by Jim Irvine Ohio Attorney General Richard Cordray (D) has released the concealed handgun license (CHL) statistics for the second quarter of 2010. At the end of June, we had an all…
Author: Buckeye Firearms Association
Columbus Dispatch article on growing popularity of non-resident concealed carry licenses exposes need for national reciprocity
by Chad D. Baus
Early last year Dayton Daily News reporter Laura Bischoff wrote an article about Ohio residents who chose to obtain a non-resident, or out-of-state, concealed carry license from Utah. In the article, Bischoff echoed the assertions of the Ohio Coalition Against Gun Violence’s Toby Hoover, who suggested that the reason people obtain these licenses is to avoid Ohio’s training requirements. At the time, Hoover suggested state Attorney General Richard Cordray should cancel the reciprocity agreement with Utah.
Eighteen months later, reporter James Nash of The Columbus Dispatch is taking his turn on the subject. And once again, Hoover is suggesting that something nefarious is going on.
Gov. Strickland believes he is cutting into the Republican base on the gun issue; Kasich disagrees
by Chad D. Baus The Toledo Blade is reporting that, during a recent interview, Governor Ted Strickland said that he believes he has cut into John Kasich’s Republican base due, in part,…
EPA Denies Ammo Ban Petition
Responding to a grassroots outcry from gun owners, the Environmental Protection Agency announced on Friday that it has denied a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity and other radical groups that had sought to ban the use of lead in ammunition.
Agreeing with the position of the NRA and the firearms industry, the agency explained in a news release that it “does not have the legal authority to regulate this type of product under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).” Further crushing the hopes of anti-gun and anti-hunting activists, the release added: “nor is the agency seeking such authority.”
“It’s outrageous that this petition even went this far,” said Chris W. Cox, NRA-ILA Executive Director. “We applaud the EPA for its understanding of the law and its common sense in this situation — both of which were totally missing in the petition filed by these extreme anti-gun and anti-hunting groups.”
Because the EPA has no power to regulate ammunition, it will not move ahead with a public comment period on the petition. However, a comment period will remain open until September 15 on the other part of the petition, which asks EPA to ban the use of lead in fishing sinkers.
Harry Reid loses NRA endorsement over Kagan confirmation vote
Statement From NRA-PVF Chairman Chris W. Cox On The 2010 Nevada U.S. Senate Race In the coming days and weeks, the NRA Political Victory Fund (NRA-PVF) will be announcing endorsements and candidate…
President Signs Industry Excise Tax Bill into Law
by Larry Keane
The President has signed into law the Firearms Excise Tax Improvement Act of 2010 (H.R. 5552). The bill passed the House of Representatives at the end of June by a vote of 412-6 and on August 5 it cleared the Senate by unanimous consent.
This important legislation corrects a longstanding inequity in the Internal Revenue Code by permitting firearm and ammunition manufacturers to pay the federal excise tax payment on a quarterly basis, just as other industries that support conservation through a federal excise tax do. Currently, firearms and ammunition manufacturers pay this tax on a bi-weekly schedule, forcing many manufacturers to borrow money to ensure on-time payment. Industry members spend thousands of staff-hours administering the necessary paperwork to successfully complete the bi-weekly tax payments — monies that are due to the federal government long before manufacturers are paid by their customers.
Importantly, HR 5552 pays for itself and does not add to the budget deficit. Nor does the bill lower the amount of conservation dollars collected by lowering the tax rate. It simply adjusts the payment schedule to a quarterly period.
Letter to EPA: Ban on lead ammunition will result in less hunters, less wildlife funding and more wildlife problems
Editor’s Note: The following letter was written in regards to an issue BuckeyeFirearms.org has been following very closely. For more information, see EPA Considering Ban on Traditional Ammunition: ACT NOW!!
It is my opinion that the movement to ban lead ammunition should be re-considered with careful regard to all the factors that may not be apparent to the supporters of this movement. Not only is the perceived problem not clearly factual, but there are benefits, both environmental and economic which would be lost.
Let me reveal my interests. I am a lifelong outdoorsman, with considerable experience in backpacking, survival camping, family camping, hiking and kayaking. For many years I was a Scoutmaster, Assistant Scoutmaster, and an Explorer Advisor. I have taught Wilderness Survival and Backpacking on a Community College level. In short, I love nature just as it was created and am a proponent of “Leave No Trace”. I also like firearms. I really enjoy target shooting, and sometimes hunt, although for most of the time a firearm is more weight than I am willing to take with me in the woods. I am a Chemical Engineer and finished my career working in the environmental field. I believe I have “standing” in this debate.
I am more than skeptical about any damage caused by lead bullets in wildlife, other than that which allows the animal to be harvested. I would site that wildlife flourishes quite well in war zones where the concentration of lead is much higher. Quite often pseudo-science and biased and slanted reporting is used to prop up theories of well meaning but short-sighted interest groups. Much to my dismay, I see am seeing “scientists” ignoring data which does not support their own theories. I also know there are extremely biased anti-firearm groups whose distorted data and half-truths are legend, that support any effort to hobble firearms. I know those statements make me look biased as well, but I am an engineer, whose carear depended on knowing truth, and I have over and over seen dishonest distortions from these groups.
“Sportsmen for Strickland” bus hits the campaign trail
Following the rollout of two pieces of campaign literature aimed at Ohio’s pro-gun voters, the “Sportsmen for Strickland” branch of Governor Ted Strickland’s re-election campaign continues to roll with its message promoting the pro-gun governor – quite literally.
As Ohioans make their ways down the highways and byways of the Buckeye State this fall, they stand a chance of being exposed to the incumbent Governor’s pro-gun message, displayed prominently on a camo-wrapped motorhome.
On the side, the motorhome features a picture of Governor Strickland and his brother Roger sitting on the bed of a pickup truck. Under the photo is a quote from a statement issued by Buckeye Firearms Association when the political action committee announced its endorsement of Strickland.
“Whether your passion is hunting, sport shooting, self-defense, collecting, plinking or just supporting our constitutional right to keep and bear arms, you have no stauncher ally than Governor Ted Strickland. His consistent, tested and proven support for individual gun rights is second to none,” said Jim Irvine, Chairman of Buckeye Firearms Association.
EPA Considering Ban on Traditional Ammunition: ACT NOW!!
All Gun Owners, Hunters and Shooters:
With the fall hunting season fast approaching, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under Lisa Jackson, who was responsible for banning bear hunting in New Jersey, is now considering a petition by the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) – a leading anti-hunting organization – to ban all traditional ammunition under the Toxic Substance Control Act of 1976, a law in which Congress expressly exempted ammunition. If the EPA approves the petition, the result will be a total ban on all ammunition containing lead-core components, including hunting and target-shooting rounds. The EPA must decide to accept or reject this petition by November 1, 2010, the day before the midterm elections.
Today, the EPA has opened to public comment the CBD petition. The comment period ends on October 31, 2010.
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — urges you to submit comment to the EPA opposing any ban on traditional ammunition. Remember, your right to choose the ammunition you hunt and shoot with is at stake.
Representative Uecker introduces HB571: Parking Lot Ban Exemption
Representative Joe Uecker (R-66) has introduced House Bill 571, which seeks to “permit a concealed carry licensee who is an employee of a private employer to store the employee’s handgun in a locked motor vehicle parked on premises owned or leased by the employer.”
What follows is the pertinent language from the bill, with the proposed language underlined: