LearnAboutGuns.com

Firearm information and politics from a gun rights perspective, with an emphasis on self defense rights.

French Marines Unintentionally Shoot Children During Demonstration

As the Telegraph reports, seventeen people have been injured, including a child left in a critical condition, after French soldiers fired live bullets instead of blanks during an open day display.  No explanation was immediately forthcoming for why the wrong ammunition was loaded into weapons.  This completely preventable tragedy underscores the need for everyone, even member of the armed forces, to follow the basic rules of gun safety. Read the rest of this article »

An Open Letter to the Victims of “Gun Violence”

To those whose lives have been hurt by a criminal’s use of a gun, Read the rest of this article »

How A Handgun Saved Glen Soustek’s Life

The Tribune ran an article about Glen Soustek, a Roselle, IL man whose life was saved by his handgun.  This excellent article is an especially good read, given the recent lawsuits filed against Chicago, Oak Park, and other Illinois cities that violate the individual right to gun ownership for self defense. Read the rest of this article »

Jessie Jackson Slams Heller Gun Rights Ruling – and Endanger Civil Rights

As the Sun Times reports, Jessie Jackson called the Supreme Court’s ruling that gun ownership is an individual righta ‘reckless interpretation of the Second Amendment’ — and one that Chicago doesn’t have to accept.
Jessie Jackson’s statement, aside from being untrue, endangers the very civil rights that he has supported.  As an African American, a law student, and an American citizen, I am thoroughly disappointed.  Allow me to elaborate: Read the rest of this article »

Portrait of a Gun Toting Criminal – who won’t obey gun control laws

It seems that many gun control advocates have mistaken ideas about the criminals who use guns. Allow me to set the record straight: Read the rest of this article »

Chicago’s Handgun Ban Challenged In Court

Within hours of the Supreme Court declaring that handgun ownership is a basic right, the city of Chicago was sued over their handgun ban. I’ve previously discussed why such handgun bans won’t work, and how criminals will just ignore the gun control laws. I’ve also discussed how rights such as gun ownership, free speech, and the right to a lawyer cannot be legislated away by a city, state, or federal government. That same reasoning applies here, and is not included in this article to avoid redundancy. Instead, I’ll address the comments by Mayor Daley and Chicago’s chief of police Jody Weis: Read the rest of this article »

Oak Park, IL Fears Impending Handgun Ban Lawsuit

In the wake of the Supreme Court’s decision that handgun ownership is a right, the Oak Park, Illinois handgun ban will soon be challenged in court by the NRA. Rather than acknowledging that that the handgun ban doesn’t stop crime, only leaves law abiding citizens vulnerable, Oak Park Village President David Pope reportedly argued that the Supreme Court’s decision was “squarely on the side of the gang-bangers”: Read the rest of this article »

District of Columbia v. Heller – Supreme Court Declares Gun Ownership an Individual Right!

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) has declared the Second Amendment protects the right of an individual to keep and bear arms, striking down the (failed) District of Columbia handgun ban. This article discusses what exactly the court held, and what that means for American gun owners: Read the rest of this article »

Pistols vs Revolvers: Selecting the Right Handgun

Pistols and revolvers each have their own advantages and disadvantages. This article discusses the pros and cons of each type of handgun: Read the rest of this article »

Criminal Fatally Shoots 5 Coworkers at Factory

The shooter, Wesley Neal Higdon, had been reprimanded for talking on his cell phone and not wearing safety glasses.  He left work for about half an hour, then returned to kill 5 people and then kill himself.  During the shootings, he apparently had time to reload his handgun.  Again, we have a tragic shooting where a criminal bent on murder and suicide was the only one armed, and as a result, the law abiding, unarmed people died. Read the rest of this article »

Toronto City Council Passes Bans on Gun Education, Shooting Ranges, and Gun Manufacturing

“There will be no more gun clubs on City of Toronto property and there will be no new gun clubs in the City of Toronto ever,” said Toronto Mayor David Miler. Read the rest of this article »

Pistol Caliber Carbine Rifles for Home Defense: Pros and Cons

The pros and cons of pistol caliber carbines, which are rifles that have a relatively short barrel and are chambered for pistol cartridges, are discussed below: Read the rest of this article »

South Bend, Indiana Gun Ban Rejected by Common Council

As the NRA reports, the South Bend, Indiana measure that would have banned guns (and therefore self defense) on city property has been voted down. Read the rest of this article »

Opposing Gun Rights Harms Our Other Basic Rights: Part 3 of 3

Unfortunately, some of the most ardent supporters of rights such as abortion, free speech, and other civil rights are also some of the same people who try to take away the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. To those people I would say that trying to take away gun rights will result in the loss of our other civil rights, such as abortion, free speech, etc. This is part 3 of the 3 part series. Read the rest of this article »

