T.Mike Curry Weblog

Why Gun People Always Have A Stockpile of Ammunition

I'm not sure why I've been thinking of this lately, but for some reason it's just been on my mind. No particular recent news article made me think of it. Perhaps it's just there've been so many online, printed, or broadcast stories over the years that it's just sort of stuck to the roof of my brain; a big to-do article comes out about some person's house being searched (many times for reasons unrelated to a weapons offense) and they find "a massive stockpile of ammunition" - which they always confiscate too, by-the-way. They always make it sound like there's something seriously wrong that George Doe had "hundreds of rounds of lethal ammunition". Invariably they quote some bystander or opinionated official who says something along the lines of "there's just no reason anyone could possibly need that much ammunition".

So why do all these people have these "massive stockpiles" of ammunition? The "drive-by media" (I'm starting to like that phrase) make it sound like the person must have been saving it up and hording it for years. What were they possibly going to do with all those deadly rounds of lethal lead? The media typically leaves the reader/listener hanging in suspense on that one, to ponder on their own worst fears of havoc and carnage.

Well let's look at widgets for a moment. You have a set amount of money you earn each month. Widgets cost a certain amount, and like everything else, the price always tends to go up. Fortunately, Widgets stay good and usable for a long time even after you've purchased them if stored properly. The manufacturer makes different types of widgets. There are little ones, medium ones, and big ones. Packaging and labor costs a certain amount and as is often the case, especially with the little ones, it's just not cost-affective to sell fewer than certain quantities per box; the labor and packaging costs more than the manufacturer can charge for the number of widgets in a too-small-a-quantity box. Occasionally there are special sale bargains like buy 2 get one free, or 10% off, and such. There are also price breaks if you buy larger quantities. Lastly, the demand for widgets is seasonal. Small widgets are popular year-round, but the medium widgets are primarily wanted by widget-consumers in the fall and the large widgets are in big demand in the spring. During the on-season the stores are crowded and mail-order is backed up. During the off-season it's often hard to find the widgets you want or they're only available in limited quantities. Some stores even quit carrying certain widgets completely during the off-season, to reduce their overhead costs and make more room on their shelves for faster moving, currently-in-season products.

So what does the widget consumer do? Knowing that the price will go up yet the widgets will still be good long after they've bought them, the consumer is inclined to buy now. To minimize the headache of shopping in crowded stores and standing forever in long checkout lines during the on-season, they are inclined to buy in quantity. Doing so also gives them the benefit of the price breaks at higher quantities, further inclining them toward buying larger quantities at a time. For those buyers who prefer the smaller widgets available year-round, the manufacturers only sell them in certain minimum quantities, so they end up buying larger amounts regardless, if simply because they have no other smaller purchase option. These consumers don't typically mind however, as the smaller widgets are less expensive and tend to get used up faster anyway. The buyers of the medium and large widgets also know that during the off-season it will be harder to find the widgets they want, and so they are yet again further inclined to buy larger quantities and "set some aside" (store them) for use later.

Now, go back and re-read the above two paragraphs and replace the word "widget" with the word "bullet".

It's actually very easy for even a modest gun owner to accumulate a quantity which meets the pervading media's definition of "a stockpile of ammunition" or a "lethal cache". Small caliber ammunition (like .22 rimfire for example) is typically sold in quantities of 100, 300, or 500 rounds and is rather inexpensive. Find it on sale, let's say a 'buy one get the second for half price' sale, and you can easily walk out with 200 to 1000 rounds of "lethal ammunition" and still have money left over for a BigMac (tm).

Medium caliber ammunition (like 9mm just to name one) is typically sold in cartons of 50, with a price break for 250 and 500 round boxes. Being such a popular round, you can frequently find it on sale somewhere, so again, people easily walk out with a couple cartons or boxes.

Other medium caliber and larger caliber ammunition (like shotgun shells, or hunting rifle shells, or .45ACP, or .357Magnum rounds) typically come in packages of 5, 10, 20 or 25. They are more expensive. Many of them are seasonal. Especially with the seasonal ammunition, people will buy as many of them as they can at a time for the best price they can find. And why not? After all, they keep for years if stored properly, the price is only going to be higher next year, and out-of-season they're harder to find. So... buy now and buy lots while you can.

So what it comes down to is most of the time the "ammo-hoarding gun-nuts" aren't gearing up for doomsday, they're just responding to common buyer economics. They're wisely making spending choices to maximize their purchase for the most equitable expense. Yes, there are a few real nut cases out there who really ~are~ stocking up on ammo for when the brain-sucking aliens invade earth, but the greater majority are just simply spending their money wisely.

