Categories
Category: A Victory!
This image of a smiling Mike Venturino has gotten lots of
attention in the wake of his passing. It’s how I hope we
all remember him.
The passing of American Handgunner and GUNS Magazine’s Mike “Duke” Venturino hit us, his colleagues and admirers, hard.
I cannot claim to have known him as well as I would have liked, but I knew him well enough to recognize a genuinely nice guy. We first met face-to-face on an airplane heading to a SHOT Show many years ago.
My flight stopped somewhere, and he came aboard, taking the seat next to me. There were the usual introductions, and for the next couple of hours, we talked about guns, gear and some of the folks we mutually knew.
There were plenty of chuckles a few shakes of heads, and maybe even an eye roll. It is surprising how fast about three hours can pass when the conversation is fun, and you’re talking to a new friend.
Duke was a writer’s writer; a fellow dedicated to detail and entertaining his readers as well as educating them. He attended Marshall University, where he studied journalism, which one could tell in an instant by the way he wrote, especially if you also studied journalism (University of Washington) some decades back in the 20th Century.
I learned of his passing at about 3 a.m. on a Monday morning and spent the next several hours finding out all I could before writing about it at TheGunMag.com, where being editor-in-chief sometimes includes the unpleasant job of writing about someone who has, as they say, “left the range.”
In all the years I’ve been writing about firearms and reading what others wrote — and the reactions from readers — I cannot recall a single person ever disparaging Mike Venturino.
More than 35 years ago, one of my long-gone shooting/hunting buddies remarked about having read something he wrote with a connection to the gun-related thing we were discussing. “Well, Venturino said …” This seems to have been stated over the years by more people than I can count. Translation: Mike’s observations were the gold standard.
Safe in Seattle?
Back in 2020, I was working on a column about the events of the Old West in 1876, which included a mention of the Custer debacle at Little Bighorn. I was interested in the ammunition 7th Cavalry troopers used in their Colt SAA revolvers, so I reached out to Venturino, who was the only guy on the planet I figured would have the information. We were Facebook “friends” by then, so I fired off a message.
Two hours later, I got a reply. Duke was matter-of-fact, explaining they used “standard .45 Colt rounds. They were loaded with 30 grains (of) black powder and 250-grain bullets,” to which he added, “I have a photo of an original box that belongs to a friend. It is dated January 1874 and has those specs on the label.” Why didn’t that surprise me? He was a living encyclopedia of gun stuff.
And then he added a comment, mindful of the insanity of the protests going on at the time in Seattle where what the ex-mayor flippantly — and ignorantly — described as the “summer of love” was unfolding in broken glass, vandalized police vehicles, some looting, property damage and a couple of murders following the death of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police.
“I hope you are surviving all the crap over your way,” he wrote, and I knew he meant it. I still consider it a very thoughtful thing to say.
A couple of years later, I was researching another piece, doing some background, when something triggered my recollection of a teacher in junior high school telling me about how he and some buddies had allegedly once drilled out a .44-caliber bullet and inserted an inverted .22 Short case, presumably with the powder intact, to make an “exploding” projectile. I have no idea whether he was telling a tale, but I remembered it more than 50 years later. It was and remains one of the all-time stupidest things I’ve ever heard of. Ultimately, this moronic stunt had nothing to do with the story I was working on, but I sent Duke a note anyway, asking if he’d ever heard of such a harebrained stunt.
Kids … and adults … do NOT try this at home or anywhere else. Run, don’t walk, away from anybody who suggests giving this a try.
“I have heard of that,” Mike replied about four hours later, “but I’m like you. It’s harebrained!”
About 18 months ago, I inquired about what kind of computer he used, as I was prepping to replace my aging desktop. I still get a chuckle from his reply: “I have no idea what it actually is except it uses Apple stuff. I just told a local guy that I needed a new computer, and he came and set it up.”
Mike and I obviously had more in common than just guns!
Still, our exchanges stuck mainly to guns. Last July, I sent a message to tell him how much I enjoyed a story he did on snake loads. At the time, I had a 25-pound bag of tiny lead shot I planned to bring over last summer if I had a chance to get to Montana. I never got to make that trip, and now it is too late. The moral: If you want to do something for a pal, do it. Next year may be too late.
‘They Don’t Make ‘Em…’
People like Mike Venturino happen once in a great while, possibly once in anyone’s lifetime — if even that frequently. Guys like him are very rare indeed and the best thing one journalist can say about another is this: “I shall miss his byline.”
He authored books and a few thousand stories during his career of about 50 years. That was one heck of a lifetime. I will think good thoughts about Duke at the campfire.
