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Is the IWI Masada the Sig P320 Killer? Not Quite Yet (But Maybe Soon) by JORDAN MICHAELS

Israel Weapon Industries (IWI) is a legendary gun maker. Its Tavor and Jericho weapons systems are in service in law enforcement and military agencies all over the world, but until last year, IWI had yet to develop a striker-fired handgun.

That changed with the Masada. The polymer-framed, striker-fired, 9mm mimics the best attributes of its plastic-gun predecessors. It’s comfortable and easy to shoot, and it boasts a great trigger and oversized, ambidextrous controls. It’s optics-ready and comes with four plates to accommodate the Trijicon RMR, Vortex Venom, Leupold Delta Point Pro, and Sig Sauer Romeo1. And it comes with three backstraps to customize the grip size.

“With other countries, including NATO allies, running to the striker-fired pistol, we decided to go down this path sooner than later,” Jeremy Gresham, IWI US’s Director of Sales and Marketing, told me via phone. “Rather than fighting it, we needed to be a part of it. Thus, came the Masada pistol as we know it today.”

An optics-ready striker-fired handgun from IWI would be news enough, but the Masada’s serialized trigger assembly is what really turned heads. Much like the uber-popular Sig P320, the IWI’s trigger assembly is what “counts” as the “firearm.” The entire unit can be removed and placed into a different sized frame that can accommodate a different sized slide and barrel (theoretically, at least – more on this below).

Here’s the real kicker: IWI is offering the Masada for the ridiculously low price of $480 MSRP.

Model Number(s) M9ORP10, M9ORP17
Caliber 9mm Parabellum
Action Semi-auto
Operating System Striker Fired
Magazine Type IWI, Steel
Magazine Capacity 10 Round, 17 Round
Barrel Material Polygonal Rifled, Cold Hammer Forged
Barrel Length 4.1″
Overall Length 7.4″
Weight 1.43 lbs.
Rifling 1:10 RH
Sights 3 Dot
MSRP $480.00

IWI?

For most gun nuts, IWI needs no introduction, but it doesn’t have quite the same name recognition in the U.S. as companies like Ruger, Smith & Wesson, or Springfield. IWI began as Israel Military Industries (IMI) in the 1930s, and in the 1950s the company started working directly with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). IWI is the privatized small arms division of the IMI, and the U.S. based IWI US, Inc. launched in 2013.

IWI works directly with the IDF to, according to the company’s website, “develop small arms based upon the dynamic changes in real-world applications due to the ongoing threat of global terrorism.” IWI’s firearms have been adopted by militaries in Chile, Columbia, Georgia, India, Mexico, Nigeria, Peru, Portugal, Thailand, Ukraine, Vietnam, and many more.

The Masada was designed in Israel by IWI and manufactured in Middletown, PA, for the U.S. market.

When I asked Gresham what makes the Masada unique, he cited IWI’s storied history and rock-solid R&D process.

“We’re not another fly-by-night company. We’re a company that’s over 80 years old,” he said. “We do things right, out of the gate. We don’t release a product until it’s ready. Far too often a company releases product and it needs updates.”

They understand from experience the need for a quality product. IWI’s team in the U.S. is filled with former law enforcement and military, and much of the team in Israel has served in some kind of armed conflict.

“We took in end-user input whether from current employees or users in the field and built a solid weapons system backed by over 80 years of being in business,” Gresham said.

Torture Test

That’s a good start, but how did IWI ensure its product is ready for the real world?

Testing, testing, testing, Gresham said.

The team in Israel doesn’t send a product to the U.S. until it’s passed a 30,000-round torture test. Then, in the U.S., the Masada underwent another 30,000-round torture test. In this test, product engineers ensured that the slide locked back to the rear at the end of each mag, and testers put the slide back into battery by pressing the optic onto a solid barrier. They then tested to ensure that point of impact hadn’t shifted.

“Mounting systems have always been the Achilles heel of slide-ride type optics, and we wanted to make sure ours was solid,” Gresham said.

How’s It Shoot?

That testing paid off. I wasn’t able to conduct a 30,000-round torture test (thanks, COVID), but I did send quite a few hollow-point and round-nosed rounds down range without any malfunctions. I even replicated IWI’s back-into-battery optics test and achieve the same result: no noticeable point of impact shift.

The Masada is a pleasure to shoot. I say that about a lot of guns (guns are fun!), but I really mean it this time. The ergonomics are excellent, and the texturing on the grip is a great balance of grippy and smooth.

