Zulu Cowboy

I just watched a disturbing video. It appears that Dsarti...big, former truck driver, who appeared on the NatGeo show Doomsday Preppers, has been forced into the healthcare/psychiatric system here in Tennessee, and had his guns taken away from him. Just days after appearing on national television... He has subsequently given up on prepping...and has stopped making youtube videos. Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…

Well...hopefully, if enough states start making a ruckus about this...Congress will rescind their unconstitutional foray into tyranny. (FWIW...laws like the recent NDAA, with it's evil provision that allows for the detention of US citizens by the military, without access to the courts; are blatantly unconstitutional, and are thus null and void.) Perhaps our elected representatives in Washington need to realize the error of their ways, and step back from the brink on this? That way, we can avoid any type of nasty (fed/state) confrontation... And if they don't...well isn't that what the 2nd Amendment is for?? Zulu Cowboy

All it takes for evil to triumph...is for good men to do nothing. I can't believe I am seeing these types of responses to something so blatantly unconstitutional? And on a Tennessee GUN forum...at that! Go back to sleep kiddies...perhaps there is something good on TV to occupy you? Your personal liberty is obviously something that's not important enough for you to worry about. Zulu Cowboy

Thank God, I live in Tennessee! Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - - - NDAA Nullification: Tennessee Bills Propose Kidnapping Charges for Federal Agents http://blog.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2012/02/ndaa-nullification-tennessee-bills-propose-kidnapping-charges-for-federal-agents/ State and local resistance to the detention provisions contained in the National Defense Authorization Act continues to grow, rapidly emerging as a nationwide movement. The Tennessee legislature will consider HB1629 and SB2669 in the 2012 session. The legislation would effectively nullify the detention provisions in the NDAA and would also require federal agents making an arrest in the Volunteer State for any reason to first obtain written permission from the county sheriff. This bill declares that any federal law purporting to require local or state law enforcement agencies to act at the direction of the federal government or the United States military is beyond the authority granted to the federal government pursuant to the United States Constitution, is not recognized by this state, is specifically rejected by this state and is declared to be invalid in this state. This bill further declares that any federal law purporting to give federal agents or employees, including any members of the United States military, the authority of any state or local law enforcement agency of this state, without the express permission of this state, is beyond the authority granted to the federal government pursuant to the United States Constitution, is not recognized by this state, is specifically rejected by this state, and is declared to be invalid in this state. The act takes aim at indefinite detention provisions in the NDAA. Tenth Amendment Center communications director Mike Maharrey called language in the NDAA vague and overbroad, pointing out that Americans should never simply trust in the good intentions and moral clarity of the president or federal judges to protect their rights. “It falls on the states to step in and protect their citizens,†he said. “I can’t imagine a more clear-cut application of state and local interposition as a check on federal power. What could be a more palpable, deliberate and dangerous unconstitutional act than the federal government indefinitely detaining an American citizen without due process?†The Tennessee bill also “makes it a Class E felony for any official, agent, or employee of the United States government to enforce or attempt to enforce any federal law, order, rule or regulation that is beyond the authority granted to the federal government pursuant to the United States Constitution,†and includes provisions for kidnapping charges if a federal agent were to detain a U.S. citizen in Tennessee under the NDAA. Rep. Bill Dunn (R-Knoxville) and Rep. Cameron Sexton (R-Crossville) sponsor the House version of the bill. Sen. Stacey Campfield (R-Knoxville) sponsors the Senate bill. The Volunteer state joins Washington and Virginia considering legislation to nullify detention provisions in the NDAA. And local governments have also stepped up, including El Paso and Fremont Counties in Colorado. While some argue the NDAA doesn’t apply to American citizens, Maharrey said that notion should not stop state and local governments from following James Madison’s admonition to interpose and draw a line in the sand. “If what supporters say is true and the NDAA does not authorize indefinite detention of Americans, what is the harm in this legislation? Why would anybody oppose it? It does nothing but serve notice that state and local officials will not sit back and allow the federal government to exercise unconstitutional powers – powers supporters claim don’t exist anyway. It simply affirms a fence that supposedly already exists. The only rational I can find for opposing this bill is if they really do want the option of detaining Americans without due process to remain open,†he said. “You can only oppose this legislation if you accept the idea that the federal government has the authority to do whatever it wants with absolutely no check on its actions – Constitution be damned. If you ask me, that’s a lot scarier than whatever terrorist threat they claim to be protecting me from.†TAC executive Michael Boldin said he expects other states to soon follow the lead of Tennessee, Virginia and Washington. “We have pretty strong indications that Rhode Island, Utah, Maine, New Jersey, Oklahoma and other states will be introducing similar legislation soon. This is just a start – and activists all over the country need to contact state legislators right now to voice their support.†For model Liberty Preservation Act legislation you can propose to your state lawmakers, click HERE. To track state and local legislation across the U.S., click HERE. - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…

