Primary Candidates: Attorney General and Senator  by Tom Reynolds

Wednesday evening, SCOPE was invited to sit in on a webinar which featured a Q and A with the Republican candidates for Attorney General (to replace Leticia James) and Senator (to replace Chuck Schumer).  Neither of these positions will be affected by redistricting since they represent the entire state. 

Both Attorney General candidates, Mike Henry and John Sarcone, are from downstate.  Both have been touring upstate in their campaign. They will be facing each other in the Republican Primary.

Both spoke out against the Bail reform laws and rejected the “Defund the Police” narrative.  Henry wants us to “stand with police…not just out of political convenience” and Sarcone uses “Refund the Police” to emphasize personal commitment. Sarcone pointed out that some police unions have endorsed him.  (Note: nationwide, police unions have been traditionally Democrat supporters amongst their leadership but the Democrats’ soft-on-crime positions and Soros funded D.A.’s radical positions have some unions rethinking that commitment.  This causes them conflict in large cities which are usually controlled by Democrats.)

Henry emphasized “Justice for victims” while Sarcone said, ”…the system has failed us”.

Both emphasized that rising crime is increasingly a problem and that issue will bring some Democrats and many Independents to vote Republican in the election.

Both were very critical of Letitia James.  Sarcone referred to the AG position as Aspiring Governor, referring to Cuomo and Spitzer having used the AG position to further their political ambitions and James tried unsuccessfully to do the same.  Henry wants the voters to hold James accountable for her actions, especially for her record in not taking action against rioters.  Sarcone called her “anti-police” and “anti-2^nd Amendment” and he also pointed out that her own party has rejected her.

Concerning vaccine mandates, both are pro-choice.  Henry pointed out that the collateral damage from these mandates must be taken into account while Sarcone said the mandates were unconstitutional.  

SCOPE asked them about their positions on the legal actions by James against the NRA and Trump, since both actions seem to be politically motivated.  Both Henry and Sarcone indicated that, once in office, they would be reviewing ongoing actions and deciding if those actions had merit and if further action would be in the best interests of New York State.  Henry went further in volunteering that the action against the NRA seemed to be using Wayne LaPierre as a gateway to get at its ultimate goal, the NRA.  And the Trump action seemed to be aimed at embarrassing the Trump family. 

Henry seemed to allude to James’ radical actions having a negative effect on the economy by discouraging investment in NY State.

Sarcone pressed his experience as a practicing attorney in many areas of the law, something he said previous AG’s have not had.

Running for Senator are Joe Pinion and Aleksander Mici. Pinion has most recently been a TV News Host on “Saturday Agenda” on Newsmax.  Mici immigrated from Albania at age 15 and is a lawyer and sometimes TV actor. Both are from downstate.

Both Pinion and Mici want to use Schumer’s infamous record as a central point to their campaigns.  Pinion says Schumer’s, “…fingerprints are on everything that’s gone wrong” while Mici says Schumer, “…is the face of socialism” and Mici will lead a “coalition of the disaffected”.

Pinion emphasized his opposition to “Defund the Police”, vaccine mandates and illegal immigration.  He pointed out the hypocrisy of vaccine mandates while there is no mandate for illegal immigrants. He also brought up the “outmigration” of New Yorkers to other states under the Democrats and that redistricting is just a power search.  Pinion also believes Election Integrity is important; if we take off the safeguards it encourages fraud.  He believes that “right versus wrong” can be a simple clear issue for most voters.

Mici emphasized his experiences growing up in Albania, then a communist country, and those as an immigrant, as the driving forces in many of his positions. He criticized Critical Race Theory as teaching people to hate their country while, in actuality, the USA allows people to realize their dreams.  Mici emphasized foreign affairs and noted that Schumer has abandoned Israel.  He also supports Trump’s policies as to building a southern wall.  He said “walls work” and to “let the border patrol do their jobs”.  On domestic policy, Mici pointed out that NY used to be a powerhouse and that education and family life must be tied together.

The webinar was hosted by Nick Langworthy, the Chair of the New York State Republican Committee. 

To read more articles by SCOPE President Tom Reynolds; go to our Briefings page

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Warning For NY Firearm Owners: Don’t Die.  by Tom Reynolds

SCOPE has been asked about leaving firearms to someone after death.  This can be a very simple thing,  in very limited cases, or very complex.  SCOPE does not give legal advice.  The following will clearly demonstrate why we do not give legal advice!  But what we can do is make you aware of some of the pitfalls that you should avoid.  Legal sites constantly advise you to consult a lawyer and, in this case, that’s good advice.  And of course, the laws on guns change constantly so what is correct and legal today may not be tomorrow (another reason we don’t give legal advice and why you should talk to a lawyer)!