I also really liked the oversized and ambidextrous controls. I prefer using the slide release lever rather than gripping the back of the slide to return the gun to battery, so the oversized button was perfect for me. The mag release is also positive and slightly oversized, and the mags drop freely.

Serrations on the front and rear of the slide aid in loading and the rail allows for optics and lasers to be mounted.

Oversized controls, nice grip texturing, and great ergonomics combine to make the Masada a pleasure to shoot.

The sights are no-nonsense three-dot affairs, but this gun screams electronic optics, so you may not ever use them. Unlike many other firearms (here’s looking at you, HK), the Masada comes with all the plates and screws you need to mount any of the compatible optics. I didn’t have any trouble mounting the Leupold Delta Point Pro I used for this review, and the optic held steady during the course of my testing.

The optics plates are polymer, which I realize won’t appeal to some folks. Maybe polymer plates are less reliable than steel, but, again, IWI says they conducted extensive torture testing without an issue, and my experience matched theirs.

The Masada comes with plates for four of the most popular optics (not pictured: Leupold Deltapoint Pro).

The trigger is good. Mine was mushy towards the wall, but the six-pound break is still relatively clean, and there isn’t any overtravel. In that way, I’d say it’s comparable to a factory Glock trigger – maybe a little better. The trigger isn’t the gun’s strongest suit, but I didn’t find it to hinder my ability to put shots on target. On the contrary, I hit everything I aimed at with the Masada.

That’s probably also due to the gun’s inherent accuracy. At 25 yards, the gun grouped in the 3-4” range, and at 15 yards those groups shrunk down to 1.5-2”. I used a Ransom Multi Cal Steady Rest for all testing along with two different 9mm loads from Hornady.

Nice group here from 15 yards.

Sig P320 Killer?

Sig’s P320 was a big deal when it was released because it was the first totally modular, widely available handgun. Sig accomplished this feat by serializing the trigger assembly rather than the frame. With a serialized trigger, users could swap out smaller or larger frames and slides without having to do paperwork for a different gun. This functionality also allowed users to customize their firearm to suit their specific needs and physical characteristics.

The Masada also features a removable serialized trigger assembly, but unlike Sig, IWI hasn’t released any different frames or slides.

I asked Gresham about this, and here’s what he said:

“Obviously, that would make the most sense, but I do not have any information about that at the current moment. But being that it is a modular system, that would make the most sense, yes.”

When I pointed out that there would be a huge market for another modular handgun, he just said, “Agreed.”

The serialized trigger assembly can be easily removed from the frame, but so far IWI hasn’t released any other slides or frame sizes.

You can read between the lines and form your own theories. Maybe IWI developed the gun for a modular handgun contract they didn’t secure. Maybe they have different priorities right now. From Gresham’s statements, it sounds like IWI knows the Masada could rival the P320, but right now, for whatever reason, they aren’t pursuing that at this time.

It’s similar to the P320 in other ways, however. The Masada’s barrel and overall length are both about 0.5” shorter, and it’s about 5oz lighter (25.2 oz), but the overall dimensions feel familiar. I’d give the nod to the P320’s trigger based on the P320’s I’ve used, but otherwise, the Masada is equally comfortable to shoot and just as user-friendly.

Applications

I can see this firearm filling a variety of needs – from home defense to competition to concealed carry. It’s probably a little big for that last option, but Gresham said it’s been approved for USPSA Production and Carry Optics competitions.

While Gresham admitted that it might not stand up against purpose-built race guns, I agreed with his overall assessment: “It’s a well-built pistol that generally can serve any role you put it in,” he said.

The Masada is a fantastic option for home defense.

With a 17-round magazine, rail for a flashlight, and plates for optics, it’s a perfect home defense firearm. If you’re a first-time gun owner looking to defend your home without spending more than $500 on a firearm, I’d give the Masada a look. If you don’t plan on purchasing an optic, however, be sure to get the sights swapped out for night sights.

Gresham mentioned that IWI has submitted the Masada to law enforcement all over the U.S., along with agencies abroad. While none of them haven’t bitten yet, he said individual officers have purchased it for duty use.

The Masada is a great handgun at a great price.

Final Shots

Considering its features and the reputation of IWI, the Masada might be the best value in full-sized striker-fired handguns on the market. It may not be able to challenge the P320 yet, but that might change in the near future. If you can find a Masada in the middle of this panic-induced gun-buying spree, snatch it up – and get on the Masada bandwagon before it leaves you behind.

