is far
easier for proponents of
natural justice, along with
self-defence
advocates,
to mount credible publicrelations campaigns and
legal
challenges,
and
to
successfully
lobby
for
increased
public
accountability from state
actors - ranging from
politicians such as the
Ontario Attorney-General,
to
federal,
provincial
and even municipal lawenforcement such as the
RCMP, OPP and Ottawa
Police Service. The Robert
Dziekański Taser incident,
the G-8/G-20 Protests, the
unjustifiably brutal stripsearch of Stacy Bonds, and
the savage arrest of Buddy
Tavares are just a few cases
in point; all of which can
be viewed on video sharing
sites such as YouTube 24/7.
As Justice Richard Lajoie, of the Ontario Court of Justice,
has argued, such video has become extremely important as
it, “… Provide us with these extra details that put meat to
simple words that are spoken by witnesses.” Justice Lajoie
was responsible for the release of the disturbing seven-minute
Ottawa police video showing the strip search of Stacy Bonds,
following an official filing by the Ottawa Citizen newspaper.
Law-enforcement in Canada has responded with initiatives such
as Operation Zero Tolerance, Operation Safe City and the retasking of greater resources to national and provincial ‘weapons
enforcement teams, such as NWEST, (whose ostensible raison
d’être was to keep guns out of the hands of criminals), and retasking them to essentially remove legal, registered firearms
from the hands of Canadians.
While the Bonds case doesn’t exactly tie-in with the central
issue of this article, the comments of Chief Justice Lajoie most
certainly do, especially in the case of Port Colborne, Ontario
resident, Ian Thompson. Thompson is a 53 year-old former
firearms instructor and crane operator. In August of this past
year his home was attacked by three masked assailants tossing
flaming bottles of gasoline, commonly known as ‘Molotov
cocktails.’
Denied the means of competently defending themselves, such
individuals would therefore no longer pose any danger to ‘the
Thompson’s security cameras recorded the entire attack. The
video shows three masked attackers lobbing a minimum of six
15
Molotov cocktails at Thompson’s house, showering his roof
and rear deck in burning gasoline and singeing one of his prized
Siberian Husky dogs kenneled in the back yard.
Mr. Thompson, awoken from a sound sleep by the crash of
breaking bottles, the smell of burning petroleum and the frantic
barks of his dogs, jumped from bed. Seeing the attack in
progress, he rushed to his firearms safe, grabbing his Smith &
Wesson revolver and loaded it. Rushing outside, clothed only
in his underwear, he confronted the three masked men who
continued to firebomb his home. He responded by discharging
his revolver several times in their direction. The attackers were
unhurt by the shots. However,
when their assault was met
with steadfast resolve and a
proportionate measure of force
on the part of Mr. Thompson,
they immediately opted to flee.
Local police were called to the
scene and were provided with
copies of the video recordings.
Subsequently, Mr. Thompson
was taken into custody by the
Niagara Regional Police for
his role in the incident, charged
with ‘careless use of a firearm,’
and his modest collection of five
pistols and two rifles, along with
his firearms license were seized.
The local Crown attorney later
added insult to injury, laying
subsequent charges of ‘pointing
a firearm,’ along with two counts
of ‘careless storage of a firearm;’
with a recommendation that Mr.
Thompson serve jail time!
The above charges and the
brazenness of the firebomb
attacks, and the unqualified
miscarriage of justice in charging
Ian Thompson has resonated
with average Canadians, and the
story has gone viral, with even
a number of American media
outlets reporting on the incident.
Critics of Mr. Thompson, his decision to defend himself,
especially with a firearm, have firmly voiced their disdain for
the outrage the case has engendered both within and without
Canada. Their delusional moral superiority has seen statements
to the effect that Mr. Thompson is a criminal because there
is no Canadian ‘Castle Doctrine,’ and thus no right to selfdefence. His crimes are compounded by his rash decision to
use a firearm in his defence, especially since Canadians do not
enjoy the same protections granted to Americans via their much
vilified Second Amendment.
What so many fail to realize, and the fact that so many preceding
16
Liberal governments have worked so hard to conceal, is that
Canadians actually enjoy similar protections, including the
right to self-defence – and the right to exercise lethal force
in the prosecution of such actions. The difference being that
in Canada, they simply aren’t quite as clearly quantified as in
American.
Modern American and Canadian law share a common pedigree,
drawn from English Common Law, the English Bill of Rights,
and a legal tradition that can be traced as far back as the Magna
Carta. Central to this tradition were three key legal concepts,
or what English constitutional scholar and writer William
Blackstone dubbed, the
three “absolute rights.”
These included: the right
to personal liberty, the right
to private property and
the right to self-defence.
Such rights were enjoyed
during the colonial period,
they were enjoyed after the
founding of the Dominion
of Canada in 1867, and they
continue to be protected to
this day (albeit property
rights have been sorely
wounded thanks to the
efforts of former Prime
Minister Pierre Trudeau)
under the Canadian Charter
of Rights and Freedoms.
Contrary
to
popular
opinion, the right to selfdefence has never been
abandoned in Canada,
although it seems that many
leftist elements within our
society and government
have conveniently chosen
to forget this simple
truth. Individuals such as
Mr. Thompson already
enjoy legal rights that any
reasonable person would
interpret as forming what
constitutes a de facto “Castle Doctrine.” Blackstone himself
argued that this right was so sacrosanct that Englishmen
enjoyed not only the right to use deadly force in the defence
of person and home, but that said rights extended so far as to
legally permit the slaying of agents of the king found on one’s
property after the fall of night uninvited!
The roots of the American Second Amendment, along with
our own right to use firearms for self-defence, shares a similar
English pedigree that predates even the Magna Carta and may
be traced back to the reign of King Canute, (995-1035) when
subjects of the crown were legally required to possess arms
January - February
www.nfa.ca
suitable for the protection of life and were under threat of fine
if they failed to do so. During the colonial period, Englishmen
were similarly required to keep arms for self-defence, defence
of property and they were to be maintained in such a state of
readiness so as to permit the Crown to form a militia where
and when required. This remained true of Upper and Lower
Canada, as well as for the thirteen American colonies; and right
up until the 19th century, adult males in Canada were legally
obligated by the Crown to be armed (at their own expense no
less) such that they could properly effect their own defence, as
well as be available for muster as militia for protection of the
colonies.
These rights did not disappear
following Confederation. Selfdefence continues to be a legal
right under current Canadian
law and is even enshrined in the
Criminal Code of Canada, the
Charter and surprisingly, even
the much-reviled C-68 Firearms
Act; which recognizes the right
to self-defence as one of the
principal acceptable reasons
for the acquisition of restricted
firearms, including handguns!
Self-defence has indeed become the ‘troublesome right’ for
such actors. So much so that some would argue that all out
war has been declared on the right to self-defence and those
who successfully exercise said right by them. We see this
most clearly in the almost automatic laying of charges against
the victims of burglary,
robbery,
home-invasion
and attempted murder that
successfully employed force
to protect themselves and/or
their homes or property.
The Canadian firearms
bureaucracy has similarly
refused to recognize or
enforce key components
of the current Firearms
Act, including the clearly
delineated right to acquire a
firearm, including handguns,
solely for the purpose of
self-defence. Any individual
listing such a justification,
however real, will almost
certainly find that their
application to transfer said
firearm to be immediately
denied without cause, or
alternately,
bureaucratic
inertia is allowed to run
amok, causing indefinite
delays in the processing
of
such
applications.
Eventually, applicants grow
weary of the red tape and
abandon their application,
die or are killed.
To be sure, these rights are not
without their limitations and in
cases where they are exercised,
the level of force must be
proportionate to the threat level
posed by the attacker. Obviously,
we do not have carte blanche to
kill without provocation or just
cause, simply because someone
cuts us off in traffic or we get
poked in the chest during a
particularly heated argument.
We do, however, have such
a right when attacked in the
early morning hours in our own
home, by multiple assailants
armed with firebombs, who
are actively attempting to burn
down our home and burn us
alive, as in the Thompson case.
Alas, forty years of Liberal social re-engineering has caused
most Canadians to assume that this most basic of rights was
somehow abandoned or extinguished once we entered the
‘modern era.’ There is no question that the concept of armed
self-defence directly conflicts with the leftist progressive
‘ideal’ and thus the interests of modern-day ‘big government’
and their heartfelt desire to expand the all compassing influence
of the ‘nanny state.’ Remember Allan Rock’s now infamous
quote that he, “...I came to Ottawa with the firm belief that
only the police and military should posses firearms.” We
www.nfa.ca see the same sentiment held by most senior police officials
and many within the current firearms bureaucracy today, and
was clearly evidenced during the debate over Bill C-391.
The on-going attempt by the RCMP to accrue the power to
unilaterally reclassify and ban firearms is another extension of
this conviction.
In truth few Canadian
politicians, Crown prosecutors, legal scholars, justices,
lawyers, civil servants and law-enforcement officials today
choose to recognize Canadian’s right to self-defence, be it
armed or otherwise. Somehow they have been infected by the
bizarre ‘progressive’ ideal that it is somehow more desirable
to permit the unhindered victimization and assault upon one’s
own self, their family or home, and to cede such responsibility
to the police alone.
Again, the problem with such a proposition is that calling the
police is oftentimes not an option, particularly when under
imminent threat of death and seconds count. Remember too, that
according to the Supreme Court of Canada, law-enforcement
officers are under no obligation to provide personal protection
to Canadians; rather they are more akin to a ‘clean-up crew’
that shows up after the crime has been committed. They cleanup the blood and gore left by the victims of violent crime, take
photos and conduct an investigation in hopes of apprehending
and convicting the perpetrators. This leaves many Canadians in
an impossible position.
Just ask retired Canadian Forces veterans Lawrence Manzer
and Brian Fox of Burton, N.B.. The victims of a relentless
campaign of vandalism and theft; their repeated appeals to
local law-enforcement for aid was completely ignored, as the
crimes being committed against
them were merely ‘property
crimes’; and thus a low-priority
to local police. What their
local police failed to appreciate
was the level of psychological
damage and mental stress these
men and their families were
forced to endure as a result of
such unchecked criminality.
The perpetrators robbed both
men and their families of their
sense of safety and contentment
in their own homes. Ultimately
neither family could leave or
return to their own home without
a sense of impending doom or
fear of what they would find or
encounter. Their homes were no
longer their ‘castles.’
That is until one March night
last year when both men were
awoken from their slumbers
by three unknown prowlers.
Manzer, responding to a call
from his neighbour, Brian
Fox for aid, immediately
jumped from bed and grabbed
his unloaded shotgun, along
with several shells. Running
from his home into -13 degree
temperatures, clad in nothing
but his night clothes, Manzer
instructed his wife to call the police as he ran out into the dark
in aid of his friend. He discovered Fox and his son confronting
three prowlers.
In an effort to support Fox and to prevent any of the prowlers
from potentially utilizing any weapons they may have had
concealed upon their person in the darkness, Manzer pointed
his still unloaded shotgun in the direction of the prowlers. He
voiced instructions for them to immediately halt, informing
them that the police were on the way.
With the situation under control and the now cowed prowlers
under the control of Fox and his son, Manzer returned to
his home, properly secured his firearm as per the Firearms
18
Act and returned to wait with the Fox men for the police to
arrive and take the miscreants into custody. A week later the
police returned, this time to arrest Manzer, charging him with,
‘pointing a firearm,’ while Brian Fox was charged with assault.
It would be hard to argue that Canadian judicial and lawenforcement officialdom is actively conducting an all-out war
on our right to self-defence based solely on the Thompson and
Manzer cases. However, they are not isolated cases. In just
the past several years have seen numerous high-profile cases
where the victims have found themselves on the wrong-side
of a Crown attorney’s charge as a consequence of their selfdefence efforts.
Take for instance the case of
Toronto grocer David Chen
who was acquitted last year
of assault and unlawful
confinement of a notorious
local thief who had been
preying on area businesses
with impunity for ages.
When local Toronto police
failed to stop Anthony
Bennett, a 52-year-old drug
addict with a long criminal
record from attempting to
rob his small family-owned
market for the second time
in one day, Chen, along
with two employees chased
down the fleeing Bennett
and held him until police
arrived.
Rather than thanks, all three
men found themselves
facing serious charges,
including assault, forcible
confinement, kidnapping
and carrying a concealed
weapon.
Chen
and
his compatriots found
themselves
potentially
facing decades in jail,
while the actual thief at the
center of events was, himself, offered a plea deal by Crown
prosecutors in exchange for his testimony against Chen and his
fellows. Unbelievable!
The charges of assault with a weapon and assault causing
bodily harm, laid against Taber, Alberta oilfield consultant Joe
Singleton last October, are just as preposterous as those laid
against Thompson or Manzer. In the case of Singleton, he
returned home to his rural property one day last May to find
his home ransacked and a strange vehicle in the drive. Exiting
his home, he discovered the thief ramming his own vehicle
repeatedly in an attempt to flee. When the thief changed focus
and seemed to be intent on running over his wife, Singleton
grabbed a small hatchet and using only the flat side, hit the
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thief twice on the side of the head – stopping the attack cold.