All of this assumes you have a Last Will and Testament.  Bad assumption?  If so, don’t bother going any further.  The laws covering dying without a Will can be very ugly and your guns are one of many problems.   If you want to protect your firearms, go see a lawyer to discuss a Will, sooner rather than later.

If you have a Will, and it was written before the passage of the SAFE Act (or written without considering the effects of the SAFE Act), you should probably consider updating it.

Here are some the issues you need to go over with the lawyer:

•        Make an inventory of your firearms prior to death. This will let the person responsible for probating (administering) your estate, usually referred to as the executor, know that you have firearms, where they are located, what licenses you hold, etc.  The executor has several legal responsibilities regarding firearms.  The Surrogate’s Court Procedure Act (SCPA) governs estates and requires every executor to file an Inventory of every firearm, shotgun and rifle with the local Surrogate’s (probate) Court, with a copy sent to the Division of Criminal Justice Services in Albany.  The inventory must have the make, model, gauge, and value of each gun left in a decedent’s personal belongings. Heirs to an estate holding firearms assets should be aware that failure to file the required inventories is a violation of New York Penal Law.

•        Is the gun legal and are you legally allowed to possess it?  If you fail on either of these questions, it would be best to resolve them before you die.  Your executor’s work and the cost of administering your estate will get infinitely worse if you don’t resolve this and your gun may not end up where you want it to go.

•        Designating a beneficiary. Even if you leave the gun(s) to a specific beneficiary, the executor cannot simply give them to the beneficiary without potential criminal liability. The executor must:|
  

•    1) have knowledge that you legally owned a gun;
  

•    2) ascertain that the beneficiary of the gun(s) may legally own the gun(s);
  

•    3) adhere to proper transfer procedures.         
  The beneficiary cannot take possession of the handguns until they are registered to the beneficiary’s pistol permit. 

• The beneficiary cannot take possession of the handguns until they are registered to the beneficiary’s pistol permit. Encourage potential beneficiaries to obtain any needed permits as soon as possible!

•        Out-of-state heirs.  If beneficiary is living in another state, check with them to be sure that their state laws are also covered.  Again, you will want a lawyer on this.

•        Is the gun co-owned (joint ownership) by another person?  It’s probably like a joint bank account in which each person owns the gun and if one dies the other has 100% ownership.  However, since this is New York, it’s not a sure thing.  Some people have reported that this arrangement works to keep firearm outside of the estate, in order to transfer them, but each case can be unique. 

• While counties will usually allow firearms to be “co-registered,” each co-registered firearm must be listed on each person’s pistol permit; often this is only allowed between immediate family members.  Some counties also require that both co-registrants live in the same county, or even same household. 

• Of course, as with any joint ownership, the question is: who do you trust? The joint owner now jointly owns the weapon and any action you want to take with it (before or after your death) may require the joint owner’s approval. And if you want to leave it to someone other than the joint owner…you definitely need a lawyer.      

•    Transferring guns during your life, either by sale or lifetime gifts to family to avoid probate. If you sell them, you need to follow the laws for gun sales (NICS check, eligibility, etc.). 

•        Handling firearms in the estate. Each county in New York has its own specific rules on the exact procedure to handle the deceased’s guns. 

•        Other estate issues you should be aware of.  An executor may be able to legally possess the guns for up to 15 days in order to lawfully transfer, or dispose of them. If they cannot do so within that timeframe, they will need to give the firearms to law enforcement officials to hold for safekeeping while probate action is undertaken. Law enforcement holds the firearms either one or two years, depending on the county (one year is probably the safe bet).  When an executor does not transfer or dispose of the firearms given to law enforcement, within that period, law enforcement officials can have the firearms destroyed.

•        What about a “gun trust”? Some estate planning attorneys are solving these issues through the use of a “gun trust.” A gun trust is typically set up as a living trust. It is made specifically to transfer firearms, with the gun owner set up as the trustee. Transferring the firearms to a gun trust, provided it is properly documented and reported (which, unfortunately, will probably engender some level of state review), should protect them from seizure by the local law enforcement upon death. Letting a trust control the disposition of a firearm collection also helps avoid probate. It should be noted, however, that in New York, the documentation regarding the transfer of the firearms is not part of public record in probate proceedings. 