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All About Guns Born again Cynic! Cops

“Thousands” of guns, gun parts stolen from ATF By Tom Knighton

AP Photo/Morry Gash
The ATF has been up to quite a lot, recently. We’ve outlined a lot of their shenanigans here, though I’m sure there’s plenty we were unaware of. They’re likely to get away with it, at least for the time being, by arguing that it’s their job to make sure guns don’t end up in the wrong hands.

And, to some extent, that’s true.

However, it seems they suck more at their jobs than we thought.

With inflation, prices are up pretty much across the board, but if you’re looking for a new gun for recreation or self-defense, here’s a hint: the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) is offering them at an absolute steal. Seriously, the federal agency tasked with enforcing firearms regulations has such poor security that thousands of guns and gun parts once in its possession disappeared in the hands of thieves. And it has yet to fully implement recommended reforms.

 

“Since September 2015, the ATF has utilized the National Disposal Branch (NDB), formerly the National Firearms and Ammunition Destruction (NFAD) Branch, to centralize and streamline the disposal process of forfeited and ATF-owned firearms. Each year, the ATF destroys thousands of firearms at the NDB,” the U.S. Justice Department’s Inspector General noted in announcing a recent report. “The DOJ Office of the Inspector General (OIG) undertook this audit following the discovery that thousands of firearms, firearm parts, and ammunition had been stolen from NFAD from 2016 to 2019.”

 

So, for three years, the agency that enforces every petty and intrusive federal regulation regarding firearms (as well as alcohol, tobacco, and explosives) let its own security personnel (“a DHS contract security guard was convicted in connection with these thefts”) pilfer its inventory.

 

Strictly speaking, the report isn’t about the thefts themselves, which were discovered by accident during a traffic stop. The recent report delved into the ATF’s progress in implementing anything resembling the security procedures it requires of the private gun dealers it oversees—or maybe just something more challenging than leaving “intact weapons … in unsecured boxes and unlocked containers.” So, how is the ATF doing at storing firearms at least as securely as you might expect of private businesses?

In short, not particularly well.

Now, let’s understand here that the ATF has been quick to hammer gun stores for every clerical error they can find, shutting down stores now over what would have been a warning at most a year or two back. They expect everyone to get everything perfect and if you don’t, your FFL is in jeopardy.

Meanwhile, they’re leaving guns around in boxes for literally anyone to walk off with.

I’m not a big fan of the ATF, but they exist and our tax dollars pay for them to do a certain job. That job isn’t to harass mom-and-pop gun stores into extinction. It’s to keep guns out of the hands of the bad guys.

Yet by not implementing basic security measures from the start, they’ve facilitated those same bad guys getting guns.

I mean, did they think thieves wouldn’t want to get their hands on seized firearms or something? Did someone honestly not realize this could potentially be a thing?

Now that they know, I’m left wondering why they haven’t already tripped over themselves to implement every necessary security measure possible to try and prevent this kind of thing.

What I do know is that the ATF lost any moral authority it had, not that it had much to begin with.

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Unboxing & Inspection: S&W Model 39

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When you hear “Enough of this shit!”

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Shooting a Springfield 1884 Trapdoor

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All About Guns The Green Machine

War Trophies: Bring Back Guns Gaining in Value

The deadliest and most violent war in human history led to the production of millions and millions of guns.

Guns like the much revered M1 Garand and M1911 ended up as surplus weapons, distributed through the Civilian Marksmanship program or, like the Garand and M1 Carbine, were sold out of barrels at the local sporting goods and gun stores for hunting.

But some guns ended up as trophies in the homes of the soldiers, sailors, and airmen who fought in the war after being carried home in a duffle bag or foot locker — “the bring back gun.”

Surrender-Nambu-on-background-3This Nambu Type 14 pistol was surrendered by a Japanese general at Ie Shima in World War 2. It is available as Lot 2471 in the June 22-24 Sporting and Collector Auction.

War Souvenirs

Napoleon promoted taking war trophies. Today, Ukrainian farmers tow away Russian tanks. The Hague Convention of 1907 put limitations on war trophies including municipal property, religious articles, arts and science related articles, and state property. World War II British Field Marshall Bernard Montgomery discouraged the practice but that didn’t stop his men from doing it.

War trophies could be a patch, a coat, a helmet, a dagger, or, alas, more grisly stuff. Firearms are the focus here — the exotic weapon of a foreign military taken off a soldier, found in a factory, or simply rooting around. Not all of these bring back guns are created equal.

