Anti- Gun Stance by Walmart and Kroger: What it means in Virginia

What is stated here is opinion of fact.  I am not a lawyer but just a common man expressing my understanding of current laws in Virginia.

 

This past week it has been all over the news, internet, and social media about Walmart and Kroger's attempt to control 2nd Amendment rights.  However here in Virginia this has no bearing on us carrying concealed or open.  First off they can put up all the stickers they want.

It's not enforceable in Virginia (Virginia LIS and USCCW). They can ask you to take your gun carrying butt our of the store but they can't make you leave as long as you are carrying about in a decent manner, and you are a paying/shopping customer.  I.e. If you are panhandling in the parking lot you can be removed.

As far as Virginia law is concerned your open carry or concealed carry rights go out the window is Churches (church government can designate armed personnel, or blanket access ), Schools, state and federal government buildings.  No where could I find any law pertaining to banning weapons in a private institution.

Many Insurance companies will tell businesses here in Virginia to put these signs up.  Again it is not enforceable.  I've seen them at movie theaters, bar and grills.  Again not enforceable.

As far as Walmart not selling pistol ammunition I get better deals off of ammoseek.com, widener.com, outdoorlimited.com, and ammotogo.com!

Winchester Recall

PRODUCT WARNING AND RECALL NOTICE  WINCHESTER® 38 Special 130 Grain Full Metal Jacket Olin Winchester, LLC (“Winchester”) is recalling three (3) lots of 38 Special 130 Grain Full Metal Jacket centerfire ammunition. Symbol: USA38SPVP Lot Numbers: KF21, KL30 and KM52 Winchester has determined the above lots of 38 Special ammunition may contain incorrect powder charges. Ammunition with excessive powder charges may cause firearm damage, rendering it inoperable, and subjecting the shooter and bystanders to a risk of serious personal injury or death. DO NOT USE WINCHESTER® 38 SPECIAL 130 GRAIN SYMBOL USA38SPVP WITH LOT NUMBERS KF21, KL30 or KM52. The ammunition Lot Number is ink stamped inside the right tuck flap of the 100-round carton as indicated here. The symbol is printed above the UPC bar code.

To determine if your ammunition is subject to this notice, review the Symbol and Lot Number. If it is Symbol USA38SPVP with Lot Number KF21, KL30 or KM52, immediately discontinue use and contact Winchester toll-free at 844-653-8358 for free UPS pick-up of the recalled ammunition. This notice applies only to Symbol USA38SPVP with Lot Numbers KF21, KL30 and KM52. Other Symbol or Lot Numbers are not subject to this recall. If you have any questions concerning this 38 Special centerfire ammunition recall please call toll-free 844-653-8358, write to Winchester (600 Powder Mill Road, East Alton, IL 62024 Attn: USA38SPVP Recall), or visit our website at www.winchester.com.

SOMETHING THAT MADE ME RAISE AND EYEBROW.

     Sometimes you hear things and you gotta ask where somewhat intelligent people get their information.  I have heard many times over the years Former Soviet Union (FSU)  guns can shoot our ammo but we cannot shoot theirs.  This was put out in several schools and familiarization ranges that I attended prior to 1989.  In this post I would like to discuss this and the possibilities.  A little bit of science about a chamber and kindergarten physics.  When a bullet fits into a chamber its snug.  Then the bolt locks onto the chamber making an extremely tight custom fit around the cartridge.  The primer goes off then ignites the gunpowder which then explodes sending forces outward forward and rear.  The chamber counters the outward forces and the locked bolt counters the rearward forces making the front where the bullet is the path of least resistance.

     The first round I will cover is the Soviet 7.62x 54R  This round was used in the Mosin Nagant who's inception was 1891.  At that time the US was using the Bolt Action 6MM (6x60mm) Navy Winchester 1895 (Navy Lee), Also the Krag Jorgensen 8mm and 30 caliber lever action rifles.  By their Designations they came after the Mosin Nagant.  The only US round for that time that I can think of off hand that might be able to be used in Nagant is the 30/30.  The 30/30 Winchester is in fact 7.62mm x 51 and it is a rimmed cartridge.

However  In 1903 the US fielded the M-1903 Springfield chambered in 30/03 (7.62x65mm) and in 1906 the 30/06 (7.62x63mm)  Both these rounds cannot be used in the Mosin Nagant because they are too long.  The bolt will not close or lock hence the trigger cannot release the firing pin.

Ok so lets look at the 30/30 and the 7.62x54R. as I already stated the 30/30 is 3mm shorter than the 54R and it is a rimmed round.  The length isn't too bad I saw a .308 cartridge that was shot through a 30/06 and all that happened was that neck stretched out to the same size as the rest of the case.  So I guess if you were being attacked by a horde and all you had was .308 and a 30/06 bolt action rifle it would suffice.  However I cannot attest to accuracy.

Lets look at the rim. the 54R has a 14.40mm rim and the base diameter is 12.37 where as the 30/30 has a 12.9 mm rim and a 10.7mm base.  From this information the 30/30 would fit loosely into the chamber the bolt can't hold onto it.  If engaged by the firing pin it would slide forward or at the extreme (I never say never) if somehow the primer was engaged the round would more than likely become a ruptured cartridge.

