What, no skull and crossbones? . . . Gun permits may soon come with a health warning

Gun ownership in New York City could soon come with a warning — it’s dangerous to your health. The City Council Public Safety Committee voted 6-1 Monday to require the NYPD to hand out written warnings about the risks of gun ownership to new applicants for firearm permits. “Just like the [Surgeon General’s] warning that you see on the side of cigarette packs have changed the perception of smoking, these gun warnings are the first step to changing the public’s conversation,” said Councilwoman Vanessa Gibson, a co-sponsor of the gun bill.

House GOP retreating on silencers? . . . Gun provisions could change in House sportsmen’s package

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), the sponsor of the bill and a co-chair of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus, told E&E News this week there has been “sort of a cooling off period” for the measure in the wake of the massacre that left 59 people dead, including the gunman. He said over the past week he has approached leaders about how to get the legislation moving again toward the House floor. According to Duncan, there are several options including dropping the silencer provision altogether and replacing it with other gun language. He said one idea could add language that would ban or require more stringent licensing for buying bump stocks, a plastic attachment added to semiautomatic weapons that allows them to fire far more rapidly.

Short bus civil rights rating . . . Ralph Northam: Proud of D- NRA Rating (He Has an F)

Democrat gubernatorial candidate Ralph Northam told Virginia voters he was proud of his D- NRA rating and the NRA pointed out that he actually has an F. An ad released by the NRA Political Victory Fund shows Northam saying, “My grade with the NRA is a D minus, and I’m proud of that.” The ad’s narrator then responds, “That’s a lie. It’s an F.”

Don’t just be a lead slinger . . . Take the Next Step and Become a Gunslinger

A person who carries a firearm, whether daily or occasionally, takes on a huge responsibility. Many people begin their firearms journeys with an introduction from a family member or friend, followed by a class at a local range and then they may even join a group or club. You can’t beat belonging to a group of like-minded individuals and spending time shooting. I advise you though to take into consideration your firearms competency and consider what it takes to be a gunslinger. I’ve seen it on the range many times, people shoot fun drills until slide lock and consider that practice. What did they learn besides how to safely discharge firearms down range? Consider the following to take you from lead slinger to gunslinger.

What part of “shall not be infringed” don’t they understand? . . . Tighter Massachusetts Gun Law Does Not Restrict Second Amendment

Despite enacting one of the strictest gun laws in the country in 2014, a new, comprehensive report from researchers at Northeastern University and the University of Massachusetts Boston found that the percentage of people being denied access to firearms in Massachusetts is in line with the national average. The vast majority—we’re talking 97 percent vast—of individuals who apply for a Firearm ID Card (FID) or a License to Carry (LTC) in the Bay State are accepted. The wide-ranging Massachusetts Act Relative to the Reduction of Gun Violence adopted new gun licensing procedures, more comprehensive background checks, and additional suicide prevention standards, among other provisions. Based on data and information collected between July 2016 and June 2017, researchers determined that access to firearms for a small group of people with a history of violence declined as a result of the law, but the broader population can still legally obtain guns.

Looking to upgrade your charging handle? . . . Meet the Newest Member of the Radian Family: Raptor-LT

Utilizing the same patented ambidextrous functionality as its predecessor, the Raptor-LT handles are machined from 7075 aluminum, MILSPEC Type III hard anodized, then over-molded with high-strength, fiberglass reinforced polymer for the ultimate combination of strength, weight, and durability. Compatible with AR15/M16 or AR10/SR25-pattern rifles, the Raptor-LT is available in black, flat dark earth, and grey, all designed to match standard Magpul® color offerings.

Illinoisans can thank Springfield Armory and Rock River Arms that this is still a possibility . . . When our babies fear they will be shot, it’s time to make gun dealers more accountable

It isn’t often that residents get an opportunity to do something about the violence in Chicago. But in the next few days, a small window will open up allowing Illinoisans to clamp down on the sale of guns to people who should never have them. During the second half of their veto session beginning Nov. 7, the Illinois House of Representatives will get another chance to consider SB1657, legislation that passed the Senate in April to help gun dealers keep their firearms from ending up in the hands of criminals. The bill would require Illinois gun dealers to get a state license, and also would require background checks on dealers and their employees. Dealers also would be required to undergo training to prevent straw purchases — those made by people who can legally purchase a firearm on behalf of someone legally barred from buying guns. The legislation also would allow for videotaping of gun transactions so that straw purchasers can be identified.

Oh joy . . . A bipartisan group of lawmakers is bringing a new gun-control bill forward after inaction from Congress after the Las Vegas shooting

The new bill amends the National Firearms Act, which regulated fully automatic firearms and outlawed new ones made after the law’s implementation. “A reciprocating stock, or any other device which is designed to accelerate substantially the rate of fire of a semiautomatic weapon,” would be added to the books. The bill, sponsored by Democratic Reps. Dan Kildee and Dina Titus as well as Republican Reps. Dave Trott and Brian Fitzpatrick, would require people who purchase or possess bump stocks to register with the ATF, submit to a background check and fingerprinting, and pay a $200 registration fee. The Closing the Bump Stock Loophole Act would solve the quandary of whether the bump-stock issue should be fixed by legislative or regulatory action by placing the ball in the ATF’s court, Kildee said in an interview with Business Insider on Monday.

Fortunately the UK has strict gun control laws to prevent incidents like this . . . Gunmen in Halloween masks open fire with automatic weapons at rave in London