I'm old and fat...and it's hard for me to run around with a big load of rifle mags. But I wanted something...a lightweight alternative. So I did a Google search and came across a gentleman in North Carolina who makes some very cool, custom Kydex mag holders. I emailed him and sent him a sample of one of my mags. And a few days later, I got these beauties back in the mail. These are exactly what I was looking for! The guy's name is Rick Holmes...and he does excellent work! He also makes custom Kydex knife and tool sheaths, holsters, as well as mag holders and a bunch of other stuff. Anyway, I wanted to pass this info along, to anyone who might be interested in having something 'custom made'. He charged me $25 apiece for these AK mag holders, which I thought was pretty reasonable. Here's some of his other work: - LINK Here's his email: rrholmes@triad.rr.com I am very pleased with the workmanship on these...and just thought I'd share. I'm thinking about having him make me a sheath for my camping axe, next... Zulu Cowboy

Nice ride! Zulu

Steve Earle performing Copperhead Road Zulu Cowboy

I picture him doing a face-palm at the pearly gates... Too bad. Zulu Cowboy

How convenient that American born Al Qaeda spokesman, Adam (Pearlman) Gadahn, is now handing the Obama administration the perfect cover for advancing the Democrat's gun control agenda, by calling on U.S. Muslims to go to gun shows, buy weapons and attack Americans. They've been itching to close the supposed 'Gun Show loophole' since Obama took office. And now they've got a nice little piece of propaganda to require that EVERY gun purchase be made through an FFL. So that every gun transaction is recorded in a government database to 'fight terrorism'. It's just too perfect...I'm not buying this. Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - - - New Al Qaeda Video: American Muslims Should Buy Guns, Start Shooting People - LINK By MATTHEW COLE June 3, 2011 In a new video message released on the internet Friday, American-born al Qaeda spokesman Adam Gadahn calls on Muslims living in America to carry out deadly one-man terrorist acts using fully automatic weapons purchased at gun shows, and to target major institutions and public figures...(snip)..." "Do Not Rely on Others, Take the Task Upon Yourself" and produced by al Qaeda's media arm, as Sahab, the tape mixes Gadahn's new message with clips from old videos of Osama bin Laden, Ayman al-Zawahiri and other al Qaeda leaders praising one-man attacks. They call on jihadis in the West to carry out lone wolf operations...(snip).." "He urges Muslims to pursue attacks with whatever is available. "Let's take America as an example. America is absolutely awash with easily obtainable firearms. You can go down to a gun show at the local convention center and come away with a fully automatic assault rifle, without a background check, and most likely without having to show an identification card. So what are you waiting for?...(snip)" The rest of the story is HERE - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…

Sorry...no can do! I'm a gun fanatic... I have different weapons, for different reasons. I can see your logic of having only one weapon, and becoming truly skilled in it's use. But one gun just won't do every job that I require. My carry weapon is a .40 cal Glock 22...I own two of them. (redundancy) I figure if one gets stolen or if I am ever involved in a self defense shooting, and my weapon is temporarily confiscated by the authorities, I'm going to want a backup. I'm also a big S&W revolver fan...(pre-lock, thank you very much)! I enjoy my 2 1/2" 686, and picked up a Lady Smith for the wife. I'm currently looking for a reasonably priced S&W 617 in .22LR... But haven't yet found a pre-lock model for under $750 bucks! I have several other weapons...but you get the point. Guns to me, are like Lays potato chips...you can't eat just one. Besides...quality firearms tend to go up in value. There's not many things in this world that actually do that, on a consistent basis...like my guns have. Zulu Cowboy

Here we go... White House to Push Gun Control - LINK In the next two weeks...it says. Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…

