Constitutional Patriots groups are apparently racist and quite dangerous

CNN article tells us extremists are on the rise

Southern Poverty Law Center's report on hate groups aka "patriot" groups

Mark Potok's report is full of incendiary adjectives like "furious", "explosive", and "hard-core". The author picks and chooses his wording, and the words of others, to paint a frightening picture of the Patriot movement. A picture that brings the KKK, the American Family Council (themselves a target of a potential mass shooter last year), Constitutionalist county sheriffs, libertarian politicians like Rand Paul, and the law-enforcement oriented Oath Keepers under the same broad umbrella. An umbrella that drips with drops of racism...according to Potok.

Our newest favorite liberal Statist...and he comes with a look of caring concern

The bigotry of some groups, like the Aryan Nation or the Ku Klux Klan, cannot be denied. They are disgusting groups, whose distorted view of the Constitution and patriotism, has nothing in common with the views of motivated libertarians or Patriots. Not only these groups see the world through a distorted view of the Constitution and Founder's intent, but they typically distort Christianity in their bigoted worldview also.

We're really still scared of these guys? They're playing ring around the rosies!

The more disturbing thing about this report, and the talk of others like Potok, is the gravitation towards labeling those with anti-government allegiances "terrorists". If the connotation of the patriot movement becomes that of "domestic terrorist" in the public's lexicon, then the US government has the gears rolling towards turning on its own people.

There have, of course, been several attacks by people claiming allegiance to the patriot movement (Timothy McVeigh being the most obvious example). However to characterize all Patriots as capable of committing mass murder is equivalent to charging all Muslims with the capability of committing jihad (something the liberals vehemently oppose, as do I).

In truth, the Patriot movement is dangerous to liberals and the State: it shows these Statists that there are still those who uphold personal liberty and that are willing to stand up for it if necessary. That's why the movement and the people within it must be discredited with smear jobs like this report. Scare the general public and work to change the connotation of a group negatively using language manipulation. Classic modern liberal tactics.

What's in a Name?

Turns out, in my case, it is some sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek play on words.

My name is a play on "feed the madness", which I'm sure is what any liberal who stumbles upon my page would think I'm doing with all this crazy talk about guns.

"Here's a flyer against that Feed the Madness dude."

Except I'm using "FDE" instead of "feed". FDE stands for Flat Dark Earth, a common tan color in modern firearms.

Plus it stops liberals from being racist and calling a gun "black"

Ar-15s and Ak-47s are not the problem

I’ve been paying very close attention to the Second Amendment debate raging in the public forum across this nation recently. There seems to be a commonality in all the discussion and debates emanating from the control side. That commonality is the lack of actual facts, statistics, and meaningful thought in the arguments.

English pundit Piers Morgan likes to bring up that AR-15s were used in Clackamas, Aurora and Sandy Hook. While he is correct, he implies that AR-15s are the weapon of choice for mass murderers. Not so, Thomas Hamilton, the perpetrator of the infamous 1996 Dunblane massacre in England (which prompted the UK’s very restrictive rifle and pistol ban) only used pistols, half of which were 6-shot revolvers.

Charles Whitman, a former Marine, killed 14 people from a bell tower at the University of Texas in 1966 with a Remington 700 deer rifle. I have that same hunting rifle at home. Timothy McVeigh, using common products easily found, blew up the Murrah Building and killed over 100 people in Oklahoma City. In Apeldoorn, Netherlands, a Dutchman killed 5 people by plowing his car a high speed into a parade. None of these cowards used AR-15s, AK-47s, rifle magazines holding 10 or more rounds, or any sort of scary tactical features currently included in Feinstein's proposed ban.

Furthermore, it can be seen that, from FBI crime statistics, that rifles account for only 2.7% of total murders in the US from 2007 to 2011. Since the FBI doesn’t further breakdown the type of rifle used, it cannot be known how many of the rifles used were semi-automatic or similar to an AR-15, but it can be safely assumed that not all of them were.

