M14s were accurate and robust, and a fine choice for one's battle rifle. They easily make the 4MOA/300yds grade with iron sights. One Viet Nam vet, a U.S. Navy riverboatman, carried an M14 back in 1966 and thus preferred an M1A as his battle rifle. M14 owners were a very organized group, and shared with each other many tips and sources.
Speaking of AR10s, they are considered too fussy and exotic, and too often suffered from quality control problems. Still, those who carried AR10s usually shot them very well (when they functioned reliably). One of the AR10's greatest champions, a software engineer, lived in Worland.
Those who chose the FAL remained a noisy group, and much good-natured joshing was heard back and forth between them and the M14 folks. The FAL is a very fine and proven battle rifle, but the M14 people don't care for its lack of positive feeding, mediocre sights, and poor trigger. Still, the FAL is quite accurate and reliable.
The HK91 is a very rugged battle rifle, but has a poor trigger and coarse rear sight which severely hamper its long-range accuracy. The 91 has substantially more recoil than the M14 or FAL, which reduced its popularity. Their fans, however, seem a somewhat pompous lot (as is often the case with owners of any expensive German product), grandly extolling the 91's engineering and ruggedness over all other rifles. (They did, however, give the M1A and FAL their due.)
Still, most people didn't make a cult out of equipment. A western rancher explained why over a century earlier:
The truth is that any good modern rifle is good enough. The determining factor is the man behind the gun.
— Theodore Roosevelt, 1910
Regardless of one's rifle, the shoots became very congenial occasions.
One 15 year old young man was to be his Grandpa's proxy using his antelope rifle, a four-digit (i.e., circa 1937) Winchester Model 70 in .270 with a Leupold Vari-X III. A young wife was keen to shoot with her first rifle (a gift from her husband), a Browning BLR in .308. A college freshman at Laramie bought her first AR15 (a pre-ban Bushmaster Dissipator with 16" barrel) and shot 100rds of 55gr FMJ every Sunday afternoon following church in preparation for her tax credit shoot in 2016.
It was the proliferation of stories like these which further knitted together Wyoming society around the issue of riflery and common defense. People all across the state really felt like they were part of an important, shared destiny. Wyoming was fast creating a citizens' militia which trained itself at private expense.
Even the Swiss began to take notice and sent over a couple of observers with their SIG550s. Everyone loved their fine carbines, but lamented that they weren't made in .308. Now that would be a rifle.
Cheyenne, Wyoming
December 2015
"Hey, Gov! I heard you're in this month's Playboy!" a radio show caller says.
Preston laughs, "Yeah, but not the centerfold. It was just an interview. I think it turned out pretty well. They even quoted me accurately."
__________
1 Refers to King Solomon's 40 year peaceful and prosperous reign from 972-932 B.C. at 1 Kings 4:25, "And Judah and Israel dwelt safely, every man under his vine and under his fig tree.")
2 Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organization laws designed to investigate, control, and prosecute organized crime. Originally relating to extortion and coercion, the term "racketeering" (like the USSR's "hooliganism") has come to mean just about anything the DoJ wants it to mean, such as interfering with interstate or foreign commerce.
3 Held every 50 years, the jubilee was a semi-centennial celebration in which all of Christendom pilgrimaged to Rome with offerings. Local Romans made a fortune from the several hundred thousand jubilee visitors, who needed food and lodging. To cancel a jubilee would be similar in economic impact to New Orleans by cancelling Mardis Gras.
4 Blanton v. North Las Vegas 489 US 541, whereby the Supreme Court ruled that the 6th Amendment meant only "capital" crimes, and that offenses punishable by less than six months imprisonment are "petty" in which you have no constitutional right to a jury trial. For more information, visit www.fija.org.
5 An exotic and expensive High-Explosive Armor-Piercing round. Known as "Greentip" to the US military. It contains a small quantity of RDX Comp A-4 explosive (less than ¼oz., thus legal for civilians) which, upon impact, sets off the incendiary and zirconium compounds to enhance the target penetration of the tungsten carbide core. Very zappy stuff. Standard M2 HB ammo for the US Navy. It costs the USG $9/round, and fetches over $40 at gun shows.