A critical ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 1st Circuit has saved the state of Ohio’s firearm preemption law.
Like many states, Ohio has a law on the books barring municipalities from passing gun laws more restrictive than those that the state has instituted. Such laws are designed to alleviate the pitfall of a gun owners trying to navigate and patchwork of different gun restrictions every time they cross into a different city.
In 2007, Ohio enacted a preemption law prohibiting municipal ordinances from infringing on Ohioans’ rights to “own, possess, purchase, sell, transfer, transport, store, or keep any firearm, part of a firearm, its components, and its ammunition.” The law additionally awards “costs and reasonable attorney fees” to anyone “that prevails in a challenge” to an ordinance that violates the preemption law.
As a little background on the issue, twice—in 2018 and again in 2020—Ohio lawmakers expanded the law to forbid more regulations and to also apply to knives. Since 2010, the state has fought for the law in the courtroom, winning some and losing some.
In 2010, the Ohio Supreme Court upheld the original 2007 law in a lawsuit where the city of Cleveland had challenged the statute claiming that it infringed on the city’s municipal home rule authority. Later, Cincinnati filed a similar lawsuit, challenging the 2018 and 2022 amendments, that also argued the law violated free speech and separation of powers.
In City of Cincinnati v. Ohio, the trial court originally ruled in favor of Cincinnati and preliminarily enjoined the 2018 and 2020 amendments. However, when the state appealed the case to the 1st Circuit, that court held that under the 2010 Cleveland case the 2018 and 2020 amendments do not violate the state’s constitutions.
In the ruling, the court stated: “Amended R.C. 9.68 survives this constitutional challenge primarily because the Supreme Court of Ohio largely foreclosed the City’s arguments against it in its decision upholding Original R.C. 9.68 against substantially similar claims.
To the extent the 2018 and 2022 amendments to the law may have altered its preemptive effects and expanded the liability of political subdivisions that act in conflict with it, the City has not proven by clear and convincing evidence that those amendments change the constitutional calculus forged by City of Cleveland (2010). We therefore sustain the state’s sole assignment of error and reverse the trial court’s judgment preliminarily enjoining Amended R.C. 9.68.”
The case has been remanded back to the trial court for further proceedings.
BELLEVUE, WA – Following Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy’s push for more gun control under the guise of declaring “gun violence” a “public health crisis,” the Citizens Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms announced its support for the proposed Protecting the Right to Keep and Bear Arms Act, sponsored by U.S. Senator Mike Braun (R-IN).
Sen. Braun’s legislation is co-sponsored by Senators Thom Tillis, Kevin Cramer, Jim Risch, Mike Crapo, Cynthia Lummis, Joni Ernst, Cindy Hyde-Smith, John Hoeven, Steve Daines, Ted Budd, Roger Wicker, Rick Scott, Tom Cotton, Josh Hawley, John Thune, Mike Rounds, Joni Ernst, Markwayne Mullin, Ted Cruz, and JD Vance.
“Dr. Murthy’s declaration earlier this week was an outrage,” said CCRKBA Chairman Alan Gottlieb. “He has joined other Biden administration officials who have weaponized their positions and agencies against the Second Amendment rights of law-abiding citizens. His contention that gun-related violent crime is a public health issue is nothing more than a scam to push Joe Biden’s extremist gun control agenda.
“In addition, we’re delighted that Rep. Mary Miller (R-IL) has announced she will work to strip power from the Department of Health and Human Services,” he continued, “and cut all funding for bureaucrats who are using their positions to erode our Constitutional rights.”
Gottlieb reiterated his earlier condemnation of Murthy’s declaration, noting, “Violent crime is not a disease, it’s a symptom of failed leadership, starting with Joe Biden and going all the way down through his administration.”
“From the moment Joe Biden stepped into the Oval office,” Gottlieb said, “he has used government officials and agencies to advance his gun ban agenda. The Surgeon General’s announcement this week is just the latest manifestation of this effort. Murthy even admitted this is the first time in history a Surgeon General has issued an advisory calling gun-related violence a public health issue, and it ought to be the last. Violent crime is a law enforcement issue, period. Dr. Murthy should stick to fighting flu bugs and stay away from firearms.”
The US Air Force has always hated doing close air support. The A10 was made with the Air Force Generals kicking and screaming that it should not be built. And they have tried to shut it down at every opportunity even trying to cut the budget for ammunition.