( Jun 02 2007, 09:30:57 AM CDT ) Permalink

Castle Doctrine and PTA Repeal Passes Mo House
By a vote of 151 to 6 the SCS for HCS for SCS for SBs 62 & 41 (combined, perfected) bill passed the Missouri House. Next stop, the Governor's desk.

This bill defines the Castle Doctrine for Missouri; that within your home or vehicle you have a legal right to meet violent criminal force with force and defend yourself, without being required to first retreat. It also grants a person found lawfully justified in self-defense an immunity from criminal and civil lawsuit in connection with that act of self-defense. In addition, the Permit to Acquire (PTA) system for purchasing concealable firearms is repealed. Since the VT Tech tragedy, an addition was (slightly earlier) added regarding reporting of court-ordered mental health treatment to the NICS system. This bill also allows Federal flight deck officers and some retired police officers to carry concealed firearms without first obtaining a concealed-carry weapons (CCW) permit. Lastly, it allows law enforcement departments to sell confiscated firearms and keep the proceeds.
( May 16 2007, 08:53:11 PM CDT ) Permalink

Castle Doctrine and PTA Repeal
The Missouri Senate voted 29 yea and 3 nay to pass the Castle Doctrine and PTA repeal bill. This bill must now go back to the House and pass again before it can go on to the Governor for signing. It remains to be seen if this bill will make it with the very short time remaining in the current legislative session. Should it pass and be signed, it would go into affect on August 28th, 2007.

SCS for HCS for SCS for SBs 62 & 41 (combined, perfected) (that reads "Senate committee substitute for House committee substitute for Senate committee substitute for Senate Bills 62 & 41 combined and perfected") would make several significant changes in Missouri law regarding self-defense, the use of force, and how Missourian's purchase handguns.

This bill defines the Castle Doctrine for Missouri; that within your home or vehicle you have a legal right to meet violent criminal force with force and defend yourself, without being required to first retreat. It also grants a person found lawfully justified in self-defense an immunity from criminal and civil lawsuit in connection with that act of self-defense. In addition, the Permit to Acquire (PTA) system for purchasing concealable firearms is repealed. Since the VT Tech tragedy, an addition was (slightly earlier) added regarding reporting of court-ordered mental health treatment to the NICS system. This bill also allows Federal flight deck officers and some retired police officers to carry concealed firearms without first obtaining a concealed-carry weapons (CCW) permit. Lastly, it allows law enforcement departments to sell confiscated firearms and keep the proceeds.

You can read the Senate journal page to find what actions were taken and who voted for and against this bill.
( May 15 2007, 08:57:49 PM CDT ) Permalink

Missouri 2nd Amendment Gains in Trouble

Missouri's hopes for gaining ground on the 2nd Amendment were quite possibly dashed today as the Missouri Senate rejected the House changes to SB-62. The Missouri Senate has asked that the House either withdraw the changes or it will be sent to a conference committee. With little time remaining in the current legislative session, it is a most likely fate that this bill will simply fade away, lost in committee. If this happens, it will have to wait and be refiled next legislative session, where the whole process will have to start over again from scratch.

This is a sad fate for what was originally several prefiled bills. Over the legislative session these bills were drawn together into one bill, HCS SCS SBs 62 & 41. They-and-then-It went in and out of committee, and were voted on with highly favorable "Do Pass" margins in both the Missouri House and Senate. Unfortunately both sides kept making ammendments, forcing it to go back and forth in badminton-esque fashion between the House, Senate, and their committees.

Late Addition:
The Missouri House has decided not to decline its changes to SB-62. This means it will now go to a joint conference between the Senate and House.
( May 08 2007, 07:10:10 PM CDT ) Permalink

Restoring the 2nd Ammendment in Missouri
The HCS/SCS/SBs 62 & 41 bill is very close to going on to the Governor for a signature. Originally 62/41 started as several separate bills in both the Missouri House and Senate. As the different related bills went in and out of committee, they passed various votes and were combined to form what is now HCS/SCS/SBs 62 & 41. The Senate passed it and sent it to the House. The House made changes, and voted it "Do Pass" with 154 'yea' to 6 'nay' on May 2nd, 2007. Now this bill goes back to the Senate to consider the changes. If they pass it, it will go to the Governor's desk for (hopefully) a signature.

