Massad Ayoob's Blog, page 73

THE RETURN OF PROHIBITION

January 9, 2019 would have been my mother’s 110th birthday. She was ten years old when the Volstead Act was passed, triggering the long American nightmare of Prohibition.  She and my dad both lived through it, and saw its negative … Read more

THE NEW JERSEY MAGAZINE BAN

Reacting largely to a pair of atrocities, the massacres in Las Vegas and at the Parkland school, the New Jersey legislature recently passed a law forbidding possession of firearm magazines capable of holding more than ten cartridges.  For many years … Read more

…AND THE BLAME GOES TO…

We gun people are awfully sick and tired of being blamed for mad dog killers shooting people. The Parkland atrocity on Valentine’s Day 2017 was a catalyst for “we have to blame someone” syndrome, and gun people were made the … Read more

THE BUMPY ROAD OF BUMP STOCKS

So, bumpstocks are now forbidden, and those who own them are ordered to turn them in ordestroy them.  Period. The ninety-daycountdown is already underway. Manythousands of law-abiding Americans criminalized with the proverbial stroke ofthe pen. Not even anamnesty period in … Read more

ON CHRISTMAS…

We’ll get back to the serious stuff here soon.  For the moment, I’m thinking falling snowflakes and carols and Christmas trees and watching kids, grandkids, and now a great grandkid enjoy the most iconic holiday. But, hey, this is a … Read more

“ON THE (WHATEVER) DAY OF CHRISTMAS…”

OK, so the “twelve days of Christmas” don’t officially start until the 25th or the 26th, depending on the source. But, what the heck, in the “spirit of Christmas Spirit” I figured I’d start early. So, on the (whatever day … Read more

GIVE THE GIFT OF THE PERSONALIZED FIREARM

Mankind has probably personalized his weapons since the first Cro-Magnon put his mark on his club.  Nothing makes a gift or presentation firearm more of a keepsake than the recipient’s name engraved thereon. And, yes, that can be an expensive … Read more

WITH CHRISTMAS IN THE AIR, GIVE…AIR

Air guns, that is.  In most jurisdictions there’s little if any hassle in buying and transferring, nor worry about “straw man” purchase accusations.  Umarex G19 gave better than “minute-of-tin-can” accuracy. An air rifle or air pistol can be shot in … Read more

CHRISTMAS AMMO

For shooters you want to remember on Christmas, no matter what your budget, consider ammunition.  Your gift budget simply determines the volume. Big box stores sell shotgun shells in birdshot loads for less than a sawbuck for a box of … Read more

THE WHOLE STORY ON “HOLSTORY”

Richard “Red” Nichols was lead designer at the Bianchi holster company for many years.  I’ve known him for decades: he was often in attendance back in the days when I shot the Bianchi Cup, and I’ll never forget him taking … Read more