The graceful, light, and distinctive L.C. Smith Hammerless Double sidelock is a favorite of American shotgunners. Here’s how to fix its most common problems. If you own a Smith and want to make it suitable to shoot again, or if you are presented a Smith to repair, here’s what you need to know about the shotgun.

Diamond-abrasive hand files and hones easily cut hard materials when other metalworking implements can’t do the job.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) — the trade association for the firearms, ammunition, hunting and shooting sports industry — has learned that FOX Sports Media Group has banned advertisements featuring firearms and ammunition from its coverage of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events.

At Media Day at the recently concluded SHOT Show in Las Vegas, GunReports.com Publisher Timothy H. Cole gets an overview of Galco’s new products from company representative Mike Barham.

Gun Reports - News

To see a local news item on the attempted Brady intimidation that Starbucks ignored, click here.

Venti Coffee for Everyone! Starbucks Repels Brady Demand to Curtail Open Carry

(GunReports.com)--If you want amusement, check out Brady Campaign spokesidiot Paul Helmke's blog about Starbucks refusing to curtail Open Carry in its California stores.

Helmke writes, "What would your reaction be if you and your kids walked into the local Starbucks and, while contemplating the choice between a latte and a mocha cappuccino, you noticed several fellow customers had semi-automatic pistols and ammunition magazines hanging from their hips?"

GunReports.com's reaction would be, "Hey Friend, How do you like that Glock!"

When asked about the company’s policy on the “open carry” of firearms in its stores, its Customer Relations Department responded to the Brady Campaign’s California chapters that “Starbucks does not have a corporate policy regarding customers and weapons; we defer to federal, state and local laws and regulations regarding this issue.”

Helmke writes, "Welcome to the 'open carry' movement, an effort by gun rights extremists to foist their interpretation of the Second Amendment on the rest of us by openly carrying handguns in public places. While virtually all states have at least some minimal restrictions on the carrying of concealed weapons, few states do anything to regulate the 'open carry' of firearms. Particularly in the Bay Area in Northern California, 'open carry' adherents have been gathering in Starbucks and other coffee shops and restaurants – their semi-automatic pistols and revolvers in plain view – apparently to make an ideological statement.

GunReports.com's reaction, "Way to go!"

If you appreciate Starbucks not prohibiting self-defense and have a Facebook account, Fan the page and post a comment?

Or, send a personal thank you to Deb Trevino, Starbucks Media Relations, Press@Starbucks.com.

Reader Comments

My thought would be, if my wife and I walked into a Starbucks and noticed some good ole American's sitting there enjoying their coffee,(with their guns' at their side) is this; " Is this not the safest place in town to be?",as my hand is hanging right there next to my Smith M&P 45....."God Bless America". Ghostman45

Comment by: Ghostman45 | February 16, 2010

Thank-you sent.

Gaviota

Comment by: Lee W | February 16, 2010

Well, I am going to HAVE to go buy some of that overpriced swill now. They DO have the best cinnamon cake in the western world.

Comment by: TIM C | February 17, 2010

I got this response to my note of thanks. For the record, I suspect that this is the boilerplate response that everyone gets whether they are pro or con.

Hello Lee,

Thanks for contacting Starbucks Coffee Company.

For Starbucks, the safety of our customers and partners is a paramount concern. We have existing security protocols in place to handle situations related to safety in our stores. We will continue to adhere closely to local, state and federal laws and the counsel of law enforcement regarding this issue.

We appreciate you taking the time to share your perspective.

Warm Regards,

Shy S.

Customer Relations, Starbucks Coffee Company, 800 23-LATTE (235-2883), Monday through Friday, 5AM to 6PM (PST)

Gaviota

Comment by: Lee W | February 17, 2010

Starbucks had lost me as a customer. In consideration of their policy regarding open carry, I'm back! Thank you Starbucks!!

Comment by: sullyshooter | February 18, 2010

As a "timmys" customer I now know where to go when in Calf. for coffee. Keep up the support of your rights or end up like us..we are allowed the tools but not the right to use them

Comment by: DELMER L | February 18, 2010

I have not been caught up in the Starbucks craze, but having seen this, I think I can definitely purchase some of their overpriced goodies every now and then.

Comment by: canovack | February 18, 2010

Unfortunately, the Starbucks corporation has a long record of supporting anti-gun, DEMOCRAT politicians with cash donations.

Obviously, some of that money will come right out of the pockets of these "open carry extremists."

Here is a link to the donations made by the CEO of Starbuck, Howard Schultz. It reads like a "Who's Who" of anti-2nd Amendment politicians.

http://www.newsmeat.com/fec/bystate_detail.php?st=WA&last=Schultz&first=Howard

Comment by: RackEmPunk | February 18, 2010

Please correct me if I a wrong, but I understand that it is only legal to open carry in CA, if the gun is unloaded!? Doesn't that simply make one a target for some desperado who wants a gun?

