There are no April Fool items in today's edition. Once again, we've not been able to fabricate spoof stories much more unbelievable than most of the stuff that lives on the front pages of the mainstream media on a daily basis. But there are some new developments worth mentioning. The Kansas legislature has passed a measure allowing the use of suppressors for hunting, fishing and trapping. It's been sent to Governor Sam Brownback for his approval. Suppressors for hunting? Absolutely. One state has finally realized that the suppressor isn't the whisper-quiet instrument of choice for assassins, terrorists or other undesirables. It's a safety device which not only protects the hearing of the hunter, it protects everyone's hearing within ear shot (ouch) of the firearm. Hopefully, this common-sense recognition of a tool to control noise and protect hearing will kick-start more attempts to get suppressors removed from the ATF's list of "generally terrible things that don't belong in the hands of average citizens". For years, we've pushed the fact that most European countries not only approve their usage, they encourage it. It might be the single example of elected officials who are anti-gun not using a "European model" as the example of a rule we should follow. Everyone who owns a firearm should be learning about suppressors - and pushing for their removal from the ATF's Class 3 regulations. They should be approved for ownership under the same guidelines as any firearm accessory. It's not a firearm, cannot be made into a firearm (think very quiet zip gun -at best), and is, in fact, a protective device that should carry the same restrictions as eye and ear protection. It's time that another voice of the people campaign remind a relatively receptive bunch of elected officials that there's a need for review and revision of many ATF practices and policies. That's also because we continue to hear from Washington there will be a showdown-at any time- between Congress and the Justice Department over Operation Fast and Furious. That's the ATF boondoggle that allowed more than 1700 firearms to flow into Mexico from Arizona and may have been involved in a huge number of crimes, including the killing of U.S. agents. Wednesday was the deadline for the Justice Department to deliver records that identified those involved in the operation. It passed without the documents making their way to Congress. Now, if they're sufficiently riled up, Congress can subpoena the records. If the Justice Department refuses to comply and tosses up their tried-and-not-always-true "national security" defense, you can look for a firestorm that will -eventually-lead to the truth. It might even lead to the cleaning up of a federal bureau that has drifted far off the path of its intended mission. That might be a good time to get the suppressor issue interjected into the discussion as well. And in Nashville, Tennessee the feds unwrapped a package of evidence against Sabre Defense Systems that takes the company from occasionally sloppy to downright devious status. After learning that the investigation contained detailed evidence of years of falsification of documents and classifications of suppressors as "lawnmower mufflers" and rifle barrels as "gear shafts" in order to ship their products overseas, Sabre president Charles Shearon, CFO Elmer Hill, Sales Director Michael Curlett and International Shipping and Purchasing Manager Arnold See Jr. have all reportedly cut plea deals. In a four year investigation, the company apparently used practices that included using the same serial number on two firearms- allowing them to sell one into circulation without documentation. The first break apparently came in 2008 when a flagged shipment from Nashville headed for the U.K. and owner and CEO Guy Savage's facilities. A false bottom in the shipping container held 71 finished M4 rifle barrels. This one looks like case of good investigation into bad practices. Ouch. This week commemorated the one-hundredth anniversary of the venerable 1911-style pistol. It has also has seen all sorts of celebrations around the country. Our favorite might be the centennial celebration and combination training class being run this week at Arizona's Gunsite Academy. This celebration has not included talks on the history of the 1911, but the opportunity to see one of the original 1911's - bearing a single-digit serial number, and lots of training and shooting. It was one party we're sorry we missed. But our friend Tom Gresham attended the five-day 1911 birthday party - with a different variation of the 1911 for each day's activities. We'll have his report for you next week. In the meantime, we'd encourage each of you to visit our Tactial Wire website and read editor Rich Grassi's great takeout piece on the venerable 1911. You can read it at http://www.thetacticalwire.com/archived/2011-03-29_tactical.html and signup for your own edition of the service while you're there. It's designed for military and law enforcement - but you'll find the training and insight offered valuable. Lots happening, and as usual, we'll keep you posted.