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The Smith Mountain Lake Pistol Shooting Association in Hardy, VA, is sponsoring a Second Amendment Day celebration at the John G. Rocovich Jr. Sports Shooting Complex at the 4-H Conference Center, located in Wirtz, Virginia.  The event is scheduled for June 23, 2012, and will include an open house to the indoor range, a catered BBQ meal on site and a speaking engagement by Alan Korwin - noted author and publisher. For more information including how to purchase meal tickets, click here.

From the Fredericksburg Free Lance-Star:
The Board of Supervisors is considering amending the county ordinance to state that discharging guns in subdivisions is illegal only on lots of one acre or less.

Some think the proposed law is too strict, and others believe it may be too lax. Residents currently face misdemeanor charges if they discharge firearms in any subdivision, regardless of how many acres their lots are.  Additionally, the current ordinance is vague as it does not specifically state what constitutes a subdivision as neighboring Stafford County does.  Stafford's ordinance notes specifically where it is illegal to discharge a firearm in the county.
According to the Free Lance-Star,  Supervisors have been discussing the law privately since March.  The Board plans to hold a public hearing in the near future.  VSSA will notify members when the meeting is public hearing notice and the proposal are published.

On Saturday, 12 May, 51 ladies attended a Women on Target  (WOT) Shooting Clinic at the Rappahannock Pistol and Rifle Club (RPRC), a VSSA affiliated club, near White Stone VA.  RPRC president, George Chagalis, welcomed the ladies to a day which had been tailored specifically for women to enjoy the shooting sports in a non-intimidating environment. The day included instructions on the basics of firearm safety and the shooting of pistols, rifles and shotguns. A safety overview was provided by the Club’s Training Officer, Barry Kennedy, before the ladies headed to the firing lines.  Two informational sessions provided additional learning opportunities.  Barry Kennedy provided some key points on personal protection inside the home while Diane Danielson, the NRA’s National Women on Target Clinic Coordinator, spoke on some things the ladies needed to consider in selecting and carrying a pistol.

On the firing lines, each lady had one-on-one instruction and by the end of the day, the ladies proudly displayed their pistol or rifle targets or pointed to broken clays on the shotgun range. To say these ladies were enthusiastic was an understatement.  From rapid firing of semi-automatic pistols and rifles at reactive targets to shooting 40 MPH moving targets on the shotgun range, it was great to see women gaining confidence in the shooting sports.  A testimony to their enjoyment was that 6,500 rounds of ammunition was expended during the day reported Susan Hudson, the Club’s WOT clinic director.
Participant feedback was consistently positive and mentioned how much fun they had doing things they never thought possible.  More than once, Hudson heard about how they were going to post their targets and certificates on the refrigerator at home or over their desks at work. Hudson continues to stress that the repeated success of these events hinges on the Club’s volunteers that chose to spend their Saturday supporting this clinic.  Forty RPRC members loaned firearms, instructed ladies on the firing line, led an information session or helped in many of the other tasks that made the day possible.  The National Rifle Association provided informational resources while Red Nex’s in Tappahannock and the Bass Pro Shop in Ashland were eager to donate supplies which offset some of the cost of ammunition and made it possible for more reactive targets to be on the firing lines.  Springfield Armory also provided various give away gifts. The RPRC was founded in 1982 and includes 25, 50 and 100 yard firing ranges as well as a trap and wobble trap shotgun ranges.  The club offers programs open to the public that covers basic instruction in pistol, rifle and shotgun as well as additional coursework required to become a certified instructor or to qualify for a concealed carry permit.  In addition to firearm education and training, RPRC members enjoy a full range of ‘friendly’ competition shoots that include proficiency in pistol, rifle and shotgun matches.
For more information about RPRC WOT clinics, visit the club’s website at www.rprclub.com.
Thanks to Susan Hudson of RPRC for writing this post and sharing the photos.

The Cavalier Rifle and Pistol Club will hold a PPC match this Saturday at 9 a.m.  on Range 4. In addition to the regular match they will have a second "Backup Gun"match for J-Frame size 5-shot revolvers and small semi-autos. All the same stages and distances will be shot, but the round count will be 50 instead of 60. So bring out your carry gun along with your regular PPC gun and see what you can do with it! For more information contact Ken.

No surprise here; NRA-PVF has endorsed former U.S. Senator George Allen for the GOP nomination ahead of the June 12 primary.  Allen has been a long time friend to gun owners and sportsmen, signing Virginia's "Shall Issue" concealed carry law in 1995 and voting for numerous pro-rights measures as a U.S. Senator.  Should he win the primary as expected, he will face anti-rights former governor Tim Kaine. Kaine vetoed repeal of the restaurant ban as well as several other pro-rights bills.  He also opposed this year's repeal of Virginia's gun rationing law.