As inconceivable as it sounds, without even questioning the
Singletons, local police laid the aforementioned charges based
solely on the statements of the criminal assailant. The latter,
just as in the Chen case, was charged with far lesser offences
under the Code.
For every victory, such as the Chen case, there have been
defeats as well. Just days ago, Brian Knight, the rural, Alberta
farmer who successfully apprehended a thief who stole his
ATV on the night of March 26, 2009, pled guilty to criminal
negligence causing bodily harm. In exchange, the Crown
dropped several other charges. In order to apprehend the thief,
Knight, who had armed himself with his hunting shotgun, fired
a load of light birdshot over the thief’s head as he attempted to
flee through a nearby field after abandoning the ATV. The thief,
Harold Groening, caught several of the tiny pellets in his leg
and was subsequently placed under citizen’s arrest by Knight.
Groening’s partner got away, while the former thief was briefly
hospitalized and released.
The case of Shelburne County, N.S. fisherman Michael Goulden
is somewhat similar to the Knight incident. Following the same
pattern as most of the others, in the pre-dawn hours one autumn
morning in 2009 the tranquility of the Goulden homestead was
destroyed by the roar of racing ATV motors. Two unknown men
were found to be recklessly driving their ATVs in circles around
the Goulden home, tearing up the grounds, destroying property
and generally intimidating and terrorizing the residents.
Mr. Goulden jumped from his bed and retrieved his shotgun.
Loading it with birdshot suitable for small game hunting, he
stepped out of his house intending to exercise his right to selfdefence and defence of his home. Following the discharge of his
shotgun, one of the riders was hit by several pellets and slightly
injured. The riders, Jeremy Shand and Cody VanBuskirk were
apprehended and later charged with mischief and trespassing
at night. Goulden was charged with assault with a weapon,
assault causing bodily harm, pointing a gun and careless use
of a firearm and his gun collection consisting of some 43 rifles,
shotguns and a single pistol were seized.
Last fall, however, Crown prosecutors assigned the case opted
to drop all charges after informing the Nova Scotia Supreme
Court justice hearing the case that they had little hope of
successfully prosecuting the case.
Shelburne RCMP, in response to Mr. Goulden’s request to
have his firearms returned to him, filed an application with the
courts to prevent their return and to keep Mr. Goulden from
References:
Remember, the only time his firearms were used for anything
other than hunting or target practice was solely in defence of
his home. An action forced upon him by the actions of Shand
and VanBuskirk. Obviously, Mr. Goulden poses no risk to the
public at large; therefore the RCMP’s actions in this case are
not justified.
Perhaps it is this question of justice that we should most occupy
ourselves with in such cases. Costs of mounting a successful
legal defence in Canadian courts are spiralling upwards, with
even the most simple of cases typically running into the tens of
thousands of dollars. More complex cases, heard in the higher
courts, along with multiple appeals by the Crown, can easily
drive those same costs into the hundreds of thousands and
leave defendants destitute. Police and Crown prosecutors do
not operate under the same limitations, and essentially enjoy
a limitless bank account provided to them by the public purse.
That imbalance must be addressed, since, in essence when it
comes to cases of self-defence, Canadians are innocent until
proven broke.
Too many innocent individuals, as a result, are being forced to
plead to charges they are not guilty of due to a lack of resources
necessary to mount a winning legal defence. In essence, such
persons are doubly victimized. First by the criminals who
attacked them, and then by the police, prosecutors and courts
who seem more interested in punishing the survivors of
violence than their assailants. The fact that such cockamamie
prosecutions continue to happen certainly gives weight to the
charge that the right to self-defence is most assuredly under
attack by the legal establishment.
Nevertheless, the only way they will succeed in this mission
is if we let them, through our acceptance of their contentions.
Regardless of how troubling it is to the law-enforcement
establishment, self-defence is an absolute right that has existed
for centuries. It predates the discovery of our continent and even
the invention of modern democratic government in Canada.
It cannot be unilaterally extinguished by bureaucratic fiat,
unilateral law-enforcement ‘invention’ or even the actions of a
rabidly leftist government. To do so would essentially unmake
one of the key foundations upon which our entire politicojudicial system is based.
Read more: http://www.edmontonjournal.com/news/Right+self
+defence+never+abolished/4151659/story.html#ixzz1BsDimthk
http://www.garymauser.net/papers.html
Criminal Code of Canada: http://laws.justice.gc.ca/en/c-46/
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/25/
ottawa-bonds-video-115.html#ixzz1BzX2DuKw
Read more: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/ottawa/story/2010/11/25/
ottawa-bonds-video-115.html#ixzz1BzVucovO
www.nfa.ca having access to firearms in the future. This is outrageous given
the fact that Mr. Goulden has not been convicted of a single
criminal offence related to the events in question and retains a
clean record.
Read more: http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/20/
man-faces-jail-after-protecting-home-from-maskedattackers/#ixzz1BzgrZqUL
Read more: http://network.nationalpost.com/np/blogs/toronto/
archive/2009/05/25/store-employees-beat-suspected-shoplifter.
aspx#ixzz1C3YTuk7x
Gun Control
and Magic
By Bruce Gold
In the often-technical world of the gun control debate,
many people underestimate the importance of beliefs and
ideas. We can demonstrate how important beliefs are by
examining how a belief in magic underlies many of our gun
control policies. This, often unstated, belief in magic allows
bureaucrats to re-imagine how causation works in the real
world and impose their will on reality. Magical aspects of gun
control policies can be relied on to shape reality and enable
a particular policy, a particular technology or a particular
bureaucratic process to produce the desired results. In the
following article, we’ll examine how this belief in magic
and magical processes enables gun controllers to justify and
celebrate their policy preferences.
Firearms Registry
The Firearms Registry is a database of legally owned guns
in Canada. By definition, illegal guns or, as the authorities
like to say, “guns on the street” are not in the database. The
rationale behind the database is that if legally owned guns,
the property of licensed law-abiding citizens, are carefully
recorded and tracked it will help the police catch criminals.
Even to the casual observer, the idea that paperwork controls
on the law-abiding suppress violent crime is something of a
stretch.
agic,
m
f
o
claims en paper
e
h
t
e
ite
“desp ection betw s that
nn
uou
the co n is so ten ue after
u
ontin
c
and g
y
a
m
t and
s
r
i
e
x
p
e
a
o
the p
ases t ithout any
e
c
n
the gu ay exist w
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nm
the gu per existin
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20
However, gun control advocates can rely on the principle of
Homeopathic Magic. Homeopathic Magic is the belief that
if a specific action is performed on a stand-in object that
is linked to a target, then the action on the stand-in will be
magically transferred to the target. (This is the theory behind
the use of a Voodoo doll.) Therefore, the ability to control
a piece of paper containing a formalized description of the
object gives government bureaucrats the magical ability
to “control” the actual object, in this case a particular gun.
The use of Homeopathic Magic lets the bureaucrats ignore
the reality that a piece of paper is merely a piece of paper
separated in both time and space from the inanimate object
it describes. The happy bureaucrat, using Homeopathic
Magic, can reliably tell the police where the gun is and whose
possession it is in. In this way, the bureaucrat assists the
police and provides positive, reliable gun control in support
of public safety.
a particular gun. In turn, the mystic process of Symbolic
Magic extends our control from this one gun to all guns.
With these magical mechanisms, the bureaucrat can control
objects at a distance. Paper controls over legal guns (the
Registry) not only gives magical control over distant guns
held by the law-abiding; it exploits the symbolic connection
to extend this control to illegal guns held by criminals. In
this way, two separate types of magic are utilized to give
a federal bureaucrat in an office in Miramichi the ability to
“control” guns in Canada and keep the Canadian public safe.
Gun control advocates can also rely on Binding Magic.
Binding Magic refers to the mystical force that binds all that
exists in the universe. Like the “Force” in Star Wars, this
magic links objects together and allows the mystical adept to
trace the linkage across time and space. The bureaucrat can
start by asserting the truth that some crime guns can be traced
through the registration system. They can then assert that
since there is always a connection between a crime gun and
a gun crime the principle of Binding Magic can be utilized to
establish the connection in their paper universe. Accordingly,
the very limited ability of the registration system to provide
leads (only 7.5% of homicide guns in Canada can be traced)
can be presented as a universal ability. All these traces can
then be assumed as useful to the police. (It helps to blur the
distinction between “might be” and “actually are” and never
mention the number of “actually ares.”)
Of course, in reality, even if the gun can be identified in the
registry there is no guarantee that the information will be the
slightest use to the police. The registration on a gun stolen
years ago is a waste of police time not an effective lead. The
registered status of a gun recovered from a killer who has
already been caught red handed is irrelevant to crime solving.
An unbeliever, who didn’t like spending millions on the
Firearms Registry, might observe that the actual crime
control payoff in the system was minimal. In the real world,
a piece of paper is not actually a gun and the information on
the paper may or may not be correct. Indeed, despite the
claims of magic, the connection between paper and gun is
so tenuous that the paper may continue after the gun ceases
to exist and the gun may exist without any paper existing.
Statistics Canada data demonstrates that on average only
thirteen homicide guns a year are traceable through the
registration system. Whether any of these traces are of actual
use in crime solving remains unanswered.
The Firearms Registry also works through the process
of Symbolic Magic. Symbolic Magic operates on the
principle that an object is more than just itself, more than
just a particular physical object. An object also symbolically
represents a larger category. Thus a particular gun, say the
gun of a law-abiding duck hunter in Flin Flon, is a symbol of
all guns and as such is mystically connected to all other guns,
for example the unlicensed handgun of a drug gang member
in Toronto.
Firearms Licence
Firearms owners in Canada must have a license to legally
possess firearms. Since firearms licenses are restricted to the
law-abiding, criminals are excluded from legal ownership
of firearms. The idea that criminals are best controlled by
Accordingly, they can work their gun control magic through
two mechanisms. The registration form by the process of
Homeopathic Magic is connected to a physical object -
January - February
www.nfa.ca
Magic... Continued on Page 37
21
One of the fastest growing
demographics
in
our
recreational
firearms
community is lady shooters.
Firearms being the great
equalizer, our lady shooters
have put to bed the myth that
they are the ‘weaker’ or ‘fairer’
sex. Most instructors will tell
you that they far prefer female
students to teach, as they make
for better pupils, are more
attentive, have less bad habits
to unlearn and generally have
better hand-eye coordination.
Lady shooters, when introduced
to the sport properly can excel.
Just look at women such as
Smith and Wesson’s, Julie Golob,
10 time U.S. Practical Shooting
Association National Champion;
Canadian born, Susan Nattrass, sixtime Olympian and triple medalist at
the 2006 Commonwealth Games in
Melbourne, Australia; and Germany’s Sonja Pfeilschifter,
Women’s Olympic Rifle Shooter. These are but a few of the
women who compete on a professional level in shooting
sports. Before these ladies became champions, they all
started with little or no firearm experience. As they were once
new to firearms, you now have the opportunity to become
knowledgeable and skilled with them as well.
Here’s what I’m recommending for you to get started in
the shooting sports. Start by looking in your phone book or
on the web for local shooting clubs and ranges. See if they
offer beginning shooters classes for women and recommend
this idea to them if they don’t. Seek professional firearms
instructors, they will teach you the latest techniques and help
you shoot safely. It is easier to build on a foundation of good
shooting instruction than to erase bad habits that may get
you, or someone else hurt or worse. Professional instructors
will also provide you with a list of starting equipment you
will need for the course. In some cases the club or range
will provide you with the equipment and firearm you will
need for the class with your course fees. Women only classes
will allow you to feel comfortable and ask questions without
feeling intimidated. Remember, the only bad question is the
one not asked. You are there to learn to shoot, so get your
money’s worth and have fun doing it.
If you need to bring your own equipment, here is a simple
list of things you will need. Purchase or borrow one pair of
22
hearing
protection,
either
earmuff style or foam ear plugs. I recommend
the earmuff style as they will be reusable and easy to put
on and take off as needed. There are many styles and colors
available and even electronic options that offer enhanced
volume while speaking and noise reduction while shooting.
It is very important to wear your hearing protection while
shooting or around others who are shooting. Exposing your
ear drums to high decibel levels of noise will damage your
hearing. Using your equipment properly will protect your
hearing and help you concentrate on shooting, not flinching
from the noise the firearm makes. Prices begin at $15.00 and
up and can be purchased at most sporting goods stores. I
would suggest buying the best quality you can afford, as they
will last for years with proper care.
Also, be sure to purchase a pair of proper safety/shooting
glasses with poly carbonate lenses. These lenses are impact
resistant and in the rare event of a mechanical failure of the
firearm or ammunition, your eyes will be saved. High quality
construction safety glasses offer a good value if properly
rated and come in many styles and colors. They can be
purchased at any good home improvement store. I suggest
a wrap around style with dark lenses for daylight and clear,
yellow or amber lenses for indoor ranges. The prices for good
eye protection will run from $20.00 to $35.00 for a basic
pair. Never skimp on safety equipment. You wear them for
protection and they can be replaced. You must always wear
your eye and ear protection while shooting; you get only one
set of eyes and ears, and they can’t be replaced.