6 MOA means "minute of angle" and describes the ever widening cone of bullet impact over distance. There are 360° in a circle, and each degree has 60 minutes. Thus, a circle has 21,400 minute "slices." 1MOA is a very thin slice: at a mile it is just 18" in width.
1MOA at 100yds roughly equals a 1" diameter circle; 4MOA equals 4". At 200yds, 4MOA is an 8" circle. At 300yds, 4MOA is a 12" circle — the diameter of a large dinner plate.
PLAYBOY INTERVIEW:
JAMES PRESTON
a candid conversation with Wyoming's
new Laissez-Faire Party Governor
A third-generation Wyoming native, James Wayne Preston hails from one of the Cowboy State's oldest and wealthiest families. Expecting a career as a military aviator, he graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy to fly Marine attack helicopters. A combat veteran of the first Gulf War (where he won a Purple Heart and Silver Star), he was honorably discharged as a Captain and joined father Benjamin Preston with the family businesses.
His entrepreneurial talents quickly blossomed as he formed several ancillary enterprises, most notably his ranching software firm.
Raised in a Republican house-hold, James Preston was always interested in free-market philosophy and economics, and grew to embrace a more libertarian creed. Major influences in this thinking were Ayn Rand, Henry Hazlitt, Bastiat, Robert Heinlein, and Lysander Spooner.
Though originally uninterested in professional politics, James Preston felt increasingly drawn to the governor's mansion due to the exhortations of many friends and colleagues.
As the apparent culmination of a decade-long libertarian migration, Wyoming, a rugged and conservative western state, recently elected the rugged and arch-conservative Preston as America's first Laissez-Faire Party governor. His administration, with the enthusiastic support of the libertarian legislature, has enacted the most dramatic state reforms in history.
More surprisingly to most observers, it seems to be working. Violent crime (previously very low) has all but vanished. GDP is rising at a phenomenal 1% per month, and the state is leeching the nation of top business and computer talent.
James Preston is married to Juliette Kramer, a highly regarded defense attorney specializing in Bill of Rights abuse cases. They have two teenage children, James, Jr. and Hanna, whom they homeschool. They live near Casper, on a 160 acre horse ranch.
In a series of intellectually electric conversations with PLAYBOY's interviewer, Thomas Phalk, Mr. Preston spoke about a wide variety of topics, such as jury nullification, Christianity vs. libertarianism, evolution, drugs, abortion, guns, Ayn Rand, and his Wyoming agenda. His opinions were startling, fiercely held, and well delivered with cheerful seriousness. He answered every question without evasion, however, his replies were often very challenging.
Brassy. Intelligent. Opinionated. Sincere. Provocative. Vigorous. Articulate. Wealthy. Candid.
James Wayne Preston is a man whose worldview is uncommon, yet oddly compelling.
You'll either love it or hate it.
Governor Preston, we're very pleased that you agreed to be interviewed by PLAYBOY. Thank you for joining us.
Thank you, Tom. I've always enjoyed the frank nature of your interviews. Not that I'm a subscriber... (laughs)
What do you hope to accomplish for Wyoming as Governor?
To help usher Wyoming into a new era of very limited and highly responsible laissez-faire government. To do that, I have to gradually become the weakest governor of the 50 States. The other States all have some degree of intrusive government
, so if Wyoming doesn't suit you, you have 49 choices of bondage. Free people, however, needed someplace to live, and many of us finally decided to make that place Wyoming.
In what areas do you believe government has overstepped its bounds?
A shorter list would be the inverse: in what areas has government remained in bounds? (laughs) You name it, Tom, government is improperly and unlawfully involved in many things that are not government's affair. Health, education, child care, business operations, gun rights, property rights, jury rights, and privacy, to name just a few.
Turning to politics, how does the Laissez-Faire Party differ from libertarianism or Objectivism?
