MSSA v. Holder – hearing transcript available

Several of you have inquired about a transcript for the hearing in our lawsuit to validate the principles of the Montana Firearms Freedom Act.

The transcript for the 7/15 hearing on the U.S. Motion to Dismiss in MSSA v. Holder is now posted to the FirearmsFreedomAct.com Website at:
http://firearmsfreedomact.com/updates/MSSA%20-%20Transcript%20of%20Proceedings%20RE%20Hearing%20on%20Mx%27s%20-%20071510.pdf

or
( HERE)

If you wish to navigate to it, go to the FFA Website, click on Montana Lawsuit Updates on the right column, and from there scroll down to the section on the Motion to Dismiss.

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Lead ammo and the EPA

Many of you will be aware that the Center for Biological Diversity submitted a petition to the Environmental Protection Agency asking the EPA to ban the use of lead for ammunition as a toxic material.

The good news is that when Congress gave the EPA the authority to regulate toxic materials in the environment, Congress specifically excepted lead ammunition from that EPA regulatory authority.

So, the EPA has reviewed the petition from the CBD and has rejected the request to regulate lead ammo, stating that it lacks authority to do so. Read more

Precision Rifle Matches, Potomac, MT

In case you are not aware of it, MSSA has been conducting precision rifle matches near Potomac (25 miles NE of Missoula) for about five years.

We hold these matches on the third Saturday of each month during the shooting season (April through October) on several thousand acres of private ranchland near Potomac.

This is not a highly competitive match, since we don’t offer any prizes or trophies. Rather, it is an opportunity to play with rifles at distance, under safe rules and conditions, with targets provided, under uniform rules, and under field conditions.

Participants may enter Hunter Class to engage 41 steel targets downrange mostly between 100 and 300 yards. Or, shooters may enter Precision Class, to engage 65 steel targets downrange between 300 and 1,000 yards (one target array at over 1,300 yards). All shooting is done under field conditions (i.e., no shooting benches).

Shooters are squaded at match start into mixed squads of Hunter and Precision class shooters. Each squad moves to one of eight shooting position for each squad member to engage targets available from that shooting position. When all members of a squad complete that shooting position, the squad moves on to the next position. Eight shooting positions provide a full day of challenging rifle shooting.

Did you ever wonder if your riflery is up to snuff? This match provides a chance to find out how you do when compared with others of similar interest.

All the details about this match, and scores and pictures of previous matches, are at:
http://marbut.com/Rifle/

I maintain a separate email list for people who wish to be notified about rifle matches. If you wish to be on that Rifle email list, reply to this email and ask me to put you on the Rifle list. If you want today’s Rifle List announcement about the upcoming 9/18 rifle match, ask me for that too.

As a personal note, you all know that I believe passionately about the right to bear arms. I sincerely believe that the right to bear arms should be claimed and asserted especially by people who shoot well (and that people who assert the RKBA dang well ought be able to shoot adequately). The Potomac Rifle Matches are intended to allow you to be informed about whether or not you are competent at distance shooting with a rifle, and to associate you with other folks who can and will collaborate on upgrading your equipment and skills.

Finally, the Potomac Rifle Matches are the ONLY fundraiser our separate MSSA Political Committee has to raise much needed funds for MSSA to be a player in the upcoming elections. So, your match fees for this match go to help MSSA achieve its pro-gun political goals.

Come shoot the match with us. It’s really a lot of fun – a lot – really!

Best wishes,

Gary Marbut, president
Montana Shooting Sports Association
http://www.mtssa.org
author, Gun Laws of Montana
http://www.mtpublish.com

Montana Gun Group Releases Candidate Grades, Endorsements

MISSOULA – The Montana Shooting Sports Association (MSSA) today released its grades and endorsements for candidates for the Montana Legislature. MSSA has posted its just-released candidate grades and endorsements at:
http://www.progunleaders.org/MSSA2010Grades/

MSSA is the primary political action organization for gun owners and hunters in Montana and has gotten 54 pro-gun and pro-hunting bills through the Montana Legislature in the past 25 years. (See MSSA Successes.) MSSA has been evaluating, grading and endorsing candidates, and publicizing those grades for 20 years as well. Unlike some groups that drift onto the scene only prior to elections to give cover to candidates weak on gun issues, MSSA is active in Montana throughout each year. Read more