You mean like back in 1933, when FDR decided to confiscate everyone's gold under EO 6102? "forbidding the Hoarding of Gold Coin, Gold Bullion, and Gold Certificates" by U.S. citizens. Is that the kind of unilateral presidential restraint you are referring to? Zulu Cowboy

I don't know...George Bush Sr. didn't seem to be clarifying any existing law, when he issued an Executive Order banning all non-sporting Chinese rifles, after Tienanmen Square? That's where we got the Mak-90, and it's ugly 'sporting stock', if I'm not mistaken? Zulu Cowboy

I don't think they will limit themselves to a ban on just handgun mags with a high capacity. They will go for a ban on ALL magazines over 10 rounds. And even if they did restrict the ban to just handguns...I'm sure you've heard of the Romanian Draco AK-pistol? It uses full size AK mags/drums. And there is an equivalent type of handgun that uses .223 mags, like the AR-15's use. So either way, there's going to be some Zulu Cowboy

Chris Matthews looks awfully smug and sure of himself in that video...when relating the info on the separate gun control speech by Obama. He knows something, and I'm sure he's got connections inside the Obama White House that feed him information. I think this was a way of throwing a bone to the MSNBC viewers, who are mostly democrats and progressives. The Obama administration doesn't want the gun control issue to cloud his message on the economy, during his State of the Union address. But there is something cooking in the Obama camp...(probably on the hi-cap mags issue)...you can bet on it! Here's a link to an article on Dick Cheney's comment regarding banning all hi-cap mags. The MSNBC talking heads specifically referred to this, during the video. Zulu Cowboy

According to this article in Newsmax, it looks like Obama is planning on giving a separate gun control speech, apart from his State of the Union address. The article quotes MSNBC anchor Chris Matthews. Here's the video. Judge for yourself, whether or not he's got the inside scoop from the Obama administration? Stock up folks... Executive Orders don't require Senate majorities... Zulu Cowboy .

What the hell is this? Someone launches a missile, from 35 miles off the California coast, and the US military doesn't even know who launched it? Zulu Cowboy http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U2qKMchcgzk

Well, I guess everything is ready for the missiles to fly... Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - Global Strike command reaches full operational capability Global Strike command reaches full operational capability Posted 10/1/2010 10/1/2010 - BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. (AFNS) -- Officials declared Air Force Global Strike Command to be at full operational capability Sept. 30, on schedule, and less than 14 months after its initial activation as a command. To reach that milestone, the command accomplished more than 700 action items identified by the secretary and chief of staff of the Air Force in 2009, when they chartered Global Strike Command to strengthen the nuclear enterprise by aligning all Air Force long-range nuclear-capable forces under a single command. Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz, the Global Strike Command commander, reported full operational capability status in a memorandum to the secretary and the chief of staff of the Air Force today. Full operational capability status is the final step in any military unit's stand up. Air Force Global Strike Command is the first completely new major command the Air Force has activated in more than 27 years. "Our successful stand up was possible because of the commitment, innovative spirit, and sheer hard work of Global Strike Command Airmen," General Klotz said. "This talented team of professionals put in place all the functions of a major command while simultaneously executing those functions," he said. "This unique challenge was a lot like building an aircraft while actually flying it." Prior to activation as a major command, what was then Air Force Global Strike Command, Provisional was launched in January 2009, at Bolling Air Force Base, Washington D.C., under the leadership of then-Brig. Gen. James M. Kowalski, now a two-star general and the command's vice commander. General Kowalski has been nominated by the president, and confirmed by the Senate, for a third star and to become the next AFGSC commander when General Klotz retires next year. The command was formally activated at Barksdale AFB on Aug. 7 2009, on the premise that no mission is more important than operating, maintaining, securing and supporting the nuclear enterprise, officials said. Since then, according to General Klotz's official memo, the command has established and manned a fully-functional headquarters. It also assumed responsibility for all units of both 20th Air Force, headquartered at F.E. Warren AFB, Wyo., and 8th Air Force, headquartered at Barksdale AFB. The command is fully engaged in long-range planning for the nuclear deterrence and global strike mission, now having in place a strategic master plan that aligns AFGSC with the larger Air Force strategic plan. Global Strike Command assumes full responsibility for planning, programming and financial management activities Oct. 1, and will be lead for both sustainment and modernization of the Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles operated out of F.E. Warren AFB; Minot AFB, N.D.; and Malmstrom AFB, Mont.; the B-52 Stratofortress nuclear-capable bombers here and at Minot AFB; and the B-2 Spirit nuclear-capable bombers at Whiteman AFB, Mo.; as well as UH-1N Huey helicopters. The command has also established an inspector general function and has already conducted at least one major inspection at each of the command's six operational wings, the general said. Additionally, the command formed a crisis action team, as well as a response task force to deal with emergency situations and potential incidents. Other command missions include targeting analysis at the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt AFB, Neb., and the ICBM test launch operations of the 576th Flight Test Squadron at Vandenberg AFB, Calif. (Courtesy of Air Force Global Strike Command Public Affairs) - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes… 'What To Do If A Nuclear Disaster Is Imminent' How to Survive Radioactive Fallout From A Nuclear Explosion Radiation Safety in Shelters How to use radiological instruments - (Survey Meters/Dosimeters) Fallout Protection - What to know and do about nuclear attack Nuclear War Survival Skills, by Cresson Kearney Planning Guide For Response to a Nuclear Detonation .