January - February
www.nfa.ca
If your budget doesn’t allow you to attend expensive shooting
classes don’t let that stop you. You may have more alternatives
than you know. Many Canadian gun clubs are now running
regular BOW classes (Becoming an Outdoorswoman) free
of charge or at a nominal fee. If that fails, chances are you
already know someone who shoots. Don’t be afraid to ask
them about their sport, or if they could recommend someone
to help. Just be sure the person you choose is someone you
trust and with whom you feel comfortable enough with to
teach you the skills you will need to shoot safely and well.
latter should only be attempted using an empty and doublechecked pistol! Dry firing is an important exercise that aids a
student in developing a proper shooting grip, as well as with
target acquisition and trigger control. Students may become
intimately familiar with the firearm, which will serve to
enhance their confidence on the firing line. When it comes
time to shoot live ammunition, always allow yourself time
to learn and enjoy your new hobby. Rushing around is not a
productive way to learn to shoot and will cause mistakes and
can be costly.
Once you have found your teacher, you need to decide upon
the best venue for your impromptu classes. If using restricted
firearms, you are limited to only approved ranges and clubs.
Ideally you want a safe venue, with proper backstop, that is
absent major distractions so that you may concentrate fully
on the task at hand. Ranges tend to be busiest during the
weekends and are often loud and full of distractions for a
novice shooter. Range rules may also preclude needed oneon-one instruction demonstrations, etc. while the firing line
is hot. Check with range staff or execs to see when the range
is the least busy. You’ll learn far more quickly if you are able
to leave the distractions of the world at home, thus enabling
you to soak up the information that’s being presented to you.
Your first trip to a firing range will most likely be as a guest
of your friend or instructor. That may work for the shortterm, but don’t hesitate to check out local shooing clubs
in your area and choose one that best suits your needs.
Your instructor’s range may not be the best fit for you. If
you’re using non-restricted firearms, such as a .22LR rifle,
remember to obey all provincial hunting regulations and try
to find a safe practice area, with a good backstop.
Now your chosen instructor will no doubt bring all the tools
of the trade with them, like targets ammunition and shooting
gear, but the one most important thing is the firearm you will
be using. Not everyone has an arsenal of firearms to choose
from, but I would suggest you buy or borrow a small caliber
rimfire revolver such as a .22LR. Rimfire .22LR revolvers
are relatively inexpensive and the ammunition is cheap and
plentiful. They are also easy to load, shoot and unload and
do not offer much in the way of noise or recoil (the upward
force caused by the ammunition firing inside the pistol) to
distract you while shooting.
If a rimfire firearm is unavailable, my second choice would
be a full size center fire revolver, these usually have a 5-6”
barrel, and are relatively easier to hold and control, especially
when firing reduced power loads. Avoid compact and subcompact pistols as they are harder for beginners to master. I
would also stay away from semi-automatic pistols for now
until your shooting skills improve. Semi-automatics are
generally more complex in their operation and require more
training to handle and shoot properly.
When starting out, you don’t necessarily have to hit the range
for your very first lesson. Allow yourself enough time to learn
the basics and enjoy yourself. Preparation helps and you
can learn many techniques at home. Using dummy rounds
(ammunition that does not contain powder or primers), you
can learn safe loading and unloading procedures and even
move on to more advanced techniques such as dry firing. The
www.nfa.ca In terms of shooting conditions, a cool, sunny day is
preferable but weather doesn’t always cooperate. Wear
appropriate clothing for the weather and bring along water
and snacks. Take at least one 15 minute break per hour to
refresh and hydrate as needed. About two hours is a good
start, but you may be having so much fun you don’t want
to stop. Time passes quickly on the firing line and it is very
easy for a two-hour lesson to turn into a full day’s excursion.
The more time you spend shooting, the more comfortable
you will become. But comfortable can be dangerous if you
forget the basic rules of firearms safety.
1.Always keep your firearm pointed in a safe direction.
2.Always keep your finger off the trigger until you are ready to shoot.
3.Always keep your firearms unloaded until ready to use.
Other good rules to follow:
1.Know your target and what’s beyond it.
2.Treat every gun as if it were loaded always.
3.There is no such thing as an accidental discharge, only
negligent ones. See rule number 2
Now these rules may vary widely, but the message is the
same and when you stop obeying them, someone gets hurt.
Remember, shooting is an acquired skill that takes time
to develop. I have seen women and men get discouraged
because they can’t hit the bull’s eye from the start. You must
learn the basics, and as you become better at those, the rest
will follow suit. A good instructor watches you shoot, not
necessarily the target, so they can make improvements and
suggestions as you learn. They watch for certain signs and
help you make adjustments, like making sure you know how
to use your sights correctly. Getting you comfortable and
using a few tricks along the way helps improve your overall
performance. If your instructor has the heart of a teacher,
they will be patient with you and guide you. Watching you
improve and keeping you motivated is what an instructor
is there for. If you do it right, you’ll quickly appreciate the
adage that, “Your worst day at shooting beats your best day
at work.”
To keep things fun and students motivated, I also incorporate
a mixture of ‘reactive’ targets in the lesson such as spinners,
gongs and clay targets. Shooting paper 24/7 can get boring,
even for the most hardcore shooter. If you stay dedicated
and learn all you can, whether through instruction, reading
or practice, you will do great. As your gain experience
and knowledge you may wish to explore other shooting
disciplines such as Trap, Sporting Clays, Benchrest or IPSC.
Please don’t let yourself get dissuaded by the politics of gun
control or the uninformed opinions of the anti-gun elements
within our society. Such groups believe that guns are
somehow inherently bad regardless of circumstance. They’re
wrong. Firearms are tools like any other and can provide
hours of fun, put food on the table and protect you and your
family in the hands of a law-abiding owner.
If you find you like what you’re doing, becoming a
responsible gun owner just makes sense, and will help make
our community that much stronger. Join like minded people
and groups that fight to save your right to target shoot, self
protection and hunt such as the NFA. The National Firearms
Association wants and needs your support.
I hope you have found this article as fun to read as I had
writing it. My passion for the shooting sports is only eclipsed
by the love of my family, who are all shooters. My goal here
is to see you become a law-abiding, responsible and safe
shooter. One day you may very well get the opportunity to
teach other women the skills you have mastered as a result.
Please do not let it pass you by. It only through sharing and
mutual support that our gun rights and sport will survive, so
be proud of what you do. That said I hope to see you on the
firing line very soon!
IT IS CRITICAL THAT ALL
MEMBERS ANSWER THIS SURVEY!
WE NEED YOUR OPINION TODAY!
In order to provide the best value to our membership we urgently require feedback from all of our members
to effectively represent, protect and fight for your Canadian firearms rights. We need to know what benefits
are important to you and how the NFA can best use your membership fees and donations. You can help us
by filling out this short membership survey below, and mailing it TODAY to the NFA or you, your family and
club members can also fill it out on-line NOW at www.nfa.ca
1) Your Canadian Firearms Journal (CFJ) is mailed with Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman magazine 6 times a year. Please circle
the answer that best applies to you.
BOOKSHELF... Continued From Page 5
provided that will interest the modern day owner of an
antique single shot or any other cartridge rifle. Whether
casting bullets, loading cartridges, sighting or shooting, the
techniques provided will help you obtain the best possible
accuracy from your firearm.
I highly recommend Reloading Tools, Sights and Telescopes
for Single Shot Rifles to anyone who has an interest in old
firearms. There are a variety of specialized books that cover
these individual topics in greater detail but they tend to be
quite expensive and difficult to locate. Finding an inexpensive
book that contains sufficient detail to satisfy most readers is
quite unusual.
Searching the internet located copies of Reloading Tools,
Sights and Telescopes for Single Shot Rifles at a number
of online book dealers. Prices quoted for the book were
very reasonable ranging from $12 used to $13.95 new.
However, shipping and handling costs are extremely high.
Dixie Gunworks, for example, has this book listed at $13.95,
plus $5.95 shipping, as well as a $10 surcharge for Canadian
orders for a total of $29.90, US if ordered individually.
Perhaps you could ask your local gun store if they could
obtain a copy for you. This may encourage dealers to stock a
variety of gun books for their customers to purchase.
Wm. R. Rantz
I read the Canadian Firearms Journal 1 Always
I read The Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman Magazine 1 Always
I would prefer to continue receiving both publications paid by my NFA membership fees.
I would prefer to receive the Canadian Firearms Journal and be given the option to continue to receive
Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman Magazine at discounted subscription rate of $1.75 per issue equal to an additional $10.50 a year. (A savings of $14.50 off the regular rate)
3) Please answer the following statement with either a true or false response.
If I no longer received Canada’s Outdoor Sportsman magazine with my Canadian Firearms Journal
I would not renew my membership.
True
False
4) As a not for profit organization with an all volunteer, elected executive, comprised of members just like you, from across
Canada, we are looking at ways to reduce mailing costs and maximize effiency. Please answer the following questions with a
yes or no response.
I would prefer to receive my yearly renewal by a secured email to help save cost rather than have it printed and sent by mail. YES I would prefer email
NO I would prefer to be mailed my renewal
Would you be willing to receive other information and updates on important firearms issues or NFA
matters by email. YES
NO
Thank you for providing your feedback regarding this valuable information that will help the NFA make some important
decisions as to how you and other members would like to see your membership fees managed. Please complete the survey,
fill out the information below, enclose this page in an envelope and mail it to the NFA Box 52183, Edmonton, AB T6G 2T5
Last Name: City
Membership No
Postal Code
If you would like to receive your membership renewal and other communications by email please print your email
address clearly in the space provided. Check out our website at www.nfa.ca for our newest membership benefits from
Uniglobe GEO Travel offering exclusive travel discounts to NFA members. Go to the member’s section and enter your
membership number to find incredible savings from the city closest to you. Don’t forget our hotel and car rental savings.
Now you can become a friend of the NFA by joining us on Facebook.
National President Sheldon Clare presents NFA
Member Paul Jacobs, a veteran of Yugoslavia and
former member of the Royal Canadian Regiment
with his new Tikka Prize Package- Grand Prize of
our recent Recruit a Friend Promotion.
YES, I would like to be contacted by email to save costs Email address
Tikka Prize Package Courtesy of Warehouse
Sports, St. Paul, Alberta T: 780.645.4665
January - February
4 Never
4 Never
I would prefer to receive only the Canadian Firearms Journal and have the NFA use the savings for other
important firearms rights programs.
Address Congratulations Mr. Paul Jacobs!
2 Sometimes 3 Rarely
2 Sometimes 3 Rarely
2) Currently the NFA covers the mailing costs of both publications and pays a subsidized subscription rate to Canada’s Outdoor
Sportsman for members to receive both publications. Please check only one of the three statements that would best apply.
First Name
24
Respo
to our nd
s
and W urvey
IN
fanta 1 of 3
stic
Swag NFA
bags!
Please note: The Canada’s National Firearms Association is a not for profit organizations and abides by all the privacy laws and rules.
While you may receive additional marketing and general information from the National Firearms Association, our members information is
protected. We do not sell or provide list information to private, corporate or government organizations.
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca
January December
- February 25
www.nfa.ca
5
Thank
you
to all of you that have responded
so far. Your
feedback
is excellent!
Kids &
Guns:
Introduction
to Modern
Sporting
Rifles
By Troy Jones
When do you introduce children
to guns and shooting? Once you
decide it’s time how do you go about
doing it? I didn’t grow up in a home
with firearms so I really didn’t have any
experience of my own to draw on when
I had my own children. I thought back
to when I was younger myself. What
did I think of firearms and how did I
react to them?
The first thing I wanted to do when
exposing my kids to guns was to
demystify them from day one. I
think this was one of the single most
important things I accomplished. From
early on they knew there were guns in
the house, even if they didn’t understand
what they were or what they did. When
they started to become curious about
Dad’s guns I answered their questions
as simply as I could. If they wanted to
touch or hold a firearm I’d show them
that it wasn’t loaded, explain why they
shouldn’t put their finger on the trigger
and make sure they didn’t point it at
anyone in the house. I made sure they
knew that guns could be dangerous if
you didn’t treat them properly, but if
you paid attention to being safe they
wouldn’t hurt you. The house rule
was that if you wanted to see or hold
a gun you could any time you liked. I
just had to be there with them. As my
kids grew up, guns to them essentially
became part of the landscape of our
home; every bit as intriguing to them
as the dish washer or kitchen range.
You don’t touch unless there is an adult
present and all you had to do was ask.
When my daughter turned seven she
came up to me out of the blue and asked
what it felt like to shoot a rifle. As I was
trying to explain it the best I could she
simply asked if she could shoot the rifle
herself. I figured that if she had reached
the point where she wanted to try this
out it was time for her to get her chance.
I didn’t know of very many seven year
old bench rest shooters so I grabbed
some empty cans from the recycle bin. I
thought that some sort of reactive target
would be best to keep her attention. We
26
packed up the Ruger 10/22 rimfire rifle
I’d been keeping for this day and off
to the range we went. The 10/22 had a
bipod, a lightweight Hogue stock and a
four power scope on it so it was pretty
much what I figured a kid would do
well with. I set up the targets, loaded
the magazines, explained how the
scope worked and went over how to be
safe with the rifle one more time. We
were ready!
about to save a great deal of money on
10/22 accessories.