While many were non-descript LugerNambu, or Walther pistols or rifles like the Gewehr 41, Karabiner 98k, or Type 38, some rose above. They were special — or infamous — guns due to a historical connection.

Beretta-on-background-2This Beretta 1934 pistol has World War 2 bring back documentation. It is part of Lot 413 in the June 22-24 Sporting and Collector Auction.

WW2 war Trophies

Several Japanese World War 2 era pistols are available in the June 22-24 Sporting and Collectors Auction but one rises above them. More than 400,000 Nambu Type 14 pistols were made for World War 2. A Type 14 surrendered by a general at Ie Shima, off the coast of Okinawa, accompanied by bring back paperwork is expected to draw more interest than the other Japanese pistols in the auction.

In RIAC’s May Premier Auction a pair of engraved presentation Walther PPs that had personal engraving done at the request of GIs at the firearms factory that included soldiers’ names and the 90th Infantry Division’s “Tough Ombre” logo. One was one serial number away from a similar Walther PP given to Gen. George Patton. They sold for $41,125 and $47,000 respectively.

Compare those to Walther pistols connected to Nazi leaders that sold well into the six figures. A Walther PPK carried by Herman Goering at the time of his surrender sold for $230,000 at a Premier Auction in September 2018, but was topped by a chrome-plated and engraved Walther PP attributed to SS Chief Heinrich Himmler that sold for $356,500 at RIAC’s May 2019 Premier Auction.

While many soldiers were simply looking for a memento of their service in the war, be it a pistol, a rifle, a patch, or helmet, some discovered souvenirs with significant history attached to them that can launch a bring back gun into a rarefied class of weapon.

Himmler-pistol-on-backgroundThis chrome-plated Walther PP pistol attributed to SS Chief Heinrich Himmler sold for $356,500 in Rock Island Auction Company’s 2018 Premier Auction.

Cold War Trophies

By the end of the Korean War, the U.S. military frowned on war trophies to avoid looking like looters. In recent conflicts the goal is to appear as liberators and not conquerors. Certain items were still allowed but required the approval of a superior officer and a completed DD Form 603-1 to present at customs.

The military also prohibited returning weapons to the United States that were prohibited under the National Firearms Act of 1934. These included items like full-auto machine guns and silencers. That didn’t stop AK-47s and SKS rifles from getting into the United States as contraband during the Vietnam War. However, a person caught with this contraband could face criminal charges. One lot in the upcoming Sporting and Collector Auction includes Chinese semi-automatic rifles brought back from Vietnam.

Chinese-trioThese three Chinese military rifles were brought back from Vietnam. Lot 364 includes a M21 Type 56 semi-automatic rifle (top), Type 56 semi-automatic rifle, and a Type 53 carbine.

Prohibited weapons were only part of the concern of war trophies. Items that a soldier might see as a trophy, like a claymore mine or grenade are dangerous to ship, as this U.S. Army fact sheet from January 1968 lays out the dangers of war trophies. One scenario puts soldiers headed home on a Boeing 707 troop flight, and one turns to the soldier sitting next to him and says he’s got an RPG round in his bag as a souvenir.

The fact sheet states: “A Fairy Tale? Not on your life! That’s a scene which has been repeated for real more than once. Customs and postal officials have actually found, among other dangerous items, C4 plastic explosives, claymore mines with arming mechanisms, TNT, rifle grenades, flares, fireworks, and M72 rockets complete with launchers! These things and countless others have been in baggage or mail being flown to the U.S. aboard returning planes carrying 165 happy — and unsuspecting — soldiers home from a year of dodging VC bullets.”

A 1968 amnesty allowed veterans to register NFA items they brought back.

In 1991, the United States rules for engagement during Desert Storm stated “The taking of war trophies (is) prohibited.” During the later Iraq and Afghanistan wars, souvenirs had to go in front of a reviewing officer. Among firearms sold by Rock Island Auction from the Iraq war included a CIA-seized Ruger M77 bolt action Mannlicher rifle of Saddam Hussein and gold-plated pistols attributed to Saddam Hussein and Uday Hussein.

Udday-pistol-on-backgroundThis gold-plated Tariq pistol was among weapons seized from the home of Uday Hussein, son of Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein. It sold for $23,000 in RIAC’s June 2020, Premier Auction.

In 2005, a Minnesota National Guardsman was charged with shipping home two AK-47s from Iraq. In 2006, A U.S. Marine was also charged for possessing an illegal AK.

Permissible firearms are still allowed but require proper paperwork, including a receipt showing the date, place, and source of purchase, and the importer’s identity. War trophy firearms that are permitted can’t be mailed or shipped but must be personally transported to the United States.

