Gun Policy News
American gun maker, firearms in mass media
United States,Mexico,Guatemala
Only Three Countries Have a Constitutional Right to Bear Arms
23 November 2022
Business Insider
- Only three countries in the world currently have a constitutional right to own a gun: the US, Mexico, and Guatemala.
- Six other countries used to have a constitutional right to bear arms, but they've since repealed those laws.
- The US is the only country with a right to keep and bear arms with no constitutional restrictions.
The right to keep and bear arms is a longstanding, often glorified right protected by the US Constitution.
Americans own nearly half of all... (GunPolicy.org)
The Shoddy Conclusions of the Man Shaping the Gun-Rights Debate
3 November 2022
New Yorker / The Trace
In 1957, the small-arms manufacturer Armalite created the AR-15—short for Armalite Rifle—at the invitation of the U.S. Army, which was seeking an effective lightweight combat weapon. When the Department of Defense reviewed a version of the rifle in 1962, during the early stages of the Vietnam War, its report stated that the gun's "lethality" and "reliability" were "particularly impressive." From forty-nine feet away, it noted, an Army Ranger fired a round into a... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico's Bold Move Against Gun Companies
1 September 2022
Arms Control Association
Of 193 member states of the United Nations, Mexico has the fifth-largest number of unregistered firearms in civilian hands, behind the United States, India, China, and Pakistan.(1) This availability of firearms and the violence it enables have major destructive consequences. In Mexico, guns are the weapon of choice in 70 percent of total homicides and 60 percent of homicides committed against women. Guns are also the main tool in homicides of young people.
Gun violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico Sues US Gunmakers to Stop Weapons Crossing Border
4 August 2021
Guardian
The Mexican government has launched legal action against US gunmakers in an unprecedented attempt to halt the flow of guns across the border, where US-made weapons are routinely used in cartel gun-battles, terror attacks on civilians – and increasingly to challenge the state itself.
The Mexican government is suing six gunmakers in a Massachusetts court, alleging negligence in their failure to control their distributors and that the illegal market in Mexico "has been... (GunPolicy.org)
The Gun Culture Underlying Thailand's First Mass Shooting
19 February 2020
Reuters
Normally serene Thailand has been on edge since a rogue soldier went on the rampage in a northeastern city this month, killing 29 people in a shooting spree that ended in a standoff with police at a shopping mall.
Ten days later, a man walked into a clinic in a busy Bangkok shopping mall and gunned down his ex-wife before fleeing the scene. He was later arrested.
The killings, along with several other high-profile gun crimes, have called attention to the high rate of... (GunPolicy.org)
How the AR-15 Became The Most Popular Rifle In America
14 December 2017
CNN
Larry Hyatt had never seen such a frenzy.
The lines at Hyatt Guns, his shop in Charlotte, North Carolina, snaked out the door. The deep, green-walled warehouse bills itself as the largest gun shop in America, but even then Hyatt had to stretch to meet the demand.
At one point, he dispatched 37 salespeople to man the cash registers. He put up velvet ropes and hired a police officer. He even put a hot dog stand outside.
It was just after the Sandy Hook massacre -- and... (GunPolicy.org)
2017 Australian Gun Amnesty Results by Jurisdiction - SSAA
9 November 2017
Sporting Shooters' Association of Australia
The inclusion of gun dealers and an option to register or sell legal firearms has paved the way for high participation rates in the national firearms amnesty. The SSAA successfully lobbied the Federal Government to base the three-month amnesty on the successful Queensland version, with most states and territories adopting this proven model.
From the available data, it is clear the jurisdictions that allowed dealers to process firearms at gunshops and enabled licence... (GunPolicy.org)
Record Number of Gun Background Checks on US Black Friday
28 November 2016
The Trace (USA)
Hillary Clinton lost her bid for the White House, and the National Rifle Association's 2016 champion Donald Trump is almost certain to leave firearm regulations alone. But America's appetite for guns is more voracious than ever.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation's National Instant Criminal Background Check System processed more background checks for gun transactions on Black Friday — 185,713 in total — than on any single day since the system launched nearly two... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Not Smart Guns in This High-Tech Era? - NY Times
26 November 2016
New York Times, Editorial
The Department of Justice has issued official guidelines for the manufacture of smart guns — weapons that, like smartphones, have technology to allow only the rightful owners to use them. The guidelines aim to "shape the future of gun safety technology," as called for under an executive order issued in January by President Obama, in the face of Congress's refusal to deal with the nation's horrendous toll of gun deaths.
Nearly 7,000 children committed suicide with... (GunPolicy.org)
Traffickers Flood Mexico with Easily Bought American Guns [ES]
22 November 2016
Vice News (US)
[Translated summary: Although Mexico has some of the strictest gun legislation in the world, with only one shop where guns can be bought legally, there are more than 15 million guns in circulation and 85% are illegal. One of the main reasons is the proximity of the USA, where guns are easily available. Almost 100,000 Mexicans died of gun wounds in the last decade.]
Es casi la media noche del 11 de octubre y la policía recibe una llamada de emergencia alertando de una... (GunPolicy.org)
Arms Dealers Say Trump Election Will Likely Slow Gun Sales
22 November 2016
USA Today
On Nov. 9, the day after Donald Trump had been elected president, a customer walked into the Phoenix Tactical gun shop here not to make a purchase but to cancel one.
The customer had put a Glock pistol on layaway, but wanted to void the purchase because Hillary Clinton had lost the election and a pro-gun Donald Trump had emerged victorious, Phoenix Tactical owner Bryan Bryner said.
"He said: 'The threat is gone,' " Bryner said.
That change of heart reflects a new... (GunPolicy.org)
American Women Buying More Guns Than Ever, Claims Dealer
22 November 2016
Opposing Views (Canada)
National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NCIS) numbers indicate that 2016 is on pace to have the highest number of background checks for guns on record.
Up until the end of October, NCIS conducted 22,206,203 firearm background checks, which is less than 1 million away from the record year of 2015, which ran 23,141,970 firearm background checks. With two more months left to report, 2016 will likely surpass 2015 when the November numbers come through.
NCIS... (GunPolicy.org)
After Trump's Victory, Gun Sellers Rely On 'Black Friday' [FR]
21 November 2016
Les Echos (France)
[Translated summary: After the election of Donald Trump, one of the main American gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson, saw its stock price fall by 15%. The reason is that gun enthusiasts were buying more firearms in case Hillary Clinton won. Now, sellers expect to recover during the 'Black Friday' but estimate that they have little chance of repeating the record numbers of last year.]
Il y a quelques semaines encore, nous étions dans une Amérique démocrate, ou le... (GunPolicy.org)
Honduras,United States,South America
Firearm Trafficking Soaring in Honduras - Customs [ES]
11 November 2016
La Tribuna (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Every month, Honduran customs seize an average of 35 to 40 firearms of US and South America origin. Among the seized arms are pistols, shotguns, hunting rifles and ammunition. Police say the increase in crime is the reason Hondurans want to arm themselves, and trafficked guns cost one fifth of legal guns.]
Un promedio de 35 a 40 armas de fuego o municiones provenientes de Estados Unidos y de Suramérica decomisan al mes funcionarios de Aduanas de... (GunPolicy.org)
Why Trump's Victory Just Wounded US Gunmakers
9 November 2016
Bloomberg (USA)
For all of President-Elect Donald Trump's warnings that Hillary Clinton was coming for America's guns, it turns out that it was his surprise victory that came with immediate pain for the firearm industry. Shares of gunmakers were tanking on Wednesday morning as investors prepare for a gun-friendly Trump presidency. The somewhat counterintuitive thesis goes like this: With the threat of stronger gun control laws fading under a Trump administration, fewer people will rush... (GunPolicy.org)
Donald Trump's Election is a Disaster for US Gunmakers. Really
9 November 2016
Vox (US)
Most Democrats want stricter gun laws, and most Republicans oppose them. So you might expect the election of Donald Trump and a Republican-controlled Congress to be great news for the nation's gunmakers. But surprisingly, the opposite turned out to be the case.
Two of the nation's biggest gun manufacturers, Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger, saw their stock prices fall by double digits this morning in the wake of Trump's election victory.
Here's one theory for what's... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Measures Expected to Win in Four US States
8 November 2016
Reuters
Gun control-related ballot measures in four states are expected to pass on Tuesday, opinion polls showed, after gun safety advocates poured a massive amount of money into backing the initiatives.
In Maine and Nevada, residents are voting on whether to mandate universal background checks for firearm sales, including private handgun transactions.
If those two measures pass, half of all Americans would live in states that have such expanded checks. Eighteen states and... (GunPolicy.org)
Sudden Spike in US Gun Sales Down to 'Fear of Clinton Victory'
2 November 2016
Independent (UK)
One of the biggest manufacturers of hand guns and assault rifles in the United States is reporting soaring sales in the run-up to the presidential election as enthusiasts fear that a Hillary Clinton victory over Donald Trump could lead to restrictive new gun-control measures.
Sturm, Ruger, maker of AR-type assault rifles as well as an array of other rifles and pistols, said in an earnings call that sales rose by one third, to $161.4 million, in the quarter that ended 1... (GunPolicy.org)
German Arms Maker to Release Second Smart Gun in US
20 October 2016
Computer World (Singapore)
German firearms manufacturer Armatix LLC is planning to release its second smart gun in the U.S. next year after sales of its first model -- the .22 caliber iP1 -- were quashed by pressure from some gun owners and gun rights advocates who saw it as a threat to Second Amendment freedoms.
Unlike the iP1, which used RFID technology, the new iP9 9mm semi-automatic pistol will have a fingerprint reader. The iP9 will be available in mid-2017, according to Wolfgang Tweraser,... (GunPolicy.org)
One US Gun's Journey: 42 Bullets Fired, 2 Killed, 5 Wounded
7 October 2016
Chicago Tribune
The young woman arrived home to find a footprint still visible on her front door.
Her South Shore apartment had been broken into, and the small safe she kept under her bed was missing, along with the black .40-caliber Glock handgun she kept inside.
Over the next year, that Glock would fire 42 bullets, leaving shell casings scattered on walkways, porches and side streets. In the hands of a street gang, the gun was used in at least five separate shootings that left two... (GunPolicy.org)
US Women Think They're Feminists If They Own Guns [FR]
5 October 2016
TV5 Monde (France)
[Translated summary: More American women are buying one or several firearms and seeing their ownership as a symbol of emancipation. Dealers say that 20% of their sales are to women, while a recent poll by the National Shooting Sport Foundation saw an increase of 15% between 2010 and 2013. The number of women who practice sport shooting increased from 1.8 to 3.3 million in the last 15 years.]
Mères de famille, vendeuses d'armes à feu et d'accessoires spécialisés,... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Are Stolen in America As Often As Once Every Minute
21 September 2016
The Trace (USA)
ATLANTA — Landen Boyd parked his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a construction site south of downtown Atlanta and went to work, leaving his black Smith & Wesson 9mm in a case underneath the center console.
It was the fall of 2006, and Boyd, a 37-year-old construction superintendent, was overseeing the development of an apartment complex across the train tracks from Mechanicsville, a high-crime neighborhood. When noon came, Boyd hitched a ride to eat lunch with... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Owners Lose Up to 60,000 Firearms a Year to Thieves
21 September 2016
Guardian
Landen Boyd parked his Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck at a construction site south of downtown Atlanta and went to work, leaving his black Smith & Wesson 9mm in a case underneath the center console.
While Boyd was eating lunch at a nearby rib joint, someone chucked a brick through his truck's back window, crawled inside, grabbed his weapon, and fled.
The Smith & Wesson vanished into Atlanta's underworld for more than two years. The handgun resurfaced when police... (GunPolicy.org)
Pink Pistols: Gun-Toting Gay Americans, Trained and Armed
12 September 2016
Philadelphia Inquirer
Gwen Patton does not carry a gun specifically because she is a lesbian. She carries a gun because she believes random evil can put its hand on you at any moment - and gay people face additional danger.
"Yeah, because someone mugs you on the street, they want your wallet, they want your watch, they want money. A woman might also face a threat of rape," she says. "Another level is when they don't like you for what you are. There's a quantum leap in danger."
That's why... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Sale Background Checks Rise to Record Number
6 September 2016
CNN
Guns are selling at unprecedented levels this summer, which means 2016 is well on its way to breaking the all-time record for background checks.
Background checks conducted by the FBI totaled 1,853,815 in August 2016, a 6% increase from August 2015.
That's the most checks ever in the month of August since the FBI started conducting background checks in 1998. In fact, every monthly tally this year has hit an all-time high, meaning that 2016 is on track to be the record... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Dealers, Health Experts Combine to Curb Gun Suicide
3 September 2016
Christian Science Monitor
HOOKSETT — As the longtime owner of a gun store, Ralph Demicco is passionate about his firearms. At the modest ranch house he built himself outside this rural New Hampshire town, he keeps a collection of rifles, shotguns, pistols, and antique weaponry, including two cast-iron cannons that he stores in the barn beneath an oval wooden wall plaque inscribed with the Second Amendment.
