Reciprocity
National CCW Is Possible; CCRKBA Says “Make It Happen”
The Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms launched
a national advertising effort to promote concealed carry reciprocity.
Last month, the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms joined the chorus supporting H.R. 38, a measure that would create national concealed carry reciprocity. But this grassroots group did something nobody else did.
During the first week of February, CCRKBA launched a television advertising campaign calling upon concealed carry advocates to make a phone call, and sign onto a petition to Congress. CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb explained in a news release announcing the ad campaign, “President Donald Trump has promised to sign this legislation if and when it reaches his desk, and America’s gun owners and concerned citizens can make that happen by flooding Capitol Hill with messages of support.”
A reciprocity bill was passed by the House back in 2017, during Trump’s first term. However, when it reached the Senate, controlled by then-Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, it gathered dust. The measure languished for any number of reasons, which included: a) McConnell didn’t have enough votes to pass it, or b) McConnell isn’t that keen on national reciprocity and he didn’t want to move it. Insider will not speculate on the reason, but this time around, the bill had 172 co-sponsors in the House at last count. If it has that much momentum, perhaps it will find more fans if, and when, it passes and moves to the Senate.
You can view the CCRKBA advertisement here.
Passage would be a real breakthrough for legally armed citizens who travel across state borders. Officials in New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, California, Massachusetts, Oregon and other states are vehemently opposed.
Also on board with this proposal are the NRA Institute for Legislative Action, Gun Owners of America, U.S. Concealed Carry Association and the National Shooting Sports Foundation. Surprisingly, some gun rights activists say they don’t like the idea because they worry about federal influence of any kind, and also insist the Second Amendment is their “license to carry.”
Under present circumstances, that’s not how it works. It’s an endeavor of “baby steps.” With 29 states now allowing permitless carry (they all still issue carry licenses for reciprocity purposes), and at least one or two other states considering “constitutional carry,” it may be only a matter of time.
If national concealed carry reciprocity appeals to you, H.R. 38 could be the mechanism to make it a reality.
Dave says a suede lining is easy on the finish of a handgun, so …
… He used some surplus pieces of leather to knock together rigs for,
from left, a 7 ½-inch Ruger New Vaquero, a 6 ½-inch Blackhawk,
and a 4 5/8-inch New Vaquero.
Interior Decorating
A while back, just as an experiment, I rebuilt a holster and lined it with suede. Turns out it was kind of a smart move because the softer leather has not seemed to create holster wear on the barrel or cylinder of my sixgun.
So, when I used some scrap leather to build rigs for a couple of other handguns, I continued to use suede and when I ran out, I substituted elk hide with the rough side out, and it’s even nicer to my revolvers.
I actually saw this lining in a photo of one other vintage holster a few weeks ago, so it’s not anything new.
But there’s more to it than just lining a holster with a nice soft “rough-side-out” leather. I’ve found that adding a few drops of some stuff called “Leather Lightning,” from Mitch Rosen, the maestro holster maker based in New Hampshire really slicks up the suede. One might also slick it up with a shot of Armor All.
I had just enough material for three holsters, one each for a pair of Ruger New Vaquero sixguns, one with a 4 5/8-inch barrel and the other with a 7 ½-inch barrel. The third rig was for my Ruger Blackhawk. Oil the outer holster surface to keep out moisture, or hand rug with neutral shoe wax. Works like a champ, even in the damp Pacific Northwest.
Low on the Hogg
Nothing says “we don’t care about your rights” like having a national political party elect one of the nation’s most prominent and vocal anti-gunners as its vice chairman, but last month, that’s exactly what the Democratic National Committee did by naming David Hogg to the post.
For those who have forgotten, Hogg is the one-time media darling in the aftermath of the 2018 school shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Fla. Described by media reports as a “Parkland survivor,” the now-24-year-old Hogg has graduated from Harvard and seems intent on getting in front of every television camera on the landscape, promoting gun control and himself.
He’s a high-profile gun prohibitionist (anybody who argues in favor of banning modern semi-auto rifles isn’t just a gun “control” advocate, that person is a “prohibitionist”). So, this election definitely sends a message to America’s gun owners. The DNC doesn’t care about your rights.
Just over two years ago, according to Wikipedia, Hogg posted a message on Twitter which declared there is no right of the individual to own a gun, and that the Second Amendment was written so states could organize their own militias. Maybe he slept through U.S. history in high school.
Hogg helped found the anti-gun student group known as March For Our Lives. The fledgling organization was quickly commandeered by the gun prohibition lobby, making it some sort of subsidiary to Michael Bloomberg’s Everytown for Gun Safety.
Oh, well. Henceforth, the party of gun control can’t plausibly claim to “support the Second Amendment” while one of their top officials has been doing what he can to infringe upon the right to keep and bear arms.
The announcement drew solid criticism from gun owners. The aforementioned CCRKBA issued a statement:
“By going ‘Whole Hogg,’ the DNC has not simply aligned itself with this show-boater, it has cast off any pretense that the party cares one whit about the Second Amendment rights of millions of Americans, including the young voters it now wants to embrace. Democrats marginalized themselves in the last election cycle with their radical anti-gun-rights agenda, which voters rejected. If they’re content to continue down that road with David Hogg in a leadership position, well, bless their hearts.”
Mailbag
Whose IWB Rig?
What make IWB holster is shown in the photo of the article “Are you packin” by Dave Workman. (Insider Online, Jan. 31).
Thank you.
Dennis DeWal
High Noon’s Tail Gunner is a rugged IWB holster.
Dave replies: Dennis, that’s a product from High Noon Holsters, P.O Box 1923, Tarpon Springs Fl, 34688. It’s called the “Tail Gunner.” Thanks for the inquiry and for reading Insider Online.
Started with Winchester
Dave, 81 year old retired cop here. Grew up on horse farms near Lexington Ky.
Started with Winchester single shot .22. Always been a rifleman. NRA distinguished expert age 17. Shoot all sorts of guns but always reach for a rifle. We are soft we will be dead in two weeks if electricity is turned off! I will die with a rifle in my hand!
— “Nine toed Ted”
Dave replies: Well, Ted, let’s hope you don’t cross that bridge for a long, long time, rifle in hand or not! Stay safe, stay healthy and thanks for reading Insider Online!