A trust does not always make sense for a person who wishes to pass down firearms. For example, if the dollar value of the collection is not very high or the guns do not come with federal restrictions, the benefits of a trust are diminished.  Setting up these trusts is very complicated and, again, the services of an attorney will be required.

If you gift them, check the gift tax laws. You can gift up to $16,000 to one person in 2022 without that person owing tax on the gift. (The maximum changes almost every year.  $16,000 is the tax-free maximum for all gifts, not just firearms, to any one person in any one year.)

If you have multiple guns or valuable guns that have a total worth of more than $16,000, you may be able to split the gifts over multiple years to stay below $16,000 yearly and avoid a gift tax. 

If your total estate is below the threshold for no estate tax, your gift will probably have no estate tax impact.  Remember, there may be no estate tax in this case but if you gift more than $16,000 to one person in 2022, they must pay a gift tax on the amount above $16,000.   

If your estate is above the estate tax threshold and may incur a tax, gifts below $16,000 may or may not have an impact.  You need a lawyer.

It is important to realize that the law does not make clear who is responsible for the guns after the death of a gun owner. The “person in charge of the decedent’s personal belongings” can be anyone who resides at the home where you stored your guns or it can be the executor of your estate or anyone else who may have a claim to your personal belongings. Any or all of the people who fall into these categories could be subject to criminal charges if the guns are not properly handled.  Remember, anyone taking possession of the gun must be legally entitled to take possession, even temporarily!

The procedures to “lawfully dispose” of guns is again, not uniform throughout the state. The local police or sheriff’s department typically has jurisdiction to determine proper transfer procedures. In some counties, the department may send an officer to the decedent’s home to inventory the guns and take them for safekeeping until proper transfer procedures can be followed.  In other cases, lawful disposal can be accomplished with the assistance of a licensed firearm dealer.

Illegal possession or transfer of a decedent’s registered firearm, without following statutory protocol for estate transfer to a beneficiary, is considered a misdemeanor offense “criminal possession of a weapon in the fourth degree”.  

An executor should never remove firearms from the home of the decedent or transport guns in their vehicle when turning guns over to the police. Call the local police or sheriff’s department and ask for an officer to come to the decedent’s home to inventory and collect the firearms.

In 2022, the federal no tax estate maximum is around $12 million and the New York State no tax estate maximum is around $6 million. 

As we all know, New York State is very gun-owner “unfriendly,” and continues to be even after death.    Many New York politicians, especially downstate, would be very happy to see your firearms destroyed when you pass away (if not before).   Guns are valuable, both in terms of monetary value and, often, sentimental value; sometimes, guns have been in families for generations.      Avoid their loss after your death and avoid criminal penalties for your loved ones.   Don’t hesitate.   Ask a lawyer who works in estate law, preferably one who supports the Second Amendment, about the legal transfer of an estate owned firearm asset.

for a printable copy: click here

Beware of the Amish Cartel  by Tom Reynolds

No arrests have been made and authorities are keeping mum about a raid on a property in the heart of Pennsylvania’s Amish country, around Lancaster. Details are murky, but BATFE agents confiscated an unknown number of guns from the “Cattail Foundry”. Is the BATFE getting ready to accuse an Amish farmer of being an unlicensed gun dealer?

The Amish owner, Rueben King says he is a dairyman and owns about 50 cows. He also admits to selling some long guns (no handguns) to fellow Amish for hunting – and some to non-Amish, too.

The Department of Justice web site has a post, “Do I need a license to buy and sell firearms?”. It states that “persons who are engaged in the business of dealing in firearms be licensed by the bureau.” It says a person “will need a license if you repetitively buy and sell firearms with the principal motive of making a profit,” but not if the person only does “occasional sales of firearms from your personal collection”.

Was King engaged in a gun business, as opposed to just making a few incidental sales? Does BATFE have information that an Amish dairy farmer in Pennsylvania is secretly selling firearms to Mexican drug cartels? (Oh wait, that was the Obama administration!) Usually, liberals target law abiding citizens in their gun control efforts but, in this case, did they accidentally stumble across a real law breaker?

The point is not to take a position on this specific incident, as the facts are not yet known, but to show how misdirected liberal gun control efforts are.