This bill is sponsored by Senator Jack Goodman. It would define that a lawful citizen "has no duty to retreat and has the right to meet force with force if he or she reasonably believes it necessary to do so to prevent death or great bodily harm or to prevent the commission of a forcible felony." It would also provide for immunity from civil suit in the event a lawful citizen was found justified in using lethal force in self-defense. In addition this bill would repeal the Permit To Acquire (PTA) requirements of Missouri law, as well reduce the current criminal penalty for transfer of a concealable firearm down to an infraction. In light of the recent VT Tech tragedy, it is likely that an additional ammendment regarding reporting of court-ordered mental health treatment to the NICS system will be added.

As this bill now goes back to the Senate, and since time in this current legislative session is running out, now is the time to contact your Senator and the Governor and let them know if you support this bill.

If signed by Governor Matt Blunt, this law would become effective on August 28, 2007.

( May 03 2007, 09:47:59 PM CDT ) Permalink Comments [2]

SIGNED: Confiscation Protection During State Emergencies
On April 13th, 2007, at the NRA Convention in St.Louis, Governor Matt Blunt signed SB-257 into law. This legislation prohibits the confiscation of lawfully possessed firearms or ammunition from citizens during a state of emergency. The ammendment to RSMo Chapter 44 will become affective on August 28, 2007. Similar legislation, dubbed "the Katrina Bill", has already passed in many other states.

And yes, I am rather behind in getting this posted!! However, since it doesn't become affective until August I could, with a bit of a stretch, argue that I'm actually posting this ~early~ since you'll have to wait several months for it to become active law... stretch, stretch!

  ( May 03 2007, 09:15:58 PM CDT ) Permalink

Confiscation Protection Bill Goes to Governor
Having made its way through the House and then the State Senate, it is now on Governor Matt Blunt's desk awaiting signature. Senate Bill 257 states that "The state, any political subdivision, or any person shall not prohibit or restrict the lawful possession, transfer, sale, transportation, storage, display, or use of firearms or ammunition during an emergency."

Contact Governor Matt Blunt if you are interested in urging him to sign this bill.

This bill passed easily through the House and Senate, and is expected to be signed in short order. After Katrina, many states have begun enacting anti-confiscation laws. This is indeed a good law to have, as it helps ensure citizens retain their 2nd Aemndment rights at a time when they may be most in need of this right. However, when you take a step back and look at the larger picture, big catastrophes and state emergencies don't actually occur all that often. For politicians, this bill is a fairly easy give-away to 2nd Amendment supporters. Although it is an important law to have enacted in Missouri, 2A supporters should be thankful, appreciative, and continue on with equal vigor supporting laws that protect their Constitional rights, as well as supporting the reduction of the multitude of useless restrictions and regulations which only the law-abiding adhere to and the criminals ignore.

( Apr 13 2007, 07:03:22 AM CDT ) Permalink Comments [1]

License Those Evil Bullets!

State Senator Eric Adams of Brooklyn, New York, wants to license bullets. He and others like him would further make laws that allow a person to only buy ammunition as specified for the firearm listed on a gun license. Purchases of bullets would also be registered with the State. The State bills Sen. Eric Adams and two others are proposing come after a tragic event were a man shot and killed a bartender and an auxiliary police officer in a Greenwich Village restaurant.

Although this is occurring in New York, similar legislation is also being proposed elsewhere around the country. And it could happen here. All it would take is for one unfortunate, tragic event to occur in Missouri, and the bills would come rolling in.

Unfortunately, these bills miss the point. The bullets are not evil. The guns do not attack people, kill them, rape them, nor rob them. Neither do the bullets that go in the guns. It is violent criminals who do these things. Criminals rob. Criminals commit murder. Criminals break into houses and steal things. Rather than introduce new bills, legislation, and laws, simply enforce the laws we have... and make the sentences stick.

Licensing and legal restrictions on bullets would affectively amount to nothing more than an attempt to condition people to licensing and legal restrictions. This serves well to pave the way for more licensing; past conditioning is a wonderful means of assuring acceptance of future further licensing and restrictions (just look at our tax code and our driver’s license renewal process!).

As with hand-guns, knives, and machetes, the law abiding citizens will obey and the criminals will continue to ignore the law. Meanwhile, valuable law enforcement time, funds, and effort will be spent tracking and recording all these licensed bullets... the huge majority of which will end up in dirt banks immediately after punching little holes through empty aluminum cans.

Read the story "Guns Aren't Enough - Pols Want Bullet Control" in the New York Post Online.

