CHARLESTON, S.C. (Oct. 27, 2009) Army Sgt. Brad Paxton and Sgt. Tim Brooder, assigned to Superior Training for Superior Response (STSR) and Goose Creek Police Department, provide instruction on how to utilize the high/low technique to maximize spread of fire toward aggressors to students assigned to Naval Weapons Station Charleston. (U.S. Navy photo by Machinist's Mate 3rd Class Juan Pinalez/Released)

Get a load of the rifles they’re using.

Story here: NWS Charleston New Police Officers Complete Tactical Training

It’s that family tradition of hunting that introduces most people to the sport. And it’s what keeps them coming back.

But in the past few years, the number of people hunting has continued its decade-long decline in South Carolina. As the number of hunters has declined so have sales of shotguns and rifles in the state.

Earlier I posted that South Carolina, like many states, just set a new conceal carry permit record. Something else noted in that story, though, is that the sales of both shotguns and rifles are declining. Last year saw a 9% decline in the number of hunting licenses issued in the state since 1999. Not huge, but it’s a significant number. Background checks for rifles and shotguns in South Carolina have dropped by 18% over the same period. Though transactions between individuals for these guns won’t show up in those numbers, transactions between individuals will be used guns, meaning that the sales of new long guns are down.

It would be interesting to see if rifle sales saw an increase in 2009 due to the great AR Rush. Many of those buying new rifles are not buying them to hunt.

As of mid-October, 28,197 new concealed weapons permits have been issued this year by South Carolina’s State Law Enforcement Division.

It’s an annual record that already has surpassed the 14,630 new permits issued in all of 2008 and by far outstrips all previous years, according to SLED statistics.

Giant Gator Photo Gallery at Outdoor Life

Lexington, South Carolina:

The suspect, Raymond Antonio Metze, 17, of 212 Crestridge Drive, Lexington, was booked Sunday at the Lexington County Detention Center on charges of armed robbery and possessing a weapon during the commission of a violent crime. He is in jail under $100,000 bond.

A black BB pistol that resembled a semiautomatic handgun was used in the robbery, a Sheriff’s Department spokesman said…

According to warrants and reports from deputies, shortly before midnight, the 29-year-old delivery man — from Papa John’s on 3937 Platt Springs Road — brought pizza to 236 Crestridge Drive. The home was vacant.

After the delivery man knocked on the front door, a man came from the side of the house with what appeared to be a handgun and demanded cash.

The pizza delivery man gave him a little more than $200.

As the pizza delivery man left, the suspect kept pointing his fake pistol at him. Not knowing it was fake and only fired BBs, the pizza man pulled his handgun. It was real, a 9mm semiautomatic.

He fired one shot, wounding the suspect in his chest.

No doubt some will wonder whether the shooting was truly necessary, as the pizza guy had handed over the cash and was already trying to leave. Murdoc suspects that the delivery driver no doubt felt threatened and that his life was in danger, and the robber’s gun (though it turned out to be fake) justifies that feeling. Still, I wouldn’t be surprised to hear complaints that the pizza guy’s response “wasn’t proportional” or some such.

Last I heard, Papa John’s has a policy against delivery drivers arming themselves.

Thanks for the heads up to Say Uncle, who wrote

Real gun beats fake gun.

Yep. Almost every time.

On June 11, the top law enforcement officials of nearly half the states signed a letter to U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder, expressing their opposition to reinstatement of the federal ban on semi-automatic firearms.

“We share the Obama Administration’s commitment to reducing illegal drugs and violent crime within the United States. We also share your deep concern about drug cartel violence in Mexico. However, we do not believe that restricting law-abiding Americans’ access to certain semi-automatic firearms will resolve any of these problems,” the letter said.

The letter notes congressional opposition to bringing back the ban, and calls for increasing enforcement of existing laws.

We encourage NRA members to let these state officials know we appreciate them standing up to the incessant clamor for gun control that is currently coming from anti-gun groups and their media allies.