As she fired off her first rounds into the
tin can I was already figuring out what
mods we were going to need for “her”
new .22LR. A pink stock was the first
purchase. I’d have to figure out where
to track one of those down, then maybe
start looking to upgrade the optics.
What, time for another magazine? Let
me load that up for you while I think
about the new carbon fibre barrel we’re
getting. “I’m done, let’s go home” she
says with all the awe of a child looking
at the dishwasher. I finally understand
the strange words being spoken to me
and came the conclusion that I was
Fast forward three years and my
daughter is almost eleven now and
being bothered to no end by a five year
old brother. I’m still mostly shooting
handguns and black rifles. The world as
we know it has carried on. Once again I
hear the words I’ve been waiting for, “I
want to go shooting”. As glad as I am to
hear this I have a problem, I don’t have
my 10/22 anymore. I told her we’ll go
shooting soon; so now I’m scrambling
to find another rifle for her. I consider
buying another .22LR, but who knows
if we’ll get more than twenty rounds
into a target before she’s done with
January - February
www.nfa.ca
In the end I decided the range trip
wasn’t a total wash. She still got to see
what it was like to shoot a gun, even if
it wasn’t her idea of a good time. She
also knew that if she ever wanted to
go again all she needed to do was ask.
In time I sold the .22LR and put the
money where it was more useful... into
my pistol and black rifle shooting.
www.nfa.ca guns again?
I could call up some friends and see if I
can borrow a .22LR for her I suppose,
in fact I’m about to go shooting with
a friend who’s daughter just started
shooting too. He must have some ideas.
Well to my surprise he had a very
good idea. Like me he runs a rimfire
conversion in one of his AR-15’s. For
us it’s a cheap way to get trigger time
with your .223 rifle. For the kids it’s
even better he says. No recoil from an
eight pound rifle, less time reloading
thirty round magazines and best of
all the collapsible stock can be sized
perfect for a short shooter. His daughter
loves shooting it.
I figure he’s on to something so first I
head off and trade in some Canadian
Tire money for a metal rimfire target
stand. This thing is great because it’s
fun to shoot (who wouldn’t like making
lots of noise when they hit the target
and watch it spin around) and it resets
itself. There are no holes to tape and I
don’t even have to walk down to reset
January - February
it. I install the .22 rimfire kit in the AR15, load up some ammo, glasses and
electronic ear muffs in my range bag
and as soon as school is over we head
off for a surprise trip to the range.
When the three of us get to the range we
go over the safety rules again. We talk
about what you can and can’t do with
the rifles along with how important it
is to stay behind the people with the
gun. My AR-15 is a lot heavier than
your standard .22LR so I brought an
old roll of carpet to act as a tall bipod
for aiming. I explained how to load
the rifle, the safety and how to use the
optics to sight in her target. We tried
with just the red dot then with the three
power magnifier that she preferred. She
started shooting and she started hitting
the clangers. This time when she ran
out of ammo in her first magazine
she wanted another... and another. I
was pretty busy reloading, maybe this
resetting target wasn’t such a good idea
KIDS... Continued On Page 45
27
modifications saw the elimination of the Mannlicher clip
requirement, yielding the model of M-88/05.
Perhaps the rifle’s most striking feature was the full-length
steel tube that enclosed its barrel and it owed this, and many
of its other unusual features to the actual process used during
its design. Rather than a single designer or team, the Gew
88 was designed by committee, or “commission,” thus its
popular appellation.
Ultimately, the rifle’s faults are laid at the feet of the
commission and the haste with which it was developed.
Some historians believe that the German high command felt
threatened by the development of the French 1886 Lebel
rifle, which was superior to any weapon then fielded by
the German Empire. The new German design sported dual
front locking lugs and cocked on opening. The action to
be relatively smooth, in operation and generally displayed
quality machining.
While the Gew 88 was fairly reliable, it suffered from weak
extractors and ejectors, and the lack of a safety venting feature
that would permit gas to escape in the event of a ruptured
case. Its most obvious feature, the barrel jacket, was to create
far more problems than solutions and became infamous for
trapping water between it and the barrel. Rusting became
a major issue for the Germans, while the jacket ultimately
proved to offer little or no enhancement of accuracy.
Battle Rifles of the Central
Powers of World War I
By Bob Shell & Sean Penney
Germany
The German Empire of Kaiser Wilhelm was the
principal aggressor opposing the Allied Powers
during World War I. It was the driving force
behind the Triple Alliance and the strongest of the
allied “Central Powers.” The latter consisted of the
German Empire, the Austro-Hungarian Empire,
the Ottoman Empire, and the Kingdom of Bulgaria.
The name “Central Powers,” simply enough, was
derived from the geographical location of the
countries in question; as all four were located
between the Russian Empire in the east and France
and Britain in the west.
Some argue that it wasn’t as good as the competing Mauser
designs of the period; however it served Germany as a
front line weapon for a decade, and was to later see service
throughout the Great War and beyond in the German, AustroHungarian, Bulgarian and Turkish armies. Later, a shorter
carbine, featuring a 20” barrel, full stock and marked “Kar.
88” was produced as well.
Model 88 Commission
Rifle In addition to the Model 98, many
earlier Model 88 “Commission”
rifles also saw action during the
war. The Commission or Gewehr
88 rifle entered production 1888,
replacing the Mauser model 71/84,
which had fired a black powder
round. Also known the Gew 88, it
was a turn-bolt design that utilized
the first smokeless round fielded
by Germany, as well as the first
rimless cartridge design. Firing
a 226 grain round nose bullet of
ostensibly 7.92x57mm caliber, the
rifle produced an average muzzle
velocity of approximately 2100 fps
out of its 29” barrel. The Gew 88
was by no means a speed demon.
Original examples of the Gew 88, in unmodified, good
condition are extremely rare and command premium prices.
Far more common are the Model 88 Turkish reworks,
modified to the Model 88-05 pattern sporting Farsi numerals
and are less desired by collectors. Generally, the examples I
have shot have offered acceptable, battle-field accuracy, even
with poor barrels. Even today, those I’ve handled or had the
pleasure of shooting have proven pretty reliable for a design
almost a century and quarter old.
Mauser Model 1871 –
Although it saw only limited use during WWI, the Mauser
Model 1871 was the first, in a line of successful battle rifles
designed by Peter and Wilhelm Mauser. Setting up shop in
1869, the Mauser brothers quickly demonstrated a unique
talent for weapons design.
As senior member of the alliance, we will start with
the battle rifles of the German Empire. While even
the newest of military surplus collectors is familiar
with the justly famous Model 98 Mauser, it was Originally having a magazine
not the only battle rifle deployed in the trenches capacity of five rounds, the Gew
88 required the use of Mannlicher
of WWI.
Development of their 1871 model can be traced back to the
1860s and the design was influenced in part, by an even earlier
Dreyse “Needle Gun.” The latter design employed a long
clips in order to feed properly. Later
28
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www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca Top Photo: Model 1871
Mauser action and
raised rear sight
Middle Photo: Model
1871 Mauser action side view
L: 11x60mm Mauser
cartridge in original
wrapping
firing pin which penetrated the cartridge in much the same
manner as a sewing needle penetrated fabric. The striking
‘needle’ ignited the primer, followed by the powder charge.
In addition to the Dreyse design, the French “Chassepot”
rifle also had some influence upon the 71.
The Mauser’s first serious attempt at winning military
orders, completed in 1867, was not a success. Nevertheless,
they persevered and after partnering with Samuel Norris,
an American designer, they succeeded in building a better
rifle. The improved design was submitted to the Prussian
commission for consideration. After some additional
improvements were made at the suggestion of the Prussian
munitions board, including the addition of a safety, the
design was accepted.
The new rifle, as adopted, was the first German metallic
cartridge rifle, with production beginning in 1875. It featured
a turn-bolt single-shot action and fired an 11x60mmR
cartridge. There was no mechanical extractor or ejector, thus
fired cartridges had to be extracted manually. Weight was
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29
about 10 lbs. The new 11mm German round utilized a black
powder propellant, launching a 370 to 387 grain bullet at
about 1400fps. It was and is a potent short to moderate range
cartridge; however, it was quickly rendered obsolete with the
advent of smokeless powder.
Model 71/84 Improvements were made to the Model 1871 in hopes of
extending the operational life of the design, and in 1884
an eight round tubular magazine was added along with
a mechanical ejector. The improved design, essentially a
gussied up ’71, was designated the Model 71/84. Like its
parent, the new model weighed approximately 10 lbs and
had a barrel length of 31.5”. It entered service in 1886, and
some 900,000 were eventually produced.
Like the earlier model, the new 71/84 was a black powder
design. As a consequence it lacked locking lugs, with the
exception of the bolt handle itself. However, given the very
mild pressure loads generated by the black powder round,
this design feature was adequate for most black powder and
it later even handled light smokeless loads.
In terms of actual combat, by the time WW I rolled around,
both the 1971 and 71/84 was regulated to home guard use and
second and third line units, along with the Gew 88. Neither
the 1871 nor 71/84 were sufficiently strong to make the
conversion to full-power smokeless loads and were obsolete
well before the start of the Great War.
This author has shot his regularly and has never experienced
any functional difficulties due to the rifle’s design flaws.
Between the two designs, several million rifles were produced
and they remain commonly available on the military surplus
market. If anyone is interested in obtaining a fascinating
piece of military history, either model offers a great value,
especially for those who cast their own lead bullets.
heavily from the Mauser design for their Model 1903
Springfield rifle that they were sued by the Germans
and eventually forced to pay a royalty for each rifle
produced prior to WW l.
There were a number of additional Mauser designs completed
and/or put into production in the several decades prior to
the start of World War I. These included the models: 88,
89, 90, 91, 93, 95 and 96. The 88 was basically a beefed up
version of the 71 chambered for the 7.65x53mm. It enjoyed
little success and was superseded by the Model 89. The latter
was the first Mauser design built specifically for modern high
power cartridges. Improved designs followed rapidly, with
most sharing a number of design commonalities such as dual
front locking lugs, but lacking a safety lug.
It was a manually operated, control-feed bolt-action
design, with a much improved three-position manual
safety. The issued rifle also had a 29” barrel, 5-shot
flush fitting internal magazine and a full-length wood
stock with a half-length upper hand guard, under
barrel cleaning rod and weighed approximately 9 lbs.
As issued, the M98 had two sling swivels, open front
sights, and a curved tangent-type rear sight, known as
the Lange Visier, which many collectors today refer
to as the ‘rollercoaster’ sight
They were all relatively rugged
and reliable designs, but
ultimately proved to be stepping
stones in the evolutionary
progression for the Mauser
design team - from the Model
1871, to their crowning success,
embodied by the unparalleled
Model 98 Mauser main battle
rifle. During the war years,
limited numbers were employed
by various secondary units,
home guards and paramilitary
forces due mostly to production
shortfalls of the Model 98 rifle.
Chambered in 7.92mm or 8x57mm, it originally
utilized the old .318” diameter “J” bullet. However,
in 1905 the decision was made to adopt a new .323”
spitzer bullet with the aim of improving terminal
ballistics and combat performance. Dubbed the “S”
bullet for ‘spitzer,’ the German design team had
a winner on their hands. The new 154 grain load
delivered a blistering fast velocity of 2900 fps and
extended the rifle’s effective range considerably.
Designated the 8x57mm IS cartridge, the new round
had a much flatter trajectory than the previous load.
Consequently the original Lange Visier rear sight had
to be modified to account for the ballistic difference.
Rifles so converted also had a small “S” stamped
directly above the chamber and again at the back of
the rear sight base on the barrel. This was a safety
precaution, since while it was possible to safely shoot
the “J” stamped ammo in an “S” bore, the reverse
was not true.
Model 98 Rifle
(Gewehr 98) In 1898 the Germans started
production on their Model 98
main battle rifle and it would
remain in constant production
until 1918. Best known of all
Mauser designs the M98, which
was alternately known as the
G.98 or “Gew 98,” was to prove
one of the most successful
rifle designs ever. Many have
copied it including American
designers from the Springfield
Armory, who borrowed so
The model M98 corrected all of the flaws of the older
M88 rifle. It had a much stronger locking system and
provisions were made to allow for gas to escape in
the event of a case rupture. The extractor and ejector
were beefed up and proved much studier and more
reliable under battlefield conditions as a result.
The design was to prove so good that it remains in
commercial production today with limited revisions.
Modern sporting rifles such as the Winchester Model
70 are little more than a refined M98 in civilian guise.
Perhaps the only major design drawbacks to the rifle
revolved around magazine issues. As a controlledfeed design, it was intended to pick-up cartridges
directly from the magazine only. Single feeding was
problematic, as the extractor could possibly slip
over the case rim, causing a jam. Limited magazine
capacity was also a criticism levied against the M98.
While the rifle could be quickly recharged using 5
round stripper clips, it was simply out-classed by
Top L: Side view of Model
Mauser-1871/84 action
L: Top view of Model
Mauser-1871/84 action
Top to bottom: Gew 98 ‘Rollercoater’ Rear Sight
Gew 98 Receiver displaying clear model stampings
R: Gewehr Model 98 - with
‘Rollercoaster’ Rear Sight
30
January - February
Top view of Model 98 action
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca January - February 31
the British SMLE in terms of pure firepower. The latter rifle
boasted twice the magazine capacity of the German rifle.