Is the Biden administration familiar with the medical term triage, where the urgency of the medical issue is evaluated so that the most urgent can be given the priority? Liberals are screaming about gun violence. How much of a priority to BATFE should King have been? How many violent crimes involving guns have been committed by the Amish (not against the Amish) in the last month?...Year?…Decade? (Go ahead, I’ll wait while you do the research. I’m pretty sure the number approaches zero for all those categories.)

If BATFE proves that King was acting as a gun dealer and stops him, how many violent crimes will BATFE have prevented?

There are more murders in a week in cities (dare I say it, Democrat controlled cities) like Chicago, NYC and St Louis than committed by the Amish over any period. (Again, feel free to do the research and I’ll apologize if I’m wrong but I’m not buying any knee pads, just yet.)

If leftists were serious about reducing gun related crimes, wouldn’t one think that inner city efforts would be more fertile hunting grounds? Stopping one illegal gun dealer in Philadelphia would certainly have more impact on gun violence in Pennsylvania than stopping one unlicensed Amish dealer.

But then again, a big reason for the Left’s gun control efforts is to make them feel good; effectiveness is nice but secondary. And it does add another meaningless statistic to BATFE’s year-end reporting.

Triage is not a priority for the Biden administration, which shuts down pipelines in America but okays them in other countries in the name of Global Climate Change. General Milley, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, prioritizes Critical Race Theory ahead of planning the withdrawal from Afghanistan. (I wonder what Milley is reading as Russia builds up forces on the Ukraine’s border?)

To read more articles by SCOPE President Tom Reynolds; go to our Briefings page

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Breyer: Facts and Theories  by Tom Reynolds

Supreme Court Liberal Justice Stephen Breyer has announced his retirement. Since a radical progressive President will probably nominate a radical progressive replacement for a radical progressive justice, this will have no immediate effect on the Supreme Court philosophical balance. It will, however, lock in that seat for a longer period since whoever is nominated for this lifetime appointment will be much younger than Breyer.

This will almost surely be bad news for the 2nd Amendment, as radical progressives ignore the Constitution if it suits their purposes. (Don’t bet against the three progressive judges ignoring the Constitution and siding with New York State in NYSRPA v Bruen?)

President Biden has said he will nominate a black woman as his first Supreme Court nominee. Biden, as usual, made blatant race discrimination on the part of Democrats a central part of his actions. If he follows through on his promise, the nominee will be decided based on race and sex and not qualifications. Whites, Asians, men, etc. need not apply. When this naked political partisanship happens, it further destroys the ever-decreasing confidence American citizens have in their government.

The Senate can approve the nomination by a simple majority. In case of a tie, the Vice President casts the deciding vote. This raises three interesting but distant possibilities: what if something happened and either party lost a sitting Senator and especially if it was a Democrat Senator; what if something happened to Biden and Kamala Harris became the President, leaving the tie breaking Vice Presidency vacant; what if Biden were temporarily disabled and Harris was serving as Acting President, would she be eligible to cast the tie breaking vote? Remote possibilities, but history has turned on even more remote possibilities.

Filibustering the nomination is not a possibility. When the Democrats controlled the Senate, it was to their benefit to change the filibuster rules to exempt judiciary appointments from being filibustered (but Supreme Court appointments were still eligible to be filibustered). So, when Republicans subsequently controlled the Senate and it was to their benefit, they changed the no-filibuster exemption to include Supreme Court nominees. This is a lesson currently lost on the Democrats except for Manchin and Sinema; that power can change hands and turnabout is fair play.

The nominee only needs a majority vote in the Senate. Democrats have been pretty good at holding their own in-line, until they recently became so radical that Manchin and occasionally Sinema fell out of line. Might Biden nominate someone so radical that it would break the Democrat’s “Iron Curtain”, again? Not such a remote possibility since Biden nominated a communist for Controller of the Currency and his current nominee to the Federal Communications Commission has a huge ethics problem. (And don’t forget gun grabber Chipman to head BATFE.) In a party that embraced riots - except on January 6th - and where A O-C is considered the de-facto speaker of the House, radicalness is more often the rule than the exception.

Will the Republicans be able to hold the line? Several Republicans have often been willing to reach-across-the-aisle. But a Supreme Court justice is not a part of the President’s administration, but is a member of the independent 3rd branch of our government and deference to the presidency should not be the rule. Still, past history has shown that Republicans are more likely to be “bi-partisan” than Democrats.