Gun Ownership is a Right, Not a Privilege

Atlanta Mayor Shirley Franklin issued a statement that argued cities should be able to ban guns, and that denying cities that ability would result in increased crime. This statement, aside from being inaccurate, fails to take into account that gun ownership is a right, and the rights of law abiding citizens cannot be denied just because it is politically expedient to do so. Allow me to explain further: Read the rest of this article »

Opposing Gun Rights Harms Our Other Basic Rights: Part 2 of 3

Unfortunately, some of the most ardent supporters of rights such as abortion, free speech, and other civil rights are also some of the same people who try to take away the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. To those people I would say that trying to take away gun rights will result in the loss of our other civil rights, such as abortion, free speech, etc. This is part 2 of the 3 part series. Read the rest of this article »

Chicago Pro-Gun Rally on Friday July 11th 2008

The ISRA and IllinoisCarry are cosponsoring a Second Amendment freedom rally at the Thompson Center on Friday, July 11th 2008. Read the rest of this article »

Pizza Delivery Driver Defends Self with Gun

A pizza delivery driver was reportedly attacked by 3 robbers during a delivery.  He was able to draw and fire his gun in self defense. Read the rest of this article »

Opposing Gun Rights Harms Our Other Basic Rights: Part 1 of 3

Unfortunately, some of the most ardent supporters of rights such as abortion, free speech, and other civil rights are also some of the same people who try to take away the Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms. To those people I would say that trying to take away gun rights will result in the loss of our other civil rights, such as abortion, free speech, etc. This is part 1 of the 3 part series. Read the rest of this article »

The New Gun Control Tactic: Call Every Gun an “Assault Weapon”

With more and more Americans supporting the view that gun ownership is an individual right protected by the Second Amendment, gun control groups such as the Brady Campaign are losing ground.  This is giving rise to a new tactic Read the rest of this article »

6th Annual ISRA Range Open House – All Law Abiding Citizens Invited

Everyone is welcome at the 6th Annual ISRA Range Open House!
Just west of Kankakee, IL on Saturday, June 21st 2008 – 10:00 AM until 4:00 PM
FREE PARKING! FREE ADMISSION! RAIN or SHINE!
Read the rest of this article »

Gun Ownership is NOT Advocacy of Violence

I have noticed that some people, mainly who don’t own guns, equate gun ownership with violence. Nothing could be further from the truth: Read the rest of this article »

Chicago Teen is Shot for the 3rd Time This Year

Despite Chicago’s longstanding handgun ban, Dominice Hallom has been shot 3 separate times this year.  Upon being shot for what is the third time, Dominice Hallom is reported to have remarked “Oh my God. I’m shot again . . . I’m tired of this.” Read the rest of this article »

More Armed Robberies in Oak Park, IL – Despite the Handgun Ban

There were another 2 armed robberies in the village of Oak Park, Illinois this week, despite the handgun ban. It appears that no one told the Oak Park government that criminals ignore laws (including handgun bans). Read the rest of this article »

Gun Control and the Urge to “Do Something” in the Wake of a Tragic Shooting

Often times in the wake of a particularly horrific shooting, politicians and even ordinary citizens feel compelled to “do something.” Gun control advocates seize on this urge to act, since it is human nature to want to take action in the wake of a tragedy. This tends to lead to wasted effort or actions that actually make the situation worse. Sometimes the best course of action is no action, or at least action after considerable thought is given to the issue: Read the rest of this article »

Would-be Home Invader Unintentionally Shoots Himself to Death

Cameron Sands, a 19 year old would-be home invader from Fort Worth managed to fatally shoot himself during an attempted home invasion.

Grand Prairie, TX police say that Cameron Sands kicked in the door of the home he was invading, and then inadvertently shot himself in the stomach while trying to pull the gun out of his waist band. After shooting himself, Sands dropped the gun and ran, but only made it to the driveway before collapsing. He was then found dead in the early morning hours.

Luckily for these home owners, the would-be home invader managed to negligently shoot himself and save them from violent attack by a criminal. Unfortunately, most home owners aren’t that lucky when it comes to home invasion, and would do well to have a gun for self defense.

NRA to Sue Cities Over Handgun Bans – People from Chicago, Evanston, Morton Grove, Oak Park, and Wilmette Needed!

The NRA is planning to bring Second Amendment right to keep and bear arms lawsuits against cities in Cook County, Illinois, that have handgun bans. These are Chicago, Evanston, Morton Grove, Oak Park, and Wilmette. If you live in one of these cities and might be willing to serve as a potential plaintiff in the lawsuit, the NRA would like to hear from you. Please call (703) 267-1162 as soon as possible.

