By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
More on the Pulse Nightclub shooting. The local Orlando newspaper has a helpful chronology of the incident, which can be found here.
We also have a story where the FBI attempted to snag the shooter into one of its custom made, pretend terrorist attacks, but he wouldn't bite. Dunno about you, but it would piss me off to no end to find an employer's customer was trying to send me to prison.
In the week following, we have an instance in which a CBS television crew tried to buy an AR-15 to show how easy it is to obtain one, only to admit that the producer, et al, broke federal firearms transfer rules. My guess is that no one will spend so much as an hour inside a lawyer's office, much less detention or prison. They'll skate because their effort was meant to provide ammunition for legislators pushing for even stronger gun control laws.
Just a guess, whenever an entity is arming up, they are up to something, and civil liberties, which are meant to be untouched by a marauding federal government, will suffer.
Consider the case of Neil Steinberg, the newspaper columnist who attempted to buy an AR to prove just how easy it is to obtain one only to be denied because of a history of alcohol abuse and "domestic violence."
So many questions, including how did the FFL get hold of information relating to his alcoholism? How does a domestic violence incident get conflated into a reason to deny the purchase of a firearm?
The last question I posed on a private Facebook page I am a member of. I didn't get much of an answer because frankly there is zero cause for this or any of the other reasons given to deny the right to obtain a firearm.
But it does explain why civil liberties are dying. Many members of the group seemed to be all too happy a liberal was denied his right to purchase the firearm, but for all their schadenfreude, a basic ugly fact is revealed. That given the right circumstances, anyone can be convinced to destroy anyone else's rights without much consideration as to what gave the government the right to do it.
It reminds me of the basic idea I have about most people and the Bill of Rights. They love their civil liberties, but as they understand it their own rights are to be protected; just not anyone else's.
Given that attitude, do you really want to be shoulder to shoulder with people who can be convinced to deny you your rights?
I wouldn't, and that is why I am a pariah in most social and Internet settings, for pointing this out. Steinburg should have received his firearm and should have been allowed to do whatever he wanted to do with it, including turning it in to the cops or using the rifle for protection.
Loads.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Prices for pistol ammunition were mostly lower. Prices for rifle ammunition were mostly steady
Prices for used pistols were mixed. Prices for used rifles were mixed.
New Lows:
None
Pistol Ammunition
.45 Caliber, 230 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (3 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Lee's Mags, Store Brand, RN, Brass Cased, Reloads, .23 per round (From Last week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (3 Weeks))
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 Grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Freedom Munitions, Store Brand, RNFP, Brass Casing, Reloads, .20 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Ammunition, Store Brand, FMJFP, Brass Casing, Reloads, .20 per round (From Last Week: +.01 Each After Unchanged (3 Weeks))
9mm Parabellum, 115 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (7 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .15 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Freedom Ammunition, Store brand, FMJ, Brass Casing, Reloads, .16 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (1Q, 2016))
.357 Magnum, 158 Grain, From Last Week: -.03 Each
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .23 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 rounds: Lucky Gunner, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel cased, .23 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks))
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2016)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Goose Island Sales, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .21 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (10 Weeks))
.308 NATO 150 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (5 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Outdoor Unlimited, Tulammo, FMJ, Steel Casing, .35 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt!, Tulammo, Steel Casing, FMJ, .31 per round (From Last Week: -.02 Each)
