The gun and owner were reunited after a history buff in Medford, who bought the old handgun in an online auction last month, tracked [...]]]> A historic Colt .45-caliber, semi-automatic pistol stolen more than 30 years ago from a Medal of Honor winner in South Carolina has been returned to its rightful owner.

The gun and owner were reunited after a history buff in Medford, who bought the old handgun in an online auction last month, tracked down the retired Marine whose name is engraved on it.

“I knew if I found him and it was his gun, I couldn’t keep it,” said George Berry, 71, who knew little about the history of the gun when he purchased it from an auction house in Pennsylvania.

The story begins when Berry, a retired Navy warrant officer who also served in the Marine Corps, decided this summer to fulfill a lifelong dream of owning one of the historic handguns.

“I’ve always wanted to own a Colt Model 1911 .45 automatic — always wanted one,” he says. “John Wayne had one in every World War II movie I’ve ever seen him in.”

Early in July, he began searching the Internet and discovered that Alderfer Auction, a well-known auction firm in Hatfield, Pa., would be offering three of the Colt .45s in a July 12 auction.

In particular, lot No. 78 caught his eye: “Colt 1911 A1 semi-automatic pistol. Cal. 45. 5″ bbl. SN 0103889. Reblued finish on all metal, plain walnut Colt grips, after-market rear sight, no magazine,” the description read.

“Faint ‘USMC’ stamped on right side of slide, partial ‘United States Property’ wording is visible,” it continued. “The name ‘John J. McGinty USMC’ stamped on left side of slide. Very good.”-[source]

Scandal along the U.S. – Mexico border continues to plague the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is raising eyebrows on Capitol Hill.

When Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was shot and mortally wounded in a gun battle about [...]]]> Arizona Firearms found at murder scene of American Border Patrol agent

Scandal along the U.S. – Mexico border continues to plague the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF), and is raising eyebrows on Capitol Hill.

When Border Patrol agent Brian Terry was shot and mortally wounded in a gun battle about 10 miles from the Mexico border in Arizona in December, 2010, it appeared to be yet another example of Mexico drug gang violence spilling over the border. But as more and more information from the crime scene leaked out, disturbing evidence also pointed to serious wrongdoing at the ATF.

Since 2005, the ATF has been involved in an initiative called “Project Gunrunner.”

Under this plan, ATF was to trace the flow of guns supposedly trafficked by straw purchasers in the U.S. to across the border into Mexico. When concerned firearms dealers, fearing the guns were being sent into Mexico, contacted ATF, they were instructed to proceed with the questionable and illegal sales to suspected straw buyers.

The mismanagement and botched oversight of “Gunrunner” has led to what has become known as the “Gunwalker” scandal.-[source]

December 14, 2010. The place: a dangerous smuggling route in Arizona not far [...]]]> Keeping American weapons from getting into the hands of Mexican gangs is the goal of a program called “Project Gunrunner.” But critics say it’s doing exactly the opposite. CBS News investigative correspondent Sharyl Attkisson reports on what she found.

December 14, 2010. The place: a dangerous smuggling route in Arizona not far from the border. A special tactical border squad was on patrol when gunfire broke out and agent Brian Terry was killed.

Kent, Brian’s brother, said “he was my only brother. That was the only brother I had. I’m lost.”

The assault rifles found at the murder were traced back to a U.S. gun shop. Where they came from and how they got there is a scandal so large, some insiders say it surpasses the shoot-out at Ruby Ridge and the deadly siege at Waco.

To understand why, it helps to know something about “Project Gunrunner” an operation run by the ATF the Federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms.-[source]

“His inventor’s mind immediately told him that this represented energy which might well be put to productive use,” David [...]]]> One day in 1889, John Browning was on a firing range when he noticed that when a friend fired his rifle, a clump of weeds in front of the muzzle swayed with the blast.

“His inventor’s mind immediately told him that this represented energy which might well be put to productive use,” David Miller wrote in “The History of Browning Firearms.” “That night, John designed a rudimentary gas-operated gun in his head.”

The next day, he had a prototype of a rifle that automatically reloaded.

This became the Colt 1895.