On special occasions, he wheels out his beloved cannons – replicas of Dutch and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Manufacturers' Profits Soar In Wake of Shootings [FR]
2 September 2016
La Tribune (France)
[Translated summary: In fear of violence, a growing number of Americans choose to purchase firearms for self-defence. This behaviour is particularly lucrative for the firearm industry. For example, Smith & Wesson has registered a surge of 226% in its profit in the last few months.]
L'américain Smith & Wesson a plus que doublé son profit net lors du dernier trimestre, tandis que les récentes fusillades ont fait grimper le cours de l'action des fabricants... (GunPolicy.org)
US Rush for Guns Boosts Smith & Wesson's Sales, Profit
31 August 2016
CNBC (USA)
Amid talks of tighter gun control and a series of tragic shootings, a pickup in demand for firearms is expected to drive double-digit gains in both sales and profits for Smith & Wesson's fiscal first quarter.
After seeing slower demand in May, "The past two months have seen a dramatic surge in U.S. firearms sales, particularly in rifles," Wunderlich Securities analyst Rommel Dionisio said in a research note.
Adjusted gun background checks, frequently used as a proxy... (GunPolicy.org)
Admirable People at US Federal Bureau of Way Too Many Guns
30 August 2016
GQ (USA)
Say there's a murder. Blood everywhere, a dead guy on the floor. The cops come in with their yellow tape, chalk line, the little booties, cameras, swabs, the fingerprint dust. One of them finds a gun on the floor. The gun! He lifts it with his pinkie, examines it, takes note of the serial number. Back at the station, they run a trace on the gun. A name pops up. It's the wife! Or: It's the business partner! It's somebody's gun, and this is so exciting because now they... (GunPolicy.org)
Number of Small-time Gun Makers Swells in Florida, and in US
27 August 2016
Washington Times, Associated Press
MELBOURNE, Florida -- At FrogBones Family Shooting in Melbourne, you'll find rows of handguns, rifles and shooting accessories.
You'll also hear the constant "thud" of guns being fired in the indoor range.
Many probably would be surprised to know that FrogBones also is considered a gun "manufacturer," meaning it has the same license as other gun makers like Kel-Tec in Cocoa, Knight's Armament in Titusville or I.O. Inc. in Palm Bay.
"It's 1/100th of a percent of our... (GunPolicy.org)
Gays Against Guns Campaign Targets US Funds, Gun Makers
15 August 2016
Guardian
Hundreds of gay activists will begin a campaign of civil disobedience and direct action against gun companies and their supporters on Monday, to demand an end to the epidemic of gun violence blighting the US.
Members of Gays Against Guns, a group formed in the wake of the massacre of 49 people at the Pulse gay nightclub in Orlando earlier this summer, said they would "no longer stand by and watch the gun industry profit from death".
Organizers of the collective, which... (GunPolicy.org)
Police Lose 60 Pistols, Rifles, Machine Gun in Canada [FR]
7 August 2016
La Presse (Montréal)
[Translated summary: Between 2008 and March 2016, agents of the Canadian Mounted Police have lost 48 firearms. Another 12 were stolen from them. Types include rifles, shotguns, pistols and one machine gun. Police must store their arms safely; they can face criminal charges if they are responsible for the loss or theft.]
Une adolescente de Winnipeg atteinte par balle a frôlé la mort l'an dernier. Le pistolet de son assaillant s'est révélé être une arme de service... (GunPolicy.org)
One Million Illegal Guns, 6,700 Seized in Honduras [ES]
4 August 2016
Radio HRN (Honduras)
[Translated summary: Honduras confiscated 6,700 firearms in the last two years, most of them from gangs. Types include AK-47 and AR-15 rifles, .45, .38 and 9 mm handguns, shotguns and handmade guns. It is estimated that the cost of the arms seized since 2014 exceeds 100 million lempiras (4.38 million USD). About 1 million illegal firearms circulate in Honduras and 400,000 are legally registered.]
En lo que va del año van más de 1,400 armas de fuego incautadas lo que... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Gives $500,000 to Fight Assault Rifle Ban
4 August 2016
Guardian
Gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson has donated $500,000 to the US's largest gun industry trade body to help its fightback against the Massachusetts attorney general's ban on the sale of assault rifles to civilians.
Smith & Wesson, whose shares this week hit a record high on the back of increasing demand for its assault rifles and other guns, said it had donated the money to the National Shooting Sports Foundation's (NSSF) battle against "arbitrary government action that... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Maker Stocks Surge After Record Background Checks
1 August 2016
Guardian
The gun manufacturer Smith & Wesson's share price reached an all-time high on Monday after it was reported that the background checks for new guns had set a new record for July.
Shortly after the FBI announced July's figures on Monday afternoon, shares in the second largest gun manufacturer hit $30.59 each. Smith & Wesson's shares closed the day at an all-time high of $30.36, up 3% for the day and beating a previous record high of $29.37 set in March.
Shares in Sturm... (GunPolicy.org)
Another US Startup Designs a Low-Tech 'Smart Gun' Pistol
28 July 2016
Forbes (USA)
On first glance, it looks familiar to anyone who has seen a version of the Glock 17 pistol, the sleek handgun popularized by law enforcement around the country. But behind the trigger is a multi-colored, six-digit keypad that looks more like something you'd find on a door alarm than a gun.
The keypad stands out on the otherwise black pistol, a visual cue that the SMART 2 is not your ordinary handgun. It's also the reason why, according to the weapon's makers, it isn't... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear, Loathing and Guns: Sensory Overload at NRA Death Mall
25 June 2016
Guardian
"A frightened population is obedient."
– Hunter S Thompson
"I'm not scared about going to jail. Somebody's got to do something to knock the fear out of these negroes."
– Muhammad Ali
At the 145th National Rifle Association annual meetings and exhibits, you could see and purchase replica flintlock muskets like the kind Daniel Boone used, "wardrobe" handguns the size of a cellphone, a carriage-mounted 1883 Gatling gun, historic firearms from the Renaissance down... (GunPolicy.org)
Free Handguns for 'At Risk' Americans: NRA, Smith & Wesson
22 June 2016
NRA-ILA, Media release
FAIRFAX, VA — American cities are hotbeds of crime, from gang violence to police brutality, but a major part of the problem is that the most vulnerable populations cannot afford to defend themselves. A new program from the National Rifle Association, in partnership with Smith & Wesson, seeks to change that.
Share the Safety is a revolutionary online store that will open its digital doors on July 4. Taking its cue from other "buy one, give one" retailers, customers of... (GunPolicy.org)
US Shop Sells 30,000 AR-15 Assault Rifles in Just One Week
22 June 2016
News (Australia)
Just when you thought you couldn't be any more dismayed by America's gun crisis, comes this depressing nugget of information.
Despite the fight for gun control making waves across the world in the week since a terrorist attack in an Orlando nightclub that left 49 dead and 53 wounded, one online gun shop has sold a whopping 30,000 AR-15 rifles.
Let me repeat that: 30,000 guns sold in ONE WEEK.
Hunter's Warehouse owner Tom Engle told Fox Business' Stuart Varney that... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifles, Handguns Transform US Firearm Industry
21 June 2016
New York Times
At one time, military-style assault rifles like the ones used at a nightclub in Orlando, Fla., and in other mass shootings represented a relatively small segment of sales for gun manufacturers.
But in recent decades, such guns serve as one of the two financial pillars of the firearms industry, along with smaller handguns that are designed to be concealed, which have been the biggest driver of sales.
Together, the popularity of the assault rifles and small handguns... (GunPolicy.org)
AR-15, the Most 'Domestic' Weapon of War in America [ES]
13 June 2016
El Mundo (Spain)
[Translated summary: After a mass shooting, fear causes Americans to acquire more and more firearms for "self-defense". Some seem even more deadly, like the AR-15, an assault rifle. It is estimated than in the last five years, civilians have bought more than 1.5 millions guns. Prices start at 500 dollars.]
Cualquier vendedor de armas en EEUU sabe que un tiroteo masivo es una buena noticia para el negocio. Y más si es la mayor matanza en la historia del país. Lejos de... (GunPolicy.org)
Assault Rifle the Weapon of Choice in US Mass Shootings
13 June 2016
Malay Mail (Kuala Lumpur)
WASHINGTON — When Omar Mateen entered an Orlando, Florida, nightclub yesterday to carry out the deadliest mass shooting in US history, he wielded a weapon that has been used in massacres from California to Connecticut: a military-inspired semi-automatic rifle.
Though so-called assault rifles account for a small fraction of the United States' 30,000 annual gun deaths, they have been used in at least 10 mass shootings since 2011, according to a database compiled by... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry Shares Soar After Orlando Nightclub Massacre
13 June 2016
Guardian
Gun company shares soared on Monday as traders predicted that Americans will react to the Orlando massacre by rushing out to arm themselves with more guns.
Shares in the two biggest listed US gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm Ruger & Co rose by 11% and 10% in early trading and ended the day up 6.8% and 8.5% respectively.
Gun companies shares have risen strongly after every recent mass shooting incident as investors speculate that the atrocities might lead to... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson, Ruger Gun Stocks Rise After Orlando Shooting
13 June 2016
CBC News (Canada)
Shares in companies that make guns were higher Monday, the first trading day after the shooting in Orlando that is the deadliest in American history.
Gun maker Smith & Wesson was up more than eight per cent to above $23 a share and rival Sturm, Ruger & Co. was up by more than 10 per cent on Monday, two days after Omar Mateen killed 49 people in an Orlando gay dance club using assault weaponry.
Gun companies often see their shares rise in the aftermath of deadly... (GunPolicy.org)
Since 1934, US Gun Lobby Created Fear of the 'Slippery Slope'
8 June 2016
The Trace (USA)
For the first time in a decade, the firearms industry has become a primary target in the gun debate. The presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton regularly hammered Bernie Sanders during the primaries over his vote for a 2005 law that grants gun manufacturers and retailers broad immunity from liability lawsuits. And the families of Sandy Hook victims are now challenging that legislation in a lawsuit against Remington, the parent company for the... (GunPolicy.org)
In Many US States the Mentally Ill Can Easily Buy Guns
16 May 2016
Union Leader (New Hampshire)
Despite a history of psychiatric illness, the man accused of shooting two Manchester police officers on Friday was able to walk into a Derry gun store and purchase the handgun linked to the shooting, according to court records released on Monday.
Police affidavits said Ian MacPherson, 32, purchased a .40-caliber Smith and Wesson handgun at Chester Arms on April 1, after successfully completing a background check through the New Hampshire State Police Gunline.
New... (GunPolicy.org)
Sandy Hook Gun Lawsuit Can Learn From 'Big Tobacco' Fight
14 May 2016
CNN
Families of the victims in the 2012 massacre by shooter Adam Lanza in Newtown, Connecticut, are no longer united only in their grief. Some of them are also now part of a potentially precedent-setting lawsuit seeking accountability from the gunmaker, Remington.
At issue are what the families allege are the manufacturer's marketing strategies and other trade secrets on military-style weapons.
Although the trial is not set to begin until April 2018, the case is moving... (GunPolicy.org)
Jamaica's 'Get the Guns Campaign' Seizes 234 Firearms
13 May 2016
Jamaica Observer
KINGSTON, Jamaica – The Police High Command is commending the St Catherine North Police for the seizure of several high-powered firearms in McCooks Pen, St Catherine on today. Nine people were taken into custody in relation to the seizure.
Reports are that following several months of intense investigations and intelligence gathering the police launched a special operation in an area called 'Gun Farm' in McCooks Pen, where the cache of weapons was seized.
The weapons... (GunPolicy.org)
3D Printed Guns and Corner Shot Rifles Boost Gun Market
26 April 2016
Industry Today
According to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO), small arms are weapons intended for use by an individual and include rifles, pistols, assault rifles, submachine guns, and light machine guns. On the other hand, light weapons are used by two or more persons serving as a crew and include grenade launchers, heavy machine guns, anti-aircraft guns, mortars, and anti-tank guns. All these light weapons are less than 100 mm in caliber. The rapidly changing nature of... (GunPolicy.org)
More Than 800 Firearms Surrendered in UK Gun Amnesty
22 April 2016
BBC News
More than 800 firearms were handed in during a two-week guns amnesty launched after a spate of shootings in Salford.
Police urged people to "give up the gun" during the firearms and ammunition surrender across Greater Manchester, Merseyside, Cheshire, Cumbria, Lancashire and North Wales.
Rifles, handguns, air weapons and a number of imitation and antique firearms were collected.
Unusual items included a replica AK-47 and a Smith & Wesson pistol.
There has been a... (GunPolicy.org)
Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs Race to Develop More Smart Guns
12 April 2016
Newsweek (USA)
In the 2012 movie Skyfall, James Bond brandishes his trusty sidearm, but with a high-tech twist: There's a sensor in the grip that reads palm prints so only he can fire it. The souped-up firearm saves the secret agent's life, and in the real world, similar technology could do the same for thousands. Or so says Ron Conway, an avuncular Silicon Valley billionaire trying to disrupt the gun industry.
Speaking at the International Smart Gun Symposium in San Francisco in... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Industry and the Making of American Gun Culture
7 April 2016
Washington Post, Book review
The Revolutionary War and its musket-loading militias. The frontiersmen and the dangers of the plains. The Wild West, with its righteous cowboys and soulless desperadoes. Patriotism and manhood. Personal protection and individual rights.