More striking is the fact that more people were killed with blunt objects alone, knives alone, or personal weapons alone (defined as feet, hands, etc) than by rifles between 2007 and 2011. These statistics do not come from the NRA, but from the FBI. It cannot be claimed that the statistics are biased towards a Second Amendment defense.

It is ridiculous, as Morgan, and many others suggest, to severely regulate or ban millions of pieces of property owned by millions of law-abiding Americans just because two or three psychopathic cowards used them in recent events.

As President Obama and others in his party use the death of children to further their agenda, we must look beyond the rhetoric and emotional arguments using children’s tears and look at the facts.

As the amount of firearms has increased and the number of firearm laws decreased in the past years, FBI stats show that the total number of murders has declined (by 15% from 2007 to 2011). What has increased, however, has been the perception of the frequency of gun crime as portrayed by certain media and political figures.

There has been an appearance of an increase in gun crime, while, in reality, it has been declining despite rises in the number of firearms and in population.

It is my hope that the nation will not get caught in the stream of demagoguery and will pause to look at the facts behind firearms in the United States.

Bersa 9mm Ultra Compact Pro

Bersa is an Argentinian company that produces the widely accepted and known Thunder 380. The Thunder also comes in 22 LR and is based upon the time-tested Walther PPK. The Thunder 9 Pro is a Bersa design which serves as the duty weapon for Argentina's police force and has won several pistol matches. The pistols are made in Argentina and not generally widely known, though I think they should be.

Walther PPK

Bersa Thunder 380

Bersa UC Pro

Full-size Bersa Pro

The Ultra Compact Pro's general features include double/single action, exposed hammer, 13+1 double stack magazine capacity, ambidextrous slide release and safety, ability to shoot +P, and a keyed trigger lock. The UC's edges and general design are also rounded in order to reduce snagging. The magazine also has additional plastic to ensure a full grip. This pistol has been designed with carrying in mind, although the design has not been taken to the Glock extreme of eliminating and minimizing controls.

Not American made, but neither are Glocks.

That being said, the pistol is still a big pistol, and its heavy. But that isn't surprising, it is a nearly all metal design that holds a double-stack magazine. It features a steel slide and barrel with an aluminum frame. This definitely isn't a Ruger LC9. The only plastic parts I can find are the magazine base, the sights, and the grip...everything else is metal. The weight does pull down your pants, but it also holds the gun down during firing. And if you're into metal guns, like 1911s or Sigs, and not into Glocks or XDs, you'll love the feel of this gun.

Weight loaded with 14  115gr Remington +P hollowpoints: 2 lb 1.875 oz

The Safety-

The Bersa features an ambidextrous two-position safety that is easily manipulated. Like the slide release, the safety is a large button with a ridge that naturally allows for easy manipulation with one finger. The safety also serves as a decocker, in fact, it seems to be its main function. Since the pistol is single/double action, the exposed hammer can be cocked. Putting the safety on "safe" decocks the hammer, disables the trigger, and locks the slide forward. This means that "safe" and "decock" occupy the same space, therefore the pistol cannot be carried hammer back/safety "safe".

So the pistol must be carried either:
1) Hammer cocked, safety "fire" (not recommended since the single action trigger pull is quite light)
2) Hammer down, safety "safe" (also not recommended since now two actions must be used to deploy the weapon)
3) Hammer down, safety "fire" (this is how I carry; all that is required is that the weapon be drawn and the long double action trigger pulled.)

Note the hexagonal disabling key. Stupid is what that is.

The safety is what I consider one of the weaknesses of the design. The safety is functional,  but with just a little more design, it could have been even better. if the safety had been designed like the FNX SA/DA pistol, the safety would be pushed down to decock, level for fire, and up for safe. This would have enabled carrying cocked and "safe", which would have made the Bersa's single action trigger much more useful.

The Trigger-

The trigger comes with a mixed review. It is excellent in SA mode: crisp with a little travel before engaging the sear. Once the sear is engaged, the light trigger breaks cleanly. However, it turns long and hard in DA mode. It takes forever to finally break, almost all the way to the rear of the trigger guard. Not only that, but it is rather heavy. This is of course to expected from any DA, but the long pull is the main fault of this trigger. It is overcome-able with practice and also provides safety while carrying hammer down/safety "fire".