Looking forward, one can’t help in believing that the upcoming November election had an impact on this.

It’s heavily believed (but never certain until the “fat lady has sung”) that Republicans will win control of both houses of Congress. A Republican Senate would insure a much more moderate nominee and this may have pushed Breyer to retire now, to increase the chances of a radical progressive successor.

Biden may also feel further pressured to nominate a black woman as most polls show him and the Democrats losing voter support amongst their historically Democrat black voters. Any vote against a black or woman will be touted as racism or sexism and not based on disqualifications.

Who will be the nominees? Since we can expect an overtly political nomination, let me suggest three overtly political (and unqualified) possibilities: Michelle Obama (like the Clintons before them, the Obamas will never go away. However, this would seem to eliminate her from running for President); Kamala Harris (but could she ethically and legally cast the tie breaking vote as VP if she were the nominee. Ethics? Legality? Since when has that been an issue for Harris?); Susan Rice (will she give up running the country for Biden to step down to a Supreme Court decision. And like Michelle Obama, this would eliminate her running for President).

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SCOPE Political Questionnaire  by Tom Reynolds

This is an election year at both the state and federal level and many of us will have the opportunity to ask questions of the candidates. To get you started, below are a series of questions, some of which you might want to ask. Pick and choose as appropriate.

- Do you believe the purpose of the 2nd Amendment is:

Hunting? Self Defense? Defense against foreign threats? Defense against domestic threats?
Constitutional Carry?    Shall Issue?     May issue?
Handguns?  Rifles?  Shotguns?  Automatic firearms?  Semi-automatic firearms?  Firearms?
30 round magazines?    10 round magazines?     5 round magazines?
Does it require Senate approval as a treaty?
More Crime?     Less Crime?     Has negligible effect?

- Do you believe a gun owner must retreat, before using deadly force, when faced with an unlawful intruder inside their house?

- Do you believe a home owner has the right to use deadly force inside the house to protect lives and/or property?

- Do you believe a gun owner engaged in self-defense must retreat, before using deadly force, when outside their house?

- Do you believe a home owner has the right to use deadly force outside the house to protect lives and / or property?

- As to firearm licenses, should New York State be:

- Do you support legislation for total or partial bans any of the following:

- Do you support the USA rejoining the United Nations Arms Trade Treaty? 

- Do you support New York residents being able to directly (not through an FFL) purchase ammo over the internet?

- Do you support New York residents being able to directly purchase firearms over the internet, using an FFL and following NICS regulations?

- Do you believe localities can pass more restrictive firearms laws than state statutes without the state’s permission?

- Since 1988, The United States Undetectable Firearms Act made illegal any firearm that is not detectable by walk-through metal detection. Given that, do you believe we need more state or federal “Ghost Gun laws?

- Do you believe that increased civilian firearms ownership leads to:

- Do you support the 2005 “Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act” (PLCAA)?

- Do you believe the 2005 PLCAA supersedes and nullifies any state laws to the contrary?

- Do you believe that the NYS law classifying firearms as a nuisance violates the PLCAA?

- Do you believe Self-Defense is a right and the 2nd Amendment protects - and does not grant that right?

- Does the 2nd Amendment restrict firearms only to members of militia or other government agencies?

- Do you support legislation requiring microstamping?

- Do you support pistol permit reciprocity with other states?

- Do you support Safe Storage laws?

- Do you support a gun purchase waiting period longer than the NICS required 3 days?

- Do you support laws limiting firearm purchases to a specific number per time period?

- Do you support laws limiting ammo purchases to a specific number per time period?

- Do you believe firearm possession is limited to only inside the residence?

- Do you support restricting ammo purchases only to the caliber of gun owned by the purchaser?

- Do you support mandatory liability insurance for all gun owners?

- Do you support enhanced sentences for those that use a firearm while committing a felony?

- Do you support a ban on firearms over a certain caliber? If so, what caliber_______________

For a Printable copy of the questionnaire: CLICK HERE

The Left Never Stops: A8684  by Tom Reynolds

SCOPE has written that the Supreme Court (SCOTUS) case NYSRPA v Bruen looks very favorable for the 2^nd Amendment but one key is how broad or narrow the decision will be. 