All of these elements form part of the mythology of firearms in America, a mythology historian Pamela Haag aims to shoot down in "The Gunning of America," a fascinating exploration of the major businesses and families that have... (GunPolicy.org)
The Myth of America's Rise in Female Gun Ownership
23 March 2016
Trace (USA)
A reporter in Morgan County, Missouri, recently caught wind of a trend that is purportedly gaining ground around the country. "More and more women" are buying firearms and practicing shooting, the Lake News reported on Monday.
The article echoed a story broadcast on CBS News earlier this month that reached the same conclusion. The report, featured on "CBS Sunday Morning," featured an interview with a woman who loves her pink pistol ("It is pink, I'm a girl!"), a gun... (GunPolicy.org)
World's Most Violent Country Registers 30 New Guns a Day
10 March 2016
InSight Crime (Bogota)
Between 2010 and 2015, Salvadorans were registering firearms at a rate of 11,000 per year. This suggests 30 new firearms were registered every day in a country where the vast majority of crimes are committed with guns. In a market that had sales of almost $2 million in 2014, four firms dominated gun imports.
The inhabitants of the world's most violent country have been spending more than $1.5 million on guns annually. Although the market's total size and the number of... (GunPolicy.org)
Mexico's Gun Dealers Are Unfazed by Obama
26 February 2016
Global Post (Boston)
MEXICO CITY — Javier scoots onto a plastic stool in a courtyard. He reaches beneath his shirt and pulls out a shiny Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol. He deftly spins it through his hands, ejects the magazine, and holds it out for inspection.
"This one's new, straight from its packaging," he says.
It will cost 15,000 pesos with a box of ammo, around $810.
Javier, who only gave his first name, operates this illicit little gun mart in Tepito market, a famed... (GunPolicy.org)
The Cash, Donors Powering the NRA - CNNMoney Analysis
15 October 2015
CNN
From a small-town pharmacist to a commercial pilot, it's not just gunmakers that are funding the National Rifle Association's political battles.
The organization's overall revenue, which includes membership dues, program fees and other contributions, has boomed in recent years – rising to nearly $350 million in 2013. The majority of this money funds NRA initiatives like member newsletters, sporting events and gun safety education and training programs.
These help... (GunPolicy.org)
How US Mass Shooters Got Their Guns
3 October 2015
New York Times
The vast majority of guns used in 15 recent mass shootings, including at least two of the guns used in the San Bernardino attack, were bought legally and with a federal background check. At least eight gunmen had criminal histories or documented mental health problems that did not prevent them from obtaining their weapons.
- DEC. 2, 2015: Syed Rizwan Farook and Tashfeen Malik, husband and wife, killed 14 people at a holiday office party in San Bernardino, Calif. Four... (GunPolicy.org)
10 August 2015
Economist
With one of the highest murder rates among OECD countries—second only to Mexico—America retains its reputation as a disproportionately dangerous country. The number of violent assaults in America is comparable to those of other western countries, yet murders are much more common. The prevalence of guns goes a long way toward explaining America's terrible record—they are used in two-thirds of all murders. Americans are five times as likely to be murdered as Brits... (GunPolicy.org)
6,000 Illegal Gunmakers in the Philippines
14 November 2014
Bloomberg (USA)
Hidden beneath tarpaulins in the backyard of a house in the central Philippine city of Danao, Lito puts the finishing touches on a replica .45-caliber Colt Officer's Model pistol. It will join the more than 600,000 illegal guns in circulation in a country where the homicide rate outstrips the U.S.
The money he makes from guns supplements his income as a farmer and helped Lito, 52, send two children to college. Still, he thinks often of the suffering that may come from... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg,United States,Germany
Ten Things the Gun Industry Won't Tell You – Wall St Journal
20 May 2014
Wall Street Journal
1. "Owning our product may be hazardous to your health."
In the U.S., there are now somewhere between 270 million and 310 million guns, according to the Pew Research Center — that's almost one gun for every person in the nation. Judges and legislators across the political spectrum recognize the constitutional right to bear arms. And gun and ammunition sales to private citizens are a significant part of a nearly $15 billion industry that's seeing plenty of growth: On... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Control Groups Raising More Cash than NRA Since Newtown, Data Shows
28 April 2014
Guardian
Political donations to groups supporting gun control have overtaken money raised by the National Rifle Association and its allies in the 16 months since the Newtown school shooting, according to latest filings with the Federal Election Commission.
Though campaign finance experts say officially-declared money is the tip of the iceberg for both sides, the limited public figures available suggest recent efforts to build grassroots organisations to rival the political... (GunPolicy.org)
Dominican Republic to Launch Disarmament Campaign
14 April 2014
Infosurhoy.com
SANTO DOMINGO, Dominican Republic – The Dominican Republic is following Brazil's lead in an effort to gets weapons off the street as part of a strategy to reduce crime.
Under an agreement between the two countries, Brazilian experts will offer technical assistance to help Dominican authorities establish a program to "reduce the number of firearms and ammunition among the civil population," according to a prepared statement from the Ministry of Economy, Planning and... (GunPolicy.org)
US Airline Pilot Caught With Loaded Handgun at Canadian Airport
3 April 2014
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
Authorities confirmed the loaded handgun that an American pilot is accused of attempting to bring through Calgary airport security was a personal weapon.
In addition, he was not part of a federal program that allows certain trained flight crew members to be armed on flights.
The pilot with SkyWest Airlines was arrested after screening officers at the U.S. security checkpoint discovered what appeared to be a loaded firearm in a bag that was passing through an X-ray... (GunPolicy.org)
Gunman Kills Four, Injures 16 in Second Mass Shooting on US Army Base
3 April 2014
Washington Post
An Iraq war veteran who was grappling with mental health issues opened fire at Fort Hood, Tex., in an attack that left four people dead and 16 wounded Wednesday afternoon, according to preliminary law enforcement and military reports. The gunfire sent tremors of fear across a sprawling Army post still reeling from one of the worst mass shootings in U.S. history.
Many basic details about the shooting remained unclear in the chaotic hours after the first calls for help... (GunPolicy.org)
Russia Uncovers Arms Smuggling Route Through Ukraine
20 March 2014
RIA Novosti (Russia)
MOSCOW – Russian law enforcement raided an arms group that smuggled weapons to the country's North Caucasus from the European Union via Ukraine, the country's Federal Security Service said Thursday.
Agents at a Ukrainian-Russian land border crossing detained several of the smugglers, who had in their possession pistols made by Desert Eagle, Smith & Wesson, SIG Sauer and others.
"Information was received about the procurement of a significant number of handguns from... (GunPolicy.org)
Oscar Pistorius Knew Gun-Safety Laws, Says South African Gun Dealer
17 March 2014
Wall Street Journal
PRETORIA, South Africa — A gun dealer told the South African court trying Oscar Pistorius on murder charges that the sports star knew the country's gun-safety laws and what is permissible in dealing with intruders, as prosecutors attempted to show that he was a trigger-happy man with an overzealous interest in firearms.
Before the fatal shooting of his girlfriend, the model and aspiring television star Reeva Steenkamp, Mr. Pistorius bought an LM6 semiautomatic rifle,... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa Asks: Where's Our Debate On Gun Control?
17 March 2014
Daily Maverick (Johannesburg)
"Guns, ammo and shooting are as much a part of everyday life [in Pretoria] as a trip to the dentist," an Australian journalist recently reported. It's a narrative we've been hearing a lot of from our international colleagues lately. South Africa, the gun-mad land of fear, where citizens hole up with firearms to defend themselves against any threat.
It's true for some. It's clearly true for the Pistorius family, with Beeld reporting last year that Oscar's father, three... (GunPolicy.org)
South African Athlete Accused of Murder had 'Great Love' for Guns
17 March 2014
CBS News (USA)
PRETORIA, South Africa - Months before he killed his girlfriend, Oscar Pistorius said he drew his gun and went into "combat mode" after thinking he heard the noise of an intruder at his home, which turned out to be a washing machine, a South African gun expert testified Monday at the athlete's murder trial.
Sean Rens also said Pistorius wanted to buy seven more guns in 2012 - to add to the 9 mm pistol he already owned for self-defense - and asked the firearm trainer to... (GunPolicy.org)
755 Guns Handed to Authorities in India
14 March 2014
Times of India
CHANDIGARH - The armoury of police at police lines, Sector 26, has turned into a gallery of weapons surrendered by city residents despite the passage of the last date for depositing them on Wednesday.
As many as 755 firearms of different brands, mostly foreign-made, were surrendered in the armoury since March 8. Nonetheless, the officials are accepting more weapons. The majority of surrendered weapons belong to Smith and Wesson, Winchester, Ruger, Heckler & Koch, and... (GunPolicy.org)
'We Need The iPhone Of Guns.' Will Smart Guns Transform The Gun Industry?
18 February 2014
Washington Post
One of California's largest firearm stores recently added a peculiar new gun to its shelves. It requires an accessory: a black waterproof watch.
The watch's primary purpose is not to provide accurate time, though it does. The watch makes the gun think. Electronic chips inside the gun and watch communicate with each other. If the watch is within close reach of the gun, a light on the grip turns green. Fire away. No watch means no green light. The gun becomes a... (GunPolicy.org)
US: Meth-Smoking White Supremacist Amassed Assault Rifles Despite Felonies
30 January 2014
Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Nobody is going to call John Christian Parks a master criminal.
Not him, certainly. Not his attorneys. Not the federal prosecutors who, having won a conviction against the eight-time felon following a jury trial, asked that he spend a decade in prison for gun crimes.
Last spring, U.S. Forest Service police caught Parks and a gaggle of others smoking meth and shooting semi-automatic assault rifles in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. Searching the 38-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
Second US Gun Company Limits California Pistol Sales to Protest Ammo Marking Law
23 January 2014
New York Times
LOS ANGELES — Smith & Wesson, the firearms manufacturer, announced Thursday that it would not sell new semiautomatic pistols in California because of its objections to a gun safety law that took effect in the state last May.
The Unsafe Handgun Act, which was signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007, requires gun makers to use a technology called microstamping in new or upgraded gun models. Microstamping uses a laser to print a unique code on shell... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson, Gun Lobby Fight California Law to Trace Crime Guns
23 January 2014
Los Angeles Times
SACRAMENTO — Gun maker Smith & Wesson announced Thursday that it would stop selling newly designed semiautomatic pistols in California because of a state law requiring those firearms to imprint a unique, identifying "microstamp" on bullet casings.
The law, signed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2007 but not implemented until May 2013, is intended to help police investigators link shell casings found at crime scenes to a specific gun.
Smith & Wesson joins gun maker... (GunPolicy.org)
India Makes First Gun Designed for Women
12 January 2014
Fox News (USA)
An Indian gun manufacturer has made its first gun intended to help women defend themselves against rape.
According to The Times of India, the Indian Ordnance Factory (IOF) has manufactured Nirbheek, a .32 bore lightweight revolver. The gun is India's first firearm designed for women.
It is the factory's first handgun made of titanium alloy and weighs 500 grams.
The gun was released on Jan. 6, and is named in tribute to Nirbhaya, the pseudonym of the 23-year-old... (GunPolicy.org)
US Journalists Banished for Questioning the Gospel of Guns
4 January 2014
New York Times
BARRY, Illinois — The byline of Dick Metcalf, one of the country's pre-eminent gun journalists, has gone missing. It has been removed from Guns & Ammo magazine, where his widely-read column once ran on the back page. He no longer stars on a popular television show about firearms. Gun companies have stopped flying him around the world and sending him the latest weapons to review.
In late October, Mr. Metcalf wrote a column that the magazine titled "Let's Talk Limits,"... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Syria,Israel,India,Ireland,Togo,Canada,United States,Afghanistan,Côte d'Ivoire,Iran,Sri Lanka,Germany,Russia
Growing Number of Personalised Firearms to Boost Safety Available
30 November 2013
Economist
To help push Soviet forces out of Afghanistan in the 1980s, America's Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) gave Afghan fighters shoulder-launched Stinger anti-aircraft missiles (pictured). Accurate and easy-to-use, the Stingers caused grievous losses. But after the Soviet withdrawal in 1989, the CIA wanted to discourage the use of the leftover missiles. It got hold of some of those circulating on the black market and booby-trapped them, so that anyone who tried to fire one... (GunPolicy.org)
When a Peo-Gun Advocate Dissents, US Gun Lobby Attacks Its Own
8 November 2013
New York Times, Opinion
It's not as if Dick Metcalf was some kind of gun control fanatic.
On the contrary, he's a gun guy through and through, such an unyielding defender of the Second Amendment that last year he led the charge to push through a law giving the residents of Pike County, Ill., where he lives, the right to carry concealed guns without a permit. He called the practice "constitutional carry" rather than "concealed carry."
In the early 1980s, he and a handful of friends started a... (GunPolicy.org)
How the Gun Lobby Made it Easier to Bring Guns into US Airports
3 November 2013
ThinkProgress (USA)
On Friday, a gunman "pulled a Smith & Wesson .223-caliber assault rifle from his duffel bag" and opened fire on an airport. Officials have arrested the alleged shooter, 23-year-old Paul Ciancia, who killed a TSA agent and wounded six others at a security checkpoint. The incident is the second airport shooting in six months.