There was some experimental models produced utilizing a
25 round non-detachable magazine, however it was never
perfected and the experimental design was never put into
mass production. Accuracy for the M98 was on par with
most other military weapons of the period. The sights, while
fair for a battle rifle of the era, often shot high but did offer
rugged repeatability. The K98 fielded by the Germans in
WW ll, was little changed from the earlier WW l version.
Austria-Hungary
Model 1885 Whereas the Mausers dominated the German military
market, in the Austro-Hungarian Empire it was Mannlicher.
The Model 1885 Mannlicher was the first magazine fed battle
rifle fielded by the Austro-Hungarian military. A straight-pull
action design, the Model 1885 required the use of clips in
order to load the magazine and were ejected from the top of
the action once emptied. Chambered for the 11.5x58mmR
black powder cartridge, the rifle had a 31” barrel, weighed
approximately 10 lbs., and sported two barrel bands. Never a
success story, only a handful of rifles were actually produced.
Model 1886 –
The Model 1886 rifle was much more successful than its
predecessors and was produced in large numbers. Originally
chambered in the same 11.5x58mmR black powder
cartridge, after 1888, most were converted to the newly
adopted 8x50mmR smokeless powder cartridge that offered
superior lethality to the older round. Re-designated the
Model 1888/1890, new sights were added to accommodate
the different ballistics of the new round and a much stronger
bolt locking wedge incorporated. Barrel length was 30” and
weight was a little less than 10 lbs. Like the 1885 model, the
newer design also utilized clips, however, in the latter design
the empties were ejected from the bottom of the magazine.
Bulgaria, Greece and Chile were among the countries that
placed orders for this model and both Mannlicher and Steyr
manufactured them. Something of an anomaly, the model not
only saw combat in WW I, they could be found in the hands
of irregular units right through WW II.
Model 1890 Carbine –
A real departure from earlier designs, the Model 1890
Carbine incorporated a much stronger action that was better
suited to handling the higher pressures of modern smokeless
powder rounds, especially the now standardized 8x50mmR
cartridge. The bolt head on the new carbine also contained
the extractor. As a consequence the trigger groups was now
located behind the end of the actual bolt handle. The clipfed box magazine retained a capacity of five rounds and it
had a barrel length of 19.5” The shortened barrel and other
changes saw weight reduced to a svelte 7 lbs.
32
Austrian M1895 Steyr Rifle
Austrian M1895 Short Rifle Chambered in 8x50mmR
Model 1895 Infantry Rifle
(Steyr-Mannlicher) –
The 1890 Carbine never saw wide issue, but instead helped
form the basis for the creation of the rifle that did see wide,
general issue, the Model 1895 Infantry Rifle. The standard
Austrian battle rifle of WW I, it utilized essentially the same
straight-pull action as the earlier carbine. Barrel length was
again increased to 30”, and a new style of ‘leaf’ sight was
incorporated into the design. The rifle was chambered in the
now standard 8x50mmR round and shared the same basic
five-round, clip-fed magazine design of its predecessors. It
tipped the scales at around 8 lbs.
L: Cartridges of the Central Powers of WW I -
From L-R - 11 mm Mauser, 8 x 57mm J, 8 x 57mm S,
7.65 x 53mm & 8 x 50mm
and properly maintained. Interestingly, the actions proved to
be relatively strong and they handled high pressure modern
cartridges with aplomb.
The Model 95 was manufactured in several locations,
including both Austria and Hungary. Most easily identified
by the large “M95” stamped in the top of the receiver ring,
the rifle was produced in massive numbers starting in 1895
and not ending until 1918. In addition to the Austrians, the
Model 1895 was fielded by Bulgaria and Greece during WW
I and many saw action in Italy and the Balkans right through
WW II as well.
The Model 95 ‘Steyr-Mannlicher’ was generally well-liked
by the troops and it enjoyed a good reputation for durability.
The quality of workmanship and finish of both metal and
wood was generally quite good and from personal experience,
those examples that I have fired demonstrated relatively fine
accuracy for a battle rifle.
Starting in the 1930s large numbers of these rifles were
rechambered to 8x56mmR, with many also having their
barrels shortened and being converted into carbines. The
conversions can be identified by the “S” or “H” stamped
directly over the rifle’s chamber.
Austrian Model 1890 Carbines
Top to Bottom:
Originally designed by Ferdinand Ritter von Mannlicher, the
Austrian straight pull action could be cycled much faster than
a more conventional bolt action rifle. At least in theory, as the
number of mechanical steps required of the operator to cycle
January - February
www.nfa.ca
Conclusion –
the action was significantly reduced. All that was necessary
to operate the action was to pull the bolt straight back and
forth. The rifle eventually was dubbed the “Ruck-Zuck” by
the troops who developed a genuine liking for the weapon.
The trade-off for this increased speed of action is increased
stiffness and potentially greater probability for difficulties
cycling the rifle, as the bolt has less camming power then a
more conventional turn-bolt design. Of little concern on the
parade ground or practice range, the reduction in camming
power could play havoc when operating the rifle under
less than optimum conditions. The gooey, sticky mud and
debris that was to become a constant part of trench warfare
throughout the Great War consequently placed greater
demands on soldiers to keep their rifles as clean as possible
www.nfa.ca The Armistice ending the hostilities of the Great War was
signed in a rail car at Compiegne, France on November 11,
1918. The war changed the map of Europe forever, breaking
up many of the old empires and establishing a number of
independent countries in their stead. Ironically, the harsh
conditions and high reparations that Germany was required
to pay in punishment for their aggression was to ultimately
set the stage for a second great world war. Europe had not
heard the last of gunfire. Many of the fine old weapons
manufacturers and firearms factories were broken-up by the
Allies following the war in a deliberate attempt to stymie
the German’s ability to wage war. In part, they succeeded,
since, as we now know, shortages in small arms forced many
participants to open up dusty arms depots and re-issue what
should have been wholly obsolete infantry rifles. Yet with
only minor improvements many WW I era small arms gave
yeoman service throughout WW II, while others were issued
unchanged. This fact is perhaps most revealing as to the
quality of infantry small arms fielded during the era.
Editors Note: Part II of Battle Rifles will appear in the
March/April issue of CFJ.
Made Right Here:
North Eastern Arms
By Jesse L. Hardin
Like so many hard core “black rifle” fans,
I’ve forgotten the number of times I’ve
debated the merits of Eugene Stoner’s
AR-15 vs. Mikhail Kalashnikov’s
AK-47. Having adopted Townsend
Whelan’s famous quote that, “...Only
accurate rifles are interesting,” few of
my shooting buddies were surprised
when I always sided with the Stoner
design. At least that was until I had the
opportunity to shoot several ‘Combloc’
rifles selected from a friend’s extensive
collection a number of years ago.
I’ll admit I had a blast and while I’m now
a fan of the AK-47/AKM, I ended up
falling in love with a Czech-made looka-like called the Vz. 58. The original Vz
was a 7.62mm, select-fire rifle designed
and manufactured in Czechoslovakia for
their military in the late 1950s. While
the Vz may have externally resembled
the Soviet AK-47 it was completely
different internally, employing a shortstroke gas piston operating system.
Thanks to the efforts of two of our
largest Canadian firearms importers,
shooters have had the opportunity to
purchase their own newly manufactured,
civilian-legal, semi-automatic copy of
the Czech Vz. 58, in both restricted and
non-restricted guises. For the purpose of
this article I opted to purchase one of the
latter models, known as the CZ-858.
It is a well built rifle and offers very
A New Force in Canadian
Firearm Parts Design
By Sean G. Penney
good accuracy when compared to
competing military-style rifles from the
era. However, the 50 year-old design is
dated. As issued, the rifle sports dark red
Bakelite-style resin furniture that is nonadjustable, and no provision is made for
the mounting of optics of any sort.
This is where North Eastern Arms
saves the day. NEA is a relatively new
company that was founded a little
over two years ago and is currently a
division of North Eastern Aerospace,
a well-respected name that is instantly
recognizable to most aviation buffs.
Origins According to NEA founder and
president, Mr. Jeff Hussey, the company
grew out of what he saw as a growing
demand for high quality firearms
components designed to offer improved
versatility and usability. It didn’t hurt
that Jeff was also a dedicated gun owner
and active recreational shooter.
Yet, his path to becoming head of
one of the hottest new firearms parts
manufacturing companies in North
America was certainly not something
he had imagined for himself. In fact,
Jeff only became involved in the
recreational firearms community as a
young adult; the result of his then desire
for a career in military/law enforcement.
When those plans were derailed by an
unfortunate injury, he got involved
34
with the family business, developing
his marketing expertise and gaining
experience and insight into the world of
precision industrial manufacturing.
According to Jeff, it was during this time
that he became familiar with the Vz.58
family of firearms and, as he put it, “Fell
in love with the simplicity and elegance
of the design,” which, in his opinion,
was, “Far superior to the cruder AK-47
design.” It is as a result of this happy
‘discovery’ that the idea of forming a
new gun parts company first took root.
As good as the Vz. 58 was, it had its
limitations and like so many other
admirers, Jeff discovered the distinct
lack of after-market accessories
available for the Czech rifle. Advances
in tactical training and the on-going
revolution in optical aiming solutions
made the paucity of quality parts that
allowed the individual shooter to adapt
his rifle to his own particular needs
proved especially frustrating. Most of
what was available on the Canadian
market at the time originated from
offshore manufacturers and consisted
mainly of cheap moulded plastics.
The Concept It wasn’t long thereafter that the idea for
a new, high-quality modular picatinny
hand guard set for the Vz. 58/CZ-858
was born. Basing his design on his
own personal experiences and that of
January - February
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a number of experienced shooters in
the industry; Jeff quickly refined his
concept, focusing on building a product
that would permit easy mounting of
optical sights, tactical BUIS, vertical
battle grips, weapons lights, and other
accessories.
Since the family firm was involved in
the aerospace manufacturing industry,
Jeff had access to state-of-the-art, multiaxis CNC mills and advanced CAD
software. It wasn’t long before he had
what would become the pre-Generation
1 prototype milled and undergoing beta
testing.
The advantage of having access
to million-dollar, multi-axis CNC
machines permitted Jeff and his
fledgling North Eastern Arms company
to exponentially accelerate their R&D
process. Consequently, the team was
able to virtually eliminate the normal
delays and impediments that most other
manufacturers have to contend with.
Turnaround time from beta tester, to
revised CAD program with suggested
improvements, to production quality
unit ready for further field testing was
measured in hours and days, not the
weeks and months that is the norm
Jeff noted that he credits much of
his early success to the support and
encouragement he received from
industry stakeholders such as Joe from
CQB Services, John at Wolverine
Supplies, Dave from NEIT ARMS, and
JR at The Shooting Edge. In his words,
“They were instrumental in helping us
arrive at a practical, consumer ready
product. That was the Gen 1 modular
hand guard set.”
Since then, NEA has constantly striven
to improve and perfect the design, so
much so that they’re now carrying out
production of their fourth generation
hand guard set. This is a reflection of
Jeff’s own personal & company motto:
“Never be content.”
NEA’s business model flies in the
face of that adopted by many of their
competitors, who are focused on
maximizing profit before all else. With
www.nfa.ca the rapidity of their design
refinements and the regular
addition of new products to
their product line, there is
certainly ample opportunity
for NEA to take advantage
of those who are compelled
to always have the ‘best and
latest’ designs. However, that
isn’t how Jeff and the gang at
NEA do business. They are
committed to never leaving
their customers “hanging,” and
according to Jeff,
“We made a conscious business
decision to make sure we gave
back to our original customers
by offering heavily rebated
offers to exchange, purchase
latest generation hand guards
or gift certificates for NEA products
as a gesture of appreciation for their
past support. Many of our distributors
thought we were crazy to do so, but here
at NEA, we want to treat our customers
the same way we ourselves want to be
treated. After all, we were customers
too!”
Manufacturing the Product –
When Jeff said it was his intention to
bring to market the absolute highest
quality firearms accessories and parts
he wasn’t kidding. All NEA products
are 100% Canadian made and are
January - February
produced on state-of-the- art, multiaxis CNC machines. Only the finest
metals and alloys are used, including
6061T Aluminum, 4140 steel and
303 stainless steels in the production
of NEA products. They’re currently
exploring new opportunities that may
allow them to incorporate a number of
new “space-age” alloys that will offer
longer service lives and lighter weights
– drawing, on their parent company’s
decades of aerospace engineering and
manufacturing experience, where there
is an inherent need to build parts strong,
yet try and maximize weight savings.
35
protruding sling plate
occasionally hung up
on gear. I also somehow
managed to scratch my
inner forearm while
doing an off-shoulder
transition.
Review –
Having wasted too much money on
some of the plastic junk that was on
the market for my CZ-858, I had high
expectations as I unpacked my NEA
order this past fall.