In the matter of free enterprise, not at all. LFPers are, however, more deeply involved in the gun culture than are Libertarians and Objectivists, who often pay philosophical lip service to the RKBA — the Right To Keep and Bear Arms. How anyone can claim to be a gun enthusiast or RKBA supporter and live in New York City eludes me. LFPers, on the other hand, simply love to shoot. We're "gun-nuts" and proud of it! We wouldn't dream of living anyplace where we couldn't shoot, and shoot often. True mariners don't live in Kansas.
Also, Ayn Rand had more faith in the institution of government than we do, as we flirt quite a bit with anarcho-capitalist ideas.
Anarcho-capitalism holds that all government functions could be performed by the private-sector, is that right?
Yes, spot on. There is only one political continuum, and it is not "right wing" and "left wing." It is No Government versus Total Government. Anarcho-capitalism is not anarchy. Anarchy means "without a leader," but it incorrectly connotes lawlessness and chaos. Anarcho-capitalism has law and order, but enforced by armed citizens and private security agencies.
What if an accused refuses to recognize the authority of any private security agency?
That is certainly his prerogative, but in doing so he places himself out-side the law's protection and is thus fair game.
You mean the rest of society can go gunning for him?
You bet. By forfeiting a fair trial, he takes his chances on the run. Actually, the scenario isn't all too different from today, if you think about it. But, hey, you're talking about the child of an embryo. We're a generation or two from the first experiment in anarcho-capitalism. By the way, a very interesting book on the matter is Neal Stephenson's The Diamond Age.
Would such a society actually work?
Well, we won't know until we try it and see, will we? The trouble with limited government is that it's never stayed limited. Perhaps no government at all is the answer...when we're ready for it.
Wyoming is now the most "guntoting" state in the Union. Is a state-wide fascination with firearms really necessary?
You bet. A gun is simply a tool used to prevent aggression. For some gunowners it is merely a means to that end, and that's fine. However, many other gunowners have discovered the historical, cultural, mechanical, and aesthetic wonder of firearms. I certainly did! The gun culture is part of our history, and is vital for our future. It is healthy, enjoyable, and helps to preserve our rights and sustain our heritage.
Nevertheless, in today's savage society, aren't additional gun control laws required to maintain law and order?
What, you mean the first 20,000 laws didn't work? (laughs) One definition of insanity is repetition of action with the expectation of different results. Anti-2nd Amendment laws have never reduced crime, yet that is the rationale for every new bill.
Oh, and to which "savage society" are you referring? Los Angeles? New York City? Detroit? We're not savage in Wyoming. An armed society is a polite society. We're both. We have the least crime in the nation.
And since criminals by definition don't abide by laws, let's call "gun control" for what it really is — victim disarmament. No, Tom — we don't need any more victim disarmament laws. We don't need any more victims, we need more victors. All those unconstitutional laws need to be repealed, just as we did in Wyoming. It's the only state where street criminals are outnumbered by armed citizens, and that's exactly the way it should be! We will continue to nourish our gun culture until it once again becomes second nature to us.
But the Supreme Court ruled in Stanley v. U.S. that the 2nd Amendment is not inviolable, and that the right to bear arms can be regulated if the government has a compelling interest.
Yes, and the Court utterly ignored those vital four words "shall not be infringed" words which appear in no other Bill of Rights amendment. It was a cowardly, despicable omission.
In 1857 the Supreme Court ruled in Dred Scott that black Americans were not citizens within the meaning and protection of the Constitution. Eventually, they condescended to effectively overrule themselves. Perhaps someday that will occur with Emerson. But until then, we in
Wyoming maintain that "shall not be infringed" means just that, and we will take the language at its word. Besides, it's a sad case for freedom if you have to wait for 5 Justices to figure out what any Laramie 4th grader knows.
Aren't you concerned with a federal response to Wyoming's nullification of U.S. gun laws?
Those laws once effectively disarmed peaceable Americans because of their leverage over the random individual. That leverage no longer exists in Wyoming, as we are a united front against further violations of our 2nd Amendment right to own and carry arms.