It is vital that we get these handgun bans repealed, since one need only turn on the news to see how criminals ignore the handgun bans, while law abiding citizens are left defenseless.

Jesse Jackson’s Misguided Gun Protests

The Reverend Jesse Jackson has been protesting against gun rights for a long time. As far as I can tell, these protests are merely pointless publicity stunts: Read the rest of this article »

Three Injured In Five BB Gun Drive-By Shootings

As Fox reports, Kansas City, MO police are searching for teenagers suspected of shooting 3 people during 5 separate BB gun drive by shootings. Read the rest of this article »

Citizen with Concealed Carry Stops Bank Robber

A Canton, MI concealed carry permit holder lawfully used his gun to stop a bank robber: Read the rest of this article »

Comments Now Allowed on All Articles: feel free to leave your feedback

Previously, comments on this site’s articles were disabled due to my concerns over spam. However, I’ve now instituted new spam prevention measures, and enabled comments. Please feel free to leave comments on any articles :)

And if you have any gun related topics you would like me to address, just email me or ask in the discussion forum. I can’t guarantee that I’ll write an article about the topic you suggest, but the chances are pretty good that I will.

The Solution to Crime is Not a Handgun Ban, but a Hand Ban

Many gun control advocates argue that we need handgun bans in order to prevent crime. Empirical evidence collected from cities that have handgun bans (such as Chicago and D.C.) flatly disprove that idea. It appears that a hand ban, rather than a handgun ban, might better prevent crime. Allow me to explain: Read the rest of this article »

British Bicycle Rider Gunned Down – Despite Strict Gun Control Laws

In another event which showcases the utter failure of strict gun control, a bicycle rider in the UK was shot and killed. Read the rest of this article »

Terminology is Important When Debating Gun Rights

I recently received an email from a gentleman named Jon, regarding my use of terms such as “assault weapons” and “gun control” on this site.  Jon stated that he believed I should use terms such as “politically incorrect guns” instead of “assault weapons,” and to similarly frame the “gun control” issue in a more pro-guns manner.  I wholeheartedly agree with Jon’s statement when it comes to discussing gun rights in person or on TV, but the internet is a different story: Read the rest of this article »

Clothing Store Owner Kills Armed Robber in Self Defense

A robber with a handgun was killed in self defense by the owner of LT’s Clothing and Accessories, in Flint, MI. Read the rest of this article »

Features to Look for in a Gun Safe

As previously discussed, safe and responsible gun storage is essential. I’ve been asked what features I recommend for gun safes, which I discuss below: Read the rest of this article »

Criminals Using Nail Guns

As the AP reports, A 27 year old Grand Junction, CO man is in custody for allegedly of spraying a co-worker with flammable lacquer thinner, throwing a garbage can at him,  and shooting him as many as 20 times with a nail gun. Read the rest of this article »

Why I Have a Gun

Some friends and family members have asked me why I have a gun. After having answered this question several times, I decided to write an article that I can point people to in the future: Read the rest of this article »

Police Shut Down Machine Gun Smuggling Ring

Over 30 guns were seized when the gun smuggling ring was raided, including machine pistols that police say were destined for Canada. I applaud the law enforcement agencies for their excellent work in stopping these criminals. Now if only the politicians would recognize that passing gun control laws will only harm law abiding citizens, since smuggling guns in illegally is how criminals get their weapons. Read the rest of this article »

News Flash: Criminals Ignore Laws (including gun control laws)

Throughout this site I have pointed out the many problems with gun control. Those problems include the fact that criminals don’t obey laws (including gun control laws), and that failure to obey laws is what makes them criminals. Given the number of people still reaching this site after searching for “reasons to support gun control”, I thought I would further explain why gun control laws won’t prevent crime any better than the laws against murder and other crimes. Read the rest of this article »

Self Defense: The Most Basic Right

Self defense is the most basic right that we humans have. It is a necessary foundation upon which all of our other rights are based. Given the fact the criminals who seek to harm law abiding citizens and their families are often armed, gun rights are an essential part of the right to defend oneself and one’s family these days. Read the rest of this article »

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels Bans Guns on City Property

The mayor of Seattle, Greg Nickels, has banned guns on city property. Read the rest of this article »

Bar Owners Don’t Even Notice Lawful Concealed Carry

Last year, Kansas modified its concealed carry laws to permit patrons at bars to carry. WIBW reports that bar owners are largely unaware that their customers have been lawfully carrying, and the reason the bar owners are unaware is simple: concealed carry permit holders are not the cause of gun related crime, and are instead an asset to our society. Read the rest of this article »

A Problems: Law Abiding Citizens Choosing To Turn Down Guns While Criminals Embrace Them

Several of the people I’ve worked with and known socially over the last year have stated that they are either opposed to gun rights, and/or don’t personally wish to exercise their right to keep and bear arms.  While they certainly have a right to choose not to own a gun, I am of the opinion that this is a bad choice for them, and a bad choice for our society.  Allow me to explain: Read the rest of this article »

Criminal Without Gun Kills 7 and Injures 11

In Toyko, Japan, a 25 year old man who was “tired of life” killed 7 and injured 11.  He committed these terrible crimes without a gun. Read the rest of this article »

“Gun Violence” Protests: Who is Protesting What, and Why?

