To The Second Amendment Radicals

If you’re a Second Amendment Radical or armed citizen, 2022 was definitely a rollercoaster of a year. From the stunning drop of the Bruen decision, to the tepid GOP results of the midterms, and everything in between, it was definitely not for the faint of heart. Along those lines, 2023 is looking cautiously optimistic for those of us who have chosen to exercise our right to keep and bear arms…

But first, a little sidebar of a personal note…

Production Slowed Down A Little For RGG!

On a personal note, 2022 had it’s logistical challenges with regards to the production of photographic, written, and audio content for the blog. Pretty pictures of ARs, AKs, PS90s, and other fun firearms and accessories became a little sparse, and for that I gotta apologize. Some (good!) personal things took precedence, and also since this blog is largely self-financed, I have to often take time to work on things to well, finance it…

That being said, I’m doing some things to make my workflow more efficient, as well as finally getting down to business and doing Season 2 of the podcast. I’ve been encouraged to do video, so you might have to see my face-for-radio at some point.

Here’s a teaser ;)

Episode Zero, as it were.

But anyways, let’s take a quick look back at 2022, and a look ahead at 2023…

2022 Was A Good Year For The Second Amendment…

Despite all the hype to the contrary, 2022 was a year of great progress for the Second Amendment. Several good things happened, believe it or not!

NYSRPA v Bruen Victory!

In a surprising but slow-burn move, the Supreme Court of the United States, with a brilliant majority opinion written by Justice Clarence Thomas, took a great step towards fully restoring the right to keep and bear arms outside of the home. In NYSRPA v Bruen, Thomas outlined that the Second Amendment wasn’t “second class” and that it was high time that it was regarded differently than the other Amendments.

Now, since the courts work slowly, Thomas didn’t go as far as declaring carry permits to be unconstitutional, which they are, but the decision made “good cause” requirements around the nation invalid. Now, as long as one meets an objective set of criteria, i.e. 21+, no violent felonies, one should be issued a permit to carry a weapon outside of the home, in states where permits are still issued…

Several States Went Constitutional Carry

The Constitutional Carry moves continued unabated. Georgia, Alabama, and several other states dropped their carry permit requirements entirely. That being said, this doesn’t mean you should strap on a firearm and just go out into the world. Learn how to use it, please.

As of this writing, half the states in the US are now Constitutional Carry. The “carry revolution” continues on.

Some Bad Things Happened In 2022, Though…

Even though our individual rights are to be sacrosanct, they are often the subject of political machinations and horse trading. Tragedies are exploited for political gain, that sort of thing.

The Government Rammed Through Gun Control

Make no bones about it, the so-called Bipartisan Safer Communities Act was written long before the Uvalde tragedy. Rammed through since it was an election year and emotions were raw, this was of course a net loss for Second Amendment Radicals.

The most onerous provision is that anyone under the age of 21 has to wait while a so-called “extended” background check is completed. There’s no default proceed after 3 days from NICS. Simple fact is, if NICS can’t make a decision in 72 hours, another week isn’t going to make a difference for anyone. Meanwhile if you enlist, they’ll issue you an M4A1 at 18 years of age provided you promise to do whatever Raytheon orders you to do. The law also contains bribes for states to enact so-called “red flag” laws and snitch lines.

The law definitely runs afoul of the Bruen decision, and thus is already being challenged. Watch this space.

Sleepy’s Executive Order On “Ghost Guns” kicked in.

Stymied by the courts and legislature, the Biden regime rammed through a vague notion to redefine just what a “firearm” is. Prodded by the ATF, the regime drafted an executive order which classified 80 percent frames and receivers as “firearms” if they were sold with tools and jigs. Until December 27th, 2022, this was the standard, and frames sold by themselves were not subject to the provisions of existing federal gun control laws. On December 27th, ATF’s lead stooge, Dettelbach, issued “clarity”, declaring that even a mere 80 percent frame, sold on it’s own, constituted a “firearm”, and thus placed a legal fog over frames from makers like Polymer80. This was undoubtedly in response to the ongoing case VanDerStok v Garland, which challenges the ATF’s presumed power to rule by decree.

For now, a net loss, but for 2023, this may prove to be a gain if rescinded.

The Specter Of The Pistol Brace Rule

Amongst other things, the regime has been promising to drop their final rule on how braced firearms are to be treated with regards to the National Firearms Act of 1934. Up until someone did a thing and the regime decided to drink the blood of the victims in celebration, pistol-braced firearms were good-to-go as normal Title I (non-NFA) items per the ATF, regardless of how they were held by the end user. Under the new “rules”, a byzantine points system will be in effect, where if a firearm has too many “scary” features in addition to a brace, the firearm will magically become an NFA item, and subject to registration and paperwork requirements. Even if the brace happens to resemble a rifle stock would be enough to change the classification of the item in question.