All Virginia gun owners are encouraged to vote for George Allen in the June 12, 2012 GOP primary.

Via NSSF:
Today the U.S. House of Representatives will vote on the 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Spending Bill that contains ATF appropriations that include many pro-industry, pro-Second Amendment riders such as the so-called "Tiahrt Amendment" that protects sensitive law enforcement gun trace data from public disclosure. The ATF rider also includes the "Rehberg Amendment" that would block ATF from requiring firearms retailers to report "multiple sales" of (AR-platform) modern sporting rifles, a requirement that NSSF is challenging in court (NSSF v Jones). Please contact your congressman and urge them to support the 2013 Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies Spending Bill (the bill does not have a number).  Additionally, it is expected that anti-rights representatives will propose amendments to strip out any provisions in the ATF rider.  Urge your respresentative to oppose anti-rights amendments.
To reach your representative, call the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at (202) 224-3121 or refer to the list below:

01 Rob Wittman R Westmoreland 02 Scott Rigell R Virginia Beach 03 Robert C. Scott D Newport News 04 J. Randy Forbes R Chesapeake 05 Robert Hurt R Danville 06 Bob Goodlatte R Roanoke 07 Eric Cantor R Richmond 08 James P. Moran D Arlington 09 Morgan Griffith R Salem 10 Frank R. Wolf R Vienna 11 Gerald "Gerry" E. Connolly R Fairfax

Ezra Klein writes on a Washington Post blog about what we could expect from a second term of the Obama administration. Klein begins by referencing Mitt Romney's warning to the NRA Annual Meeting - that Obama would be "unrestrained by the demands of reelection" and would "remake" the Supreme Court in a second term.  All it took for Klein to dismiss that real threat was Obama's jokes at the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner.

But make no mistake, if Obama's health care monstrosity is tossed by the Court in June, his only legacy will be what changes he can make to the Supreme Court. In a second term it is highly likely Obama will have two additional appointments. A third would give him the opportunity to shift the balance of the court from a constitutionalist majority to a statist majority that could last for a generation. So while media apologists like Ezra Klein work to make a possible second Obama term nothing to fear, gun owners and lovers of Liberty have much to fear from a second Obama term and his pen ready to sign any executive order he can conceive.

Richmond used to be home to a very active and successful Friends of NRA (FNRA) Committee.  But after over 10 years, a combination of volunteer burnout and a change in NRA Field Reps left the area without a committee.  The new NRA Field Rep, David Wells, wants to change that and he is looking for dedicated and enthusiastic volunteers in the Richmond Area. To this end, there will be an FNRA meeting in Richmond on Tuesday, May 15th at 6:30 PM at Green Top Sporting Goods (Upstairs Meeting Room), 10193 Washington Highway, Glen Allen VA, 23059.  For More Information Contact David Wells, NRA Field Representative at Dwells@nrahq.org

Open Carry in state parks is set to be officially published May 7th.  In 2002, Jerry Kilgore, Attorney General at the time, issued an official opinion concluding that the department exceeded its authority by banning the concealed carry of handguns by permit holders.  Mark Warner, who was Governor, told the Department of Conservation and Recreation, the department responsible for state parks, to amend the regulation in line with the opinion, and the amendments allowing concealed carry became effective in February 2003. That was followed with an opinion by Bob McDonnell, who was Attorney General in 2008 that also said the department could not ban open carry.  Tim Kaine, who is currently a candidate for U.S. Senate and who was Governor at the time, disregarded the opinion and told the department to continue enforcing the ban.  Governor McDonnell has finally gotten the department to follow through on changing the regulation.

It should be noted that since Governor McDonnell ordered the department to stop enforcing the regulations, Virginia officials have not had any incidents directly related to the law no longer being enforced, according to regulatory documents.

Hat tip to the DC Gun Rights Examiner.

Update: Heard from Virginia State Parks via twitter Thursday morning (May 3rd) that the policy was actually changed in January 2011, that this was actually just code cleanup.

The Hill is reporting that Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) has circulated a draft copy of a resolution that would hold Attorney General Eric Holder in contempt of Congress.
“The Justice Department’s failure to respond appropriately to the allegations of whistleblowers and to cooperate with congressional oversight has crossed the line of appropriate conduct for a government agency,” reads a 17-page memo attached to the draft copy of the resolution on contempt circulated to members. It is yet to be seen if the House leadership (i.e. Speaker Boehner) will allow the resolution to move forward.