Saddam-Ruger-on-backgroundThis Ruger bolt action rifle is seen in news footage of Saddam Hussein firing it in the air in celebration. It realized a price of $48,875 in RIAC’s September 2013 Premier Auction.

Martini-Henry Rifles

Gone are the days of the Luger, Walther, or Nambu bring back gun, but that doesn’t mean they no longer exist. It just means they are of a different type. In Rock Island Auction Company’s June Sporting and Collector Auction, numerous lots include bring back guns. Some are World War 2 trophies while a number are antique British rifles acquired in Afghanistan with bring back papers from Bagram Air Force Base.

They aren’t AKs or heavily engraved Walther pistols coming back from Afghanistan, but instead are single-shot Martini-Henry rifles and muzzle loading Enfield rifles. The 19th century guns date back to when the British Empire ruled the region. Most are considered in fair condition and came through Bagram Air Base in 2016.

Martini-Henry-on-background-2Antique British rifles are the bring back guns of Afghanistan. There are several lots in the June 22-24 Sporting and Collector Auction that include Martini-Henry and Enfield rifles that passed through Bagram Air Base on the way back to the United States.

War trophies are as old as war itself, but as war has changed so has the attitude and ability to take home souvenirs of combat. Fighting isn’t close in like it once was in the jungles of Vietnam or the hedgerows of Europe and countries don’t want to be seen as conquerors that can take whatever they please. Collecting militaria will always exist, but what will be collectible won’t likely be a gun taken from a factory assembly line in Germany, the pistol of a world leader, or the helmet of a fallen foe, making the war souvenirs of World War II and military actions on into the 21st century even more scarce and valuable. Check out the bring back guns in the June 22-24 Sporting and Collector Auction.

Sources

Will New Regulations limit the future of the Hobby, by Peter Suciu

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Randy shooting a Super Enforcer

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NRA Gun of the Week: Ruger Mini Thirty

Sturm, Ruger & Co.’s Mini Thirty enters the books as self-loading rifle, unique and capable, with a piston-driven action reminiscent of J.C. Grand’s famed designs. Though brought to life in the early the late 1980s, Ruger’s Mini Thirty came as an evolutionary step for its parent company and Mini-14 line of investment-cast semi-autos in 5.56×45 mm NATO.

 

Right side ruger carbine wood metal stainless steel text on image noting: "Ruger Mini Thirty Model 5804"

 

 

Minis quickly earned their reputation from not just enthusiasts and home defenders, law-enforcement and government-owned armories stock variants of the Ruger Mini-14, some capable of automatic operation. But it’s the .30-cal. Mini Thirty that caught the attention of hunters, it being a lightweight big-game legal hunting rifle with quick-change magazines. In addition to manual, straight-pull mode and adjustable sights, the Mini Thirty offers hunters with a do-all rifle system that is ready for optics straight from the box.

 

gun silver metal stainless steel rifle action receiver black sight

 

 

Ruger’s Mini Thirty is a perennial design that has maintained its spot in the company catalog for decades. Today’s Mini Thirty options include plastic and polished-wood furniture with either blued or stainless-steel barrel configurations. The latter Model 5804 can be seen on the range in the video above.

 

man shooting rifle black shirt brown gun stock metal silver white walls

 

 

Sporting a cold hammer-forged barrel 18.50” in length and a matte-finished stainless steel receiver, our sample weighed in at around 7 lbs. Load down the magazine, install a well-fit sling and optic and expect to find a fully rigged hunting setup to be just over 8 lbs. The Mini Thirty comes with machined-in scope mounts, is drilled and tapped and supplied with a section of Picatinny rail from the factory. If that’s not enough from Ruger, a set of adjustable sights come fixed to the rifle with a wing-protected rear aperture. The front sight is a simple blade. Two five-round magazines and scope rings come with the rifle.

 

left side quartering view Ruger rifle carbine gun semi-automatic wood stainless steel

 

 

Ruger Mini Thirty Specifications
ManufacturerSturm, Ruger & Co.

Action Type: piston-operated, semi-automatic centerfire rifle
Chambering: 7.62×39 mm

Receiver: stainless steel

Barrel: 18.5” stainless steel
Finish: matte
Stock: wood
Sights: adjustable rear aperture, post front
Magazine: five-round detachable box

Length: 37.50”

Weight: 7 lbs.
MSRP: $1,279

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A Smith & Wesson S&W .32-20 Hand Ejector 1905 .32 WCF 6.5″ Barrel DA/SA Revolver

 

 

 

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All About Guns Anti Civil Rights ideas & "Friends" California You have to be kidding, right!?!