There's a little place located directly across the street from the Krogers, (at the corner of Old Hickory Blvd. and Gallatin Road). I'm not sure the name of the joint...it's in a little strip mall. I've had my old comfy work boots re-soled there twice now. $40 bucks... They do good work... Zulu Cowboy

Try this... http://www.tngunowners.com/forums/general-off-topic/43980-re-online-forums-being-sued-copyright-infringement.html

There have been some new developments to this story. According to the DMCA, to take advantage of the clause allowing internet forums a chance to remove the offending material, instead of just automatically being sued...the forum owner has to register his agent's, name/address/phone/fax/email, with the copyright office...allowing contact to be made. (the 'agent' can be himself). This way you will have to be given notice by the copyright owner, and given a chance to remove the offending material, before a lawsuit can be filed. Here's the form to use: http://www.copyright.gov/onlinesp/agent.pdf Here's the legal mumbo jumbo, and where I found this info: LINK The part of the DMCA that provides a defense for online service providers who have users posting infringing material, does require the website owner to register an agent to receive notification of claimed infringement, if the service provider wants to take advantage of this defense. If this is not done, the usual defenses to copyright infringement (i.e. fair use) are still available. Text of Copyright Act, §512: © Information Residing on Systems or Networks At Direction of Users.— (1) In general.— A service provider shall not be liable for monetary relief, or, except as provided in subsection (j), for injunctive or other equitable relief, for infringement of copyright by reason of the storage at the direction of a user of material that resides on a system or network controlled or operated by or for the service provider, if the service provider— (A) (i) does not have actual knowledge that the material or an activity using the material on the system or network is infringing; (ii) in the absence of such actual knowledge, is not aware of facts or circumstances from which infringing activity is apparent; or (iii) upon obtaining such knowledge or awareness, acts expeditiously to remove, or disable access to, the material; ( does not receive a financial benefit directly attributable to the infringing activity, in a case in which the service provider has the right and ability to control such activity; and © upon notification of claimed infringement as described in paragraph (3), responds expeditiously to remove, or disable access to, the material that is claimed to be infringing or to be the subject of infringing activity. (2) Designated agent.— The limitations on liability established in this subsection apply to a service provider only if the service provider has designated an agent to receive notifications of claimed infringement described in paragraph (3), by making available through its service, including on its website in a location accessible to the public, and by providing to the Copyright Office, substantially the following information: (A) the name, address, phone number, and electronic mail address of the agent. ( other contact information which the Register of Copyrights may deem appropriate. The Register of Copyrights shall maintain a current directory of agents available to the public for inspection, including through the Internet, in both electronic and hard copy formats, and may require payment of a fee by service providers to cover the costs of maintaining the directory. (I definitely think it would be worth the $110 filing fee to do this...). You should also list your full domain name under the 'Alternative Names' section, (per group of 10 or fewer...$30 more). Disclaimer: I am not an attorney and I offer this opinion for informational purposes only. Please seek your own legal advice from a qualified professional. Zulu Cowboy

sorry...dupe.