Enough can't be said about VSSA Board Members Mike Jamison and Bill McKaig.  Mike is chairman of the VSSA Highpower program and Bill McKaig is the team coach.  Both have worked hard to build a strong junior high power program.  This group of junior shooters won the Fairfax Rod and Gun Club Spring League.
From left to right:  Christopher Howell, Anne Slota (from the Brooke Point High School JROTC Air Rifle team), Zach Lively, who also took #2 Service rifle Junior, and Jonathan Howell, who won the Marksman class, High Match Rifle Junior, and team member.   Their proud team captain, Mike Jamison, is standing behind them! 
Mike Darnell (MAJ, USMC, ret) coaching Anne Slota  Kirk Sawyer, also from Brooke Pointe HS, winning an individual award! 
“The Coach” Great job and keep up the good work.

July 1, 2012 is the day that gun rationing officially ends in Virginia.  To celebrate this great accomplishment, VSSA is raffling the Sig Sauer P250 2Sum in 9mm.

You get a full size frame and a compact frame with one trigger action that you insert so that you can go from full size to compact in a matter of seconds or vice versa.  It's like getting two pistols for the price of one.  All you have to do to get a chance to win this combo is click here to download tickets, complete and mail with your donation to VSSA, PO Box 1258, Orange, VA 22960.  The address is on the raffle tickets. Click here to find out more about this combo.  Prize drawing will be July 1, 2012 so download and send in your tickets now.

USA Today reports that Florida Governor Rick Scott has rejected a request from the mayor of Tampa to ban concealed carry near the site of the Republican National Convention in August.
"It is unclear how disarming law-abiding citizens would better protect them from the dangers and threats posed by those who would flout the law. It is at just such times that the constitutional right to self-defense is most precious and must be protected from government overreach," Scott said in his letter. Kudos to Governor Scott. He knows GOP convention attendees have nothing to fear from law abiding gun owners.

A chilling story of two Virginian-Pilot reporters, beaten by a pack of teens roaming the streets.
Wave after wave of young men surged forward to take turns punching and kicking their victim.
The victim's friend, a young woman, tried to pull him back into his car. Attackers came after her, pulling her hair, punching her head and causing a bloody scratch to the surface of her eye. She called 911. A recording told her all lines were busy. She called again. Busy. On her third try, she got through and, hysterical, could scream only their location. Yet, the Virginian-Pilot did not report the story.  It took a Pilot opinion columnist to break the silence.
Forster and Rostami's story has not, until today, appeared in this paper. The responding officer coded the incident as a simple assault, despite their assertions that at least 30 people had participated in the attack. A reporter making routine checks of police reports would see "simple assault" and, if the names were unfamiliar, would be unlikely to write about it. In this case, editors hesitated to assign a story about their own employees. Would it seem like the paper treated its employees differently from other crime victims? Even worse, there was chatter about the incident on Twitter.
The next day, Forster searched Twitter for mention of the attack.

One post chilled him.

"I feel for the white man who got beat up at the light," wrote one person.

"I don't," wrote another, indicating laughter. "(do it for trayvon martin)" One commenter on the Pilot web site wonders if the paper's reaction would have been different if the race of the perps and the victims had been reveresed?

The writer of this story must not have been at the same NRA Annual Meeting I attended.
One also has to wonder if the organisation has a winning strategy for the future. Although the number of firearms in the country continues to rise, most of these sales are to repeat customers. Over the last three decades the number of households with guns has steadily declined. Changing demographics are blamed. For one, America has become more urban (gun ownership is less common in cities). White males, the gun-loving sector of American society, also make up an increasingly smaller percentage of the population. What the industry actually needs is more Latino, black and female gun enthusiasts. But the NRA isn’t delivering these. The people who turn up to NRA conventions, like the one held this week in St Louis, remain older white men. At this year's event, the main sign of women in the hall were the skimpily clad girls advertising guns. The NRA's magazines feature ads for leaf mulchers and Viagra, but not apparently the "sexy, fast and practical" bra gun holster. I'm not going to address what has become boilerplate text for the gun ban crowd and their lap dogs in the MSM - that all those gun sales are being bought be repeat buyers.  In fact, Bitter does a much better job of debunking that line over on Shall Not be Questioned anyway.  And while the Economist may have a point that the NRA (and pro-rights organizations in general) need to do a better job of reaching out to blacks and latinos, I saw a lot of women attending the exhibit hall the three days I was in town, many with children in strollers or walking with mom and dad.  A number of the Women on Target clinics put on by VSSA affiliated clubs sell out.  So, I think we are doing a pretty good job of reaching new female shooters.
But the point of the post on the Economist web site is that the NRA's political clout is not what we are told. But Paul Waldman, of the American Prospect, has recently argued that the NRA's dominance is a myth. He has looked closely at the figures and writes, “Despite what the NRA has long claimed, it neither delivered Congress to the Republican party in 1994 nor delivered the White House to George W. Bush in 2000.” He also argues that NRA money has no impact on congressional elections, as it spreads its money over so many races, and that NRA endorsements are “almost meaningless” as most go to incumbent Republicans with little chance of losing. Most of those endorsments go to incumbent Republicans because increasingly, Democrats are anti-gun.  And on those rare occassions that NRA (or VSSA) endorses a pro-rights incumbent Democrat, more times than not, the organization(s) gets an ear full from members. Furthermore, in 2000, gun owners were energized like never before since I have been involved in pro-rights politics, so show me the evidence that gun owners did not make the difference in states like Tennessee.  Had Gore carried his home state in 2000, he would would have won the election.

