GKar

Yeah, I've found mine really likes Wolf match target. Nice little bunches at 50 yds, not bad at 100 (rifle is much better than the shooter at that range). Really held my breath as I mounted a 40mm scope for the first time...with BKL rings, the bell cleared the rear sight mount by about the thickness of a playing card.

Now appearing on the TWRA website, in the FAQs>Miscellaneous section: May persons possessing handgun carry permits possess their handguns while on WMAs, PHAs, or refuges open to hunter access? Recent legislative changes provide that individuals who possess a carry permit may possess their handgun while on TWRA wildlife management areas, public hunting areas, or refuges open to hunter access. The handgun may not be used for taking game unless specifically permited by TWRA regulation. This change will now allow those with carry permits to possess their handgun at times when previously it would not have been permissible such as during archery hunting. TWRA will apply this same interpretation to those possessing carry permits while hunting on private lands.

Somehow I missed that the kits from Whittaker's were actually EBs...gettin old, I guess. Had I known that, I might have done differently. BTW - which 452 models do you have? I picked up my first about three weeks ago - "Ultra Lux", with barrel stamped with "Super Exclusive". 28.5" barrel.

You can pick up the trigger kit from Whittaker Guns in Owensboro, KY. Ordered mine Sunday, shipped this morning. Also, you can look on eBay for them from YoDave - heard pretty good things about him.

Ask him to check with his supervisory LEO, and with their legal staff in Nashville. I was told that office had provided clear direction...of course, that assumes there were folks willing to listen on the receiving end. I did notice that the relevant portions of their website have not been updated, while other items on those same pages are current within a couple of days.

+1 for the Henry lever-action, and +10 for the CZ 452 bolt...just got mine, and am thouroughly impressed.

Same deal here with my Combat Elite - dropped it off at FedEx last Sat morning, recall repair completed Wednesday, should arrive today (Mon)...even with an extra task thrown in.

By a vote of 11-9 (with 1 abstention), Hawkins county commissioners defeated a resolution to opt out of state law RE handgun carry in parks by HCP holders.

Been real pleased with the Win Ranger SXTs.

Springfield Micro-Compact.

Kingsport city parks will remain open to carry. Kingsport officials announced that they will not be taking up a resolution to opt-out, choosing instead to follow state law - over the objections of the police chief, Gale Osborne.

I have a Dakota Defender on order from Kevin..can't wait to receive it. Also awaiting an OWB from littlebear - should be here in a week or so.

Have tried multiple times to get in touch with anyone in Cherokee Natl Forest law enforcement, both at the Cleveland office and the local Watauga District office. Have left a message stating my reason for calling and asking for a return call to my cell with at least 4 different people, and as of yet...no ringy-dingy. I'm starting to think they don't wanna talk about it....

This precise issue arose during the Bristol Council discussion. Mr. Staton directed this question to the Bristol city attorney, who stated that the presence of a firearm in a locked vehicle in the parking lot of a local park would be considered to be in violation of the resolution Council was considering (if passed, which it did ). It was at that point that Mr. Staton shook his head and muttered "That's just wrong".

There is a special called meeting of the TWRA Commission by teleconference today; while not publically noted as on the agenda, perhaps something will come forth... Yeah, I know it's a stretch...

Talked to somebody in the CNF LEo group in Cleveland today. At first, she rattled of a whole series of citations for laws that supposedly governed carry in NFs...but as we chatted, she finally did agree that it seemed it was TWRA and applicable state law that really determined their policy. She was unaware of either the existence or the status of HR 961, and said that, in her opinion, they would have to hear from TWRA before their policy could change.

I've sent a similar email to the CNF "mailroom_r8" addy - if you have a better one, shoot it to me and I'll stuff that mail box, too. I did ask that, if they still interpret carry as prohibited, that they provide a reference to the relevant law/rule.

OK, I just couldn't be patient any longer. Contacted the TWRA office in Morristown (E Tenn reg office), and asked how HR 961, now that it had been signed into law, would be interpreted and enforced - the officer responding informed me that the state law specifically exempted WMAs. I politely indicated that he was referring to a different state law, gave him the citation again: he said they had never heard of it, and would have to wait to be informed by staff attorney in Nashville. Sooooo... Called TWRA Law enforcement office in Nashville. Gentleman there indicated that their interpretation was that HR 0961 overrode their current rule, and that HCP holders would not be issued a citation for carry as long as they were not demonstrably hunting with a handgun. I inquired about the statements made by the Morristown office RE being unaware of the new law - he replied "Bull !". He did say that he was pretty sure it would be a topic of discussion at the next TWRA meeting, then offered that he was not sure about the interpretation by Cherokee National Forest folks, since it was a NF and might not be affected by state law.