On November 5^th, SCOPE wrote: “…a narrow ruling might allow wide government discretion in designating places as “sensitive places” or “gun free zones”.  Remember what happened with wide government discretion over designating “essential” businesses that stayed open during the China Virus lockdowns.” ( NYSRPA v Bruen:  https://scopeny2a.org/Briefings/12103217 )

The Left was listening and here is one of their first attempts – but certainly not their last attempt - before SCOTUS even hands down a decision, to designate “sensitive spaces” as gun free zones. 

Assemblywoman Jo Simon (of Brooklyn) introduced proposed bill A-8684 on January 10^th.  It would make it illegal, and a Class E Felony to possess a rifle, shotgun or firearm in the following locations:

• Any  form  of public transportation, including but not limited to railroads, ride sharing services, paratransit services, subways,  buses,  air travel, taxis or any other public transportation service; or

• Food and drink establishments; or

• Large  gatherings,  which  for the purposes of this section shall mean a gathering together of fifteen  or  more  persons  for  amusement, athletic,  civic,  dining,  educational, entertainment, patriotic, political, recreational, religious, social, or similar purposes.

How is the prohibition on large gatherings going to be enforced?  Will the local sheriff / police chief or state troopers want to enforce it when, presumably, some members of those public “large gatherings” are carrying (concealed) in order to provide security for their fellow members, not because they’re part of the criminal element?

Will you need to register and get a permit for family gatherings over 15 so that “big brother” can monitor them?  (Remember, gun registration is a key agenda item for the left, so why not “large gathering” registration as a way to criminalize gun ownership?

Notice the recent terrorist attack on a Jewish Temple?  Sorry, no protection for religious meetings.

Will SCOPE chapter’s and member’s meetings have to be disarmed.

How about the Rod & Gun Club?

Meantime, much of the left has paid security.  Will politician’s security be disarmed in the state capitol chambers, which is a large gathering of over 15 people for political purposes?  How about county legislature meetings?  The “brilliant attorney” Jo Simon didn’t carve out an exception for those or for law enforcement.  Oops.

On behalf of the New York State SCOPE Board, we want to introduce you to one of the Candidates for the Republican Party nomination for Governor of New York State, Congressman Lee Zeldin.

As you are aware, the Second Amendment has been and continues to be under attack in this state.  Congressman Lee Zeldin is reaching out to Firearm owners across New York.   Congressman Zeldin would like to talk with you and, introduce himself on January 18th on a Zoom Conference call (or you can call in by phone to meet him).

Please share this email with any interested persons, gun clubs, and all persons that value our 2nd Amendment.  Education is the key to selecting all of our elected officials as we head to election day which, for New York State, is November 8, 2022.

When: Jan 18, 2022, 7:30 PM Eastern Time
Topic: Zeldin for Governor 2A Discussion

Please click the link below to join the video webinar:https://zeldinfornewyork.zoom.us/j/96409749233

Or call-in by telephone: (312) 626-6799

Jack Prendergast                                                Tom Reynolds
NYS SCOPE Chairman of The Board               NYS SCOPE President

The deadline for pistol permit renewal in New York is five years after your exact date of certification.

Examples: 1/1/2017 is due 1/1/2022; 1/31/2017 is due 1/31/2022; 1/1/2018 is due 1/1/2023

You can check on the date you certified on this site:  NYS Pistol Permit Recertification

You will need your driver's license number.

It's faster submitting the information on-line, but you can still submit a paper application

Information is available at the NY website.   NYS Pistol Permit Recertification

You will need all of the information on the pistols you will be submitting AND your New York Driver's license

SCOPE strongly suggests that, before sending the information in, you TRIPLE CHECK the information, as just one mistake can cause a problem.

After submitting, you can go back to the "HOME PAGE" and check for confirmation that your application has been accepted and that you're "good".

Do yourself a big favor and print out the information so you can have it when you have to renew again.

Jed Clampett is Out-Of-Luck  by Tom Reynolds

Beverly Hills Guns (BHG) is the only Federal Firearms Licensed gun store in Beverly Hills.  You may be amused over some of the “cultural differences” between your local gun store and BHG.  And if you think New York makes it difficult to buy firearms…California gives our New York liberals a goal to aspire to.

From BHG’s web site:

BHG was founded by security expert Russell Stuart to cater to the distinguished customer who accepts nothing less than the best products & service in the world, and require the utmost care & confidentiality in every experience.

Highlights include:

• Private, one-on-one, concierge-style firearms services.

• Similar to a dealer of rare art or high value jewelry, every client is discreetly identified & verified.

• Every appointment experience is carefully crafted for security, comfort, and confidence.

