The Right to Arm Bears?

Kevin Coolidge

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

You remember the election America held last month? Firearm enthusiasts sure do and are paying strict attention to Obama’s campaign pledge of “common sense” gun control. Gun owners aren't waiting until January to find out Obama’s definition or how he plans to honor this campaign promise.

Excuse me for a moment. Anytime I start my column with Amendments to the Constitution, a little buzzer goes off in the legal department. Yes, here comes the memo now. “Objection, leading the witness” Ooops, wrong side. Appears Frank has been moonlighting. Ahem, “The author, publisher, and distributor of this column disclaims any liability from damage or injuries of any nature that a reader or user of the information may incur. Moreover, it is the reader’s responsibility to research and comply with all pertinent local, state, and federal firearm laws. This column is for academic study only” Now, that is out of the way--on to the fun stuff.

Homemade Guns and Homemade Ammo by Ronald B. Brown: This book will tell you how to make guns, gunpowder, and primers from common material. No knowledge of chemistry or fancy tools is needed. Just ordinary hand tools. When technology is in the hands of a few, an army of thousands can control a population of millions. What if this information was available to the Native Americans? The Incas? The Jews in Nazi Germany? Would oppression have tread more lightly? Contains five yummy gunpowder and two primer recipes, and you thought shake ‘n bake was fun.

Guerilla Gunsmithing, Quick and Dirty Methods for Fixing Firearms in Desperate Times by Ragnar Benson: Free people need guns, and they need them to work. Ragnar Benson has experience fixing “junk” guns in some tough places. This is not a book for someone interested in gunsmithing, but rather a book with practical techniques for removing stuck rounds, straightening bent barrels, and replacing lost parts. Yes, he does mention using duct tape to “repair” a stock, but also a practical test using common paraffin to determine caliber. These quick fixes should be good enough for government work, or at least good enough to put together guns and ammo to work on the government.

The Do-It-Yourself Gunpowder Cookbook by Don McLean: Have you ever wanted to make your own gunpowder from such items as roadkill, whiskey, manure, “fool’s gold”, and maple syrup? And do it all with simple hand tools and techniques that have been around for centuries? Sure you have. Remember guns don’t kill people. Bullets kill people, and for bullets, you need gunpowder.

Modern Weapons Caching by Ragnar Benson: A down-to-earth approach to beating the government gun grab. Sometimes you have to realize you may be fighting a losing battle and literally take your weapons underground, or be prepared to have them confiscated. Ragnar borrows techniques used by both the French Resistance in World War II and the Vietcong in Vietnam, and improves upon them with modern technology. Remember--just because “they” call you paranoid, doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out to get you.

Hunting and guns are an important part of our culture here in Tioga County, and there’s something about the smell of gun oil and the searing heat of a woodstove that reminds me of home. If you were raised hunting, you know there’s just something about a gun...


“Don’t just huddle with that gun,” Hobo says, “but praise the Lord, and pass the ammunition.” Miss a past column? Mosey over to www.frommyshelf.blogspot.com for a cache of the past. Hobo has had enough of small game; look for Hobo and his new line of designer clothing now available in Blaze Orange, just in time for hunting season.