I generally take a KISS (Keep It Simple
Stupid) approach when running any
firearm. If I add a new part or accessory,
there is a practical reason for it. For
this project my primary aim was to add
additional versatility to the CZ platform
that would enhance its adaptability and
allow it to better compete against more
modern designs such as the AR-15.
With that in mind I ordered one of
NEA’s latest generation Modular
Picatinny Hand Guard sets, along with
an extra 2” and 4” section of picatinny
rail, one of their fantastic AR-15 stock
adapters with integral sling plate, and a
new old-school Soviet “Krinkov” style
flash suppressor.
The hand guard set, picatinny rails and
stock adapter displayed a flawless hardcoat anodizing and were gray in colour.
All parts were beautifully machined
from 6061T aluminum and I couldn’t
find a single flaw, even after a detailed
examination.
Installation was a snap and even the
most mechanically handicapped out
there should have no trouble completing
the project without help. Detailed
Instructions for installation were
included, along with clear photos that
really aided in simplifying the process.
Tolerances are tight, so it is helpful to
have a bench block, punch set and brass
hammer on hand to give various pins
and parts a light tap or two if needed.
According to NEA this is a result of the
metal finish. However, after stripping
the rifle a few times this issue will
correct itself.
Installing the NEA “Krink” flash
suppressor was even easier, taking just
a few seconds and requiring no tools.
Shooting the full-length rifle with the
new suppressor installed was fun,
although it had no effect upon felt recoil.
It did produce a neat flash pattern that
can only be appreciated under low-light
conditions. Overall, I was impressed
by how well the NEA product stood
up to use, and abuse; after running
close to 1000 rounds of mixed surplus
Czech corrosive and Chinese silver box
7.62X39mm ammo through the rifle
over the course of a single weekend.
While covered in soot and carbon
residue, a simple wipe with an oily rag
was all that was necessary to clean up
the surface of the machined stainless
steel of the suppressor. Amazingly it still
looked almost new!
Since the range I used for accuracy
testing was limited to 200 meters, a
high magnification optic wasn’t needed.
For testing purposed I set up a mix of
paper targets and reactive steel, ranging
from distances of 50-200M. I found
that mounting my favourite Aimpoint
CompM2 red dot optic, using a LaRue
cantilever mount, was a breeze with the
installation of the NEA picatinny hand
guard.
36
The rifle handled and balanced well,
even with the new additions. The new
optic helped, and I noticed an immediate
reduction in group sizes. The modular
hand guards were rock-solid, and I used
the quick detach function of the LaRue
mount to remove and replace the optic
several times without any significant
loss of zero.
I had also opted to install the 2” NEA
picatinny rail on the bottom hand guard
to permit mounting a Tango Down
vertical battle grip. The longer 4” rail
was bolted to the near-side of the bottom
half of the hand guard for potential use
with a weapon light. The latter rail also
has a quick-detach sling mount hole that
worked perfectly with several pushbutton quick detach swivels I tried.
Unlike a number of other rails I’ve
purchased over the years, every NEA
picatinny slot was cut to true “1913
Picatinny” specs and I experienced zero
problems while test fitting a broad range
of different picatinny accessories.
The final task I faced was getting the
NEA stock adapter installed. After using
this for a while, it is one upgrade that
I highly recommend, as it permits the
shooter to easily mount their choice of
adjustable AR style stock. This wasn’t
simply a ‘tacticool’ affectation of mine,
but a practical decision. As with so many
“Combloc” rifle designs, the CZ was not
built for larger-framed Western soldiers/
shooters that generally were taller and
had longer arms than their Warsaw Pact
counterparts.
January - February
www.nfa.ca
The addition of the AR stock permitted
me to increase the length of pull, making
the rifle much more comfortable to use.
I also appreciated the convenience of
the integral sling plate that was actually
machined as part of the adapter. The
latter worked quite well, and I had no
trouble mounting a Blue Force Gear
“Vickers” sling. However, I did notice
that the relatively sharp corners of the
I’d like to see the corners
rounded or some sort of
‘melt’ treatment done to
eliminate this possibility.
At the same time I also
would’ve liked to have
seen a little more metal
left to form the outer part
of the sling plate. I have no fears that
it will ever fail, break or even bend; I
just prefer a ‘beefier’ look. Otherwise
performance was outstanding.
Conclusion As a company, NEA brings to the table
over 50 years of combined experience
in aerospace manufacturing. That
experience and technological expertise
Magic... Continued From Page 21
subjecting the law-abiding to elaborate regulatory paperwork
is counter intuitive, but it can still be justified with an appeal
to magic.
As the Registration System controls inanimate objects, the
Licensing System controls people, in this case gun owners.
Homeopathic and Symbolic Magic can be relied on to project
their mystic influence from the paper license in a government
office out onto real people. The bureaucrat can then tell the
police who has guns, where they are and what is being done
with them. This control, imposed on the law-abiding, is then
assumed by the influence of magical processes to also apply
to criminals. The legal and regulatory restrictions that fall
on target shooters in Halifax will symbolically extend to the
armed car thieves of Winnipeg.
Keeping the Police Safe
Another justification of our registration and licensing system
is the Canadian Firearms Registry Online (CFRO is part of the
Canadian Firearms Information System). This system allows
the police to query the licensing and registration database for
information on where guns are located. Officials claim the
system is key to officer safety because it warns them about
gun threats 10,000 times a day. What is left unsaid is that
most of these queries are automated responses to name and
licence plate queries and are not gun related.
www.nfa.ca is clearly evident in the quality of their
products. Just as attractive for me is their
commitment to their customers and their
obvious desire to ensure our satisfaction,
-- not only before purchase, but long
afterwards as well. That attitude is far
too rare in business today. Yet, their
gamble is paying off. NEA continues
to expand exponentially and along
with their VZ product line, they now
offer everything from complete AR-15
barrels to M-14 bolt releases. NEA is a
company on the move and last year they
successfully partnered with American
firearms accessory manufacturer TROY
Industries to distribute their Vz. line
in the United States under the TROY
name. That is impressive for a company
barely two years old.
You can check out NEA products on
their website: www.northeasternarms.
com or drop them an E-mail:
[email protected]
However, the number of queries is critically important
because it allows the authorities to invoke Ritual Magic.
The sheer volume of enquires, like the repetitive chanting of
Buddhist Monks or the endless revolving of Tibetan Prayer
Wheels will magically waft to heaven and keep officers safe.
Numbers from statistics Canada show the Firearms Registry
database can only be used in 2.2% of homicides so one might
reasonably assume that it would have a 97.8% failure rate as
a homicide warning system. (Despite some technical issues,
this statistic gives a good ballpark idea of just how dangerous
reliance in the CFRO is.) This dismal rate of effectiveness is
not surprising when you realise the database consists solely
of the guns of the law-abiding and completely excludes
illegal guns and criminals.
Nonetheless, rest assured Canada, the Government is doing
“something” about crime – it’s controlling guns. Magical
processes are at work supporting the contention that
regulating the guns of the law-abiding is an effective way to
regulated criminals. In Canada, major police organizations
and political parties support these polices. After all, they
have magic on their side.
Bruce Gold is a freelance researcher and writer interested
in a number of public policy issues. He has a website at
http://www.FactFallacyFirearms.org and can be reached for
comment at [email protected]
Liberal IED’s and
the United Nations
By Gary Mauser
Gary Mauser Making a presentation at the
2010 Gun Rights Conference, hosted by the
Second Amendment Foundation this past
fall in San Francisco
Thanks to the Conservative government, Canadians recently
dodged new restrictive gun regulations that are as destructive
as an IED. Late in 2010 Stephen Harper’s government wisely
post-poned for another two years the UN marking regulations
and the gun club regulations implementation. This is not the
first time these regulatory packages have been deferred. The
Liberals deliberately improvised these explosive devices
and set them in our path in an attempt to cripple Canada’s
recreational firearms community. These new regulations, if
they ever came into force, would create new legal difficulties
for anyone legally owning and using firearms and would
severely damage the rights of all Canadians.
Note, I said postponed, not eliminated. This means that in
two years the government will again have to decide what
to do about them. Unfortunately, this was the best they
could do since the Conservatives only control a minority
government. Any important change in the gun regulations
requires parliamentary approval, and the opposition controls
a majority in parliament.
As we saw in the battle over Bill C-391, all three opposition
parties remain wedded to the claim that firearms in the hands
of citizens pose a dangerous threat. The opposition opposes
any relaxation of the gun regulations. In fact, they want
the laws to become even more restrictive. In the words of
Michael Ignatieff, the Liberals remain committed to “strict,
relentless gun control.” If the Liberals -- by themselves or in
a Coalition -- ever return to power, they will impose new and
more draconian gun laws. Count on it.
What is so dangerous about these regulatory packages? In
brief, they impose even more bureaucracy in a futile attempt
to solve nonexistent problems. Costs and impediments
will increase, accompanied by further losses of privacy.
By increasingly criminalizing aspects of owning and using
firearms, the bureaucracy continues to strangle normal,
legal gun ownership. Firearms ownership is becoming an
endangered activity.
38
UN marking and tracing regulations
Implementing the UN marking regulations would require
Canadian importers to stamp or engrave the country code
(CA) and the last two digits of the year of importation on the
receiver or frame of all imported firearms. For example, any
firearm imported in 2012 would have to be marked CA 12.
That may sound less dangerous than dancing with Godzilla,
but requiring importers to so mark each imported firearm is
potentially disastrous.
We can thank the Liberals that these regulations are
mandated by Canadian law. UN protocols are quite general
and rely upon individual nations to pass laws to implement
them. In November, 2004, the Canadian parliament amended
the Firearms Act (Bill C-10A) in order to implement
international agreements with the UN and the Organisation
of American States. This Canadian legislation was justified
by the infamous Firearms Protocol adopted back in May
2001.
International firearms experts who have evaluated the
UN marking requirements have testified that marking
commercial firearms is redundant and potentially confusing,
since countries differ widely in how they implement the UN
protocol. Most troublesome is that attempting to permanently
mark the receivers after manufacture could damage the
firearm’s structural integrity, thereby compromising its
safety.
Foreign firearms companies will not mark firearms during
manufacture, because they cannot know their annual sales
ahead of time. The UN marking regulations will force
Canadian importers to purchase expensive new stamping or
engraving machinery. Importers estimate that this could add
$200 to the price of a new gun. The additional investment
costs will reduce the number and makes of guns imported
as it will drive some importers out of business. Almost half
of all firearm businesses closed their doors since 1990;
January - February
www.nfa.ca
dropping from 9,209 in 1990 to 4,720 in 2009. The UN
marking regulations would be another nail in the coffin of the
Canadian gun business. And in our own coffin as well; small
gun retailers have traditionally been integral to communities
of gun owners, rural or urban.
Gun shows
The proposed gun show regulations increase the power
of the Chief Provincial Firearms Officers by putting them
directly in control of gun shows. This not only unnecessarily
increases the paper burden for organizers and vendors, but it
invites the bureaucracy to invent more reasons to restrict the
traditional right to own firearms. All vendors could be told to
obtain business licences, and attendees be required to submit
their POL to Ottawa. There have been no problems with gun
shows that justify new regulations. All the police can do is to
cite “concerns‚” with gun shows.
in charge, but the bureaucracy is really in control.
The Conservatives are frustrated. Having only a minority
government means that the government could fall at any
moment, and, as we saw with Bill C-391, it makes it
virtually impossible for the Conservatives to pass legislation,
particularly changes in firearms regulations. Obviously, this is
very disappointing for the firearms community. Despite being
in government for five years, the Conservatives have not been
able to dump the long-gun registry nor heal any other running
sores in the Firearms Act that we have complained about for
years. Solving these problems will only be possible when the
Conservatives win a majority government.
Cynics may claim that the Conservatives do not really want
to do anything. Some even claim that “being a minority
government” is just a convenient excuse. I cannot agree.
I have spoken with MPs and Ministers in Ottawa. I am
convinced that the Conservatives are honestly trying to do the
Given the rabid anti-gun stance of some CPFOs (in Ontario
right thing.
and Quebec, for instance), this would mean that many
gun shows would simply close their doors. More useless We are not out of the woods yet. These regulatory changes
paperwork means more people will be discouraged from have only been delayed. They are scheduled to come into
owning and using firearms. Gun shows are important as effect on December of 2012, unless the Conservatives
places to meet your neighbors, as well as sell or buy guns. postpone them again. The Conservatives promise to renew
Strangling gun shows is another step towards choking the them. If the Liberals win the next election, we will have no
life out of the recreational firearms community.
friends in Ottawa. The noose will start tightening again.
Conclusions
The battle continues. We are up against an entrenched
bureaucracy and ideologues who do not like guns in the hands
Stephen Harper may be PM, but the Conservatives do not
of civilians. Don’t give up. Our efforts have the best chance
control Ottawa. Not only does the opposition command
to be productive if we focus on educating and informing
a majority in parliament, but the bureaucracy remains
policymakers at the highest government levels.
adamantly opposed to almost everything the Conservatives
wish to do. Most Ottawa civil servants were hired under References
the Liberals and appear to believe that the next election
http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2008/2008-12-10/html/
(continually expected within a few months) will return the
sor-dors298-eng.html
Liberals to power. So they find every excuse imaginable to
delay or undermine Conservative initiatives. As is the case in http://www.gazette.gc.ca/rp-pr/p2/2009/2009-12-09/html/
most modern countries, our politicians like to claim they are sor-dors313-eng.html
www.nfa.canfa.ca January - February
39
Western Lawmen: Wyatt Earp
by Jesse Wolf Hardin
a percentage of any money that those they arrested might
be fined, contributing to the most honest officers having to
moonlight at a second job, and others to turn to protection
rackets or other crimes. Those who received salaries, usually
made less than not only the saloon-keepers, but even the
lowly saloon sweepers; a monthly wage no better than that
of the cowpunchers they rode herd on come Friday and
Saturday nights.