The National Rifle Association has not yet said a word on the tragedy (the day before, the NRA tweeted a story about the so-called "exploitation"... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Gangs Use 'Antique' Guns as Police Crack Down on Suppliers
9 October 2013
Evening Standard (London)
Crime gangs are resorting to old-style handguns used in historic conflicts such as the Second World War after the success of police raids on gun suppliers, a Scotland Yard detective said today.
Gangsters are exploiting a "grey area" which means antique or old weapons owned by legitimate firearms dealers are being passed on to street gangs.
Detective Inspector Paul Dorey, of the Yard's Trident Gang Crime Command, said police had seen an increase in seizures of older... (GunPolicy.org)
Children and Guns: The Hidden Toll of Unintentional Shootings in the US
28 September 2013
New York Times
The .45-caliber pistol that killed Lucas Heagren, 3, on Memorial Day last year at his Ohio home had been temporarily hidden under the couch by his father. But Lucas found it and shot himself through the right eye. "It's bad," his mother told the 911 dispatcher. "It's really bad."
A few days later in Georgia, Cassie Culpepper, 11, was riding in the back of a pickup with her 12-year-old brother and two other children. Her brother started playing with a pistol his father... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Easily Available From Thailand for Malaysians Wanting Them
23 September 2013
New Straits Times (Malaysia)
DANOK - The sudden wave of gun crimes in the past few months has shocked Malaysians and rocked the country's reputation as a laidback and safe destination.
The spate of killings has led to questions being raised as to where criminals and gang members are acquiring weapons.
The New Straits Times discovered that it is not difficult to get hold of firearms. All it takes is a short drive across the border and minimum effort to find outlets that sell everything from... (GunPolicy.org)
Luxembourg,United States,Belgium
Belgian Policeman Suspected of Corruption in New Gun Deal
3 September 2013
Flanders News
Brussels examining magistrate Jean-Claude Van Espen has named a federal police commissioner as a suspect in a case of fraud and corruption. The police officer stands accused of influencing the purchase of 20,000 Smith & Wesson guns for the federal police the dailies De Morgen, De Standaard and Het Nieuwsblad report.
The officer forms part of the commission that had the job of deciding which arms could be used as regular firearms by Belgium's federal police. Detectives... (GunPolicy.org)
Bangladesh Civilian Gun Imports Dodging Taxes
26 August 2013
New Nation (Dhaka)
Some individuals are importing light guns, particularly pistol, revolver, shotgun and rifle, in the country in under invoiced price depriving the government a huge amount of revenues taking the advantage of relaxed mood of the National Board of Revenue [NBR], sources said.
The non-prohibited bore of arms mainly permitted for the civilians - point 22, point 25, point 357 and point 32 caliber - are being imported from Singapore under the baggage rule. As per the rule,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Convicted Murderer's Case For Gun Control
21 August 2013
Atlantic (USA)
It was swift and cowardly.
Defenseless, distracted by music, Alex sat in the passenger seat of the rental as I made my way to the trunk. I remembered Frankie's words: "It's loaded, cocked, and the safety is off. All you have to do is pull the trigger."
At that point in our lives, Alex and I, both in our early twenties, were gun-toting thugs immersed in gangster culture. We were out on bail for separate gun charges. A few years before, Alex had been acquitted of murder... (GunPolicy.org)
Indian Gunsmiths Use Govt Loans for Tools, Floating Gun Factory Found
23 July 2013
India Today
If there was a prize for criminality with chutzpah, the gunmakers of Bihar's Munger district would win it hands down. Or hands up. A Central government employment scheme has been funding several talented gunsmiths in this district for years. Munger is the traditional hub of a flourishing indigenous gun-making industry, till recently geared to making crude single-shot kattas and now moving on to West-inspired pistols and rifles. It's all illegal, of course.
According to... (GunPolicy.org)
Only $4 to Buy a Gun in Malaysia, Cops Say Smuggling is 'Rampant'
7 July 2013
AsiaOne
MALAYSIA - The abolition of Malaysia's Emergency Ordinance in 2011 has put many former detainees on the streets, and some of them are selling guns to criminals.
A former gangster told The Star that it is easy for someone to buy a gun by working with former criminals who have links with illegal firearm suppliers in the Malaysian-Thai border town of Sungai Golok.
The 40-year-old from Seremban, who didn't want to be named, said these former detainees returned to their... (GunPolicy.org)
Smith & Wesson Gun Sales Hit All-Time High in Year After Mass Shootings
14 June 2013
Guardian (UK)
Gun sales at Smith & Wesson have hit an all-time high during a year marked by some of the most horrific acts of gun violence in US history.
The arms manufacturer reported this week that sales for the year ending 30 April had hit a record $588m, a 43% year-on-year rise.
Smith & Wesson said fourth-quarter sales were up 38% year-on-year to $179m. It told investors it expects its first-quarter financial results to top market expectations and is planning to buy back $100m... (GunPolicy.org)
Recovered Guns Form a Sea of Steel in US
29 May 2013
Washington Post
Every few hours, in a routine that is sometimes grim but more often mundane, local police take a gun off the streets. Since 2000, nearly 50,000 guns have been recovered by authorities in the District and Prince George's County. That is enough to arm every law enforcement officer in Maryland, the District and Virginia, with a couple of thousand guns to spare.
Police confiscate guns after drive-bys, drug raids and traffic stops. They find them tossed on roofs and thrown... (GunPolicy.org)
New Detail from US Lawsuits Shows Industry Rejects Blame for Gun Crimes
29 May 2013
Newcastle Herald (New South Wales) / New York Times
The Glock executive testified that he would keep doing business with a gun dealer who had been indicted on a charge of violating firearms laws because "this is still America" and "you're still innocent until proven guilty".
The president of Sturm, Ruger & Co was not interested in knowing how often the police traced guns back to the company's distributors, saying it "wouldn't show us anything".
And an executive for Taurus International Manufacturing said his company... (GunPolicy.org)
Read More: Newcastle Herald (New South Wales) / New York Times
Nationwide Gun Blitz Key to Australia Crime Crackdown
23 May 2013
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Police will launch an unprecedented national crackdown on illegal firearms and their black-market supply lines in the first Australia-wide effort targeting gun violence.
In the same week a 12-year-old Minto girl had a gun pointed at her head and a man was taken to hospital after a shooting in Mascot, a two-week blitz on firearms will begin tomorrow, with hundreds of police around the nation on standby to respond to tips from the public.
NSW Police bosses will join... (GunPolicy.org)
Banned Handguns, Rifles with No Crime Links Found in Canadian Home
29 April 2013
CTV News (Toronto)
The London police drugs and guns unit seized over $5,000 worth of drugs, nine handguns and three assault rifles from a residence on William Street.
Police executed a search warrant at the London residence on Friday around 10 p.m.
Officers also found hundreds of rounds of ammunition and over $13,000 in cash.
Following a press conference on Monday afternoon, police released a list of all the firearms that were seized:
- Smith and Wesson .45 Calibre semi-automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Turkish People Spent TL 117 Million on Guns in 2012
22 April 2013
Today's Zaman (Istanbul)
Turkish people spent TL 117,922,000 on guns and bullets last year, with gun sales increasing by 54 percent, according to data from the state-owned Turkish Mechanical and Chemical Industry Corporation (MKE).
While a total of 19,575 handguns were sold in Turkey in 2011, the number of handguns sold last year rose to 30,207. The price of handguns ranges between TL 570 and TL 12,000. Of the 30,207 handguns, 21,464 were made in Turkey. A total of TL 57.8 million of revenue... (GunPolicy.org)
Police in Spain Seize 59 Illegal Guns, Parts in Sting Operation [ES]
25 March 2013
Vanguardia (Colombia)
[Translated summary - The Spanish Civil Guard has dismantled a criminal organisation making illegal firearms in Barcelona, some of which were linked to a double homicide. Five people were arrested and 59 weapons were seized, as well as parts and tools for gun manufacture.]
MADRID - La Guardia Civil ha desarticulado una organización criminal dedicada presuntamente al tráfico de armas por toda España, con el arresto de cinco personas, según ha informado el Ministerio... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Advocates Split with NRA on Call for More Background Checks
6 March 2013
Washington Post
Some of the gun lobby's strongest allies are breaking with the National Rifle Association to support proposals that would expand background checks for private firearm sales.
In behind-the-scenes talks with congressional staff members and others, gunmakers, dealers and other Second Amendment advocates have offered support for more instant criminal background checks, buoying the hopes of gun-control supporters, including President Obama, who has put a top priority on... (GunPolicy.org)
South Africa's Oscar Pistorius Applied for Six Restricted Guns
19 February 2013
Independent (South Africa)
Pretoria - Oscar Pistorius applied for six separate firearm licences in January. Less than a month later, he stands accused of fatally shooting his model girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp.
The killing took place during the early hours of Thursday at his luxury home in Pretoria.
On Tuesday, as the Paralympian prepares to show compelling reasons why he should be released on bail, The Star can reveal that Pistorius applied for licences for the following firearms:
- A Maverick... (GunPolicy.org)
Japanese Turn 'Gun Ho' in Guam but Prefer Own Gun Culture
17 February 2013
Japan Times
TAMUNING, Guam – Their well-equipped arsenals offer everything from tiny revolvers for ladies to Berettas, Glocks, semiautomatic pistols and M16 military assault rifles. If kids can see over the counter, they're welcome too.
Forget the white sandy beaches, coral reefs and laid-back island culture. For many Japanese tourists, the biggest thrill on Guam is the chance to shoot a gun at one of its ubiquitous ranges, dozens of which are tucked between upscale shopping... (GunPolicy.org)
Second US Teachers Pension Fund Drops Gun Shares
15 February 2013
Financial Times (UK)
A New York City teachers' retirement fund has withdrawn $13.5m in investments in gun manufacturers, in the latest move by a public pension fund to distance itself from the firearms industry after a mass shooting at Sandy Hook elementary school.
John Liu, New York City's comptroller who serves as investment adviser to the $46.6bn fund, said on Friday that the shooting that left 20 children dead in Newtown, Connecticut, and "the continued prevalence of gun violence... (GunPolicy.org)
Female Gun Ownership in US About Protection, Power
10 February 2013
New York Times
PAINESVILLE, Ohio — Mary Ann Froebe stood feet apart with knees slightly bent and aimed the .22-caliber Ruger semiautomatic.
"You've got some adrenaline running through you right now," said Esther Beris, the coordinator of the northeastern Ohio chapter of A Girl and a Gun Women's Shooting League. "It's O.K., just relax."
Ms. Froebe, 42, a small-business owner who described herself as a "virgin gun shooter," concentrated and pulled the trigger. "It was awesome," she... (GunPolicy.org)
UK Officials Say Most Gun Crime Traced to Under 1,000 Illegal Guns
2 February 2013
Washington Post
LONDON — When police on a weapons raid swarmed a housing project after London's 2011 riots, they seized a cache of arms that in the United States might be better suited to "Antiques Roadshow" than inner-city ganglands. Inside plastic bags hidden in a trash collection room, officers uncovered two archaic flintlock pistols, retrofitted flare guns and a Jesse James-style revolver.
These days, that kind of antiquated firepower is about the baddest a British gang member... (GunPolicy.org)
Personalised Guns Delayed by US Gun Lobby Boycotts
28 January 2013
Washington Post / Associated Press
NEW YORK — It sounds, at first, like a bold, next-generation solution: personalizing guns with technology that keeps them from firing if they ever get into the wrong hands.
But when the White House called for pushing ahead with such new technology as part of President Obama's plan to cut gun violence, the administration did not mention the concept's embattled past. As with so much else in the nation's long-running divisions over gun rights and regulation, what sounds... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Funds Recruitment Drive for Kids Using Games, Peers
26 January 2013
New York Times, Series
Threatened by long-term declining participation in shooting sports, the firearms industry has poured millions of dollars into a broad campaign to ensure its future by getting guns into the hands of more, and younger, children.
The industry's strategies include giving firearms, ammunition and cash to youth groups; weakening state restrictions on hunting by young children; marketing an affordable military-style rifle for "junior shooters" and sponsoring... (GunPolicy.org)
22 January 2013
Colombo Telegraph
In the Officers' Mess of Pakistan's famed Frontier Force Regiment (the Piffers), at the Regimental Centre, located at Abbotabad near the Khyber Pass (the cantonment town at which US SEALS found and killed Osama bin Laden – remember?) on the border with Afghanistan, there is a huge mural, done in the days of the British Raj, showing a team of Mules pulling a huge Howitzer Canon into a battle field in the swirling dust, with a group of Madrassi sappers of the Madras... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Uses Cable TV to Promote Gun Rights, Raise Money
20 January 2013
Yahoo! (America) / Reuters
LOS ANGELES - When President Barack Obama announced a raft of proposals in the biggest U.S. gun-control push in decades, Cam Edwards, host of Sportsman Channel's "Cam & Company" talk show, wasted no time siding with the National Rifle Association.