Comment by: mookien | February 18, 2010

I wrote and got the same reply when I asked their policy on concealed carry ... it's kind of double-talk, but it appears they won't be banning me from Starbucks in TX ... love those mochas!

Comment by: BILL S | February 18, 2010

He gave money to McCain as well???

Comment by: P V B | February 18, 2010

Yes, John "Close the Gun-Show Loophole" McCain.

McCain-Feingold "Muzzle The NRA" McCain.

Comment by: RackEmPunk | February 18, 2010

RackEm - do you realize that McCain Feingold kept people like George Soros and Mike Bloomberg from spending unlimited amounts of money on the candidates of their choice?

Comment by: P V B | February 18, 2010

Starbucks are master marketers. When we started building them in Oregon and Washington around 1988 we wondered how any one could make a living JUST selling coffee. We didn't even buy their stock (even though we were their contractors)because we thought they would not grow. Ha Ha Ha Wrong again. Starbucks will do what it has to do to survive politically and economically. Hats off to Starbucks.Even if you are anti-gun, you gotta love the coffee selections.

Comment by: Sharps | February 18, 2010

Mr. Helmke has obviously never spent any time in "The Bay Area of Northern California". Because if he had, he would have realized that it is the MOST ANTI GUN area (politically speaking) in the state. The home to Senators Feinstein, Boxer and the City of San Francisco. Gun haters 1, 2 & 3!! Maybe someone should ask Mr. Hemlke who is the only former San Francisco Mayor to pack a loader revolver in her purse? (answer: the aforementioned now Senator Ms. Feinstein). The real question here is does she still pack her Lady Smith on the floor of the Senate? A reality check for the Brady bunch is an oximoron.

Comment by: MasterGuide | February 18, 2010

Mr. Helmke has obviously never spent any time in "The Bay Area of Northern California". Because if he had, he would have realized that it is the MOST ANTI GUN area (politically speaking) in the state. The home to Senators Feinstein, Boxer and the City of San Francisco. Gun haters 1, 2 & 3!! Maybe someone should ask Mr. Hemlke who is the only former San Francisco Mayor to pack a loader revolver in her purse? (answer: the aforementioned now Senator Ms. Feinstein). The real question here is does she still pack her Lady Smith on the floor of the Senate? A reality check for the Brady bunch is an oximoron.

Comment by: MasterGuide | February 18, 2010

I gotta find some one willing to go in halves on a cup of coffee.

Comment by: Jeff W | February 18, 2010

QUOTE (P.V.B.): "...do you realize that McCain Feingold kept people like George Soros and Mike Bloomberg from spending unlimited amounts of money on the candidates of their choice?"

So... what you're telling me is that a little infringement on our 1st Amendment political speech is actually a good thing?

Any OTHER Constitutional Amendments that you'd like to infringe upon? You know, for our safety, of course...

Comment by: RackEmPunk | February 19, 2010

RackEm - I think it is a lot more complicated than that.

1. I have an issue with interpreting the constitution to allow "free speech" to include the political contributions of corporations.

2. IMO, "special interests" have far too much influence in our political system, nearly rendering the average voter without a say. Thus, someone like Soros or Bloomerg can essentially nullify your vote, mine, and everyone elses on this board. In fact, they don't even have to be American nor allowed to vote if they are the owner of a corporation.

I may not understand ALL of McCain-Feingold, but I also know that Wayne isn't telling us the whole story either.

I suppose if you believe that the constitution should apply considerably more to the considerably wealthy, and that "all men are created equal" (Declaration) was just part of a flowery preamble now irrelevant, then we won't agree.

How do you get the bold and the italics to show up?

Comment by: P V B | February 19, 2010

PVB, if you cannot make your post using the bold and italics features in you computer's program, you are probably in the same situation that I am. When I was running Windows XP, those features were available in my internet tool bar. Now that I have a new computer that runs Windows Vista, I have no recourse but to operate without those features. It's sort of like Obama with his "change" once I went with the new program.....like Obama's administration.....the "change" screwed me out of some very useful capabilities.

Comment by: canovack | February 19, 2010

PVB, you have to use HTML tags to make the italics and bold show up. The HTML tag to start italics go at the beginning of the italicized word or phrase, and consists of an open caret <, an i, and a close caret >. No spaces between them. To turn off italics, insert a /i between the carets. The bold works the same way with b instead of i. You won't see the tags in the final post, but you can here in the editing window. Good luck.

Gaviota

Comment by: Lee W | February 19, 2010

Thanks again Gav

Comment by: P V B | February 19, 2010