Lets get to the AK-47 which shoots a 7.62x 39 cartridge  Its inception at the time was 1949.  The US was carrying the M-1 Garrand (30/06 7.62x63 which won't fit) and the closest to this round the M-1 Carbine which shot the .30 Carbine (7.62x 32.76mm)  Again the length is shorter, the cartridge is nowhere near the shape of a 7.62x39 (Forces and Physics) and its base diameter is smaller than the 7.62 x 39.  Again if by chance you do get it to fire you are going to have a ruptured round and good luck getting it out of the chamber unless to have a ruptured cartridge tool.  Later on in life the US adopted the M-14 with it's 7.62x51 cartridge which again is too long and would not permit the bolt to lock

Quickly the AK-74 which is 5.45x39 using a 5.56x45mm  look at the numbers!  It don't FIT!

Last I got from a friend of mine that was an F-4 WSO  The US used the M-61 Vulcan which shot a 20mmx 102mm round.  The Soviet MIG-21 used the GSh-23 which shot a 23x115mm round.  if by chance you did get the thing to fire with American ammo.  Do you want to be clearing a ruptured cartridge in a dogfight.

A possibility is that maybe the soviets employ an insert to fire our ammo like the chamber insert for an M-1 Garand to be converted from 30/06 to .308.  Though I have found no evidence of this.   Now what I have heard of is battlefield procurement on both sides.  IE use their weapon and ammo.  Reload our 7.62 brass with their bullets and powder (US only because soviet and European ammo is berdan primed this is 'Merica after all we use Boxer priming pockets).  Never have I heard about FSU nations using our ammo out of their guns.

One note I mentioned locking at the beginning of this article.  It is one of the 8 steps of function in a firearm.  Except in weapons with a blowback operating system utilizing a heavy bolt (IE M-3 Grease gun and PPSh41)  These weapons do not utilize a locking system.  Aim well and shoot straight

TO HOGUE OR NOT TO HOGUE

Some years ago I had an issued M-9 with Pachmayer grips.  The rubber of the grip decreased the slip of the weapon in my hand while wearing a glove and basically made the grip of the M-9 form fit to my hand.  I liked them a lot.

Some years later a friend of mine Rick had a small band of rubber on his M-9.  Being curious I asked him what in the world is that as I peered down my nose at it.  He answered it's a Hogue grip.  I sneered and said it isn't worth what he paid for it.  It's too small and there is no way that it could do anything to improve your grip.  The heated exchange lasted for a few minutes and ended with me and my Pachmayers and Rick with his Hogue.

Shortly after the above I got a good deal on a Glock 17.  I am a fan of Glock ingenuity.  If you can work on one Glock you can work on them all.  All generations are basically the same.  I wasn't too much of a fan of shooting one.  My calloused and big meat hook had a hard time gripping the plastic grip of the gun, also I could feel it twist in my hand while shooting the gun.  I had brought it with me on a trip Rick and I took.  As I was shooting it I told Rick the problems I was having with it and then started putting skateboard tape on the grip.  Rick then kept telling me to put a Hogue on it.  Being thick headed I wouldn't listen to him.  I did research for a better Glock grip and at the time all I could find was Hogue.

Some years later I was shooting a friends Glock 19 with a Hogue grip.  This did change my mind on this grip.  It did make a big difference.  However I didn't run out and get one.  But a few years later I finally got one.

For testing purposes I was able to get a plethora of the universal grips and some of the Glock 42/43 grips.  Both grips fit just about everything out there.  I own 3 Glocks (17,20, and 22) which were outfitted with the universal.  I used the 42/43 grips on a Taurus PT140 Millenium Pro, and the gun I love to hate the Ruger LC-9.  I also gave my friend Jim a set because he had a Glock 42.  Jim and I both felt better about holding the weapons in our hands with these grips.

One thing I find about the Hogue grip is the laborious process of getting it on your gun.  You gotta take it slow or else you will have tears in the grip.  I applied the grip straight out of the package to my G-17 which was rough.  Other techniques I used were applying talc to the grip of the gun, heating the grip in boiling water, using a small diameter screw driver under the grip, and Jim's technique warming the grip in your hands.  The roughest installation was on the G-20.  Again it took time and slipped off several times but I prevailed with persistence and finally got it on.

Using the G-17 I set out to test accuracy.  I wanted to test the Hogue grip under stress.  I started at the 50 yard line ran up to the 8 yard line.  I went from the holster (position #1) to engaging the target (position #4) as quickly as possible with 5 rounds shot rapidly on a 3 inch dot. The first picture shows my shot group without the grip.

  I then installed the grip and chilled out at the 50 yard line for a cumulative 20 minutes before I shot my next group.  The picture doesn't lie.  My group did tighten up under the same conditions.

Disregard the meters and yards difference.  My mistake it was yards for both shot groups.

I am won over by the Hogue grip on performance.  Another benefit of the Hogue grip is price.  I researched wrap around grips and found prices between $5-$7 dollars for the Hogue.  Also you can order straight from Hogue.  I also found that Pachmayer now makes a wrap around grip like the Hogue grip which averages at about $10.  

My plan is to Hogue all of my pistols.  Hogue also sells full replacement grips for other guns go to Hogueinc.com.  I got some on my S&W 686 replacing the factory installed wooden grips, there are 1911 grips, and AR grips.

Below are the listed guns that the universal grip and the clock 42/43 will fit

UNIVERSAL GRIPS

NOTE:  WILL FIT SPRINGFIELD XDM

42/43 Grips

Fit like a glove on the LC-9