I actually prefer the graveyard shift. It's great! I don't have to deal with all the bosses being around, I take my breaks whenever the mood hits me, and I don't have to deal with people's bullsh*t. Oh yea baby, I'm a vampire...and I love it! Zulu Cowboy

L. Neil Smith's Webley Page Why Did it Have to be ... Guns? by L. Neil Smith lneil@lneilsmith.org Over the past 30 years, I've been paid to write almost two million words, every one of which, sooner or later, came back to the issue of guns and gun-ownership. Naturally, I've thought about the issue a lot, and it has always determined the way I vote. People accuse me of being a single-issue writer, a single- issue thinker, and a single- issue voter, but it isn't true. What I've chosen, in a world where there's never enough time and energy, is to focus on the one political issue which most clearly and unmistakably demonstrates what any politician—or political philosophy—is made of, right down to the creamy liquid center. Make no mistake: all politicians—even those ostensibly on the side of guns and gun ownership—hate the issue and anyone, like me, who insists on bringing it up. They hate it because it's an X-ray machine. It's a Vulcan mind-meld. It's the ultimate test to which any politician—or political philosophy—can be put. If a politician isn't perfectly comfortable with the idea of his average constituent, any man, woman, or responsible child, walking into a hardware store and paying cash—for any rifle, shotgun, handgun, machinegun, anything—without producing ID or signing one scrap of paper, he isn't your friend no matter what he tells you. If he isn't genuinely enthusiastic about his average constituent stuffing that weapon into a purse or pocket or tucking it under a coat and walking home without asking anybody's permission, he's a four-flusher, no matter what he claims. What his attitude—toward your ownership and use of weapons—conveys is his real attitude about you. And if he doesn't trust you, then why in the name of John Moses Browning should you trust him? If he doesn't want you to have the means of defending your life, do you want him in a position to control it? If he makes excuses about obeying a law he's sworn to uphold and defend—the highest law of the land, the Bill of Rights—do you want to entrust him with anything? If he ignores you, sneers at you, complains about you, or defames you, if he calls you names only he thinks are evil—like "Constitutionalist"—when you insist that he account for himself, hasn't he betrayed his oath, isn't he unfit to hold office, and doesn't he really belong in jail? Sure, these are all leading questions. They're the questions that led me to the issue of guns and gun ownership as the clearest and most unmistakable demonstration of what any given politician—or political philosophy—is really made of. He may lecture you about the dangerous weirdos out there who shouldn't have a gun—but what does that have to do with you? Why in the name of John Moses Browning should you be made to suffer for the misdeeds of others? Didn't you lay aside the infantile notion of group punishment when you left public school—or the military? Isn't it an essentially European notion, anyway—Prussian, maybe—and certainly not what America was supposed to be all about? And if there are dangerous weirdos out there, does it make sense to deprive you of the means of protecting yourself from them? Forget about those other people, those dangerous weirdos, this is about you, and it has been, all along. Try it yourself: if a politician won't trust you, why should you trust him? If he's a man—and you're not—what does his lack of trust tell you about his real attitude toward women? If "he" happens to be a woman, what makes her so perverse that she's eager to render her fellow women helpless on the mean and seedy streets her policies helped create? Should you believe her when she says she wants to help you by imposing some infantile group health care program on you at the point of the kind of gun she doesn't want you to have? On the other hand—or the other party—should you believe anything politicians say who claim they stand for freedom, but drag their feet and make excuses about repealing limits on your right to own and carry weapons? What does this tell you about their real motives for ignoring voters and ramming through one infantile group trade agreement after another with other countries? Makes voting simpler, doesn't it? You don't have to study every issue—health care, international trade—all you have to do is use this X-ray machine, this Vulcan mind-meld, to get beyond their empty words and find out how politicians really feel. About you. And that, of course, is why they hate it. And that's why I'm accused of being a single-issue writer, thinker, and voter. But it isn't true, is it? - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…