Signed by governor 7/9/09!!! Finally!

I had this conversation just a few days ago with a TVA police officer in Knoxville (who said he also teaches handgun courses locally). He indicated that TVA land is not subject to either state law nor those Federal deprtments affected by the Coburn amendment, so they will continue to operate at their current status. All areas where carry is prohibited are clearly marked "No firearms" - according to him, that mainly consists of reservations around dams, power production and recreational facilities. Other areas (he called them "access" areas??) are normally not posted, and carry is allowed there. Frankly, I dont have a friggin' clue, and I told him that. He laughed, agreed, and then said that the safest thing was to contact TVA enforcement in the location you are interested and ask them.

As expected, Council voted 3-2 to ban handgun carry in local parks. Feirabend, Testa and Shoemaker voted yes to the resolution aning carry, Staton and Messimer no - although Messimer later admitted he intended to vote yes, but Shoemaker's outlandish remarks critical of anyone who would want to carry a gun infuriated him (but, he already knew that there were 3 yes votes, so...) Staton actually got it - he said that this vote was not really about whether or not carry in local parks was right or not, but that it was really about Council taking away rights from citizens without cause. No on else present wanted to hear that. Testa and Feirabend remined silent through debate. Testa told me before the meeting that he intended to vote yes...he had received my email, but was not moved to change his mind. Feirabend had earlier stated in the paper her intent to vote yes, as had Shoemaker. Shoemaker went a bit ballistic in his opposition to my remarks (I was the only person present to address the resolution)...said that the only reason anyone would ever carry a gun was because they were either afraid of all their fellow Bristolians, or because they needed their machismo fix. He's also the clown that told me earlier today that the 2nd Amendment was just as outdated as slavery and women's voting rights...

Shoemaker called me back this morning. Upon hearing my topic, he asked "OK, tell me why you need to carry a gun in Steele Creek Park?" He then broached the expected far-left topics - we don't need to carry guns in todays society, the 2nd amendment is outdated just like women's suffrage and slavery, et al. He acknowledged that I was not going to change his mind, and that it was unlikely that he was going to change mine.

My approach has been thus: resolutions such as this only serve to penalize a subset of the citizenry that has already established a proven track record of law-abiding behavior, and has an essentially pristine record of concientious, responsible discharge of the rights and responsibilities incumbent upon any who legally carry a firearm. Why should the facts and data from 10+ years of history by 220,000 Tennesseans who hold an HCP (1,000 in Bristol, 5,000 in Sullivan county) be blindly discounted when there is no data to support the fears and misinformed caricatures espoused by those in the media and elsewhere? Staton listened keenly, and indicated that he agreed with much of what I had to say. Messimer seemed less receptive, once noting that Bristol already had a law prohibiting firearms in parks (then ackowledging that Council did need this resilution to keep it alive). Feirabend graciously listened, but did not attempt to engage me in any conversation concerning the resolution: just "you've raised some points that I'll check out and that bear consideration". Shumaker has not returned my call, and I had to email Testa - given that is a "work" email addy for him (bristoltn.org), he likely won't see it till tomorrow.

Joel Staton - 423/764-7501 (seems he may argue against the resolution) jstaton@bristoltn.org Margaret Feirabend ("fire-robin") - 423/764-3336 mfeierabend@bristoltn.org David Shumaker - 423/968-2501 [no email given] Dr. James Messimer - 423/968-5173 jmessimer@bristoltn.org Fred Testa - no phone available ftesta@bristoltn.org Phone numbers from the Feb 2009 Bristol TN phone book Email addys from the Council's web page: Bristol, Tennessee

Spoke with one this afternoon who indicated he will argue against it. Spoke with another one who ended our conversation with "So I'll note you as opposed". Two (Feireabend and Shumaker) have made their pro-ban position abundantly clear in today's newspaper article, invoking "the safety of the children". I will nonetheless try to talk with them tonight. The fifth one (Testa) has no telephone contact that I can find, so I sent an email to the addy listed on the Council website.