Gun sales are by appointment only.

(Concierge service like buying rare art!  Most of us enjoy walking into our local gun dealer – unannounced - wearing jeans and a sweatshirt and expecting way less than “concierge” service.)

BHG’s web site features a picture of a leisurely Steve McQueen sitting indoors in an easy chair pointing a revolver at something with the hammer cocked and his finger on the trigger.  (Is this where Alec Baldwin learned about gun safety?)

Under the BHG’s Section Buying Firearms in California, it lists requirements too extensive to list here.  BHG does warn: California handgun laws are among the most restrictive in the country. There are a lot of regulations…Due to the hostile political environment of anti-gun legislators in California, gun laws are constantly changing.

Among the hostile political environment, BHG warns: While there is no limit on how many handguns you can own…but you may only purchase 1 new handgun within a 30-day period.

And for those of us who like a variety of choices, BHG states: California legislation has severely limited the options we have access to in California. As a California resident, you are able to choose from a minuscule “roster” of “safe” handguns.

California has a 10 day “cooling off” period (including the background check) before you can pick up your purchase.   But BHG warns, “During times of panic or high-demand, these checks have been known to be extended to an unknown amount of time”. 

(Would the last two years of riots, ordinary thefts and flash & grab robberies qualify as “panic” times?)

Under the section Buying Ammunition in California, BHG says:

Buying ammunition has become a convoluted process…it may not guarantee that you will be able to walk out of the store with ammunition.  (Due to the ammo shortage - not a convoluted process - I have that same problem.)

To buy ammo, one must undergo a “Standard Check”.  But if you don’t qualify for  that check, one has to undergo a “Basic Check”.  This check can take up to 10 days, per BHG. 

Just In case you are planning on shopping there, it appears to be conveniently located within walking distance of the Waldorf Astoria.  But you will need your limo to get from the California Rehab Institute.  (Although, if you are living at the Rehab Institute you probably won’t qualify to purchase a firearm.) 

On a recent interview on Fox, it was pointed out that 686,435 new guns were sold in California in 2020, which is a 65+% increase from 2019. 

On Fox, BHG’s owner Russell Stuart (who appears very normal, even by our standards) stated, “…I get no pleasure whatsoever by having a 60-, 70-year-old woman walk into my store … who looks terrified, and say, ‘I have never liked guns. In fact, I've even hated guns. I would have never considered buying one. But I'm so afraid for my life’.”  (I’ll bet she still votes for the liberal in the next election.  Oh hell, in Beverly Hills there are only liberals running – the only difference is how far left they are.)

Stuart says the rise in gun sales are directly attributable to the rise in crime under George Soros’ D.A. George Gascon’s soft on crime regime. 

Maj Toure of Black Guns Matter described the situation as, Oh, we're wealthy, we can just go buy [guns]…But yet and still, the areas that have the most crime have the most restrictive gun laws.

Geneva Solomon, the co-owner of Black-owned Redstone Firearms in Los Angeles County’s Burbank said, The gun control laws here are set up and intended to disproportionately affect those within the minority communities.

(Pity the poor Beverly Hills celebrity now caught in a liberal’s nightmare; he/she/it wants to buy a gun but the they want the only person in Beverly Hills that sells a gun to be cancelled because he went on the much-despised Fox.  And if he/she/it buys a gun, they will be delaying a black person from getting one; that would be called white supremacy, even if the celebrity is black.)

Guns are Used Responsibly  by Rob Morse. September 21, 2021; Adapted and edited by Lee Edgcomb

All you hear about is “gun violence”, not the well-earned safety record of gun ownership in America.  A few facts:

Shooting for fun-

The most common use of a firearm is recreation: training, practice, competition, and hunting.

We have about 430,000,000 firearms in civilian hands.

About 140,000,000 people (42 percent of the USA) live with a gun in our home. Gun owners are everywhere and in every lifestyle.

About 21,000,000 adults have their carry permits.  An estimated 17,000,000 carry “regularly”.

Armed citizens defend themselves at home, at work, and in pubic.

There were over 1,200,000 reported cases of violent crime in the United States in 2019. Those are cases of murder, manslaughter, rape, robbery, and aggravated assault.

The US CDC recorded 486 accidental deaths involving a firearm. Only 1-in-350 accidental deaths involved a firearm.