So the trigger comes with a few misgivings, but overall, for a $400-$450 gun, the trigger is excellent.


Ergonomics-

Here is where the UC Pro shines: its double-stack design is still small enough for my 5'-2", small-handed wife to comfortably hold and shoot and the magazine release, safety, and slide release are ambidextrous.

Note the wear marks on controls...more about that later.

The magazine release is not truly ambidextrous, but can be switched from right to left-handed shooters as needed. This is a feature lacking in some guns double the price. The slide release and safety are also large and easy to operate without being sharp or catchy. Bersa seemed to go out of their way to ensure a contoured and smooth design for these controls. The takedown lever is located in front of the slide release on the left side of the gun.

Another positive, if minor, feature are the ridged surfaces on the forward side of the grip, hammer, front of the trigger guard, slide, and magazine release. This makes these surfaces easy to find by touch and also helps rack the already easy-to-rack slide (it was quite easy for my wife to rack this weapon, unlike other pistols she has tried).

The Sights-

Nothing much to say here really. The sights are a basic white 3-dot setup. Satisfactorily,  the sights are interchangeable with Sig #8 sights, so upgrades, like tritium night sights, are possible. It seems, to me, that the front post needs to be buried into the rear sights a little too much and that took me a while to get used to.
But that could be the way I shoot and your experience may not be the same.

The Finish-

The finish might be the only real downside to this gun. After only several months of Kydex contact, the safety and slide release began losing finish, as can be seen in the picture a little ways up. Maybe this is how they make the gun this cheap and still maintain all the good features it has. That or I'm tough on guns, since the holster it has been in has been a Glock holster. So maybe the wear is from abuse. However, the finish on the throat of the chamber and other wear areas is now gone after 800~1000 rounds.


Holsters-

As I mentioned above, I am currently using a Kydex Glock holster loaned to me by a buddy. That will change soon however as both Crossbreed and UBG offer holsters for the Bersa UC Pro. The Crossbreed will be inside my waistband as soon as possible. But don't expect to find an appropriate holster at your local gunshop or even sporting goods store, this gun is too much of a un-kept secret.


Takedown-

Dis-assembly couldn't be simpler with the Bersa. The takedown lever is rotated clockwise a quarter turn and the slide simply slides forward. No need to mess with safeties or triggers.Once the slide is off, the recoil springs and guide can be removed and the barrel removed from the slide. Field dis-assembly is now complete as all the major parts can be accessed, cleaned, and oiled.

The end result.
1. Slide
2. Barrel assembly
3. Double recoil springs
4. Recoil spring guide
5. Frame assembly

Quality-

In terms of bang-for-the-buck, this pistol is excellent quality. With prices ranging from the high $300s to the mid $400s, there isn't much competition at that price range with these features. If 9mm Luger isn't your cartridge of choice, the gun is also offered in .40 and .45 and in different color schemes also.




Personal Pros

• All-metal design
• Capacity of 14 +P rounds (for 9mm) in a compact pistol
• Excellent SA trigger and safe, but difficult, DA trigger
• Large, but smooth, controls
• Interchangeable sights

Personal Cons

• Unnecessary gun lock
• Two-position instead of three-position safety
• Very long DA trigger
• 
  

Final Verdict?

Buy again and again. maybe in .40 and .45!

Time to stop equivocating

I consider myself a member of the gun community. Not an activist and reviewer extraordinaire like Nutnfancy, nor a capable  2A apologetic like Colion Noir, nor an industry icon like Travis Haley, but an ordinary citizen with average firearms capability and knowledge. But as a young (21 years) member of the firearms community in the United States, I am disturbed by not only the direction that the anti-gun activists want us to go but also the direction many within our own community lean.

We are reaping what the NRA sowed so may years ago. The focus of the gun community, with a  few "hardcore" exceptions,  has been oriented towards hunting and sporting rifles. This is partly what allowed the previous AWB (assault weapons ban) to be passed. The focus was on salvaging whatever rights we could so we could continue the tradition and heritage of pastime shooting and hunting that the true purpose behind the 2A was lost.