( Apr 06 2007, 11:30:15 PM CDT ) Permalink

Bob Barr in St.Louis, April 13th, 2007

Former Congressman Bob Barr will be speaking in St. Louis on April 13th, 2007 at 7:30pm. This speaking event, hosted by the Missouri Libertarian Party, will be about privacy rights and the second amendment. The event is free and will be held at the Renaissance Grand Hotel at 800 Washington Avenue in St. Louis, Missouri. Everyone is welcome to come to the Landmark IV room and enjoy the speech!

Additional good news is that if you are attending the NRA 136th Annual Meeting in St.Louis, this event does not conflict with other events on that Friday. The NRA exhibit hall closes at 6pm that day with no major evening events scheduled. However, if you feel like making a day of it, there is a NRA-ILA Grassroots Workshop also being held at the Renaissance Grand Hotel at 8am that morning. Keep in mind that even if your greater interests do not include second amendment rights, the principles and concepts discussed apply to other arenas of grassroots efforts as well (eminent domain, 4th amendment, and etc.).

Read an announcement of this event that has some more information over on the ShowMeFreedom.org web site.

( Apr 06 2007, 10:17:53 PM CDT ) Permalink

Permit-To-Acquire Going Away

It's a step in the right direction; Under current Missouri law, if a person sells or gives a small firearm to someone else, without first making the other person get a Permit To Acquire (PTA), then both people are guilty of a class A criminal misdemeanor. Missouri House Bill 462 would change that. If passed, HB462 would remove the much criticized PTA requirement and reduce the penalties down to an infraction (basically, a ticket) and at most a $100 fine. People would still be required to adhere to Federal 18 U.S.C. Section 922 however.

It's a start at reducing the daunting multitude of unnecessary gun restriction laws. It would also remove yet another opportunity for law abiding citizens to suddenly and unexpectedly become "criminals" who are "guilty" of a victim-less "crime".

House Bill 462 is sponsored by Representative Brian Munzlinger. This bill was recently reported as "do pass" on March 15th by the Missouri House.

( Mar 31 2007, 08:50:36 AM CDT ) Permalink

No Confiscation During Emergencies

The Missouri Senate today held a third reading for SB 257. This bill, if passed, would prohibit the confiscation of lawfully possessed firearms or ammunition during a state of emergency in Missouri.

This bill is sponsored by Senator Kevin Engler from District 3, who is also the Majority Caucus Whip. This bill is being handled by the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

Now, if not sooner, is definitely the time to contact your Missouri Senator and let it be known if you support this bill.

The irony of course is that we shouldn't even need to make this a law. It should already be taken as a given that such confiscations by government officials and law enforcement are prohibited. However, given the government ordered and sanctioned confiscations which have occured in recent years during emergencies, many states are passing laws very similar if not the same as this one.

View the online text of this bill and follow its progress.

( Mar 14 2007, 08:03:36 PM CDT ) Permalink Comments [1]

Missouri "Castle Doctrine" Possibly Close to Final Passage

Senate Bill 62, labelled the Missouri "Castle Doctrine" legislation, was introduced into the Senate by State Senator Jack Goodman of District 29. This bill is scheduled for a third reading and possible vote on the Missouri Senate floor on Monday, March 5, 2007.

This bill is intended to amend RSMo Chapter 563 of Missouri law covering the use of deadly force. If passed by the Senate, it would establish the "Castle Doctrine" for Missouri as well as providing for immunity to criminal and civil suits in cases of justified self-defense.

This bill has seen several modifications since its introduction. For example...

• The wording "any place a person has a lawful right to be" has been taken out of the online listed "Perfected" bill (563.0312.(2) and 3 - lines 26-31). The removal of this text has caused some consternation as it leaves only inside a person's dwelling, residence, or vehicle as places where Castle Doctrine protection can be claimed. Some proponents of this bill worry rural residents out on their property, but not in a home, for example, may be denied a Castle Doctrine defense because they were not in a "dwelling, residence, or vehicle". An alternate example expresses concern that someone placing groceries in their car trunk in a parking lot (a place where someone "has a legal right to be") could also be denied a Castle Doctrine defense with this wording. These sound like legitimate concerns, in light of how much courts and lawyers can be sticklers for the wording of the law.
  
  
• The inclusion of "criminal prosecution" as one of the immunities has been put back in the online listed "Perfected" bill (563.074.1). The House version had dropped this wording leaving only immunity to civil action. Proponents deam this item important as they fear it is entirely possible someone using a firearm in lawful self-defense could be found legally justified in using lethal force, yet still be charged with such things as brandishing a firearm, going in terror of the public, discharge of a firearm, criminal public endangerment, and etc.

