Lockheed AC-130 Gunship

The Lockheed/Boeing AC-130 Gunship is among the most heavily armed ground-attack aircraft in the world. The United States Air Force uses this Lockheed-built airframe to attack ground targets using weapons ranging from a 25mm Gatling gun to a 105mm howitzer.

Working mainly as close air support of fighting forces on the ground, these large planes are a part of the Air Forces Special Operations Command. It is a fixed-wing airplane that is outfitted for fighting by the defense contracting arm of Boeing. My research shows about 25 planes in active service.

The AC-130 Gunship has defensive armor to protect its heroic crew of 13 against harm from external threats.

Some video of the plane in action:

Guns are better than Swords

For those that were not aware-Guns are superior to swords for fighting.

It has been a while since I last saw the Harrison Ford moving “Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark,” and I totally forgot about a very funny scene.  It is short and sweet, but clearly demonstrates why guns are better than swords for fighting.

Enjoy!

SCOTUS McDonald v Chicago

The ruling on Monday, June 28, 2010 by  the US Supreme Court  in the case of McDonald v Chicago is  historic and important.  The  5-4 decision in  favor  of the individual right to keep and bear arms was an important upholdance of the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the United States of America.

Many people rightly have concern about the four dissenting votes in this case.  Rightly so.  We seem to have four Justices at the highest level of the Judicial Branch of the U.S. government that do not interpret the Second Amendment to mean that individuals have the  right to own  firearms to protect and defend.

My first thought on hearing of this close decision was this:

“What if the ruling had gone the other way?”

What would the reaction of the pro-gun rights crowd be?   Of  course it would be peaceful, though the media might warn   of cases of violence.  I do  not believe that this ruling would have been “The straw that broke the camel’s back.”

I  am  an  optimist, and I believe that a ruling  in favor of the City of Chicago’s   gun  ban would  have strengthened the pro-gun rights movement.  The election of President Obama was a large awakening for the movement.  Without any direct threat  or promise, many feared a change in the White House would greatly affect their Second Amendment rights.  These fears were well founded by facts and previous actions of  the President and his men.

This was a close victory for those that believe in the great American right to keep and bear arms.  Let us not take this victory for granted and  fail to see the other challenges in the future.  Many elements  of society still want to make it illegal   for law-abiding citizens to own firearms with which to defend themselves.  They will work any other avenues available.

William Shatner on Gun Control

I have never been a big fan of William Shatner’s work, but I did find a little piece that is sort of funny.  This clip on gun control.

Not that far-fetched from a real-world scenario where a person is being robbed. Demonstrates again how things might turn out for those that are unarmed.

AR-10 .308 Rifle

Many are fans of the AR-10 rifle by Armalite.  Developed in the years following World War II, it incorporates many groundbreaking advances over previous rifles.

The AR-10 was developed using trusty and dependable .308 ammo that could be fired in both semi and fully automatic modes.  Eugene Stoner in the late 1950s at ArmaLite came up with the plan of using corrosion-resistant metals and plastics and modular construction so major parts can be easily interchanged.  The .308 (7.62mm x 51 NATO)  was deemed too heavy for most combat troops, and led to the adoption by the U.S. military of the M16, which is of the same design but uses smaller ammunition (5.56x 39).  This was done as a way to reduced weight of the firearm and the required ammunition.

The AR-10 is in use today by some parts of the NATO military, and has seen a huge popularity growth among civilians.  The .308 is a great round for hunting, and the gun is modern and easy to clean.  Many different manufacturers have versions of the gun that sometimes interchange.  There are tons of customization options available as well.  The modular design of the gun allows for quick and easy changes of major items such as the barrel.

I found a couple of great videos demonstrating some of the early development and history of the firearm.  Enjoy!

This gun is definitely something that is worth checking out for you civilian hunters out there.  The gun is easy and inexpensive to modify yourself.  It is easy to clean.  It is adaptable to many different looks and features as well.

Second Amendment March on April 19, 2010

The Second Amendment March occurred on April 19, 2010 in Washington D.C.  Many other smaller marches occurred across the country to spread the awareness of the importance of the right to keep and bear arms.

The peaceful Washington demonstration did not included guns, as the rules are very strict in the District of Columbia.  It did feature many good citizens that care deeply about their rights and freedoms.  It did receive lots of positive media coverage, and some that was not so flattering.

Youtube user NoGuff posted a great video demonstrating the flavor of the Washington event for those of us that could not be there.  Thanks to NoGuff for his work.