In Iraq the Air Force tried not to deploy the A10 when Iraq had 5000 soviet tanks. General Schwarzkopf said to the Air Force, “Where are my A10’s?” The A10 cleaned house and destroyed more tanks than all other planes combined and even some missile silos.
The air force conducted a misinformation campaign to prevent the public from knowing about A10 amazing contribution in Iraq. Instead they emphasized the stealth aircraft bombing but ignored the A10.
The Air Force generals excuse to retire the A10 is that it is old. The Air Force should have already started developing the next gen A10 by the mid ’80s. That is their fault. Their behavior is reprehensible.
They forget that they are part of the US Armed forces as a whole and if they weren’t adults they should be lined up and spanked. At least a reprimand from Congress and the President of the USA is in order or better yet a few Generals be cashiered!
I think the A10 should be literally ripped out of the hands of the Air Force A10 haters and put in the loving arms of the US Army & the Marines along with all money that would normally be budgeted for the A10 program.
Yes all necessary money should follow it. Clearly a next gen A10 is in order and be in the hands of the Army. Then the Air Force can stick to their air to air combat and bombing that they so love to do and the Army can have their close air support needs properly met. There needs to be a price paid for this kind of short sightedness and selfishness. This is ridiculous behavior
KANDAHAR, AFGHANISTAN – After savage fighting — much of it hand-to-hand — a brutal Taliban attack on Combat Outpost Hellfire was stopped recently by the heroic actions of the infantry commander on the ground.
While many in the Army are hailing Captain James Wild as a hero of the battle, his West Point professor maintains that the incident is just another in what he calls “a series of extensive leadership failures.”
“I just knew something like this would happen if he was in a leadership position. He didn’t have any discipline at all. He was without a doubt one of the worst students I’ve ever had,” said Major Martin Sutherland, when asked about the incident.
Now serving as a professor of history at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, NY, Sutherland speaks from his experiences as an Air Defense officer from 1984 to 1995. His belief is that discipline and standards are of the highest importance to a good Army officer.
“Wild had the worst looking boots in the company. When other cadets were spending their Friday nights shining shoes, and getting their rooms ready for the Saturday morning inspections that I insisted on, Wild would just go out and party. Can you believe that? A 19 year-old kid in college trying to become an officer, and he couldn’t even find the time to starch his BDU blouse!”
The distraught man rubs a gnarled hand through his thinning comb-over and shakes his head sadly.
“I feel partially responsible for the whole thing. One day, right before graduation I was conducting one of my standard 5am snap inspections. When Cadet Wild showed up to formation I saw that his BDU belt wasn’t regulation issue. Then, when I had the cadets pull up their pant legs I saw that he was wearing white socks. WHITE SOCKS!”
The Major is clearly still troubled by the event, years later.
“I pulled Cadet Wild to the side and explained to him why wearing white socks could get his men killed.”
The man sighs, and opens a folder he has sitting on his desk.
“Look at all these infractions. Failure to wear his TA-50 according to the SOP, missing drill and ceremony training for tutoring sessions with his military tactics instructor, failure to display proper military insignia in a PowerPoint brief!”
The Major was also asked about Wild’s physical and leadership abilities.
“Oh he was always working out. He was on the triathlon and boxing teams. Maybe if he had spent less time training and focused on the important things, like military protocol, marching, or uniform standards then maybe he would have become the officer I’d hoped for. Instead you get something like this,” Sutherland says, as he gestures with disgust at the printed out summary of the battle.
When his isolated outpost was attacked in the pre-dawn hours, then-Lieutenant Wild and his platoon repelled the first wave, killing over 30 enemy fighters in the first few minutes of battle. Unfortunately, dust in the atmosphere, the position of the moon, and civilians within a 4,000 meter radius of the base prevented Close Air Support from being used to support the troops.
Artillery was also denied for the same reasons. The next wave was able to overrun the outer perimeter, forcing Wild and the remnants of his shattered unit to engage the enemy in savage hand-to-hand combat. Reports from the ground confirm that he personally dispatched three enemy soldiers with his entrenching tool, before pushing his men to retake the breached walls of the compound.
During the fighting Lieutenant Wild desperately pleaded for an exception to be granted to the fires restrictions, but the President was out golfing that morning and the required signature of a four-star general officer was unable to be obtained until after the fight had ceased.
When the battle was over, the enemy had been beaten back, but many in Lieutenant Wild’s platoon had been mauled.
This week, now-Captain James Wild and four of his soldiers received the Silver Star for their actions during the fight. Pictures taken after the battle and at the awards ceremony showed Wild wearing white socks.
Major Sutherland did not offer any further comment on his most recent infraction.