NRA doing what it does best...compromising

It seems that many in the firearms community seemed wary, if not ashamed, to openly come out and declare the true purpose of the 2A. The NRA carefully writhes around the true issue and takes noticeable pains to distance itself from any militia or ultra-patriotic content. It is also known for its compromises on certain issues like a UBC (universal background check) and even the '94 AWB. It justifies this by claiming credit for the sunset clause which caused the ban to expire in 2004 (and heaven be praised for that, thumbhole stocks are just horrible).

Is the NRA truly on our side? Maybe...they are certainly a powerful tool to be allied with. They have many contacts in DC and more funds than any other firearms lobby. They have numerous industry connections and have control over the 40 page glossy advertisement called The Rifleman.

But they and similar-minded individuals (not to solely pick on the NRA) are still weak in ideology. The 2A was there for a reason, and it sure as hell wasn't for plinking, hunting, competition, sport shooting, or even for personal self-defense. These things are all just practice for the main event, which is the security of the State. For this reason the right of the people to bear and keep arms is protected. It is NOT for hunting or any other purpose than to maintain a passive-until-needed army of citizen soldiers who are self-armed and have no official ties to the State.

In the very history of this country, it has occurred that men rose up against foreign armies and domestic threats with their own arms, equivalent to the military of the time. And those who could not bring to battle equivalent arms were promptly crushed.

In the American Revolution, men brought their own fine weapons that they were skilled with and defeated the finest army of the time. In Athens, Georgia in 1947, veterans of WW2 used their skills and arms to defeat a corrupt county government that had committed election fraud for years. Battle Of Athens

It is rare that these actions have been taken, but the option MUST remain open for all. The ability to overthrow tyrannical, corrupt, oppressive, and un-Constitutional governments is perhaps the final, and most drastic, check and balance in the American system.

It is weak and dishonest for those in the gun-community to deny or equivocate about the true purpose of the 2A. If it is out of fear that we do not speak of overthrowing a corrupt and oppressive government  than we have already been defeated. If you live in fear of the NSA, a SWAT team on a no-knock warrant, the FBI, or any other paramilitary organization coming for you, then you've never needed the 2A more than now.

The 2A exists to prevent the State from forcing upon the people a monopoly of force. The 2A exists to protect the right of the people to maintain a capability to do away with a corrupt or tyrannical government. Plain and simple, no excuses, no equivocation.

This lady doesn't equivocate, why should you?

Suzanna Grupp testifies (skip to 5:00 for the best part)

Weapons designed for the military and perfectly Constitutional to own. Don't deny it.

While I'm on the subject of equivocation, the denial and squirming among the gun community about the origin and function of the AK-47, and, specifically, the AR-15 are getting old. Let's face it the AR-15 is 90% the military M4/M16. The design is nearly identical, most civilian ARs can be (very illegally of course) made fully automatic in an under an hour. The trend in the gun community to go "milspec" makes these civilian owned firearms even closer to M4s... Most any AK you buy is identical to those used in Syria, Afghanistan, Mali, or any other -stan in the world except that it isn't fully automatic (and all the better, even 7.62x39 is hard to find these days). So let's stop with the verbal surrender.

Every time I hear someone calling a AR-15 a Modern Day Musket, Sporting Rifle, or any other ridiculous synonym, I cringe. Hiding behind these little euphemisms is just a self-enforced form of political correctness that some in the community use because they're afraid to offend or shock people.

A real Modern Day Musket

Does this mean that guns really are inherently evil or bad since some of us seek to hide behind euphemisms or equivocation? No, it means that some of us are afraid to speak the whole truth.Afraid of the consequences and responsibilities of owning a highly effective weapon.

So come out and admit why you own the firearms. Its not just for hunting, plinking, or competition, it is for self-defense and for the defense of liberty. And next, don't hide the purpose or details of these firearms...we are perfectly justified in owning near military-grade weapons. The more the general public is shown responsible gun owners who don't writhe under pressure and tell it like it is the better.