"Assault weapon is a made-up name for a gun I can ban," said Edwards, an avowed Second Amendment advocate, who later in the program read, word for word, the NRA's statement in response to Obama's announcement.
Edwards, whose... (GunPolicy.org)
9 US States Gave Millions in Tax Breaks to Support Assault Rifle Makers
2 January 2013
Pine Tree Watchdog (Maine)
Taxpayers across the country are subsidizing the manufacturers of assault rifles used in multiple mass killings, including the massacre of 20 children and six adults at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn. last month.
A Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting examination of tax records shows that five companies that make semi-automatic rifles have received more than $19 million in tax breaks, most within with the past five years.
"I feel horrified at the power of... (GunPolicy.org)
Silent Gun Lobby Leaders Had Family in 'Gun Valley' Town of Newtown?
20 December 2012
Sacramento Bee (California)
The National Rifle Association has gone dark since Sandy Hook.
This is not the usual refusal to comment out of respect. Nothing has been posted to their website since the killings last Friday morning in Newtown, Conn. Their last daily video news feed went up the day before. Their Facebook page has been deactivated. Their last Twitter posting ("10 Days of NRA Giveaways – Enter today for a chance to win an auto emergency tool!") must have come early on Friday.
There... (GunPolicy.org)
Investors Turn Against Gun Manufacturers after US Massacre
19 December 2012
ABC News (USA) / AP
Investors shunned some of the nation's largest gun makers Tuesday, putting up for sale the manufacturer of the Bushmaster semiautomatic rifle used in the Connecticut school shooting and worrying that the attack could soon bring stricter gun laws.
Stocks of other gun companies fell, and one sporting-goods chain said it would temporarily stop sales of military-style firearms. In Washington, some former opponents of gun control signaled that they may change their... (GunPolicy.org)
Big US Gun Company Up for Sale Under Ethics Pressure from Investors
18 December 2012
New York Times
Sitting in their offices high above Park Avenue late on Monday, the private equity executives who own the country's largest gun company received a phone call from one of their most influential investors.
An official at the California teachers' pension fund, which has $750 million invested with the private equity firm, Cerberus Capital Management, was on the line, raising questions about the firm's ownership of the Freedom Group, the gun maker that made the rifle used... (GunPolicy.org)
United States,El Salvador,Brazil,Philippines,Jamaica,South Africa,Swaziland,Guatemala,Panama,Mexico,Colombia,Honduras
Top 12 Countries for Firearms Related Deaths
17 December 2012
Forbes (USA)
Few major nations have the right to bear arms configured in their Constitution. Even fewer (as in we are the only one) have gun control legislation as a hot button political issue. The U.S. is the most violent core economy in terms of gun related deaths. It is also the leader in gun violence at school campuses. Yet, the U.S. does not lead the world in firearms related deaths. Countries where gangs and drugs are a problem top the list, even where there is strict gun... (GunPolicy.org)
US Stings Show Need for Controls on Online Gun Sales, Family Sues Site
12 December 2012
Guardian (UK)
The family of a woman who was murdered last year by a stalker wielding a .40-caliber handgun bought illegally on the internet is suing the gun website through which the firearm was procured for allegedly causing the shooting.
The legal action against Armslist.com, a web listing site that specialises in firearms, is the first of its kind and opens up a new front in the ongoing battle to tighten America's loose gun controls. It was filed in an Illinois court on Wednesday... (GunPolicy.org)
Fear of Regulation Drives 'Frenzy' of Gun Sales in US Under Obama
29 November 2012
New York Times, Opinion
President Obama's election and recent re-election have apparently fueled a gun-buying craze in this country unlike anything we've seen in modern times.
USA Today reported this week:
"For the second consecutive year, prospective gun buyers joined Black Friday shoppers in record numbers as firearms dealers swamped the F.B.I. with required buyer background check requests. The F.B.I. fielded 154,873 calls, a roughly 20 percent increase from last year's previous one-day... (GunPolicy.org)
Proliferation of Illicit Firearms in Thailand
18 November 2012
Bangkok Post
With firearm crime on the rise and the amount of illegal locally produced and smuggled weapons growing, there are concerns that a programme giving officials discounts in the name of self-protection is worsening the situation.
In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic... (GunPolicy.org)
Czech Republic,Austria,Thailand,United States
Thai Authorities Concerned Over Easy Access to Guns
18 November 2012
Bangkok Post
In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic accidents, and quickly escalate. Law enforcement officials say the root cause is the easy availability of guns, and this is true for teenagers as well as adults. People prefer to buy weapons outside of legal channels because they are... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Industry Shares Jump After Obama Wins US Presidency
7 November 2012
Los Angeles Times
While investors moping over President Barack Obama's reelection sent the Dow spiraling down more than 300 points Wednesday morning, one sector is seeing a surge: gun manufacturing.
Firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. surged 10.8% to $10.48 a share in morning trading, more than double its price at the beginning of the year.
Sturm, Ruger & Co. Inc. got a 6.4% boost to $47.48 a share, a 39% increase from early January
The impetus? Gun sales are expected to boom... (GunPolicy.org)
St Kitts Youth Faces 30 Years Jail for Possessing Handguns
2 November 2012
St Kitts & Nevis Observer
A Cole Hill juvenile could be spending the next 30 years in prison if a Nevis Magistrate imposes the maximum penalty for gun possession.
The 16-year-old appeared before the Her Honor Yasmine Clarke in his school uniform on Tuesday (Oct 30) to answer to three charges - two counts of possession of a firearms and one count of five possession of ammunition. The juvenile had no legal representation and his mother explained to the court that she could not afford lawyers'... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Gun Industry Thrives Under Obama, Gun Lobby Remains Alert
19 October 2012
Newser (USA) / Associated Press
President Barack Obama has presided over a heyday for the gun industry despite predictions by the National Rifle Association four years ago that he would be the "most anti-gun president in American history." The president hasn't pressed such an agenda, but gun owners still are afraid that, if re-elected, an Obama who wouldn't have to face voters again would try to restrict firearms purchases.
An analysis by The Associated Press of data tracking the health of the gun... (GunPolicy.org)
US Police Sting Catches Gun Traffickers, Seize 100 Guns in NYC
12 October 2012
Daily News (New York)
A "Mickey Mouse Trap" caught a crew of gun-peddling rats in upper Manhattan, authorities said Friday.
The joint operation by the NYPD's Firearms Investigations Unit and the Manhattan district attorney's office yielded 16 busts on gun-trafficking charges. Three suspects were still at large.
One part of the sting — dubbed Mickey Mouse Trap — focused on ex-con Mitchell (Mickey) Collins, 64, who with three much younger suspects sold about 88 firearms to undercover... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Loophole Allows Felons, High-risk Americans Easy Access to Guns
27 August 2012
Chicago Sun-Times
Presidential candidate Barack Obama was resting in his Kenwood home on the morning of Sept. 23, 2008, after a fund-raiser the night before in Chicago.
Outside, a drama was unfolding as police stopped a BMW at the security barriers protecting his house. Officers found a Fabrique Nationale Herstal .40-caliber handgun and a bulletproof vest in the car.
They learned the man behind the wheel was a felon barred from owning a firearm. And when federal agents conducted an... (GunPolicy.org)
Increasing Demand for 'Status Symbol' Guns in India
16 August 2012
Indian Express
Is procuring a gun that difficult? Not quite it seems. The recent arrest of three Osmania University students for possessing illegal arms settles the debate to some extent. But when it comes to issuing gun licences, the Hyderabad Police is fairly conservative.
However, even by their conservative stats, it appears that more and more number of people, including a few women, in the twin cities are queuing up to get a licence.
Half of the applications are usually rejected... (GunPolicy.org)
Targeted by Robbers, Sydney Pistol Club Member Loses 22 Handguns
8 August 2012
Sydney Morning Herald
A large cache of stolen handguns is circulating on Sydney's streets with police appealing for information about 22 stolen semi-automatic pistols.
Police today displayed a collection of guns similar to those stolen in a violent home robbery in Mount Druitt a month ago in the hope of urging people to look out for any "friends or associates who may have recently acquired handguns".
The guns were stolen by two men who ambushed a 30 year-old as he was entering his Hythe... (GunPolicy.org)
Australian Gun Registry 'Not Accessed Illegally' Before Gun Thefts
7 August 2012
Sydney Morning Herald
Nearly 200 guns have been stolen from premises across the state in a five-month spate of thefts but the police are adamant the gun registry has not been accessed illegally.
The Herald is aware of 25 break and enters, mostly in rural and semi-rural homes, that appear to be targeted at gun thefts. Up to 18 firearms were stolen at a time, including Olympic-grade pistols and former police guns.
The recent spike prompted suggestions that the NSW Firearms Registry had been... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns in America - The Business of Fear: Bernd Debusmann
30 July 2012
Reuters, Opinion
Mass shootings are good for the gun business. So are dark warnings from the principal gun lobby in the United States, the National Rifle Association (NRA), that President Barack Obama is leading a global conspiracy to seize an estimated 300 million guns now held by private citizens.
Whether this is true or not doesn't matter. As they say on Wall Street, perception is reality and the fears the NRA has managed to inspire since Obama's 2008 election have led to a boom for... (GunPolicy.org)
View of USA Looks Grim from Mexico's One and Only Gun Store
24 July 2012
New York Times
MEXICO CITY — Juan García relinquished his cellphone, walked through two metal detectors, registered with a uniformed soldier — and then finally entered Mexico's only legal gun store.
To anyone familiar with the 49,762 licensed gun dealers in the United States, or the 7,261 gun-selling pawn shops, the place looked less like a store than a government office. Customers waited on metal chairs near a fish tank to be called up to a window to submit piles of paperwork.... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby, Gun Maker Profits Soar on Own Prediction: Obama Will Win
6 June 2012
CBS News (USA) / AP
NEW YORK - Shares of firearms maker Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. rose Wednesday after a Wedbush analyst said that gun sales rose in May on worries that President Barack Obama may tighten gun laws if he is reelected.
THE SPARK: Wedbush analyst Rommel Dionisio said gun sales picked up in May, and Smith & Wesson was gaining market share. He maintained his "Outperform" rating on the stock.
THE BIG PICTURE: Last month, Smith & Wesson boosted its fourth-quarter sales... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Makers Rush to Loophole, Subvert California Assault Rifle Ban
1 May 2012
CBS News (USA)
SAN FRANCISCO — California has some of the strictest gun control laws in the nation. But one wouldn't know that going to the firing range these days. AR-15s and AK-47s are the must-have guns of choice. How can that be?
Every time California tightens up the assault weapons ban, the gun industry finds a way around it. The latest example involves a tiny device.
John Largaespada loves his AR-15 and goes to the range every week to fire it. And he's got plenty of company.... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Owner Smuggled Assault Weapon Parts from US to Australia - Cops
14 April 2012
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
Gun parts which could be assembled to make a military assault rifle similar to that used in the Port Arthur massacre have been removed from the streets of Sydney in the latest police raid and crackdown on illegal weapons.
The illegally imported parts, which slipped into the country through Australia Post, were uncovered on Thursday when detectives raided a property near Port Macquarie and another owned by the same man in Sydney's south.
Among the large cache of... (GunPolicy.org)
11,000 Licensed Guns 'Missing' in South Australia
7 April 2012
Advertiser (Adelaide)
Almost 11,000 licensed firearms have reportedly gone "missing" in South Australia over the past decade.
Among the 10,879 weapons are semi-automatic rifles, pump-action shotguns, pistols and antique guns, SA Police figures reveal.
Firearms classified as missing include those that are lost, unaccounted for from deceased estates, where the licence holder can't be located, firearms destroyed by the owner, or destroyed by other means such as flood and fire.
The figures -... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Makers' Share Values Rise on Strong Demand, Fear of Obama
22 March 2012
Reuters
Gun maker Sturm Ruger & Co Inc's (RGR.N) shares rose to a life-high on Thursday, after the company said demand was rising so fast that it was suspending new orders until May.
Sturm Ruger said on Wednesday that it has received orders for more than one million guns for the first quarter and it could not keep up with demand despite increased production.
The spike in demand comes in an election year when fears of gun control regulations resurface.
In 2009, gun sales had... (GunPolicy.org)
Why More Americans Carry Hidden Handguns in Public Places - Feature
11 March 2012
Christian Science Monitor
Leaning against a scrub pine as preschoolers scurry about at his feet, Shane Gazda, father of 3-year-old twins, recalls a conundrum he faced earlier that morning: whether to take his Smith & Wesson .40 caliber handgun to a Groundhog Day celebration in this town's White Deer Park.
After all, what was once against the law in North Carolina – carrying a concealed gun in a town park, square, or greenway – is now, as of Dec. 1, 2011, very much allowed. To Mr. Gazda, who... (GunPolicy.org)
Glock: The Rise of America's Favourite Handgun
27 January 2012
New York Times, Book review
You rarely pull a gun to start a conversation, but when I recently told an in-law that I was writing about Glock pistols, he improvised a research project. Reaching beneath his jacket, he quickly unholstered, unloaded and handed me his Glock 9 millimeter — this was in Kentucky, land of permissive concealed-carry laws. "I always carry this, and I always will," he said before giving me a primer that could have been used in a promotional video for both the pistol and... (GunPolicy.org)
Thailand's Lethal Fascination with Firearms [ES]
18 January 2012
ABC News (Spain) / EFE
[Translated summary: According to data from the United Nations, firearms are used in 80% of homicides committed in Thailand, a percentage that is almost hand in hand with nations such as South Africa, Colombia, Mexico, Guatemala, or the United States.]