The Ft. Lee Dusters are holding a sporting clays fund raiser to raise money to represent Virginia at the SCTP Nationals in Sparta, Illinois. The Dusters won the Nationals last year in Sporting Clays and are well on their way to doing it again. Anything you can do to help this group of young shooters will be greatly appreciated. Individuals or business wishing to sponsor a shooting station at the fund raiser can do so for a donation of  $100.00. Station will have a sign with your name or company name and address on it. The event will also have a special Ladies Division if they have 6 or more lady shooters.

What: Sporting Clays Fundraiser
Where: Central Virginia Sporting Clays
            442 Middle Fork Road
            Palmyra, VA 22963
When: Saturday, June 23, 2012, 10:00 AM

100 Targets (NON-REGISTERED) $ 65.00 3 Lewis Classes 1st, 2nd, 3rd each class- $50.00/$30.00/$20.00 payout BBQ Lunch will be available for purchase For more Info or directions call Brad @ 703-405-2110

House appropriators advanced the Commerce, Justice, Science (CJS) appropriations bill to the floor Thursday, but not before adopting two amendments that Democrats could seek to strip out. One of those amendments, offered by Denny Rehberg, R-Mont., would bar funds from being used to require firearms dealers to report to the Justice Department sales of multiple shotguns or rifles to the same person. Overall, the measure’s $51.1 billion allocation represents a $1.6 billion, or 3 percent, cut below the fiscal 2012 spending levels and is $800 million below the $51.9 billion Senate version. Senate Appropriations CJS Chairwoman Barbara A. Mikulski, D-Md., said Senate leaders have not yet decided which spending measure will move first, adding that her measure, which the Senate Appropriations Committee approved April 19, should be at the top of the queue. Differences between the two will be worked out in conference.  It is anyone's bet whether an appropriations bill will pass before they adjourn for the election, or even during the expected "lame-duck" session. 

Colonial Shooting Academy, billed as the "Nation's Largest Indoor Shooting Range," will welcome Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli to kick off their Grand Opening Celebration today at 4:00 pm. Members of the media are encouraged to attend. Grand Opening Details

• When: Wednesday, April 25 – Sunday, April 29
• Where: Colonial Shooting Academy, 6020 W. Broad Street, Richmond, VA 23230
• Hours: Monday – Saturday, 9:00 am – 9:00 pm; Sunday, 9:00 am – 6:00 pm

The ranges will be closed from 4:00 pm-6:00 pm on Wednesday, April 25 during the grand opening presentation. Grand Opening Door Prizes

• Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm, #209301, Reg. $549.95
• Apple iPad2, 16GB, Reg. $299.99
• H&R Handi Combo 30-06/20 Ga. #72679, Reg. $234.95
• MGM Targets APS Auto Popper, Reg. 129.95

The Roanoke Times Blue Ridge Caucus blog is reporting that Governor Bob McDonnell's Policital Action Committee (PAC) is running an ad touting his accomplishments of the last 21/2 years.

It can't be because he is preparing for re-election next year because Virginia governors cannot serve more than one term without sitting out four years before running again.  There had been talk early that McDonnell could be a possible running mate for presumed GOP nominee Mitt Romney.  And, McDonnell does fit this mold of smart, ambitious, clean-cut and a little awkward, used by The Hill in describing the type of VP that Romney may select.

You know how the gun ban crowd always say the number of people owning guns has never been lower and how those record background checks are just paranoid current gun owners adding to their arsenal?  Bitter over on the blog Shall Not Be Questioned has a great post debunking that spin.