The fallout of this ruling could be enormous, as many companies produce braces and braced firearms in good faith based on an ATF decision many years ago. If the ruling goes ahead, these companies will undoubtedly fold. Regardless of end use intent, no one will buy a pistol brace, knowing it will subject them to additional federal fees and scrutiny. The draft executive order acknowledged the loss, and took a callous “oh well” approach, even.

In addition, consumers who purchased these items did so with the same good faith, figuring that the government wouldn’t reclassify them just because the political winds turned bad.

The end users could suffer immensely, either being forced to register their “contraband” firearms, dismantle them, or surrender them. Millions of weapons could be affected.

A bright spot though is the date of publishing for this rule keeps getting pushed back. The government knows it’s a shaky concept at best, and in light of Bruen, is ripe to be struck down. Watch this space for updates.

Cautiously Optimistic For 2023

Face it, the fight to promote and secure freedom and individual rights is eternal. There’s always going to be someone out there who is motivated by greed, lust for power, or sheer laziness that wants to use the cudgel of the State to curtail individual rights. However, it shouldn’t be a reason for us Second Amendment Radicals and armed citizens to give up…

Bruen Will Start To Bear Fruit

It’s no secret that the wheels of justice turn slowly, especially where the Second Amendment is concerned. However, with Bruen affirming the Second Amendment’s status (in a way) as an Amendment equal to the others, the renegade blue states don’t have a leg to stand on. My gut feeling is that states such as Oregon will be the first to be dragged kicking and screaming into line. At the least, their Measure 114 will be struck down. Also anticipate both of Biden’s executive orders concerning firearms will be struck or severely curtailed. Already one can tell the pistol brace ruling is on shaky ground since the AFT keeps pushing back the date of publication. Gun control conceits don’t fit the historical text and tradition of the Second Amendment. A slow win, but a win nonetheless.

Florida May Finally Go Constitutional Carry

In 1987, Florida led the way by becoming one of the first shall-issue states for concealed carry permits. As long as the applicant was 21 years of age, took a safety course, and had a clean criminal record, they could receive a concealed weapons permit in the State of Florida. Gone was the patchwork of county and municipal permitting schemes, which ranged from de facto shall-issue in the northern part of Florida, to no-issue by virtue of excessive fees like Dade County (Miami), and a concrete standard was established. Ironically Florida’s carry permit scheme is a model system, as it pretty much funds itself.

However, as of late, other states have blazed by the Gunshine State, and gone full Constitutional Carry. Right now, 25 states have Constitutional Carry laws on the books. In those states, one need not have a permit to carry a firearm outside the home, either concealed or openly.

Until recently, Florida was regarded as a “purple” state, with an intransigent cadre of Democrats and Republicans-In-Name-Only blocking the legislation. Constitutional Carry has never come up for a vote in Florida. However, with Governor DeSantis easily winning an election to a second term, along with several districts “flipping red”, the portents are good that a Constitutional Carry bill will make it to the Governor’s desk, which he has promised to sign.

Of course, the devil is in the details. It’s entirely possible that a trade-off may happen, i.e. something along the lines of “gunbuster” signs carrying the force of law. Right now in Florida, outside of specific circumstances, a gun-free zone sign is just a request. You can enter the property while under arms, but it only becomes problematic if you are discovered and the property owner or his agent asks you to leave, and you choose not to. In certain states like Texas, a properly-formatted gun-free zone sign carries the force of law, and the mere act of crossing the threshold while armed becomes a criminal act.

Another negative possibility is that there may be a strange mix, where concealed carry won’t require a license, but open carry may. We’ll need to encourage Constitutional Carry in Florida, but we’ll need to make sure it truly meets the benchmark to be called Constitutional Carry.

Firearms Ownership Will Continue To Grow

After the massive push for gun control in 2022, and the failures of government in the decades prior, more and more people are finally realizing that their life is their responsibility. They’re arming up, and doing so in mass quantities. Every month, millions of firearms are sold at retail and in private transactions. Or produced at home. Especially amongst demographics not traditionally associated with firearms ownership, the trend continues to grow. The Second Amendment tent is a big one, and is getting bigger every day. Encourage your friends to get on board, it’s the right thing to do, and it’s fun!

Elon And Twitter

Elon Musk owns Twitter now. While it may not be a Second Amendment Radical paradise, thus far it’s a damn sight better than it was for us. I’m back at @regularguyguns and thus far my tests have proven that outside of truly caustic insults and threats, it’s fair game for all. Let’s see what happens.

A Happy New Year To All Second Amendment Radicals!

It’s New Year’s Weekend. Take some time out to have some fund, spend time with loved ones, and celebrate the coming of a New Year. And thank you for hanging in there for Regular Guy Guns!

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Update: Yes, I’m still gonna do this. Real life, plus I have a face for radio so I think I’m subconsciously stalling.