This bill is scheduled for a Third Reading and possible vote in the Missouri Senate on Monday, March 5th, 2007.

• Senate Bill 62 Status
• Senate Bill 62 Action Taken
• Senate Bill 62 Text
• The committe handling this bill is the Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence Committee.

Previously this bill passed the Missouri House as the combined House Bill No. 189 & 60.

( Mar 03 2007, 08:53:04 PM CST ) Permalink Comments [2]

Welfare State "Bigger than Ever"
"The welfare state is bigger than ever despite a decade of policies designed to wean poor people from public aid."

So apparently after a decade of effort the welfare program wasn't really reduced. It was just sort of spread around more evenly amongst other government agencies. As well, it apparently now needs to increase expansion into more areas of job training to truely be successful.

Libertarian Principles: Avoidance of Government Programs
"Libertarians understand that government agencies are the only organizations that grow when they fail, and that have a built in bias against truly solving problems. Government problem solving programs create government employees whose jobs may go away if they succeed, but whose jobs and power will expand if the problem gets worse. Libertarians are committed to finding practical ways to get government out of everything possible."

( Mar 03 2007, 09:20:29 AM CST ) Permalink

Smoking Ban Consequences

Previously businesses which allowed smoking provided ashtrays, clean up, and proper disposal of all those cigarette butts left over from smokers. But not anymore. Now they're being dumped in the streets because inside ashtrays are forbidden and smokers must be 20 feet away from buildings. Now those butts are flowing into sewers, and washing into streams, ponds, and lakes. Now they're killing Daphnia.

Various Columbia officials and Health Department people have recently been quoted. They don't have funds for public ashtrays, plus it would send mixed messages about smoking. They hope businesses will step up and provide their own outdoor ashtrays and clean up. It's starting to be noted that it's the businesses' responsibility to clean the butts from their sidewalks and the people's responsibility not to litter in the first place. And apparently some consider littering even worse than smoking, which can only make one wonder what new ordinances and stronger fines will be imposed next.

Apparently they're not really having this problem so bad yet in Columbia because it's still cold out. However when it warms up and more people are outside... well, perhaps there will be new street sweeper positions open up with the City of Columbia in the Spring.

Before the smoking ban, businesses which allowed smoking voluntarily took on the extra effort to clean all their ashtrays and dispose of the butts. It appears now they will all be dumped in the street where they will blow around and get evenly distributed everywhere, so that all businesses can share the added time, effort, and expense of cleaning up the cigarette butts and wrappers.

The air may be cleaner inside the establishments, but now there are smokers standing 20 feet outside through whom patrons must thread their way to get inside, inhaling second-hand smoke as they walk along the way. Afterward they have to thread their way back out again, inhaling more second-hand smoke. Before the ban, all the smokers got to sit and be warm over in their section of the establishment. The non-smokers could walk from their cars, along the sidewalk, and into the non-smoking section without inhaling second-hand smoke and not having to unstick menthol filters from the bottoms of their shoes.

Maybe these all sound like little things; minor annoyances and small reasons to be concerned. Remember however that it is the little things that add up. An ordinance here, a restriction there, bit by bit creating more government control in areas of our lives which simply don't need the arm and hand of government going around holding on to to us and guiding us in the right way to live our lives.

Daphnia by the way, is a fresh water crustacean "often called a water flea", according to the online article As the Smoke Clears in the Columbia Missourian (February 25th, 2007).

( Mar 03 2007, 12:14:38 AM CST ) Permalink Comments [1]

Self-Defense Right Protection During Emergencies

Introduced by Representative David Pearce, Missouri House Bill 669 would amend RSMo 44 by adding one new section. This new section, if passed, would protect citizens of Missouri from firearms confiscation during state or local emergencies. As of this posting, this bill had been sent to the House Special Committee on General Laws.

The text of HB669 reads in a simple and straightforward manner...

"44.101. The state, any political subdivision of this state, or any person shall not prohibit or restrict the lawful possession, transfer, sale, transportation, storage, display, or use of firearms or ammunition during an emergency."

Hopefully this bill will pass in both the House and the Senate. After all, what good is a right if it is immediately taken away when it is actually needed. Similar legislation has already passed in many other states.

( Feb 21 2007, 05:06:43 AM CST ) Permalink Comments [1]