More on the LA Search Warrant:
Everyone is aware of the situation in California where at least two search warrants have been served on the homes of members of the fifty caliber community. For our members in California and neighboring states we feel obligated to keep you informed about the "Gun Task Force" in operation in the Los Angeles County region. As our Email Alert from October 11th indicates the California Department of Justice Firearms Unit may be involved too. We want everyone to review the provisions of the California Assault Weapons Ban and make sure you are not in violation of any of the provisions of that law. (You can find the entire document on the FCI web site at: www.fiftycal.org) Remember, AB-50 in California placed the fifty caliber rifle, (a single shot, bolt action, center fire rifle) under the control of their Assault Weapons Law simply because the bullet "was too big"! We now have to contend with the ramifications of that draconian piece of legislation and so far two of our members have had search warrants served on them.

We are not at liberty to provide intricate details regarding either of the search warrants, but you need to be aware of how something like this will affect you if it happens to you. First of all we are concerned because the officers are using "High Risk" tactics to make their entry. We assume this is because the search warrants are related to the possession of firearms and under California law the officers are allowed to use these techniques for their own safety. We do not encourage any kind of resistance to police officers engaged in the duties of their job. For those of you who have never been through something like this it will come as a shock and a big surprise. If it happens to you, "just do everything the nice police officer tells you to do when he tells you to do it". The officers will make entry hard and fast with a trained "entry team" who will have guns drawn giving you commands as they move. Just do what they tell you. When they are sure everything is OK they will explain what is going on to you.

Another thing about the search warrants in LA County that bothers us is the interpretation being placed on certain provisions of the Assault Weapons Ban (AWB) that are leading to the arrest of gun owners and the confiscation of their entire firearms collections. In one case the gun owner was charged because he had an M-1A semi-automatic rifle with a flash hider on it. This led to his arrest and confiscation of his entire collection even though the rifle was legally registered as an assault weapon in CA. In another case a firearms owner was charged because he had belts of linked ammunition that, according to BATFE agents, violated the provisions of the "high capacity magazine" clause of the AWB. Again this gun owner is a member of the fifty caliber community who legally owns several firearms that he registered in accordance with the provisions of AB-50 and the AWB. Another violation that is being enforced without thought to the consequences, is possession of projectiles that are not allowed in CA. Most people are under the impression you can have the projectile as long as they are not loaded as a cartridge. This is not so. Mere possession of the projectile is a felony in California. Please go through your inventories and if you have in your possession a projectile that is a tracer, incendiary, raufoss or any kind of pyrotechnic projectile, destroy it. This is regardless of caliber including pistol and shotgun "pyrotechnic ammunition".

Each of the gun owners I've just mentioned are now faced with the incredible task of providing a legal defense to charges filed in these cases. The cost in cases like this is in the tens of thousands of dollars and you need the very best attorney money can buy. In one case this situation has been going on for 18 months and there is no end in the foreseeable future.

Our goal here in not to criticize law enforcement, but we are trying to make our members aware of what is going on. We all need to take the precautions to prevent something like this happening to other members. Going to jail, losing your entire firearms collection and possibly losing the right to lawfully own firearms in the future are not worth having something in your possession that violates California laws. I disagree with what has happened in California as much as everyone else, but Teri & I were very fortunate in being able to move out of the state I called home for 40 years. We also realize many people are not that fortunate. But please, don't let something as silly as having linked ammo or a tracer projectile as a 'souvenir' be the cause of you going to jail.

If you've read our most recent Email Alert you can see these officers are aggressively pursuing ways of confiscating your firearms and putting people in jail. They have no concern about you being a law abiding citizen enjoying your 2nd Amendment rights. Things have gone from very bad to worse in the Golden State and unfortunately I don't see any change in the near future. The best thing you can do for now is become aware of your responsibilities as a firearms owner and don't get caught up in some 'sting' that could cost your freedom.

Corrections:
1. In our Email Alert of Sept 22nd I told everyone armor piercing ammunition was illegal in CA. I meant to say tracer ammunition and apologize for the confusion. Armor piercing projectiles are still legal, but tracer, incendiary or any kind of pyrotechnic projectiles are classified as a 'destructive device' and are illegal unless you have a permit to manufacture a destructive device. This is regardless of caliber including shotgun and pistol ammunition.

Letters to the Editor: (some comments from folks regarding our newsletter)
From NY- Hmm strange, anyone notice the trend seems to be register, confiscate and arrest? If you refer back in history to the late 1930's the same tactics were used by the Nazi's to soften up the population. Hey, anyone notice where the governor of California is from? Austria! Wow what a coincidence!!

Armor penetrating ammo is not legal in Ca. any more eh? Why are not existing things like mags and ammo grand-fathered in? I can see new stuff not authorized, but old stuff that is just lying around your house and you have never broken a law and even served in the armed forces. The politicians have given license to the government to destroy a civil society in the name of safety. So, what does the domestic terrorist look like now?

From CA- Thank you for answering a bunch of the questions about just how Joe Doakes problems with the firearm removal guys came about. I sent your email to all my shooting buddies for their education. I know some of them are afraid to stand up and be counted but they all need to hear what is going on here in the People's Republic of California.

From OR- …It sounds to me like it is time for "Gun Owners" in CA to move.... It seems like the criminals are running wild in California, and the Cops hit soft targets, like law abiding citizens.

Thank You very much for the e-mail alerts!

We should all take the Charlton Heston (pry it from my cold dead hands) approach big brother isn't going to stop

If anyone is searching for "True" hell on earth it has to be California. The rest of us across this nation had best be keeping our eyes and ears peeled. These looney anti-gun nuts are everywhere.

