Police said a group of people who had left Eli’s Tavern, at 21 Daniel Street, were walking into the parking garage when two men approached them and demanded their personal belongings.
One of the robbers pointed a handgun at the group and fired a shot in the neck of one of the victims, police said.
In self-defense, another victim grabbed his own licensed firearm and returned fire, striking one of the robbers, police said. The second person ran off.

via Victim Shoots Armed Robber in Milford: Cops | NBC Connecticut.

And as always, the problem is that they may be wanting something you cannot afford to give. That is an unacceptable proposition and demands a firm denial like in this case.

At a certain Interwebs forum, one person was asking about building an AR “from scratch” that being starting with the 80% receiver but he had doubts about the legality of doing so according to his reading of Federal Law.

Most of the responses by others assured him that it was totally cool and within the law, reinforcing that part of you are building for your own personal satisfaction and you will not engage in the business of manufacturing firearms . Some others kept bringing the same concept with the added “selling down the road” or “in a future” expressions in a way that might suggest  being less than upfront.

Now, as far as I know yes, you can build a firearm for personal use without needing a license and I think even having a serial number. But you cannot sell a firearm you built yourself. I am no expert on the subject and the reason is I don’t plan on building one anytime soon. But what I can do is go straight to the source, in this case the ATF:

For your information, per provisions of the Gun Control Act (GCA) of 1968, 18 U.S.C. Chapter 44, an unlicensed individual may make a “firearm” as defined in the GCAfor his own personal use, but not for sale or distribution.

As for the wink-wink part, do I have to remind people who the Internet is forever and that the ATF has the sense of humor of an alligator in rut with a case of Montezuma’s Revenge? If luck decides to un-smile upon you and merit a visit from your local gun agent, they will look into your computer and if they have a chance look at whatever you posted. The wink-wink could very well be construed as conspiracy to violate federal firearms laws and get your sorry ass arrested for it. And even if you win the trial (which might be doubtful) you will be broke, old in spirit and you will never be left 100% alone by the Feds.

So, if you don’t know a particular of a federal firearm law, be smart: talk to a lawyer who specializes on that branch of the law, contact the ATF via mail so they respond in kind and you have tangible evidence, and ignore the gun forum experts that probably know less than you, but won’t be serving your time in federal pen either.

According to officials at the scene, detectives believe a man and a woman tried to break into the home around 10 a.m. when the man was shot by the homeowner.

The man shot by the homeowner has been identified by the coroner as 31-year-old Jermoid Wheeler. The coroner was called to the scene and Wheeler was pronounced dead.

Deputies reported that the homeowner was sleeping when he heard a noise at his back door. He grabbed his gun and yelled at the intruder to stop multiple times as they tried to pry open the door.
The owner told deputies that Wheeler entered the house with a crowbar and was walking towards him when the man shot at Wheeler.

via Deputies identify man shot by homeowner during home invasion – WAFB 9 News Baton Rouge, Louisiana News, Weather, Sports.

You live in the United States of America, more specifically the South.  If a home owner tells you that he has a gun, be smart, believe him and leave before you become a bullet catcher. And yes, I understand that there are people out there that may fib and say they have a gun when they really don’t but, Do you feel lucky, punk?

Another one fresh from the source:

Many of you know Limatunes. If you don’t this young lady is not only a top notch firearms instructor, but will kick your but in Krav Maga while giving you the whole story of the 1911 as conceived by JMB and the variations that came after. In other words, you really don’t want to mess with that book showing such a delicate cover. Fools who dare test her knowledge at the gun shop or at DefensiveCarry.com , soon found themselves beaten down merciless… by a girl. (Of course, none of us had the guts to dare her, so we were never beaten by a girl, only schooled)

She has been researching carrying a gun with a baby since she got pregnant for the first time several years ago. As with everything she does, she was methodical, tested and tested again and she has not stopped learning as any good professional would.  So, what she teaches, you can rest assured is not some weird figment of tacticool imagination: She knows her stuff.

But this post wouldn’t be fun without the traditional MDA Comments Collage. Enjoy!

You gotta love those calls for forced sterilization.  Such nice, loving people, aren’t they?

We have a Two-Fer Tuesday!

SMYRNA – An accidental police gunshot into lobby carpet at Town Hall startled officials attending a Town Council workshop Thursday night.

No one was injured after the weapon of Lt. Earl Barnes, the SWAT team commander, discharged after he tied his shoes in a chair in a lobby area.

via SWAT commander misfires gun into carpet at Smyrna Town Hall.

And then….

Zara Adil, 21, was working Friday at Tobacco Zone when two men entered the store wearing masks. One of the men can be seen approaching the register and demanding cash, brandishing a handgun. Adil obliged, opening the register and then stepping away.

That’s when the would-be robber made his mistake — setting down his gun to gather the money.

“So I picked up the gun and pointed it at the second guy, and said, ‘You run or I will shoot you,’” she told ABC affiliate WTVQ in an interview.

Despite the warning, the man approached.

Adil fired the gun, and the man was shot in the shoulder

via Bearing ArmsStore Clerk Keeps Her Wits, Shoots Robber With His Own Gun – Bearing Arms.

Those prejudices and the Narratives: they keep coming apart, don’t they?