BANGKOK - La fascinación de los tailandeses por las armas de fuego, de las que hay 15 por cada 100 habitantes, hace que Tailandia sea uno de los países con un mayor promedio de homicidios cometidos por gente propensa... (GunPolicy.org)
China,Europe,United States,Thailand
Firearms Only for the Rich: Bangkok Guns 'Like a Louis Vuitton for Guys'
2 January 2012
CNN
If you have an itchy trigger finger while visiting Thailand it may be difficult to purchase a gun, but wealthy foreigners and Thais who live here can now enjoy their weapon of choice thanks to the recent lifting of a ban imposed in Bangkok last year.
Tourists can, however, buy custom-made leather holsters and other accessories at the estimated 80 weapons stores along Burapha Road, just east of the Sala Chalerm Krung Royal Theatre, where the vast majority of Bangkok's... (GunPolicy.org)
US Gun Lobby Group Raises $200 Million a Year, Aims to Unseat Obama
29 December 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
A toaster that burns the National Rifle Association's logo onto bread fetched $650 at an auction last month, just one reflection of the money-making power in the gun group's brand.
The NRA, which began as a grassroots organization dedicated to teaching marksmanship, enters the 2012 election season as a lobbying, merchandising and marketing machine that brings in more than $200 million a year and intends to help unseat the incumbent president. From 2004 to 2010, the... (GunPolicy.org)
US Handgun Production, Imports Double in 4 Years: Women Lead Trend?
11 December 2011
Sydney Morning Herald, Bloomberg (USA)
NEW YORK -- Robin Natanel picks up a compact black pistol, barrel pointed down range. Gripping the gun with both hands, left foot forward, she raises the semi-automatic and methodically squeezes off five shots. The first one creases the left edge of a red bull's-eye on a target 7.5 metres away. The four others paint a 7.5-centimetre pattern around the first. If the target were a person's head or heart, he would probably be dead.
Natanel is a Buddhist, a self-avowed... (GunPolicy.org)
Iraq,Afghanistan,United States
Conspiracists Chatter as Secretive US Company Buys Up Gun, Ammo Makers
26 November 2011
New York Times
SCARBOROUGH, Me. - Lined up in a gun rack beneath mounted deer heads is a Bushmaster Carbon 15, a matte-black semiautomatic rifle that looks as if it belongs to a SWAT team. On another rack rests a Teflon-coated Prairie Panther from DPMS Firearms, a supplier to the United States Border Patrol and security agencies in Iraq. On a third is a Remington 750 Woodsmaster, a popular hunting rifle.
The variety of rifles and shotguns on sale here at Cabela's, the national... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Destroyed in Australian Gun Buybacks Now Replaced with Imports
13 November 2011
ABC Radio National - Background Briefing, Transcript
Gun clubs report lots of new members, hunting is cool, and handguns are gangland chic. The hundreds of thousands of guns destroyed in buybacks since Port Arthur have been more than replaced by new ones. But guns are highly political and the national system for monitoring gun ownership is a mess. Reporter, Ian Townsend.
Ian Townsend: There may be more guns in Australia today than there have ever been. In the past 16 months in Queensland alone, nearly 50,000 guns —... (GunPolicy.org)
Major Seizures of Guns Mainly Firearm Dealer Imports - Australia Customs
14 September 2011
Daily Telegraph (Sydney)
December 23, 2008
Sydney
Huge haul of weapons including:
Assault rifles: Steyr F88, Norinco SKS, Marlin 60 and ADI SLR L1A1
Handguns: Beretta 92FS and Remington 870 Wingmaster
Shot guns: Mossberg 500A
Teargas
16cm rifle silencer
Pistol scope
Megatron Transformer
December 8, 2009
Sydney
980 rounds of FMJ green tip M855 Penetrator armour piercing bullets
July 25, 2006
Brisbane
Steyer tactical scout elite .308 calibre rifle, with telescopic sight
May 30,... (GunPolicy.org)
Trinidad: 'For Such a Small Country, a Large Number of Illegal Guns'
12 September 2011
Trinidad and Tobago's Newsday
Nine more guns including a high-powered AK 47 assault rifle, have been recovered by the police within the past three days in various exercises in North, Central and West Trinidad from Friday to yesterday. This brings to 88 the number of guns seized since the start of the State of Emergency (SOE) on August 22.
A nitrogen cannister believed to be used in the manufacturing of silencers for firearms was also recovered and seized. A silencer is a component of a firearm used... (GunPolicy.org)
3 Teens and 2 Men Arrested in Toronto on Firearm and Drug Charges
19 July 2011
Toronto Sun (Ontario)
TORONTO - Three teens and two adult men were rounded up as Toronto Police used tips from the public to track down four illegal handguns and ammunition at two homes.
Among the accused are a 17-year-old boy who was banned for 10 years by a court from possessing weapons, and a teen who has two separate court-imposed firearm bans, including a life-time ban, police said Monday.
Det. Rick Proctor of 31 Division said a team of detectives and the Gun and Gang Task Force... (GunPolicy.org)
Dutch Mall Shooter Should Not Have Had Gun Permit
11 July 2011
Associated Press
THE HAGUE, Netherlands — A gunman who shot and killed six people in a shopping mall before committing suicide should not have been granted a permit for the three weapons he used, police and prosecutors said Monday.
The April 9 shooting shocked this nation where gun ownership is tightly regulated and mass shootings are a rarity, and sparked a review of weapon permit regulations.
Investigations into the shooting spree concluded that the shooter, 24-year-old Tristan... (GunPolicy.org)
Badly Flawed US Background Check System Fails to Contain Gun Sales
23 June 2011
Center for Public Integrity / iWatch News (USA)
Like many states, Maine depends on the FBI to conduct background checks of people who want to acquire firearms from the state's federally licensed gun dealers.
And like many states, Maine is a slacker in supplying the records that the FBI depends on to run those checks.
That's how Raymond Geisel got his guns, including a Glock Model 17 pistol and a semi-automatic version of the AK-47 assault rifle. Geisel had previously been committed to a psychiatric hospital in... (GunPolicy.org)
Military, Firearm Expert Arrested for Illegal Gun Dealing in Trinidad & Tobago
18 June 2011
Guardian (Trinidad and Tobago)
A highly-trained military operative and gun expert was up to late yesterday being questioned by local police on suspicion of terrorism and illegal arms dealing, after a raid at his Arima house revealed thousands of rounds of ammunition, highly classified documents and several guns. Police say after surveillance for some time by detectives of the Northern Division, the man's house in Santa Rosa was raided at around 4 pm on Thursday. The 68-year-old man, who was born in... (GunPolicy.org)
Australia's Tough Gun Laws Don't Prevent Criminals from Getting Guns
6 June 2011
Courier-Mail (Brisbane), Opinion
IT WAS in Austin, Texas, that I once visited a gun fair displaying sufficient weaponry to stage a medium-sized war and all for sale to those citizens claiming their constitutional right to bear arms.
The fair epitomised the US gun culture and laws, laws frequently lampooned by commentators for their laxity, the all-too-frequent random, multiple shootings hailed as proof that liberal gun ownership endangers the lives it is designed to protect.
Perhaps, but in... (GunPolicy.org)
Influence Game: Gun Manufacturers Battling over US Military Rifle Market
25 May 2011
San Francisco Chronicle / AP
WASHINGTON - For nearly a decade, Colt Defense went without a lobbyist. The legendary gun maker based in West Hartford, Conn., had an exclusive deal to provide combat rifles to the U.S. military and didn't need a hired gun looking out for the company's interests in Washington.
Times have changed. After buying more than 700,000 Colt M4 carbines, the Defense Department has started a search for the rifle's successor, giving Colt's competitors the long-awaited chance to... (GunPolicy.org)
Former Police Officer Charged with Stealing Amnesty Guns in Chicago
13 May 2011
Chicago Sun-Times
A former Clarendon Hills police officer has been charged with stealing guns obtained through a police department weapons turn-in program in 2007.
Daniel M. Ryan, 48, of Westmont, turned himself in Friday morning to the DuPage County Sheriff's office. He posted 10 percent of a $30,000 bond set by Judge Robert Kleeman, according to a release from the DuPage County State's Attorney's office.
He will appear in court next on June 14 before Judge Daniel Guerin to face two... (GunPolicy.org)
Illegal Gun Dealer Boasts He can't Keep Up with Demand in Lebanon
22 April 2011
Sydney Morning Herald
The Beiruti arms dealer Abu Jihad is more than an hour late to our pre-arranged meeting.
"I'm very sorry for the delay," says the balding father of four when he finally appears. "On the way here I made an unexpected sale. Two M16s."
Wearing green camouflage pants and a black parka, Abu Jihad sits down and reaches for the Smith & Wesson revolver strapped to his ankle. "I normally carry three weapons," he says, emptying the revolver of its bullets and spinning the... (GunPolicy.org)
Victims' Groups Slam South Australia Police Handgun Exports to America
16 April 2011
Advertiser (Adelaide)
An SA Police deal to sell its second-hand guns to the American public has outraged victims' groups.
It flies in the face of Australia's laws aimed at preventing gun-related violence, victims' groups say.
The deal, struck in April 2008, means 2405 Smith & Wesson .357 revolvers were traded in after police changed to the new Smith & Wesson M&P40 semi-automatic pistols, retailing for $US569 ($540).
The guns were traded-in to maker Smith & Wesson, which then on-sells the... (GunPolicy.org)
Should Australian Police be Contributing to the Gun Death Toll in the USA?
14 April 2011
Croakey / Crikey (Australia), Blog
Should Australia be contributing to the gun toll in the USA?
It's a timely question for the Defence Export Control Office in the Department of Defence in Canberra, says Adjunct Associate Professor Philip Alpers, of GunPolicy.org at the Sydney School of Public Health, University of Sydney.
Philip Alpers writes:
If Canberra follows precedent, around 10,000 surplus Australian police firearms will soon be for sale in pawn shops and gun shops across the United States.
To... (GunPolicy.org)
Thousands of Used Australian Police Guns Headed for US Streets – Again
14 April 2011
Australian (Sydney)
Almost 10,000 Australian police-issue handguns will flood the American secondary arms market after two state police departments opted to trade in their old weapons rather than have them destroyed.
The Australian has learned that Victoria and South Australia struck deals with weapons manufacturer Smith & Wesson to export their surplus weapons to the US to reduce the cost of upgrading to semi-automatic pistols.
While NSW and the Australian Federal Police destroyed their... (GunPolicy.org)
Legal Gun Owners, Dealers, Gun Shows Fuel Minneapolis Gun Violence
22 March 2011
Minnesota Public Radio, Transcript
MINNEAPOLIS — In January 2010, three men were gunned down during an apparent robbery attempt at the Seward Market in south Minneapolis. One of the victims worked at the store. The second victim was the clerk's cousin who stopped by to chat. The third was a man who just happened to walk in at the wrong time.
The report from the police homicide investigation shows that five shell casings found at the crime scene likely match a test casing provided by the maker of a... (GunPolicy.org)
Thieves Lift 3 Guns from 3 Stalls in Same Day at North Carolina Gun Show
22 March 2011
Hickory Daily Record (North Carolina)
HICKORY - Thieves walked away with three stolen guns from last weekend's C&E Gun Show at the Hickory Metro Convention Center.
Two handguns were reported stolen Saturday at about 11:30 a.m.
One was a Smith & Wesson Chiefs Special model .38 special worth an estimated $575. A 72-year-old Hickory man was selling the gun from his private collection, according to the police report.
It was on display on his table. When he finished helping a customer, the revolver was... (GunPolicy.org)
America's Endless Romance Firearms: Guns are Seductive and Addictive
20 February 2011
Guardian (UK)
I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a-hand on. I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them.
– John Wayne in The Shootist
Although very rusty, I'm range-qualified on the M-1 rifle, .30-calibre carbine, recoil-less rocket-propelled anti-tank weapon (bazooka), .30- and .50-calibre machine guns, M-2 flamethrower, Thompson "Tommy" submachinegun (beloved of Dillinger-era movies), and the Browning M1911 automatic –... (GunPolicy.org)
The Rich, the Famous, the Armed - Famous New York Gun Owners Named
20 February 2011
New York Times
Men and women. Democrats and Republicans. Doctors, lawyers, merchants and moguls. A remarkable, if relatively small, cross-section of New Yorkers legally own handguns, according to public records obtained by The New York Times.
Among the more than 37,000 people licensed to have a handgun in the city are dozens of boldface names and public figures: prominent business leaders, elected officials, celebrities, journalists, judges and lawyers.
Some expressed pride in... (GunPolicy.org)
Tucson Shooting Not Cooling Western Arms Ardor as Utah Plans State Gun
18 February 2011
Bloomberg (USA)
Lawmakers from Arizona to Wyoming, the mountain region of Western movies and home to four of the five fastest-growing states, are moving forward with gun laws that would be among the nation's most permissive, undeterred by the shooting of U.S. Representative Gabrielle Giffords.
Arizona, where the shooting took place last month, is considering a proposal to allow firearms on college campuses. Wyoming's Senate passed a bill to authorize residents to carry concealed... (GunPolicy.org)
Undercover Agents Once Again Expose Gun Show Loophole in US Law
31 January 2011
Guardian (UK)
Undercover investigators have exposed the ease with which high-powered guns can be bought in the US, purchasing the same type of pistol used in the Tucson massacre just two weeks later in a neighbouring city – with no questions asked.
New York's mayor, Michael Bloomberg, sent a team of undercover agents to the Crossroads of the West gun show in Phoenix, Arizona, just 120 miles away from the scene of the Tucson shooting. There, on 23 January, they bought a Glock 9mm... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Gun Dealers Still Sell Semi-automatics Without Background Checks
30 January 2011
New York Daily News
The Tucson massacre that wounded Rep. Gabrielle Giffords and killed six others did not stop Arizona gun dealers from selling high-powered semiautomatics last week to buyers who said they couldn't pass background checks.
The sales were captured on undercover video by private detectives working for Mayor Bloomberg's crusade against illegal guns. The detectives went to the Crossroads of the West gun show in Phoenix on Jan.23 to expose the deadly loopholes in America's gun... (GunPolicy.org)
In an Ocean of Firearms at World's Largest Gun Show, Tucson Is Far Away
20 January 2011
New York Times
LAS VEGAS — In a sea of rifles, handguns, knives and ammunition, thousands of gun enthusiasts gathered here Wednesday for the annual Shot Show, the nation's largest gun trade show, where the convention's sponsors decried gun laws and said there was something else to blame for the Jan. 8 deadly shooting rampage in Tucson: the mental health system.
The Shot Show sponsors as well as several exhibitors and others attending the sprawling event rejected suggestions of a... (GunPolicy.org)
World's Largest Firearm Expo Opens in Vegas Amid National Gun Debate
19 January 2011
Canadian Press
LAS VEGAS, Nevada — Beneath the gold-flecked chandeliers and classical murals in the gilded meeting rooms of the Venetian hotel and casino, the mighty $28 billion-a-year firearms industry opened one of it's most opulent annual shows Tuesday.
Industry members networked while catching up on the newest weapons and gun gear from 16,000 vendors spread across more than 630,000 square feet (58,530 square meters). That there are renewed calls for tougher gun restrictions... (GunPolicy.org)
Vegas Gun Show Patrons Say Firearm Limits Wrong Response to Tucson
19 January 2011
Washington Post
LAS VEGAS - Since the Jan. 8 shooting rampage in Tucson, gun-control advocates have called for greater restrictions on firearms. But here at the Sands Expo and Convention Center, where the world's largest annual gun trade show opened this week, firearms industry representatives say that would be a misguided response to the crime that killed six people and wounded 13 others.
The more than 55,000 attendees from the United States and 100 other countries are focused on... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Shootings Add to Notoriety, Desirability of Glock Semi-auto Pistol
15 January 2011
New York Times
New York City police officers carry Glock pistols, and rappers wax eloquent about them. Movie stars brandish Glocks, too.
"Get yourself a Glock and lose that nickel-plated sissy pistol," Tommy Lee Jones said in the 1998 movie "U.S. Marshals."
When Saddam Hussein was captured in a hole in the ground in Iraq, soldiers found his Glock pistol inside. It was later presented to President George W. Bush, who displayed it in the Oval Office as a treasured souvenir.... (GunPolicy.org)
How Glock Became Weapon of Choice for Cops, Gun Hobbyists and Killers
13 January 2011
Business Week / Bloomberg (USA)
For all the anguish and outcry in the days after a community college dropout named Jared Loughner allegedly sprayed a Tucson crowd with 33 bullets from a semiautomatic pistol, one response was notably absent: any sense that America's latest shooting spree, which killed six people and wounded 14, including Representative Gabrielle Giffords, would bring new restrictions on the right to own or carry large-capacity, rapid-fire weapons.
The gun control debate has vanished... (GunPolicy.org)
Arizona Rampage Handgun's Reputation Built on Style, Ease of Use
12 January 2011
Wall Street Journal
Police and gun dealers say Glock semiautomatic pistols, including the lightweight model allegedly used in the Tucson rampage last weekend, are among the most popular firearms in the U.S. because they are easy to use, reliable and accurate.
"The Glock is a very popular weapon, generally not only with the law enforcement but with civilians," said James Pasco, executive director of the Fraternal Order of Police, which represents about 330,000 street-level officers. "It's... (GunPolicy.org)
How a 'Weapon of Mass Destruction' Became the US Handgun of Choice
10 January 2011
Huffington Post (USA), Blog
WASHINGTON - Is there a good reason to have 33 bullets loaded in a handgun?
This is the question being asked in the wake of the shooting of Democratic Rep. Gabrielle Giffords in Tucson, Ariz. over the weekend. The suspect, Jared Loughner, allegedly used a high-capacity 33-round magazine in his Glock-19 pistol. Without the need to reload as quickly, the shooter was able to effectively hold bystanders at bay, keeping them from intervening until 20 people had already been... (GunPolicy.org)
In Mexico, Only One Gun Store But No Dearth of Firearms, Armed Violence
29 December 2010
Washington Post
MEXICO CITY - In all of Mexico, there is only one gun store. The shop, known officially as the Directorate of Arms and Munitions Sales, is operated by the Mexican military. The clerks wear pressed green camouflage. They are soldiers.
The only gun store in Mexico is not very busy.
To go shopping for a gun in Mexico, customers must come to Mexico City - even if they live 1,300 miles away in Ciudad Juarez. To gain entry to the store, which is on a secure military base,... (GunPolicy.org)
Tasmania Police Net Almost 1300 Guns, Only 26 Given Voluntarily
26 December 2010
Hobart Mercury (Tasmania)
Police say it is "impossible" to know how many unregistered guns there are in Tasmania.
The admission comes days after the closure of a public consultation period for gun law reforms, which includes recommendations to make pump-action and semi-automatic shotguns more easily available.
The Tasmanian Firearms Act 1996 is under review and a cover letter for the public consultation paper shows there are more than 122,800 registered guns in the state enough for one in... (GunPolicy.org)
16 Guns Stolen from Michigan Gun Owner 10yrs Ago Still Surface in Crime
15 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
KENT COUNTY — Nearly 10 years ago, burglars smashed a window at Johnnie Jones' Rockford-area business. As burglaries go, they hit the jackpot.
Sixteen guns were taken, including a couple of .357-caliber Rugers, a .44-caliber Magnum Smith & Wesson, and a 12-shot .380-caliber Grendel semi-automatic.
One turned up in 2005, when a Mason County man who bought the firearm at a gun show near Saginaw tried to register the weapon. Two years ago, another of the guns was found... (GunPolicy.org)
Violence Runs Rampant as More Texas Guns Traced to Mexico Drug Crime
15 December 2010
Washington Post
No other state has produced more guns seized by police in the brutal Mexican drug wars than Texas. In the Lone Star State, no other city has more guns linked to Mexican crime scenes than Houston. And in the Texas oil town, no single independent dealer stands out more for selling guns traced from south of the border than Bill Carter.
Carter, 76, has operated four Carter's Country stores in the Houston metropolitan area over the past half-century. In the past two years,... (GunPolicy.org)
US Cops Target 'Worst of Worst' Gun Offenders, Federal Charges Rise 73%
14 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
GRAND RAPIDS — His hand on his firearm, Grand Rapids Police Officer Chad McKersie talks to the young driver he has just pulled over for speeding. Nearby, a federal agent scans the car's passengers, his hand near his own gun.
McKersie just tells the driver to slow down.
In this Southeast Side neighborhood troubled by drugs and violence, McKersie keeps watch — and some keep watch on him.
He drives past gang graffiti on buildings and slips through alleys looking for... (GunPolicy.org)
Record 'Time to Crime' as Gun Moves from Michigan Theft to Felon's Death
12 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
LOWELL TOWNSHIP — Until he moved his bedroom furniture, David McClain had no idea his family's three guns were gone.
There were no signs of forced entry. Nothing else was missing.
He called police the next morning, as required by Michigan law.
Less than a month after the Feb. 11 report, his Smith & Wesson 9 mm semi-automatic pistol was in the hands of a parolee — pointed at a Grand Rapids police officer.
It is unclear how Gabriel Hood, with a record of armed... (GunPolicy.org)
Guns Gone Bad: How Legal Firearms End Up with Michigan Criminals
12 December 2010
Grand Rapids Press (Michigan)
The Grand Rapids Press did a six-month investigation into how legal guns end up in the hands of criminals. It also marks the beginning of a partnership with Silent Observer to get illegal guns off the street. Here's the kick-off to the series:
Propped up on the ground by his elbows, dying of three bullets to his chest, Gabriel Hood looked at the gun he had just dropped.
The black 9mm Smith & Wesson lay in the dirt a few feet away.
Hood shifted his gaze to the police... (GunPolicy.org)
Pennsylvania Gun Dealers, NRA Predict Defeat for 'Idiot, Puppet' Obama
26 October 2010
ABC News (Australia)
The final week of campaigning has begun in the US mid-term elections and Republicans appear confident of victory.
The fallout from the United States recession appears to be tipping the race against the Democrats.
At a gun show in Allentown, there are dozens of dealers, and hundreds of weapons for sale. A Glock 9mm costs $US499, and a Smith and Wesson 9mm is $US340, but dealer Dave Zeller says business has been slow.
"This past year, I think the bad economy finally... (GunPolicy.org)
Utah Parent Lends Handgun for School Play, Boy Dies in Prank Shooting
25 October 2010
Courthouse News Service (USA)
ST GEORGE, Utah -- A father says his son died from a shot in the head from a .38 Smith & Wesson pistol loaded with blanks, used for sound effects for a high school production of "Oklahoma!" The dad says the gun had been "altered from its factory specifications to give it a 'hair trigger,'" and his son died from a "blowback" wound that drove fragments of his skull into his brain.
Ron Thayer says his son, Tucker, died after the gun "was discharged near Tucker's head" in... (GunPolicy.org)
One DC-Area Firearm Dealer Supplied 2,500 Crime Guns to DC, Maryland
24 October 2010
Washington Post, Series
Outside a baby shower in Landover three years ago, Erik Kenneth Dixon snapped. As he argued with his sister and her boyfriend in a parking lot, the 25-year-old man whipped out a .45-caliber Glock and shot her in the leg. Then he chased down her boyfriend, firing between cars and at the running man's feet until he slipped on wet grass. As the prone man held his hands up in futile defense, Dixon executed him, firing seven times.
By law, Dixon was prohibited from owning... (GunPolicy.org)
In Kennesaw, Georgia it is Compulsory - Everyone MUST Own a Firearm
16 October 2010
Mirror (UK)
The manicured lawns and pristine sidewalks offer a gentle hint of small-town America.
But behind the net curtains in this city there's an arsenal of weapons big enough to take on an army.
Every householder - from the old lady who runs the sweet store to the teacher down the road - is armed to the teeth.
Welcome to Kennesaw, Georgia - otherwise known as Gun Town USA - where if you cross a threshold to commit a crime you could be filled full of lead.
Here a unique law... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Receive, Re-arm with 8,000 Semi-auto S&W .40 Pistols
15 October 2010
Sydney Morning Herald
Police have begin beefing up security at "secret" locations across Victoria where the force's long-awaited semi-automatic pistols are being stored.
The first batch of the rapid-fire weapons arrived this week. But it will be some time before the pistols replace ageing revolvers on the beat.
Acting Superintendent Terry Jackson said the guns, costing $7 million, needed custom holsters, rendering the existing Smith & Wesson holsters useless.
The .40 calibre Smith &... (GunPolicy.org)
Tennessee Police Chief Stole Cash, Guns Including Senator Murder Pistol
30 September 2010
Cookeville Times (Tennessee)
An investigation by the Comptroller's Division of Municipal Audit found almost $30,000 worth of cash and property missing from the Monterey Police Department.
The investigative report, which was released today, details how the police department's books failed to account for $23,613 in cash.
For example, the report shows that former police chief Tim Murphy obtained $14,920 in cash from confidential narcotic investigation transactions even though there was no evidence... (GunPolicy.org)
Suicidal Gun Owner Bought Pistol Legally, Shot Workmates in Nebraska
25 September 2010
Lincoln Journal Star (Nebraska)
The man who carried a 9 mm handgun into the Americold Logistics plant Wednesday night purchased the firearm in Lincoln 18 days before opening fire on his coworkers and then shooting himself.
Lincoln Police Chief Tom Casady said Acher Arms, as per city statute, reported the sale of two 9 mm handguns to Akouch Kashoual on Sept. 3 and 4.