Suddenly the U.S. Marines had a huge upgrade from the hand-cranked Gatling…-[source]

The Mitchell American Legion Post is raffling off a handgun that belonged to Foss, a legendary World War II war hero and the governor of South Dakota from 1955 to 1959.

Chances are being sold for $10 and a maximum of [...]]]> Joe Foss may help his fellow South Dakota veterans one more time.

The Mitchell American Legion Post is raffling off a handgun that belonged to Foss, a legendary World War II war hero and the governor of South Dakota from 1955 to 1959.

Chances are being sold for $10 and a maximum of 650 will be sold. The drawing will be held Feb. 28, 2011, or sooner if all the tickets are sold.

The Smith & Wesson .357-caliber revolver was purchased years ago from Foss and a certificate of authenticity and a photograph of Foss, along with a receipt he signed, are being used as proof.

Lyle Sunderland, the first vice commander of the Mitchell Legion Post, bought the handgun for $2,000 at a gun show from the man who bought it from the “Ace of Aces,” as Foss, a flying ace, was known.

If all the tickets sell, that would cover the cost of the gun and raise $4,500 for the Legion. That would pay for a new air conditioner and heater, which cost $4,187. Add in the cost of the tickets and other expenses, and the decision was made to cap ticket sales at 650, Sunderland said.

He said it seemed like an appropriate way to raise money while honoring a true South Dakota legend.

“We wanted to bring Joe’s gun home to South Dakota,” Sunderland said.

Foss was credited with shooting down 26 Japanese Zeros during World War II and was awarded the Medal of Honor in a White House ceremony. In 1943, he appeared on the cover of Life magazine.-[source]

“M1 for Vets” is A non-profit organization dedicated to financial and logistical support of returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the Global War on Terror (GWT) “Transitioning Combat Wounded Veterans” for the purpose of competing in national shooting sports.

“M1 for Vets” Theme:

“From the Greatest Generation to the [...]]]> “M1 for Vets” Purpose:

“M1 for Vets” is A non-profit organization dedicated to financial and logistical support of returning Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and the Global War on Terror (GWT) “Transitioning Combat Wounded Veterans” for the purpose of competing in national shooting sports.

“M1 for Vets” Theme:

“From the Greatest Generation to the Next Greatest Generation”…

“M1 for Vets” Evolvement:

Nonprofit organizations are started by truly dedicated people.  Not all non-profits survive the years of difficult work to become great organizations.  The great ones are started by people who feel passion from their hearts and are able to direct and focus that passion and turn it into a great organization.  “M1 for Vets” is on its way to becoming one of the great ones.

The idea of “M1 for Vets” came forth from a conversation JJ Oshea and fellow friends had while talking about how they wanted to give something back to our wounded war heroes.  These kinds of thoughts come from our hearts and provide the push necessary to accomplish feats beyond our expectations.

In a short three year period, JJ and friends have launched their campaign and given M1 rifles to more than 160 wounded war heroes.  This effort is an ongoing process and continues to grow because of the diligence of local shooting clubs around the country desiring to assist “M1 for Vets” and its efforts.-[source]

According to ABC, Trijicon has contracts with the Defense Department, including a $660 million multi-year contract to provide 800,000 optical sighting devices [...]]]> A Michigan-based company that manufactures scopes for firearms is under scrutiny because a report has found that it includes New Testament verses in its products, some of which are used by the U.S. military.

According to ABC, Trijicon has contracts with the Defense Department, including a $660 million multi-year contract to provide 800,000 optical sighting devices to the Marine Corps. The sights contain Bible verses that include JN8:12, which refers to John 8:12, “Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

The devices from the company are used by American troops in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, as well as to train Afghan soldiers ahead of the scheduled troop drawdown in 2011. According to details of one $33 million contract approved last year by the Defense Department, Trijicon is supplying the Marine Corps. with a device, called M240B medium machine gun day optic, that helps a machine gunner recognize and identify a target.

The U.S. military prohibits proselytizing of any faith in Afghanistan or Iraq, according to ABC. The Army and the Marine Corps said in the report that they were unaware of the Bible codes.

“There is no separation of church and state issue here. The company can put whatever they want to on their product. The government is free to buy, or not buy the product as is.”

The company told ABC that the New Testament codes are included in the scopes being sold to the U.S. military, and that concerns about the verses were being raised by a group that is not Christian. – [source]