The 23 state Attorneys General, in alphabetical order, by state, are:

Arkansas – The Honorable Dustin McDaniel
Alabama – The Honorable Troy King
Colorado – The Honorable John W. Suthers
Florida – The Honorable Bill McCollum
Georgia – The Honorable Thurbert E. Baker
Idaho – The Honorable Lawrence G. Wasden
Kansas – The Honorable Steve Six
Kentucky – The Honorable Jack Conway
Louisiana – The Honorable James D. Caldwell
Michigan – The Honorable Mike Cox
Missouri – The Honorable Chris Koster
Montana – The Honorable Steve Bullock
Oklahoma – The Honorable W.A. Edmonson
Nebraska – The Honorable Jon Bruning
Nevada – The Honorable Catherine Cortez Masto
New Hampshire – The Honorable Kelly A. Ayotte
North Dakota – The Honorable Wayne Stenehjem
South Carolina – The Honorable Henry McMaster
South Dakota – The Honorable Lawrence Long
Texas – The Honorable Greg Abbott
Utah – The Honorable Mark L. Shurtleff
Wisconsin – The Honorable J.B. Van Hollen
Wyoming – The Honorable Bruce A. Salzburg

The entire letter (PDF) is available HERE.

Pizza Hut has a 'no guns' policy for its deliver drivers. Fortunately, some of them risk their job and ignore it.

An ambushed pizza guy shot and killed one of four attackers in Columbia, South Carolina:

[Christopher Steven] Miller had a concealed weapons permit and was trying to retreat from his attackers while being beaten by one of them, Metts said. Such a permit allows a person to carry a hidden gun.

Miller carried a .45-caliber Taurus handgun in a fanny pack and took it out and fired while being beaten backward, Metts said. Such large-caliber pistols are known for their “stopping power” — the ability to bring down an attacker instantly.

No weapons were recovered from Sturgill, Metts said.

Metts said Sunday afternoon it appears Miller acted within the law and will not face charges. However, police have made no final decisions and will discuss the incident with prosecutors, he said.

Obviously the article is written as if people reading have little or no understanding about guns or firearms laws, which might be irritating to us but isn’t so bad as long as it’s not unbalanced.

At least one of the attackers apparently has, surprise surprise, gang connections.

Since Miller works for Pizza Hut, which has a company policy against employees carrying weapons for self-defense, he’s probably going to be looking for a job once his broken nose heals.

A lot of folks, including some at Pizza Hut, are going to argue that it’s not worth shooting someone over a few dollars in cash. Except that the pizza guy was retreating and was pursued and beaten. Apparently, the attack was launched pretty quickly. It doesn’t sound like a case where the pizza guy was going to avoid it.

It’s not worth shooting someone over a few bucks?

How about it’s not worth getting yourself shot over a few bucks? That’s the right way to ask it. You don’t want to risk getting yourself shot? Don’t ambush pizza guys.

I’ve got to credit Sheriff Metts, at least as portrayed in the write-up:

“At this point in time, his (Miller’s) actions look very appropriate,” Metts said, describing them as apparent “self-defense” because Miller was retreating and his assailants continued to attack.

and especially

Metts said that although an investigation will continue, one thing about Miller’s using his weapon is clear:

“This sends a loud message to the criminal element — you don’t know who’s going to be armed and who’s not going to be armed when you go to rob someone.”

Items recently confiscated at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina

Since there has been a rash of weapons related incidents recently, the Provost Marshals Office has made it a priortity to emphasize safety among the Marines, Sailors and civilians aboard the Tri-Command area.

According to Randy Walz, the services officer with PMO, numerous weapons to include a Russian AK-47, rifles, shotguns, assorted ammunition and large knives were confiscated during the past weekend.

While all weapons are not illegal on military installations, Walz answered our questions pertaining to weapon regulations.

Who does this requirement pertain to?

“It pertains to anyone who resides, works or visits the Tri-Command area installations. If anyone brings a weapon onto a Tri-Command installation it must be registered with PMO or the Master at Arms at the Naval Hospital, even if the person is passing through the area to just drop someone off.”

What kind of weapons need to be registered?

“All pistols, rifles, knives with blades over three inches [including K-Bars], bows, paintball guns, spear guns, compressed air weapons [includes BB/pellet guns], shotguns, swords [including decorative, Officer or Non-Commissioned Officer Swords are not subject to registration], and all the assorted martial arts weaponry.”

Read the rest at DVIDS. Another pic below…

Confiscated weapons

Homeland Park, SC:

Neighbors said they heard what sounded like a high-powered assault rifle go off just after 9 p.m. Wednesday.

It would be interesting to ask the neighbors what specific aspects of the sound made it sound like a “high-powered assault rifle” rather than a regular-powered assault rifle, or even just a regular non-assault rifle. How was it different, from their living rooms or wherever they were when they heard it, from a handgun. Maybe play them a tape of ten different guns and ask them to pick out the “high-powered assault rifles.”

Heck, I’d be interested in hearing what they think a “high-powered assault rifle” even is.