California town enacts gun store ban By Cam Edwards

There are no gun shops in Redwood City, California at the moment, and city council members want to keep it that way even if that means enacting a complete ban on their operation inside the city limits.

This week council members invoked the nuclear option after a pair of businesses applied to open up gun shops in the city, voting unanimously to impose a 45-day ban on gun shops while city attorneys investigate whether the city can make that ban permanent; a tactic that other anti-gun locales are likely to adopt… at least until courts step in.

One of the proposed gun shop locations is at Roosevelt Plaza, which is near Roosevelt Elementary School.

Katie Gaets, a parent who serves as Pastor of Woodside Road United Methodist Church in Redwood City, was among those who spoke in support of the ordinance at Monday’s council meeting.

“Just today a teenager was convicted of killing four people in a school shooting and two more people died in a school shooting in St. Louis,” Gaets said.

“One of the ways we can take a clear and definitive stance of no against such violence, is by taking a clear and definitive step away from firearms dealers in our local community.”

You don’t send an anti-violence message by making it harder for legal gun owners to protect themselves, which is exactly what this gun store ban does. California law already requires every would-be gun owner to go through a background check and twiddle their thumbs for ten business days before they’re allowed to take possession of their newly-purchased firearm, and every time they go and purchase ammunition they’re subjected to additional background checks.

If criminals obeyed the law, these restrictions might actually make a difference. Instead, according to the FBI California had the most active shooter incidents of any state in the Union last year. The real message that Redwood City’s proposed gun store ban sends is that city council members are willing to bend the knee to anti-gun activists at the expense of the rights of the law-abiding.

Unfortunately, as we discuss on today’s Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co, Redwood City isn’t alone in trying to curtail gun purchases. The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors is also considering a laundry list of new restrictions on current and future gun owners and gun store proprietors, and other communities across the state are taking aim at gun shops that are already in existence. In Torrance, for instance, the owner of Red Rifle Ltd. was originally given approval to move his shop from an industrial part of town to Torrance’s upscale Old Town neighborhood before activists complained and convinced the city’s Planning Commission to rescind the permit they issued to the store.

Now store owner Jack Brandhorst is appealing that decision, arguing that the city’s claim the shop is “incompatible” with the other businesses in Old Town doesn’t fly, and that there’s no reason in state or local law to prohibit the move to a better location.

“Red Rifle is a legal, reputable, long standing business that is not prohibited from opening in Downtown Torrance by any law, statute or rule,” Brandhorst wrote in his appeal, which was filed with a $750 fee on Oct. 11. “Thus, legally we should be allowed to move our boutique to Downtown Torrance.”
Brandhorst said in an interview that his store will only serve to elevate the area, with its high end products, personable customer service and smithing services. He said he takes stringent safety precautions, including all mandatory background checks, requiring customers complete a 30-minute gun safety lesson, requiring customers with children to purchase a safe, and securing all ammunition in store.
Former Councilwoman Maureen O’Donnell, one of the four residents who filed the initial appeals, said she remains steadfast in her belief that Old Town Torrance is not a safe location for a gun store.
“The gentleman is within his rights to appeal and we will go again and present our case before the council as we did before the (Planning) Commission,” she said.
“I think that the commission’s decision is the correct one,” she added. “I hope that the City Council will see the reasonableness of that decision and our position.”
O’Donnell also said that there are already 12 licensed firearms dealers in Torrance and that regardless of the safety precautions taken by the store, the owner cannot know a person’s true intent in purchasing a weapon.

If that’s her argument then I don’t know how O’Donnell would be okay with any gun being sold anywhere in Torrance, whether in the tony Old Town neighborhood or the grimiest part of town. Regardless of her hostility towards the right to keep and bear arms, it is a right that we’re talking about here, and one that by necessity includes the right to acquire a firearm as well as the right to keep and carry it for self-defense.

As many gun control restrictions are ruled unconstitutional in the wake of the Bruen decision, look for more anti-gun locales to set up as many hurdles as possible for new and existing gun store owners to navigate.

It might be restrictive zoning ordinances limiting gun stores to just a few acres of land in undesirable locations, as we’ve seen in Torrance, or it could be an outright ban on gun stores like the one Redwood City council members are hoping to permanently impose, but either way we have some major legal fights brewing over buying and selling the arms we have the right to keep and bear.

 

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