Their work could best be described as weeks of boring tasks,
punctuated by moments of high drama and sometimes deadly
confrontation. For these reasons and more, very few of even
the most famous lawmen actually spent that many years
wearing the star. While some like famed, Jeff (Jefferson
Davis) Milton could boast of lifelong lawman careers, they
were the exceptions. Wild Bill Hickok, for example, served
only a few stints between less officious gunslinging, while
Wyatt Earp served as a lawman for less than three years in
a couple of Kansas cowtowns; other than being temporarily
deputized by his brother Virgil in time for the O.K. Corral
gunfight.
Earp as he may have looked around the time of his badge swinging
in Kansas, along with what is purported to be his actual signature.
“This is the West, sir. When the legend
becomes fact, print the legend.”
(from The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance, 1962)
Welcome to the first in a series of articles on Wild West
lawmen. Whether known as sheriff, marshal, deputy, ranger,
policeman or peace officer, those who wore a badge found
themselves caught between the demands of a city council
or state government and the practical realities of hard-bitten
frontier towns where freedom and opportunism were both
worshipped and defended. Many received no pay other than
40
It is the image of Wyatt Earp and the O.K. Corral gunfight
– or more accurately, the fight in a back alley near the O.K.
Corral – that defines the western lawman for most people;
especially as popularized by early sensationalist dime novel
biographer
Stuart
Lake. The gunfight
has been featured in
dozens of books in the
years since, and the
fictionalized account
has essentially become
burned into our memory thanks in part to the highly inaccurate
movie “Wyatt Earp” and moreso due to the powerfully acted,
but also fictionalized film “Tombstone”. We are comforted
in this case, by the notion of a brace of officers standing up
for law and order and protecting the innocents with an air
of nobility and panache; despite unintentionally setting off
a firefight with their unbending enforcement of local gun
control laws. Less comforting is the reality of two contending
politicized factions of part-time criminals, and full-time
hustlers vying for control of the town of Tombstone; using an
unpopular and seldom enforced ordinance against carrying
guns as the excuse to confront a handful of cowboys who
were already saddling up their horses and on their way out
of town. There is something unsettling about the Marshal
pinning a badge not only on Wyatt, but on the notoriuous
gambler and killer ‘Doc Holliday,’ in order to carry out what
some testified to be more akin to an execution than justified
homicide.
In the “days of yesteryear” and to some degree in these
modern times as well, things like right, wrong, justice and
law enforcement in the American West were anything but
clear-cut. Instead of the proverbial black-hatted bad guys
and white-hatted heroes, upon close inspection what we
find are more like the gray hats of complex people acting on
agendas that sometimes appeared – to certain vested interests,
in specific situations – as being either dangerous threats
to the community needing to be removed, or else its brave
defenders upon whom civilization itself seemed to depend.
Not only were they judged differently, depending upon the
circumstances, but many at one time or other worked both
sides of the fence.
The job of lawman may have been underpaid, but it
provided potentially valuable inside information and special
advantages; sometimes contributing to officers branching
out into extortion, or hanging up their badges altogether in
exchange for a potentially more lucrative career of crime.
L: Here we see Wyatt as
a young man, dreaming
about little more than
making a mint as a
buffalo hunter and then
spending the proceeds
on five cent floozies at
the nearest “house of
ill repute”.
In the 1950’s we were
treated to inspiring
Earp revisions like this
Little Gold Book edition,
portraying the upright
virtuous champion of
peace and justice that
we in the larger Western
tradition need.
January - February
Whether they were praised or reviled for their forays outside
the law depended on the situation and context, and just who
was doing the appraising. The bounty hunter Tom Horn
was treasured by the well-financed, and often Europeanborn cattle barons that hired him to both punish assumed
rustlers and enforce their monopoly on grazing. However,
he was hated by the small, struggling homesteaders whom
he primarily targeted. The respected lawman Sheriff Henry
Brown of Caldwell, Kansas, was awarded a gold plated,
presentation model Winchester rifle by a grateful citizenry
for his services, but then took this same rifle with him on
a botched robbery attempt on the bank in nearby Medicine
Lodge.
At the same time, experience as a gunslinger and lawbreaker
were excellent qualifications for the post of sheriff, and it
often required bending or ignoring the fine points of law and
order to get the job done. In the cases of Hickok and the
Earps, town managers were more than happy to overlook
their zealous use of their Colt revolvers to bludgeon or shoot
the miscreants, who were undeniably making life difficult for
law-abiding folk.
Wyatt Earp is a perfect case in point. Most today, accept
the popular ‘legend’ of Earp as fact, with him representing
the epitome of the western lawmen. More often, and more
accurately, he was a gambler and provider of womanly
flesh; a man whom many contemporaries referred to as the
“fighting pimp”.
He can neither be wholly lionized, nor villainized, being
more than anything typical of the western “sporting men” of
the era, who along with countless other opportunists, came
west in search of riches and adventure. What distinguished
him and others of his ilk, was a degree of hard-headed
determination and a willingness to kill. But even given his
various shooting scrapes, the primary reason we remember
him is for the exaggerations and outright fabrications about
his experiences that began with the release of those dime
novels while he was still alive.
R: The sanitized and
romanticized character
that
actor
Hugh
O’Brien played in the
‘60s was about as far
from the real Wyatt as a
script writer could get.
www.nfa.ca
www.nfa.ca January - February 41
I grew up watching
a fictionalized Wyatt
Earp
played
by
Hugh O’Brien on
TV. His Earp was
a morally spotless
good guy who was
always
looking
out for everybody
but himself. To the
contrary, the real
Wyatt was in many
ways a self serving
and self aggrandizing
scoundrel.
Wyatt was actually
born March 19,
1848 to a family that
The unrealistic lionization that began locals came to call
with Stuart Lake, was alive and well in the “fighting Earps,”
the comics I and others read in the 1960’s. since anytime the
father and brothers
weren’t fighting other folks they could likely be found
brawling amongst themselves.
When he got his first law enforcement job as constable of
Lamar County, Missouri in 1870, he was heard to brag about
how the badge made it possible to do as he liked without any
more worry about being thrown in jail. A year later he had
quit and moved on into the territory of the Cherokee, where
he and a friend named Edward Kennedy were pursued,
arrested and fined for rustling horses. By 1874 he could be
found with his brothers Jim and Morgan and their mistresses
in the then rowdy cow-town of Wichita, Kansas, where he
made money gambling in the saloons and managing a stable
of prostitutes... several of whom registered for business using
the Earp last name.
It was for kicks, it’s said, that he joined local officers in
tracking down a wanted miscreant. However, the act of
emptying their prisoner’s pockets of $148, for “expenses
incurred” reminded Earp of the extracurricular ‘opportunities’
law enforcement work could provide. Wyatt then got hired
as a Wichita policeman himself in 1875, his performance
described by the Wichita Weekly Beacon newspaper as
“unexceptionable.” Perhaps the most exciting incident he was
involved in during this period was the accidental dropping of
his revolver on the floor of a local saloon; narrowly missing
shooting himself in the process. Later that same year, Wyatt
was himself arrested and fined for pummelling his boss’ main
rival during the local election campaign for city Marshal.
The Earps moved out of town two weeks after his dismissal,
prompted by the city council issuing a warrant for their arrest
as vagrants.
42
Wyatt next worked
two short stints as
deputy of Dodge City,
possibly shooting one
wanted man out the
saddle during a chase,
clubbing dozens of
rowdy
party-goers
with the butt of his
sixgun, and putting a
bullet in the leg of a
Texas cowpoke in the
course of enforcing
the ordinance against
carrying guns in
town.
A badge wearing Wyatt Earp during one
Resigning his post,
of his short stints as a head-cracking
he fatefully chose
policeman in wooly Kansas.
the silver mining
town of Tombstone
for his next attempt to strike it rich - with as little effort as
possible. It was there that he and his brothers came into
conflict with an equally roguish band of part-time rustlers
who called themselves simply “the cowboys,.” Falling in
with the opposing political faction the Earps soon found
themselves, being both romanticized and promoted by the
self-proclaimed “champion of law and order,” in Tombstone,
Epitaph newspaper editor, John Clum.
Yet, in March of 1881, the Benson stage was robbed by
someone with insider information, and Wyatt came under
suspicion. Years later his brother Virgil’s wife wrote that she
had hidden the masks and disguises they used, but regardless
of the facts, things were heating up for what would be the
shootout upon which much of Wyatt Earp’s future fame will
be predicated.
while all three of the
Earps and Holliday
were carrying. While
no hard documentation
exists, it is reasonable
to believe that each
of the Earps carried
ubiquitous Colt SAA
revolvers in .45 or
.44-40 caliber, the by
far preferred handgun
of the period, and that
Holliday toted a double
barreled shotgun in 10
or 12 gauge, that Virgil
had handed him, as
During his days in Dodge City, Wyatt well a Colt SAA and
was friends with the justifiably lauded probably a backup
lawman Bat Masterson, who later added Colt 1877 Lightning
both facts and flourishes to the growing or Thunderer double
Earp legend.
action pistol as well.
What Wyatt most
certainly did not carry, was the extra long barreled, so called
“Buntline Special”.
Claiborne to safety, while the cowardly, trouble-making Ike
Clanton runs. His brother, Billy Clanton, far more game,
stands his ground and engages Wyatt. Wyatt targets the
more formidable Frank McLaury, both exchanging gunfire.
Holliday, at the same time, puts his scattered gun to good use,
putting two loads of buckshot into Tom McLaury as his horse
spins out of his grasp. The fight ends with the thrice-shot,
and quickly bleeding-out teenager Billy Clanton hollering
for more bullets as he clicked his emptied revolvers; and a
dazed Morgan Earp and puckish Holliday now armed with a
Colt handgun, facing down a wounded Frank McLaury who
bravely asserts “I’ve got you now.” “You’re a daisy if you
do,” Holliday is reported to have replied, as he and Morgan
simultaneously fire, finishing off the last remaining armed
enemy combatant.
The fight apparently went down much as dramatized in
the movie “Tombstone,” other than the ridiculous fanning
of a dozen rounds into the nearby Fly Photography Studio:
Virgil yells at the cowboys that “I want your guns,” as Wyatt
draws his Colt and Doc jabs his shotgun menacingly at Tom
McLaury. The spunky Billy Clanton pulls his revolver in
response, as an unarmed Tom McLaury struggles to get
his Winchester 1873 rifle out of the scabbard on his horse.
Somewhere near 30 shots are fired in a space of 25 seconds
or so; a wild melee in which Sheriff Behan pulls Billy
Dissatisfied with the ruling, members of the “cowboys,”
armed with shotguns, later bushwhacked Virgil Earp.
However, their assassination attempt was unsuccessful and
resulted in the crippling of the elder Earp’s arm. Unfazed, the
criminal band made another try for the Earps, ending with
the successful bushwhacking of Morgan Earp as he bent over
a billiard table.
Scorecard: The McLaury brothers and Billy Clanton,
deceased. Doc Holliday, a flesh wound to the hip; Morgan,
a round in the shoulder; Sheriff Virgil Earl, a .45 caliber
hole through is right calf; Wyatt, amazingly unscathed
and movie-poster proud. Later, Wyatt and Doc were both
arrested, and then subsequently freed later that November.
Judge Spicer felt obliged to drop charges in part because they
hadn’t gunned down the despised but unarmed and retreating
Ike Clanton.
In June, the then Mayor, John Clum appointed Virgil town
Marshal, who in turn temporarily deputized Wyatt and
Morgan Earp, as well as the always “game” Doc Holliday. By
October 15th things had heated up between the contending
parties and their respective political bases, beyond the point
of hope for a peaceful resolution. It was ironic, many would
agree, that the gun-toting, often law-breaking Earps would
again use the enforcement of early, widely resented gun laws
to spark the confrontation that everyone had been so long
expecting.
On that infamous afternoon of October 26th, word had gone
out that “cowboy” faction members Ike and Billy Clanton,
Billy Claiborne and Tom and Frank McLaury were armed
and gathered in the aforementioned alley, saddled and ready
to ride out, though clearly making a point of taking their time.
As was indicated by later trial evidence, of the five cowboys
only Billy Clanton and Frank McLaury were “packing iron”,
January - February
www.nfa.ca
Earp (on the right) wandered the breadth of the West after
Tombstone, including spending time in Canada and in Alaska as
pictured, engaging in bunko schemes and real estate fraud.
www.nfa.ca A .44 caliber Smith & Wesson #3 top-break with the trigger guard
removed for fast acquisition, purported to have been abandoned to
the Alaska police after Wyatt determined that a quick ship to Nome
would be a better bet than staying in Juneau and submitting to yet
another investigation.