The ATF quickly figured that out and left Wyoming months ago. There was no point in their staying. Even if their goon squads encountered no citizen resistance, no gun case could ever be successfully prosecuted. Too many fully informed jurors out there! We will not send our neighbor to 20 years in the federal pen as a felon be-cause a piece of wood or metal on his gun was ¼" too long or too short. That's over with!
Today, Wyoming is the most armed and safest place on the planet. We have all but eradicated street crime. So, the feds have left us alone. They sort of have to. (laughs) To pick a fight with us over Emerson at this point would be ridiculously spiteful and counterproductive.
Federal agents are actually leaving Wyoming?
Yes, they are. Many Wyomingites have thoroughly shunned federal agents and their families. Only five cities in Wyoming have more than 25,000 people, so it's difficult for federal agents to hide in our state.
A hobby of our high-schoolers is to locate their personal cars and regularly shoe-polish them with "FBI" or "ATF" or "IRS" or "DEA." The feds really hate this, although I can't understand why if they're truly proud of their work. For example, there are a dozen FBI agents in downtown Lander next to Ruffian's Ice Cream Bar who are livid about being "outed" by the so-called "Fremont County Map to your Local Feds." (laughs) All their home addresses were listed. What a dozen FBI agents are doing in a small, remote Wyoming town of 9,000 people is anybody's guess.
Still, federal law enforcement agents have a job to do.
Not if it means violating our Bill of Rights. They can't do that and stay unknown and unchallenged for long in Wyoming. While the ATF agent is out looking to imprison gunowners for some nonviolent technical offense his wife has no friends in town and few businesses will deal with them. After a few months of this, the wife will say, "We're not staying here any longer" and they transfer. As Jeff Foxworthy used to say, "If she ain't happy...you ain't happy." Word is circulating throughout the federal agencies that Wyoming is socially inhospitable, so they try not to get transferred there.
Ostracism and shunning are very powerful. When the wife is used as a stick to beat the man, it gets his attention like nothing else can.
That seems cruel to the wife.
Nobody forced her to marry and breed with a guy who has chosen to oppress his countrymen under the false color of law. Now, I will grant you that ostracism is unfair to the children, who had no choice in their parents. Perhaps, however, it will dissuade them from joining the ATF.
Your program in Wyoming is very aggressive and dramatic. How is it going over with the locals there?
Well, I admit that our program took many Wyomingites by surprise,
even the conservatives. Most have quickly understood what we are trying to accomplish and now back the agenda very strongly — especially after experiencing the results for themselves.
Our relatively small liberal population, however, was quite shocked. I guess they didn't believe that I meant what I said during my campaign, or if elected that I'd actually back it up with action. I think they're still in shock.
I will be the first to admit that Wyoming is not and will not be for everybody. No state is. I'll also tell you that Wyoming will not be a cheery choice for those who demand government solutions to personal issues. If you don't like it, then move to or stay in California. There are many states wherein government supremacists may assuage their private conscience at public expense. Wyoming is not one of them.
You feel strongly about the jury nullification of disagreeable laws. How does this work?
Jurors have a 1,000 year-old right to judge both the facts and the law. The primary purpose of a jury trial is to simultaneously put the law on trial as much as the accused. The jury is actually the fourth branch of government, which nullifies bad law when the legislature refuses its repeal. Our legislature proposed a constitutional Fully Informed Jury Amendment, and the people ratified it in April. Wyoming is the second state to do so, after South Dakota.
But that's a prelude for eventual anarchy.
If your premise assumes an inherently anarchist people, then maybe. However, Americans are anything but anarchist. High-spirited and shallow perhaps, but not anarchist. As much personal responsibility that's been bred from us, it still remains a significant part of our programming.
What we've forgotten, or more likely never knew, is that the we are the fountainhead of the law, who merely delegate our authority to government. Delegate, not relinquish. When government is ineffective or corrupt, then the people must repossess the law until they may once again delegate it back to good government.
In your speeches and writings you often harken to that theme of courage. Why?
Molon Labe! Page 39