•   173,000 total accidental deaths

•     39,000 falling accidents

•     35,500 vehicle deaths

•     65,700 unintentional poisonings

With surprisingly few exceptions, your gun owning neighbors act the way you want them to act.
Ammo supply-https://www.wusa9.com/article/news/verify/ammo-shortage-2021united-states-fbi-reported-a-40-increase/65-7e349e16-267a-4c42-9c9c-7c229ffa3917

https://www.rand.org/research/gun-policy/analysis/essays/defensive-gun-use.html

https://scholarlycommons.law.northwestern.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=6853&context=jclc

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/violent-crime

https://crimeresearch.org/2021/07/with-the-focus-on-gun-crime-what-percent-of-violent-crimes-involve-guns-7-9/

https://wonder.cdc.gov/controller/datarequest/D76;jsessionid=3E2027CADD8B68E44F8837FBA050

https://gunwatch.blogspot.com/2018/04/legally-armed-people-have-murder-rate.html

https://gunsfacts.blogspot.com/2013/04/police-arent-safer-than-armed-civilians.html

http://rkba.org/research/cramer/shall-issue.html

The industry trade group for the shooting sports is the NSSF -National Shooting Sports Foundation- which estimates there will be 12,000,000,000 firearms’ cartridges sold in the US civilian market in 2021. That is 32,000,000 cartridges a day used for fun. Half are .22 Long Rifle.

Guns in the US-  We have about 430,000,000 firearms in civilian hands.

Living with a gun-  About 140,000,000 people (42 percent of the USA) live with a gun in our home. Gun owners are everywhere and in every lifestyle.

Firearms fit many purposes. Like shoes, the gun owner must find the right gun for the right purpose and one that fits. Most guns are seldom if ever used and they sit in storage day after day.

Citizens carry concealed-  At any given time, one in twenty persons around you are armed.

Self-defense incidents-  Government numbers vary depending on which report you read. Reports vary from a low of 500,000 to a high of 3,000,000 cases of armed defense each year.

1,500,000 may be the best estimate, based on the frequency of armed defense from numerous reports at the CDC (United States Center for Disease Control).

Thus, citizens used a firearm to stop criminal activity about 4,000 times a day.

Most armed self-defense incidents end with no shots fired. Most criminals stop and run away when an armed citizen simply presents his or her gun.

Legally armed citizens shot and killed a criminal 344 times in the entire year of 2019, less than once a day.

Criminal activity-  There were 10,000 cases where one person killed another with a firearm. That includes all types of guns. Most of these incidents are gangs fighting over territory and crimes of passion.

Accidents-  The US CDC recorded 486 accidental deaths involving a firearm. Only 1-in-350 accidental deaths involved a firearm.

For perspective:

Gun owners are remarkably law abiding and non-violent-

They save lives thousands of times a day because they are armed and resist attackers.

They understand the responsibility to act, act safely, and statistics show this fact.

US population-https://www.census.gov/topics/population.html

Guns in the US-
https://www.ammoland.com/2017/09/270-million-firearms-number-wrong-over-400-million-in-u-s-a/

https://www.guns.com/news/2020/11/17/data-us-has-434-million-guns-20m-ars-150m-mags

Calculated rate of concealed carry-https://slowfacts.wordpress.com/2017/08/24/taxing-our-rights-away-government-fees-discourage-concealed-carry-part-four/

Armed defense-
https://reason.com/2018/09/04/what-the-cdcs-mid-90s-surveys-on-defensi/

https://www.researchgate.net/publication/261255522_Resisting_Rape_The_Effects_of_Victim_Self-Protection_on_Rape_Completion_and_Injury

https://www.activeresponsetraining.net/resistance-to-violent-crime-what-does-the-research-show

Violent Crime- https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/topic-pages/aggravated-assault#:~:text=Overview,compared%20with%20the%202010%20estimate.

https://crime-data-explorer.app.cloud.gov/pages/explorer/crime/crime-trend

Suicide-
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/suicide.htm

http://www.gunfacts.info/blog/cali-suicide-calumny/

Homicide-
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-8.xls

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-15.xls

https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2019/crime-in-the-u.s.-2019/tables/expanded-homicide-data-table-14.xls

Accidents-
https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/accidental-injury.htm

Safety of permit holders and police-https://ncsportsmenslaw.com/2020/01/on-average-concealed-carry-permit-holders-are-much-more-law-abiding-than-government-police/

Number of police-https://www.statista.com/statistics/191694/number-of-law-enforcement-officers-in-the-us/