January - February
43
A truly epic blood-fued was born, with the Earps hell-bent on
revenge. One of the suspected back-shooters of Morgan, was
Frank Stillwell. Contrary to the movie version, Stillwell had
been at work at the stockyards in Tucson, and not stalking
the Earps when he first had his legs shot out from under him
by the Earp party. He subsequently suffered two loads of
buckshot and four rifle rounds to the torso. Earp and friends
put five holes in a second suspect, Indian Charley before
he could get away from the area; while the third suspect,
Pete Spence, promptly asked Sheriff Behan to place him in
protective custody.
Satisfied at having taken the law into their own hands and
extracted revenge, Wyatt and Doc left Arizona... not as
triumphant lawmen, but as fugitives, with warrants sworn
out for their arrest and a reward on their heads courtesy of
Sheriff Behan. For Earp,
the O.K. Corral shootout
was the historical high
point from which he
slowly spiralled down
into a life of increasing
irrelevance and personal
desperation.
a judgment it was commonly believed was made because
of bets Wyatt had placed on opponent Sharkey. As late as
1911, at age 63, Earp was arrested again for vagrancy and
for bilking tourists in a ‘Bunco’ game. In the end, it was no
shootout that did him in, but natural causes. On January 3,
1929, the year of the stock market crash, Wyatt Earp died as
he had lived: a “pain-in-the-arse”... not from bullet wounds
but from prostate cancer.
Wyatt spent much of his later period trying to get film star
William S. Hart to publish his autobiography and make it
into a movie, but Hart found problems with the manuscript’s
veracity. Stuart Lake held no such reservations, and printed
his pack of colourful lies under the title “Wyatt Earp:
Frontier Marshal.” 70 years later there have been several
imaginative programs and movies made about his life,
with little understanding
of, or attention to the
complexities and twists
of this most famous
lawman/outlaw.
Neither wholly saint,
nor sinner, Wyatt Earp’s
legend may very well
borrow more from the
realm of fantasy than
truth, but as the man
said, “When the legend
becomes fact, print the
legend.” With that ‘truth’
in mind, unquestionably,
Wyatt Earp was one of
the ‘legendary’ Old West
lawmen. In truth, most of
us prefer the fiction, as
the unforgettable image
of Marshal Wyatt Earp
facing down the Clanton
gang at the O.K. Corral
is held out by most of
us to be one of the most
powerful of Old West
archetypes - the legendary
lawmen, who represented
the pinnacle of Western
manhood, self-reliance
and heroism.
Hugh O’Brien aside,
Wyatt never ever wore
a badge again. Instead,
in the ensuing years he
travelled around the
West with his brother
Jim running confidence
schemes
and
real
estate scams, and was
subsequently arrested
a number of times,
including in Idaho on
two counts of claim
jumping. Yet, his fame,
or infamy, depending
on your perspective,
won him the honoured
position of referee of the
world champion boxing
match in 1896; a bout
which he stopped due to
a foul he called against
contender Fitzsimmons,
KIDS... Continued From Page 23
after all, because all I get to do is load!
Things were progressing differently
this time around.
Finally, because he behaved so well I
had to let her brother take a turn. At this
age kids are less predictable. This was
a bit different with a five and a half year
old so I made some changes to how we
would shoot. First I had to hold the
rifle when he wanted to shoot. Then I’d
always know it was pointing in the right
direction. He also only had a few rounds
loaded in his magazines for each string.
He preferred just the red dot when he
would shoot and I was very impressed
that he hit the clangers far more times
than he missed. This time, when arms
got tired from holding the AR and ears
were sore from wearing safety glasses
under ear muffs, they both said they
wanted to go out shooting again. Two
new shooters have been added to our
ranks and they got to experience it with
a black rifle.
I’ve taken our experience from these
trips to the range and come up with
some thoughts.
Remember that regardless of whether
your child is shooting a wood stocked
bolt action rimfire, an AR-15 black rifle
or a Remington VTR, the important
thing is that they’re shooting. I believe
that the future of “black rifle” shooting
is with Canada’s youth. Let them
know that a firearm is a firearm right
off the bat. There is enough animosity
towards AR-15’s, HK’s, and VZ-58’s
from the general public (and more than
a few shooters) already. There are no
good or bad guns, they’re just guns so
get out there and use them. The more
often black rifles are seen the less
often they’ll seem strange or different.
In actuality, they are what a modern
sporting rifle looks like now.
As far as hardware goes, the features
that make black rifles so ergonomic to
adults, work just as well for kids. The
light weight on a standard black rifle,
adjustable stocks, short barrels and
rimfire conversions make the platform
very adaptable for smaller bodies. The
modular designs also make it fast and
easy to switch the rifle back and forth
from stock for the kids to tricked out
with all the heavy add-ons adults want
for target or three-gun match use.
Converting my AR from .223 REM to
.22LR rimfire takes well under thirty
seconds from start to finish.
The next time you think about picking
out a rimfire rifle for your child,
consider guns like the Remington 597
VTR or the Ruger SR-22. As well as
looking cool they have features that
really shine when a kid needs a rifle
sized for them and are non-restricted
as well. If you already have an AR15, seriously consider buying a rimfire
conversion for it. They’re good value
for you too.
Now my daughter wants to start
shooting handguns. Looks like it is
time to start looking for a second job
if I’m going to keep my new shooting
buddies in ammo; now if someone has
a spare .22LR conversion for a Glock
pistol...just so you know all donations
gratefully accepted!
An aging Earp in Los Angeles, lobbying hard to get Hollywood to make a movie about
him. That wish would come true more than once, but not until long after he was dead.
44
January - February
www.nfa.ca
45
Canada’s National Firearms Association
continues to pursue a very aggressive
legal agenda aimed at protecting and
preserving our rights as responsible
firearms owners. In addition to one-onone legal advice, briefing papers and
related aid we provide, at no charge,
to members of Canada’s recreational
firearms community (you don’t have to
be a member!), we are actively engaged
in three important legal challenges at the
present moment.
Mini-update:
R. v. Cancade
l
a
g
e
L ner
r
o
C
n Pe
nney
e
t
a
d
p
U
l
r
a
e
g
z
e
n
L
a
M
.
v
.
R
&
ayso
Gr
an &
by Se
Issue of concern: Are individual parts of magazines
considered to be prohibited weapons, as some
government agencies have contended?
Status: Heard by BC Court of Appeal, awaiting
decision.
Norinco Type 97A Reference Hearing –
Issues of concern: May the RCMP arbitrarily
reclassify and prohibit firearms on their own
authority? Should the Type-97A be prohibited
on the basis of the RCMP’s contention that it is
“easily converted to fully automatic?” Who or
what has the authority to establish when such
a conversion meets an acceptable definition or
standard of “easy conversion” given the highly
subjective nature of the debate.
Status: In process - hearing scheduled February
2011. (Donations can be made on-line at www.nfa.
ca or phone, toll free: 1-877-818-0393)
R. v. Manzer
Issue of concern: Manzer charged under CCC,
s. 88 (1) Possession of Weapon for Dangerous
Purpose.
By Grayson Penney
46
Was Manzer properly exercising his right to selfdefence and defence of property as laid out in
the CCC? Is it reasonable for a citizen to confront
potential criminals while armed?
Status: Hearing scheduled in Burton, New
Brunswick on June 28th & 29th. Please see below
for more details.
January - February
www.nfa.ca
Self Defence & the Case of
Lawrence Manzer
Meet Lawrence, “Laurie” Manzer. Laurie is a retired
member of the Canadian Forces, a loving husband and
doting father of four -- three boys and one girl. If his
local police have their way, he’ll also be a convicted
criminal very soon. Laurie is in legal hot water for
doing what any reasonable person would do when
confronted in the middle of the night by roving thugs,
and a call for immediate help from a neighbour and
friend. Laurie jumped out of bed and went to help.
For his own protection, Laurie took an unloaded
shotgun with him and some shells in case they were
needed; fortunately, they weren’t. As a retired member
of the Canadian Forces and a recreational shooter
and hunter, Laurie understands how to use firearms
responsibly. He was specifically trained to safely use
firearms, even under the most adverse of conditions,
and in high-stress environments. Confronting three
unknown prowlers in the dark would certainly qualify
in that respect.
As it turned out, Laurie never even had to load
his shotgun. Brian Fox, Fox’s son and Laurie were
successful in apprehending the three miscreants in
short order. The latter turned out to be a trio of area
youths who were feeling the liquor they had been
consuming that evening, and who were looking to see
what trouble they could get into.
No shots were fired in the apprehension of the vandals,
and no injuries resulted from the actions of either
Manzer or Fox. Local police arrived shortly thereafter
to take the erstwhile prowlers into custody. But the
vandals weren’t the ones in real trouble – instead,
Laurie Manzer found himself facing charges relating
to his carrying a firearm with him when he went to the
aid of his neighbour.
Without reservation, Canada’s National Firearms
Association firmly supports every Canadian’s legal
right to self-defence.
Laurie’s actions, that dark night last year, were wholly
justified in our estimation. Laurie was correct in the
assumptions he made, he took reasonable safety
precautions that were in the best interests of the public
good, and from our perspective, offered a wholly
proportional level of force in relation to the perceived
threat posed by the miscreants involved.
Rather than being treated as a criminal, and being
forced to defend himself against such outrageous
charges, having his reputation damaged, and now
facing potential financial ruin in order to pay for his
legal defence -- Laurie Manzer should have been
lauded by the police for his courageous actions in
standing by his neighbours, and for assuming an active
role in ending the wave of property crimes, thefts and
vandalism that had been wracking his community.
www.nfa.ca Lawrence Manzer while still on active duty with the
Canadian Forces.
Local police and the Crown attorney need only to have
looked to Peel’s Principles of Policing for guidance in
the Manzer case. As Peel wrote:
“Police, at all times, should maintain a relationship
with the public that gives reality to the historic
tradition that the police are the public and the public
are the police; the police being only members of the
public who are paid to give full-time attention to duties
which are incumbent on every citizen in the interests
of community welfare and existence.”
Laurie merely did what each of us not only has a
right to do, but that which we have an obligation to
do as responsible citizens. He accepted the awesome
responsibility of protecting himself, his family and his
property; while offering the same aid to his friend and
neighbour Brian Fox.
Despite past requests for police help, Manzer and
Fox were left with few options in the face of the
local police being unable or unwilling to take more
proactive measures to end the mini-crime wave being
perpetrated against the pair that night, and in the
months preceding the incident in question. Left with
no other option, Laurie accepted the risks inherent in
facing the unknown so that he could protect his home
and family.
Unbelievably, Laurie is currently scheduled to appear
at the Burton Courthouse this June 28th & 29th
to answer the charges. His lawyer is already hard
at work prepping for the trial, but his legal bills are
accumulating quickly. Laurie is one of the good guys
and he can certainly use our support. If you can
afford to help this good citizen defend himself, and
prevent a gross miscarriage of justice, please send
your donations in trust to Laurie’s legal counsel made
payable to:
“Lawrence Manzer - In Trust of Blair McKay”
c/o Mr. Blair McKay, Attorney-at-Law,
291 Restigouche Road, Oromocto,
New Brunswick, Canada E2V 2H2
Pen
Belt Buckle
Embroidered Patch
Canvas Hat ..................................Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________
TBlack THunter Orange TCamouage TClay
Oilskin Hat - Brown ....................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________
Leather Hat..................................Qty. _____ x $40.00 = $__________
TBlack TGreen
Canvas - Black
T-Shirts ........................................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________
TBlack TSand TKelly Green
TForest Green
TSmall TMedium TLarge TXL T2XL T3XL
Travel Mug
Tote Bag ......................................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________
TRed TDark Grey TBlue
Stainless Steel Travel Mug..........Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________
Canvas Hunter Orange
Silver Belt Buckle .......................Qty. _____ x $20.00 = $__________
Knife with Carry Pouch ..............Qty. _____ x $15.00 = $__________
Pen.................................................Qty. _____ x $3.00 = $__________
Canvas Camouage
Large Crest Lapel Pin ...................Qty. _____ x $5.00 = $__________
Crest Lapel Pin
Sold Out
Knife w/
carry pouch
Embroidered Patch ........................Qty. _____ x $5.00 = $__________
Shipping & Handling:
Up to $20.00 - $5.00
Over $20.00 - $10.00
Total $__________
Canvas - Clay
Name: __________________________________________________
Address: ________________________________________________
City:____________________________________________________
Oilskin - Brown
Prov:______________________________________P.C.: _________
Ph: ( _____ ) ____________________ Fax: ( _____ ) ____________
TCheque or Money Order enclosed
TVisa/Mastercard/AMEX
Card #:_________________________________ Expiry: __________
Signature: _______________________________________________
Kelly Green
Leather - Green
Mail to: National Firearms Association
Box 52183, Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2T5
Fax to:
(780) 439-4091
*Prices subject to change
Leather - Black
Sand
Tote Bag - Blue
Tote Bag - Dark Gray
Tote Bag - Red
Forest Green

- National Firearms Association

Transcription

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