Saline County Attorney Tad Eickman said Saturday that investigators had informed him Kashoual purchased one handgun, returned it and... (GunPolicy.org)
Kennesaw, Georgia, the Town Where Everyone Must Own a Gun, by Law
24 September 2010
Financial Times (UK)
Kennesaw, Georgia, is Everytown, USA: a mixture of old wooden bungalows and cookie-cutter subdivisions, of seventh-generation locals and Mexican immigrants. Its quaint, cobbled historic centre is lush, with low-hanging trees and chirping cicadas. The civil war museum tells the history of the local Confederate fight against the Yankees. At the suburban malls on a humid Saturday afternoon locals vie to park their SUVs as close as possible to the Target and Best Buy... (GunPolicy.org)
Murder Weapon's Trip from Mississippi: US Laws Create Highway for Guns
18 September 2010
Chicago Tribune
The .45-caliber handgun found feet from the body of Officer Thomas Wortham IV passed through three states and many hands before a chance encounter at a convenience store set it on its tragic course for Chicago.
The weapon was among several brought to Chicago's streets as part of a gun-trafficking scheme orchestrated by an Englewood man who had risen from a tough upbringing but couldn't shake his criminal ties back home when he arrived at a Mississippi college.
The... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Firearm, Ammo Prices Fall as 'Obama Gun Grab Scare' Recedes
16 August 2010
CBS-7 TV News (Texas)
MIDLAND, Texas - Some popular firearms like the AR-15 are now selling for up to $600 less than they did at the start of 2009.
The price drop can be attributed to a variety of factors including some that could send the prices back up.
Like most other things, gun prices are largely based on supply and demand.
But it's what causes that demand and influences supply that can be surprising.
At the start of 2009, the demand caused by gun enthusiasts scrambling to purchase... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Wait for US to Ship 10,500 S&W Pistols at Cost of $7 million
12 August 2010
Age (Melbourne)
US authorities will decide when rapid-fire semi-automatic pistols can land in Victorian police holsters.
Police plan to distribute the guns to every officer on the beat by 2012, replacing antiquated revolvers.
Acting Superintendent Terence Jackson confirmed yesterday that the first pistol order had been placed and was ready to be shipped. He said US authorities would dictate when the weapons arrived.
"We are at present awaiting US congressional approval for export... (GunPolicy.org)
Texas Couple Fined at Border Due to 'Ignorance of Canadian Gun Laws'
11 August 2010
Telegraph-Journal (New Brunswick)
ST. STEPHEN - Plans by a retired Texas couple to tour the Maritime provinces this month have run afoul of Canada's gun laws. Terry Howze Carter, 61, of Corpus Christi was fined $1,500 Tuesday for not declaring a prohibited Smith & Wesson revolver when he and his wife crossed the border into Canada at St. Stephen Aug. 3.
Carter and his wife both answered 'no' when a Canadian customs officer asked if they brought firearms with them, Crown prosecutor Peter Thorn told St.... (GunPolicy.org)
Calgary Gun Dealer Loses 54 Handguns, Firearm Registry Fingers His Clerk
4 August 2010
Calgary Herald (Alberta)
A man who collaborated with his common-law wife to steal four restricted handguns from a Calgary sporting goods store where she worked as a clerk has been sent to prison.
Steve Claudio Todd, 25, was given three years jail on Tuesday, while Cara Patricia Gavin, 27, got a conditional sentence of two years less a day to be served in the community -- the first year under house arrest at their Airdrie residence.
Both had earlier pleaded guilty to two counts of theft... (GunPolicy.org)
6-yr Old's Accidental Shooting of Brother Leads to Father's Arrest in Florida
4 August 2010
Tampa Tribune (Florida)
CLEARWATER - A 6-year-old boy's accidental shooting of his 3-year-old brother in February led to their father's arrest Tuesday, Clearwater police said.
Rockny G. Carpio, 35, was charged with culpable negligence in Tarpon Springs, where he now lives.
On Feb. 20, at 1781 N. Fort Harrison Ave., 6-year-old Goivanni Carpio found an unsecured semi-automatic firearm in his father's bedroom, underneath a pillow, according to court documents.
The boy racked a round into the... (GunPolicy.org)
Drunk, Paranoid US Hidden Handgun Permit Holder Shot Random Victims
26 July 2010
Ledger (Florida)
BARTOW, Florida - An Auburndale man accused of randomly shooting motorists along U.S. 92 had an additional 95 rounds of ammunition and a large knife in the backseat of his car, Polk County Sheriff's Office investigative reports show.
Deputies say Robin Parks, 51, went on a shooting spree shortly after midnight June 5, firing at three cars and striking a teenager in the buttocks and a woman in the face.
Katrina Hines, 30, continues to recover from her injuries.
She... (GunPolicy.org)
Policeman Shoots Himself Training to Train Victoria Police on New Pistol
22 July 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
An elite police officer learning to teach colleagues how to handle the force's new semi-automatic pistol shot himself while reholstering it.
The 30-year-old water police officer fired a shot into his thigh at the Glen Waverley training academy yesterday, and had to be admitted to hospital.
Victoria Police confirmed the leading senior constable, who has not been named, was on the third day of a 10-day course in training other members in how to use the semi-automatic... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Sales Tipped to Shoot Up in Wake of New US Supreme Court Ruling
16 July 2010
ABC News (USA)
After a Supreme Court decision affirming the right to bear arms was handed down in June, the owners of Midwest Sporting Goods, just outside of Chicago, started noticed something any retailer would find encouraging an increasing number of customers.
With Chicago's 28-year ban on handgun ownership rendered unconstitutional, more people were coming into Midwest, in Lyons, Illinois, to exercise their Second Amendment rights, according to Noel, the store's owner. He asked... (GunPolicy.org)
In Wake of Supreme Court Chicago Decision, US Gun Maker Shares Rose
9 July 2010
Patriot Ledger (Massachusetts), Editorial
Anyone who thinks the Supreme Court's decision on gun rights last week was an exercise for constitutional scholars – and nothing more – didn't catch what happened with the stock of gun manufacturers Smith & Wesson and Sturm, Ruger. Like a trigger had been squeezed, their stock went up on a day other stocks went down.
The justices' 5-4 decision was a landmark one, establishing clearly that the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms is not a lesser right among... (GunPolicy.org)
Gun Lobby Protests as Florida Police Seek Help Tracing Serial Killer's Gun
8 July 2010
News 13 (Florida)
DAYTONA BEACH - Police in one Volusia County city want to find you if you purchased a certain type of gun in a specific year.
Most area gun shops said they continuously cooperate with the State Attorneys Office and police, especially in the hunt for a serial killer.
But when they received a letter from Police Chief Mike Chitwood, they said wait a minute.
Chitwood recently sent a letter to gun shops all over Central Florida.
It's about his latest lead into a... (GunPolicy.org)
Call for Semi-auto Pistols as Victoria Police Officer Runs Out of Bullets
27 June 2010
Sunday Herald Sun (Melbourne)
A policeman who shot a knife-wielding man six times was forced to pistol-whip him after running out of bullets.
The terrifying incident at Meadow Heights in northern Melbourne has reignited calls for an early roll-out of semi-automatic weapons.
Several police sources confirmed a sergeant fired all six shots from his Smith and Wesson .38 revolver at a man, 27, who had allegedly attacked his sister, mother and a good Samaritan who came to their aid.
The man is believed... (GunPolicy.org)
Open Carry Gun 'Fad' Could Prompt Tougher Firearm Laws in Michigan
16 June 2010
Times Herald (Michigan), Editorial
Is it legal for two men wearing nothing more than thong swimsuits to parade through a city park crowded with families attending a festival?
Sure, it's probably legal. Not smart, but legal.
And is it legal for two men to walk through the same festival with handguns strapped to their hips?
Sure, it's probably legal. Not smart, but legal.
What are we to make of Rob Harris, 36, of Eastpointe, and Scott Webb, 31, of Roseville, who chose to parade through Marysville Days... (GunPolicy.org)
Irish Shooter Challenges Court's Refusal to Grant Certificates for Six Pistols
11 June 2010
Irish Times (Dublin)
A competitive pistol shooter has challenged a District Court judge's refusal to grant him firearms certificates for six pistols on the grounds of their lethal nature.
Patrick Herlihy, with an address in Co Cork, has brought High Court proceedings aimed at quashing District Judge David Riordan's refusal to grant certificates for six guns – two Sig Sauer 9mm pistols and four Smith Wesson revolvers.
Judge Riordan refused to grant licensing certificates on November... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria the Last Australian State to Swap Police Revolvers for S&W Pistols
30 April 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Victoria Police's decision to upgrade to a semi-automatic pistol makes it the last police force in the nation to ditch the old-fashioned revolver.
From late this year, police on the beat will be issued a Smith & Wesson M&P (military and police) .40 semi-automatic pistol in a $7 million rollout announced yesterday.
The decision to upgrade the weapons was made in April 2008 and came after close to 35 years of using revolvers.
All other Australian state police forces... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police to Re-arm 10,500 Officers with S&W Semi-auto Pistol
30 April 2010
Advertiser (Adelaide)
More than 10,500 Victorian police officers are expected to be armed with semi-automatic guns in early 2012.
The police force announced yesterday that a Smith & Wesson .40 calibre semi-automatic pistol had been selected as its new gun.
The guns will be imported from the US and are expected to be in the hands of operational police in the "first quarter" of 2012, police Deputy Commissioner Kieran Walshe said yesterday.
The selection followed an independent and extensive... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Swap Old Revolvers for S&W M&P Semi-automatic Pistol
30 April 2010
Age (Melbourne) / AAP
Victoria Police will swap its antiquated revolvers for semi-automatic pistols, bringing it into line with every other police force in the nation.
More than 10 years after New South Wales and Queensland switched to semi-automatic pistols, Victoria will follow with the new rapid-fire guns, to be in police holsters by 2012.
It was a pledge former police chief commissioner Christine Nixon made in 2008, saying most of the force would have the pistols by the end of that... (GunPolicy.org)
Texan College Students Say Ban on Hidden Handguns Puts Them at Risk
27 April 2010
East Texan (Texas)
There are laws at A&M-Commerce regarding the possession of concealed weapons on campus. While these laws may be in place to ensure student safety, there are some people who object to those restrictions.
As stated in Section 46.03, Chapter 46, Title 10 of the Texas Penal Code, a person is allowed to carry a concealed weapon on campus, but is prohibited from taking it into university-owned buildings.
"A person commits an offense if the person intentionally, knowingly or... (GunPolicy.org)
Canadian Gun Owner Left Pistols, Revolvers in Truck, Lost 15 Handguns
9 April 2010
Regina Leader-Post (Saskatchewan)
The RCMP is concerned that 15 hand guns stolen from a truck over the weekend could end up in the hands of criminals.
The owner of the weapons bought the firearms at a gun show in Calgary and was transporting the hand guns back to Melfort. The firearms, with trigger guards, were stored in lock boxes inside the locked compartment of a 2008 Chevy three-quarter-ton.
On Saturday, at approximately 1:30 p.m., the truck broke down just west of Drumheller and was left... (GunPolicy.org)
Teenage Girl Jailed in Manchester for 'Minding' Loaded Handgun
30 March 2010
Press Association (UK)
A teenage girl from Greater Manchester who "celebrated" guns and gangs has been jailed for three years after "minding" a Smith and Wesson handgun loaded with Magnum bullets for a gangster.
Chloe Goodman, 18, from Stephen Street, Urmston, told friends she was "looking after some heat" for a local criminal, a jury heard.
The criminal, Daniel Brown, had told her not to touch the weapon as it could "blow her head off," Minshull Street Crown Court in Manchester was... (GunPolicy.org)
43 US States Now Allow Gun Owners to Carry Firearms Openly in Public
21 March 2010
Vancouver Sun
FALLS CHURCH, Virginia - About 60 gun rights activists gather in a pizzeria in the Virginia suburb of Falls Church, just outside of Washington DC, their firearms openly displayed in waist holsters.
They are celebrating what they expect will be the successful enactment in Virginia of legislation expanding gun rights for residents. Republican Governor Bob McDonnell has pledged to sign the measure.
With gun control legislation stalled at the federal level in Congress, a... (GunPolicy.org)
Victoria Police Handgun Tender 'Rigged' for S&W, Grumble Gun Makers
9 March 2010
Herald Sun (Melbourne)
Victoria Police has denied the winner of its tender for new semi-automatic pistols is settled.
There have been murmurings in the firearms industry that the criteria for tenders made US giant Smith & Wesson the only winning chance to replace the existing .38 revolver.
At least one manufacturer has approached force command to complain that stipulations played into the hands of Smith & Wesson, to the exclusion of other bidders.
Smith & Wesson's rivals say those... (GunPolicy.org)
US Hunting, Gun Industries Predict Dire Times, Too Few Kids With Guns
10 February 2010
Wall Street Journal
HARRISBURG, Pennsylvania - The Eastern Sports & Outdoor Show is a sportsman's paradise, but one where trouble is brewing.
There were lots of kids here with their families, walking the nearly 300,000 square feet of the State Farm Show Complex. They were checking out the newest fishing lures, gun blinds and camouflage clothing. But many of the outfitters who set up booths at the show and sell mountain-lion stalks in New Mexico, bear hunts in Maine and African safaris are... (GunPolicy.org)