7.62x39mm AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: Unchanged (2 Weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Ammunition Depot, Wolf WPA, Steel Case, FMJ, .24 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf WPA, Steel Case, FMJ, .22 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (10 Weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each After Unchanged (4 Weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds (5 Box Limit): Cabela's, Federal, RNL, .06 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 5,000 rounds: Ammo2U, Blazer, RNL, .07 per round (From Last Week: Unchanged (2Q, 2016))
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $536 Last Week Avg: $553 (-) ($616 (2Q, 2015), $476 (37 Weeks))
California (206, 225): Smith & Wesson M&P 15 Sport II: $500 ($650 (1Q, 2015), $400 (42 Weeks))
Texas (280, 296): Diamondback Firearms: $530 ($700 (1Q, 2015), $350 (2Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (142, 154): Spikes Tactical: $650 ($700 (2Q, 2015), $300 (50 Weeks))
Virginia (172, 186): Windham Weaponry: $550 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $475 (6 Weeks))
Florida (337, 324): Bushmaster: $450 ($650 (2Q, 2015), $380 (1Q, 2015))
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,140 Last Week Avg: $1,006(+) ($1,359 (2Q, 2015), $820 (37 Weeks))
California (53, 52): Armalite: $1,500 ($1,700 (4Q, 2014), $850 (47 Weeks))
Texas (88, 90): DPMS LR308: $900 ($1,500 (4Q, 2014), $800 (46 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (37, 40): Smith & Wesson M&P 10: $1,400 ($1,500 (1Q, 2015), $700 (39 Weeks))
Virginia (37, 38): CMMG: $950 ($2,750 (23 Weeks), $800 (34 Weeks))
Florida (59, 56): DPMS: $950 ($1,950 (8 Weeks), $500 (37 Weeks))
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $575 Last Week Avg: $585 (-) ($637 (5 Weeks)), $450 (48 Weeks))
California (30, 32): Inter Ordnance: $525 ($800 (3 Weeks)), $320 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (65, 74): Unknown Brand: $550 ($800 (24 Weeks), $350 (3Q, 2014))
Pennsylvania (50, 52): Century Arms C39V2: $700 ($750 (1Q, 2015), $375 (1Q, 2015))
Virginia (36, 36): CAI: $600 ($700 (5 Weeks), $350 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (99, 90): WASR 10/63: $500 ($700 (17 Weeks), $300 (4Q, 2014))
30-30 Winchester Lever Action Average Price: $343 Last Week Avg: $370(-) ($489 (1Q, 2015), $296 (51 Weeks))
California (8, 8): Marlin 336W: $340 ($600 (15 Weeks), $180 (2Q, 2015))
Texas (18, 17): Ted Williams Model 94: $325 ($550 (1Q, 2015), $300 (1Q, 2015))
Pennsylvania (23, 22): Marlin 336AS: $325 ($450 (1Q, 2015), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Virginia (12, 11): Marlin 336W: $350 ($670 (8 Weeks)), $250 (30 Weeks))
Florida (24, 19): Marlin 30AW: $375 ($500 (1Q, 2015), $250 (2Q, 2015))
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $387 Last Week Avg: $461 (-) ($510 (12 Weeks)), $350 (35 Weeks))
California (176, 175): Arcadia Machine and Tool: $400 ($750 (2 Weeks), $300 (46 Weeks))
Texas (204, 202): Para Ordnance: $450 ($600 (4Q, 2014), $325 (44 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (175, 174): Tisas: $325 ($550 (2Q, 2015), $300 (2Q, 2015))
Virginia (137, 135): ATI: $380 ($575 (21 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Florida (275, 268): Rock Island Armory: $380 ($500 (20 Weeks), $250 (1Q, 2015))
9mm (Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic) Average Price: $293 Last Week Avg: $280(+) ($358 (16 Weeks), $245 (10 Weeks))
California (190, 193): Astra A70: $350 ($500 (17 Weeks), $200 (33 Weeks))
Texas (285, 278): SCCY CPX-1: $275 ($355 (1Q, 2015), $200 (42 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (262, 257): Ruger P85: $300 ($350 (4Q 2014), $200 (48 Weeks))
Virginia (229, 224): SCCY CPX1: $265 ($425 (25 Weeks), $189 (12 Weeks))
Florida (451, 484): Taurus PT 111: $275 ($400 (14 Weeks), $200 (3 Weeks))
.40 caliber S&W (Glock or other semiautomatic) Average Price: $290 Last Week Avg: $262 (+) ($399 (21 Weeks), $262 (2 Weeks))
California (104, 98): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $350 ($560 (24 Weeks)), $250 (4Q, 2014))
Texas (123, 124): Smith & Wesson: $300 ($425 (4Q, 2014), $250 (28 Weeks))
Pennsylvania (81, 73): Kahr CW40: $225 ($450 (11 Weeks), $225 (3 Weeks))
Virginia (61, 60): Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $275 ($450 (2Q, 2015), $275 (1Q, 2015))
Florida (129, 136): CZ999: $300 ($400 (1Q, 2015), $199 (20 Weeks))
Used Gun of the Week: (New York !)
Mosin-Nagant Chambered in 7.62x54R