I read John's alert today re: the illegal harassment of a legal .50 owner and I have to ask who cares? Where were you people when McClintock was running against Arnold? Oh yea, John said that McClintock wasn't "mainstream" enough. Where were you when other gun rights groups offered assistance? Oh yea, you were too busy distancing yourselves from us, labeling us "extremists". Well, how does it feel to have the shoe on the other foot? You can take your "pro" gun organization and shove it, you cowardly losers.

Events in the Fifty Caliber Community:
New Mexico:
Teri & I drove up to the Fifty Caliber regional match at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, NM over the weekend of Sept 22-24 and really had a great time. There were 12 shooters with about 30 guns and a very nice match it was. We had driven up to help out on the firing line and to see our old friends Marilyn & Steve Lazzarini. They decided to sit this one out and we missed them but we still enjoyed the trip. We watched a great shoot-out between Mark Avakian, Dale Arenson and Steve Cone from CO and I'm not sure who exactly came out on top in all the classes they were shooting but we were impressed with the shooting we saw. Teri & I left early Sunday morning before the shooting was over.

Maryland:
Another event of significance was held over the same weekend in Maryland at the Associated Gun Clubs (AGC) of Baltimore facility at Marriottsville, Maryland. The AGC is an association of 27 clubs with nearly 3000 members total with a wide variety of interests and shooting activities. For more information please visit the AGC web site at www.associatedgunclubs.org

The event was billed as a "Fun Shoot" and hosted by the Monumental Rifle and Pistol Club which is the largest club in the association with just under 400 members. The coordinator of the event was our good friend and supporter Bob Culver who has hosted this event at least once a year for the past several years. Although not a .50BMG dedicated event, the Big Fifty did have its place and the activities were covered in the local print media by Candus Thomson of the Baltimore Sun Newspaper. A quote from her article is attached:

"Yesterday, I got a big bang out of being at the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore campus just outside downtown Marriottsville. So did lots of others, from Boy Scouts to office workers. Ellen Radliff, a Frederick resident who works at a mortgage company, experienced the powerful kick of a 50-caliber rifle and the fun of hanging out with her father, Gene."

There were about 75 guests attending, hosted by about 40 club member volunteers. Over half of the guests took advantage of the introductory safety and familiarization courses running throughout the day in the range house class room.

The club members hosted shooters, supplying their own special firearms and ammo at the line, with their own guidance and some good stories about their equipment and activities. Adding much flavor were some members in period costume.

Making things interesting were the pair of belt fed Browning 1919 machine guns (semi-auto versions). The two sent about 600 rounds down range in 10 shot strings. The lone .50BMG got lots of use with 70 rounds down range in three hours. The barrel was still warm when I took it off the line at 3PM.

There was a Rifle Rodeo, shooting at bricks at 25 yards. Easy you say? These were charcoal briquettes hanging from string and swinging in the breeze. The rifle was a scoped .17HMR so hitting them was possible and they powdered in a very nice way when hit. I do not know how many of the bricks at 50 and 100 yards were hit.

An Official Biathlon Target got a good workout and the timed plastic pistol plates offered a degree of one on one challenge. All in all it was a fun day where the practitioners of the shooting arts could bring out their toys and share their fun with otherwise unknowing visitors. Demonstrating the knowledge and friendliness of lawful firearm owners is a major payoff from such an event in an anti-gun environment such as Maryland.

The media coverage we got could not be bought at any price. I am not worried about the media printing the wrong thing, you just have to pay close attention to them, escort them around the event and give them clear information. Repetition is key. Give them the sound bites or one liners they can print, don't let them make up their own. Getting such a positive image of firearms out to the public is not too difficult, but it is crucial.

Organized, staffed and supplied by donations from the members, donations from a few solicited shops and vendors and donations to the many "Ammo Kitties" scattered around the club, the event was a zero net cost event as planned.

The Coming Elections:
The mid term elections are just around the corner and I just wanted to take a couple minutes to express my opinion on the importance of these elections. The gun rights community has enjoyed a lot of success during the past 6 years of George Bush's administration. Our successes have outweighed our losses by a big margin. I just want you all to realize this has been predominantly because of the majorities the Republican Party has enjoyed in the US House of Representatives and the support they have received by the slim majority of Republicans in the US Senate. I don't have anything against Democratic politicians, but the fact is they are not friends of law abiding gun owners in America. If we lose the House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will become the new Speaker of the House. She will control the priorities of what legislation will be heard in the US Legislature. Think about that when you are debating about who to vote for or if you are even going to go to the polls. Everyone needs to vote and we need to encourage our gun owning friends to vote with us. Together, we can make a difference!!

99-.416 Won by Sheldon Marks
We are very pleased to tell everyone the Barrett 99-.416 rifle was won by Mr. Sheldon Marks from Tucson, AZ. He was ecstatic when he realized he had actually won the rifle but when I first called him his question was, "what are you talking about?" He had forgotten he had stopped by the FCI booth at the SHOT Show and bought five (5) chances to win the rifle. We appreciate his support and thank him very much.

We would also like to thank everyone who has taken the time to mail in a coupon on one of the fundraisers we offer. Without your support the voice of the fifty caliber community would not be heard. The role we play here at FCI is very important. The creeps over at the Violence Policy Center get out of bed every day with but one purpose in mind and that's to take your guns away from you. Well, we have news for them we're here to stop them!!

M-3 Donated By TNW Firearms

If you're interested in trying to win a $10,000 M-3 HB, FCI is going to give one away just before Christmas. You can check it out on our web site HERE A $100 contribution will get you five (5) chances to win this beautiful piece of American history!!

Best regards and safe shooting.

John Burtt, Chmn
FCI