Stolen from the Duffel Blog
THE WORLD’S BIGGEST GUN
Nuclear bombs are undeniably terrifying. However, it would certainly be fun to have a few to just play around with.
What would you do if you suddenly found yourself with a big pile of nuclear weapons and a little free time? I would assert the answer to this hypothetical question is determined by your genome. If you are a woman, you would stack them neatly in a safe place, ensure that they are appropriately secured, and then go forth to do something constructive like raise children or cure cancer. If you are a guy, however, I bet you’d call your buddies to come over and start figuring out ways to seriously blow some stuff up.
I freely admit that I would likely put my most substantial example on the top of a big, honking rocket and shoot it into the moon just to see what it would look like. Don’t judge. If you’ve never thought of that yourself, you are currently imagining it now. Everybody on the planet (well, the half of them facing the moon) would come out to watch. I’d likely scheme it all out to explode on July 4th so the entire world could join me in celebrating America, but that’s just me.
Back in 1957, a group of rambunctious American males found themselves in a very similar situation. Nobody really understood nuclear weapons very well, so these guys took a whole bunch of them out into the Nevada desert for a big, sparkly play date. They called their undertaking Operation Plumbbob.
Details
These fun-loving kids touched off 29 different bombs under some of the most imaginative of circumstances. In one case, they blew up 1,200 pigs. The stated aim of this test was to determine the physiological effects of a nuclear blast on mammalian physiology. My suspicion, however, is that they were simply on a quest to invent the world’s spiciest pre-cooked bacon.
Back then, Uncle Sam used nukes for all kinds of stuff. Nuclear depth charges, atomic torpedoes and fission-based air-to-air missiles were all maintained in the military inventory. In the only live shot of a nuclear-tipped AIR-2A Genie rocket, an F-89J Scorpion jet fighter unleashed one of these puppies out over the Yucca Flats test site. The weapon detonated at around 20,000 feet.
Just to show the world that nukes were not so scary after all, five Air Force officers and a motion picture cameraman all volunteered to stand underneath ground zero for a photo op. Amazingly, they all lived at least another 40 years.
These fun-loving scamps touched off these bombs on towers, underneath balloons, on the desert surface and underground. They were detonating nuclear weapons every few days. My favorite of the lot, however, was code-named Pascal.
That’s a Big Freaking Gun
I’ve done a fair amount of reading about Pascal, and I still fail to grasp the point. Pascal was actually three bombs, designated A, B and C.
For starters, they bore a 500-foot hole straight down into the earth. They then arranged a 64.6-pound low-yield plutonium-based fission bomb at the bottom. This was a tiny weapon, measuring only 11.75×15 inches. It was charged with PBX 9401 and 9404 explosives and was designed simply to fizzle. However, in their enthusiasm, somebody missed a decimal point or two. The first bomb produced a nominal yield equivalent to about 55 tons of TNT.
Pascal-A went off in an uncapped hole. Astrophysicist Robert Brownlee described the results thusly, “We put the bomb at the bottom of it, and we didn’t stem it. So, we fired it. Biggest damn Roman candle you ever saw! It was beautiful. Big blue glow in the sky …”
Yeah, that’s a man …
Showtime
For Pascal-B, they sealed the hole with a 2,000-pound steel cap and welded it in place. On August 27, 1957, Brownlee and Company touched this bad boy off. This bomb produced a yield of around 300 tons of TNT.
They installed high-speed cameras at the mouth of the tunnel that ran at one frame per millisecond. A typical human blink is about 100 milliseconds. Subsequent analysis captured but a single frame of the 2,000-pound steel plug as it accelerated skyward.
Brownlee said, “We did have a lid on that hole. Nobody’s seen it since. We never did find that … We never found that collimator either, and it was about five feet thick.”
This big chunk of machined steel was traveling at 150,300 miles per hour or 41.75 miles per second. That is six times the escape velocity required to put an object into orbit. Not one scrap of the plug was ever recovered.
It has been postulated that the steel muzzle plug from Pascal-B might actually have been the first manmade object launched out of the atmosphere. The first Russian Sputnik lifted off 39 days later. However, that theory is not without controversy.
Some scientists (who are likely not guys) assert that the atmospheric friction associated with such speeds might have just vaporized the big steel plug. Others and I subscribe to this school of thought myself, believe that this 4” thick steel disk is still out there orbiting Uranus someplace. Regardless, in case you were wondering what would happen if a bunch of men were entrusted with a whole pile of nuclear bombs, now you know. They would dig an enormous hole and create the largest gun in all of human history. ‘Merica …