By Chris Covert
Rantburg.com
The latest legal battle for gun controllers was won last week in Connecticut when a US Federal judge ruled that the entirety for Connecticut's assault weapons ban is constitutional, citing a competitive "balance" between gun rights and the public interest of reducing violence. Balance tests such as these take into account only the government's interest, suborning rights in the US Constitution to that interest. Comments in the patriot blogs confidently predict that the Supreme Court will strike down the law. I don't feel any safer with that expectation, suborning my right to keep and bear arms to yet another government employee. But the other, bigger question is what will you do if SCOTUS doesn't strike down the law: You gonna register your gun?
More details on the Maryland traffic stop of a legal gun owner by Maryland state authorities: Seems they used an automatic license plate reader, which generates an alert, which sent a uniformed STASI to intercept the driver even though the driver had done nothing wrong. The alert was generated because the license was linked to a gun owner. The writer in the linked post said he had no problem with using automatic license plate readers. Good serf.
In firearm manufacturing news Beretta is moving a factory to Tennessee, citing a favorable environment for guns. Beretta has made good on its threat after Maryland banned ARs and tightened its gun laws.
Kurt Hoffman says the "assault weapons" registration rate in Connecticut may be 10 percent, which is a number I suggest is much closer to the truth. At the moment the registration rate of "assault rifles" is at 18 percent and not likely to go lower. The weapons magazines registration rate, going by the article, is less than one percent it would appear.
The story of a 72 year old man shot to death by a rookie police officer who was in the wrong house, who then is not charged with the murder, will become commonplace should Connecticut decide to act on the resistance to register guns.
Rantburg's summary for arms and ammunition:
Ammunition for pistol and rifle ammunition were mixed.
Prices for all classes of used firearms were mixed to mostly lower.
Pistol Ammo
.45 Caliber, 230 grain, From Last Week: Unchanged
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt, Tulammo, steel cased, .30 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 5000 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf, reloaded, steel cased, .33 per round (+.01 Each from last week)
.40 Caliber Smith & Wesson, 180 grain, From Last Week: -.02 Each (Unchanged, previous 3 weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Selway Armory, Ultra Max, reloaded brass, .28 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Blue Core Shooting Center, P&G Performance, reloaded, .28 per round (From Last Week: -.04 Each (After +.02 Each from last week )
9mm Parabellum, 115 grain, From Last Week: +.05 Each (!) (After -.06 Each from last week, after unchanged for 2 weeks)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt, Trajetech, reloaded, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Blue Core Shooting Center, P&P Performance, Factory seconds, .23 per round (-.01 Each after unchanged 2 weeks)
.357 Magnum, 158 grain, From Last Week: -.01 Each (+.04 Each from last week after unchanged (Two weeks))
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Georgia Arms, No Label, reloaded, .43 per round
Cheapest Bulk: 1,000 Rounds: Bulk Ammo, PMC, .56 per round (From last week: Unchanged)
Rifle Ammunition
.223 Caliber/5.56mm 55 grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Cheaper Than Dirt, Tulammo, steel cased, .25 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: SG Ammo, Wolf Polyformance, steel cased, .29 per round (-.01 Each from last week)
.308 NATO 145 grain, From Last Week: -.05 Each (!) ( +.05 Each from two weeks ago (Unchanged 5 of 7 previous weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Munire USA, Prvi Partizan, brass cased, .59 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: Ammunition to Go, Prvi Partizan, brass cased, .65 per round (Unchanged (2 weeks))
7.62x39 AK 123 Grain, From Last Week: +.01 Each (Unchanged previous 4 of 6 weeks)
Cheapest, 20 rounds: Alamo Ammo, Wolf Polyformance, steel core and case, .26 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 1,000 rounds: The Sportsman Outdoor Super Store, Wolf, steel core and case, .22 per round (Unchanged (2 weeks))
.22 LR 40 Grain, From Last Week: -.03 Each (From Last Week: +.03 Each)
Cheapest, 50 rounds: Midsouth Shooters Supply, Lapua, .09 per round
Cheapest Bulk, 500 rounds: Matchez Shooter Supplies, Remington, .08 per round
Guns for Private Sale
Rifles
.223/5.56mm (AR Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $699 Last Week Avg: $782 (-)
California: Smith & Wesson M&P-15: $795
Texas: American Tactical Imports: $550
New York: Mixed Build: $900 (Same Gun)
Virgina: Del-Ton 316: $570
Florida: Smith & Wesson M&P-15: $680
.308 NATO (AR-10 Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,568 Last Week Avg: $1,400 (+)
California: Rock River Armory: $1,700
Texas: Smith & Wesson M&P-10: $1,320
New York: None Available
Virginia: Armalite AR-10: $1,650
Florida:Sig Sauer 716: $1,600
7.62x39mm (AK Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $670 Last Week Avg: $690(-)
California: WASR: $600
Texas: WASR: $550
New York: Unspecified Build: $1,000
Virginia: Saiga: $600
Florida: Romak: $600
7.62x54mm (Dragunov Pattern Semiautomatic) Average Price: $1,440 Last Week Avg: $1,545 (-)
California: Romak PSL: $1,689 (Same Gun)
Texas: Romak PSL: $1,000 (!)
New York: None
Virginia: None
Florida: Romak: $1,600
Pistols
.45 caliber ACP (M1911 Pattern Semiautomatic Pistol) Average Price: $580 Last Week Avg: $518 (+)
California: Ruger SR1911: $550
Texas: Springfield: $500
New York: Springfield: $750
Virginia: Rock Island Armory: $550
Florida: Rock Island Armory: $550
9mm Beretta 92FS or other Semiautomatic Average Price: $425 Last Week Avg: $395 (+)
California: Ruger P85: $400
Texas: Bersa Thunder: $425
New York: Kawr CW-9: $450
Virginia: Kawr CW-9: $400
Florida: Bersa Thunder: $450
.40 caliber S&W (Glock and other semiautomatic) Average Price: $420 Last Week Avg: $442 (-)
California: Glock 35: $500
Texas: EAA Witness: $350
New York: Glock 23: $475
Virginia: Smith & Wesson SD40VE: $350
Florida: Glock 23: $425
Used Gun of the Week: (From Virginia)
Springfield M1A SOCOM II (Evil Black Rifle Mod) (Semiautomatic) Chambered in 7.62 NATO (Beautiful rifle!)
Chris Covert writes Mexican Drug War and national political news for Rantburg.com and BorderlandBeat.com. He can be reached at grurkka@gmail.com.