All I have to say is...THANK GOD FOR THE 2ND AMENDMENT!!! Zulu Cowboy - - - - - - - - - Gun control and ownership laws in the UK BBC News - Gun control and ownership laws in the UK Thursday, 3 June 2010 By Dominic Casciani BBC News home affairs correspondent Derrick Bird, who shot dead 12 people in Cumbria, held a firearms licence for 20 years, it has emerged. Cumbria Police said the taxi driver had a shotgun certificate and a firearms licence for weapons, and he is understood to have been a licensed firearms holder since the age of 32. Deputy Chief Constable Stuart Hyde said the two weapons they had recovered from Bird, a shotgun and a rifle, appeared similar to those described on the licences, but that officers would need to perform a detailed forensic examination to confirm this. The UK has some of the toughest gun control laws in the world. If you want to own a gun, it is very difficult to do so. In the United States, you can declare that it is your constitutional right to bear arms. But in the UK, you need to spend hours filling in paperwork and proving to police officers that you are not a danger to society. The system is administered by police forces in each part of the UK and in England, Scotland and Wales there are separate licences for shotguns and for other firearms. Without getting too technical, a shotgun is defined as a weapon with a smooth bore that typically fires no more than two cartridges before reloading. In essence, it is the kind of long-barrelled weapon you would see a farmer or game shooter carrying. A firearm is any other kind of legal gun that fires bullets, including rifles. According to the most recent figures for England and Wales, there are 138,728 people certificated to hold firearms and they own 435,383 weapons. There are 574,946 shotgun certificates which cover 1.4 million shotguns. Statistics for Scotland show that 70,839 firearms were held by 26,072 certificate holders at the end of last year. Some 50,000 people in Scotland are certificated to hold shotguns - and 137,768 weapons are covered by that scheme. Police chiefs can revoke certificates if they conclude that the holder can no longer be trusted. In 2008-09, almost 1,300 certificates were revoked. In Cumbria, there are 9,868 shotgun certificates covering 22,476 shotguns, figures which are broadly similar to those in other rural counties. Of the 370 new applications between 2008 and 2009, two were refused. Seven licences were revoked. Getting a licence Getting a licence is a long and complicated business. Every stage of the process is designed to reduce the likelihood of a gun falling into the wrong hands. It starts with an application form which asks specific questions about why the individual wants a gun, telling them they need to show "good reason". The criteria are tougher for firearms than shotguns because weapons that fire bullets must only be used for specific purposes in specific places. These would include deer stalking or sports shooting on an approved range. In contrast, shotguns tend to be used in more general rural circumstances, such as by farmers who are protecting livestock from foxes. Independent referees provide character statements in which they are expected to answer in detail about the applicant's mental state, home life and attitude towards guns. Those statements are passed confidentially to the police and are not seen by the applicant. Police will often speak to an applicant's GP and look at their medical records for a history of alcoholism, drug abuse or signs of personality disorder. Finally, senior officers will only approve an application if the prospective certificate holder has a secure location for the weapons, such as a gun cabinet. 'Piecemeal laws' Simon Clarke from the British Association of Shooting and Conservation says that whatever the merits of the certificate system, the wider law around gun control has never been properly thought through in the UK. "The legislation has built up piecemeal since 1920 when they were worried about soldiers who had returned from World War I and the revolutionary fervour [of the times]," he said. "Since then, it's been quite reactive." The 1920 Firearms Act introduced registration and gave chief constables the power to refuse licences. The rules were tightened 7 years later with a ban on the fully automatic weapons of the day. In the 1960s, Parliament ordered the control of shotguns and consolidated all the measures to date in one major act. But the two most important laws came in the wake of two national tragedies. Gun conversions Michael Ryan's massacre of 16 people in Hungerford in 1987 led to the banning of all modern semi-automatic rifles and a range of guns that are capable of firing rapidly without needing to be reloaded. Nine years later, Thomas Hamilton killed 16 schoolchildren and their teacher when he opened fire at a school in Dunblane. Parliament banned all handguns and there is now a mandatory five-year jail sentence for possession. There are also laws banning the sale or manufacture of realistic imitation firearms because police say criminals know how to convert them into guns that can fire live ammunition. The most recent restrictions in 2006 angered many gun enthusiasts, including historians and collectors, who said that it criminalised people with an entirely lawful interest in firearms. The law allows people to hold imitation weapons for specific purposes, such as re-enactments - the enthusiasts say the law has been drawn far too tightly. But criminal conversion of fake guns concerns many senior police officers. The latest gun to be banned is the Olympic .380 BBM revolver, a cheap blank-firing pistol held aloft by officials who start races at sporting events. Police say it has become popular among criminals in London because they have worked out how to convert it into a real gun. The amnesty to hand them in ends on 4 June. Police figures show that there were 39 firearms-related deaths in 2008-09 and that seven of these involved a shotgun. That total was the lowest recorded by the police in 20 years. Guns play a role in just 0.3% of all recorded crimes - one in every 330 incidents. - - - - - - - - - In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material in this post is distributed without profit to those who have expressed a prior interest in receiving the included information for research and educational purposes…