In cities such as Chicago and London, which already have strict gun control laws, there have been “gun violence” protests organized by anti gun groups.  These usually take place after a criminal violates the gun ban laws and commits a crime.  Unlike protests designed to focus the attention of political leaders on a governmental policy (such as involvement in wars or civil rights), these protests seem to be without purpose.  Allow me to explain: Read the rest of this article »

Pregnant Woman Defends Herself Against Home Invaders By Using A Shotgun

A Murfeesboro, TN mother-to-be saves herself and her unborn child from home invaders. Read the rest of this article »

Shotgun Shot Size Information

I see quite a few visitors searching for information on the size of shot in the various shotgun shells, such as 00 buck, #1 buck, #4 bird, etc., and the number of pellets in a one ounce 12 Gauge shell This article provides that information for lead shot. Read the rest of this article »

Selecting the Right Sighting Option: Scopes, Lasers, Ghost Rings, Red Dot, Open Sights, etc.

There are a variety of options when it comes to choosing a sight for your handgun, shotgun, or rifle. Each sighting option has its own set of advantages and disadvantages. This article discusses each of the major options. Read the rest of this article »

Negligence of Adults Causes Gun Related Death of Child

An 8 year old girl in Grain Valley, MO was killed today by the negligence of adult(s). Read the rest of this article »

“Zero Tolerance” Policies are a Step Backward

“Zero Tolerance” policies are becoming more and more popular in our nation’s schools, workplaces, and other venues, especially as far as guns and other weapons related items are concerned. The problem is that these policies lead to unjust results and defy common sense. Zero tolerance policies run contrary to the ideas of justice that we as a civilization have been developing for centuries, and should be abandoned. Allow me to explain: Read the rest of this article »

Unconstitutional Philadelphia Gun Control Laws Struck Down (in part)

Two of Philadelphia’s unconstitutional gun laws were struck down by Judge Jane Cutler Greenspan of the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Read the rest of this article »

The District of Columbia: An Example of Failed Gun Control

Despite a ban on handguns and draconian restrictions on long guns, the District of Columbia (”Washington D.C.”) has a serious problem with criminals using guns. Between March and April alone, this city of about 500,000 people has had over 330 reports of gun related crimes. As VOA reports, it is not unusual for D.C. residents Read the rest of this article »

New York Mayor Bloomberg Bullies Georgia Gun Store into Submission

With virtually unlimited taxpayer funds at his disposal, New York Mayor Bloomberg claimed victory over Adventure Outdoors, a small gun dealer in the suburbs of Atlanta, Georgia, which could not afford a month long trial whose fairness was far from assured. Read the rest of this article »

T-Shirt With Cartoon Gun Deemed A Security Risk

Brad Jayakody’s t-shirt had a cartoon image from the “Transformers” movie. The cartoon character on his shirt had a a gun for an arm, and this was deemed a security risk. Jayakody was forbidden to board the airplane until he changed his shirt. Read the rest of this article »

Anti Gun Crusader Pat Regan Stabbed to Death

Pat Regan, who founded Mothers Against Violence was murdered with a knife today. Read the rest of this article »

Gun Ownership Helps Protect Everyone – even those who don’t own a gun themselves

Gun Ownership Helps Protect Everyone – even those who don’t own a gun themselves, as explained below: Read the rest of this article »

Angelina Jolie Owns Guns and Would Use them to Defend her Family

Although I’m not usually one to care about the opinions or personal lives of celebrities, I found this article when searching Google news for gun-related stories. It discusses Angelina Jolie’s views on guns and self defense, which I whole heartedly agree with. Read the rest of this article »

Armed PA Citizen Stops Home Invasion

As the Patriot News reports, a home invader broke in to Eugene Johnson’s house, and stated “Don’t move, I have a gun.” The home owner replied “Buddy, I’ve got a gun, too, and it’s aimed right on you.”  The home invader then turned and ran. Read the rest of this article »

Reasons to Support Gun Control

I’ve noticed that a fair number of people who visit this website search on Google for “reasons to support gun control”, despite the pro-gun-rights nature of this website. I’ve decided to write this article listing reasons to support gun control, for those visitors. Read the rest of this article »

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