NY - Taking aim at sniper rifles

[FWiedner]

Taking aim at sniper rifles
 
Pols seek a state ban on .50-caliber terror

BY E.W. BLANKENBAKER
 
The manufacturer of a .50-caliber sniper rifle boasts that it can bring down an airplane with a single shot, and that's just one of the things about it that worries local lawmakers.
"There is no reason to have this [sniper rifle] in a civil society - in our society," said Rep. Carolyn McCarthy (D-Mineola), who compared the rifle to a Humvee, saying that it is "the best of the best" in terms of sniper rifles.

She and other Democratic lawmakers are hoping to outlaw the rifle with a proposed state law called the Anti-Terrorism and Aviation Act. They say the gun could also be used to wreak havoc on chemical plants or oil storage facilities.

McCarthy, an outspoken gun-control advocate, appeared with the bill's sponsor, Assemblywoman Patricia Eddington (D-Medford), in Garden City yesterday. They urged state lawmakers to pass the bill, saying it would further protect Americans from terrorism.

McCarthy said the National Rifle Association's opposition is the main obstacle to passing the bill. She compared the organization's effect on legislators to the fear inspired in children by a schoolyard bully.

The NRA did not respond to a request for comment by press time. In a marketing brochure, the sniper rifle's manufacturer, Barrett Firearms, boasts it has the ability to take down airplanes with a single shot. The 34-pound rifle can be bought legally by an 18-year-old in New York.

In California last year, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed legislation similar to Eddington's bill, which restricted the sale of the .50-caliber rifle. The weapon retails at about $7,500 to military and law enforcement agencies.

McCarthy said that New York should follow California's lead.

"The American people need to wake up," she said, adding that Congress needs to start looking at the pre-9/11 gun laws still in effect and the billions of dollars spent on homeland security.

"It is the most powerful [small-arms] weapon in the military arsenal and that is where it belongs," Eddington said. "You don't shoot deer with a bullet like that. If you did, you would cook it."

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/story/312489p-267182c.html

*FW Note:

Another group of liberty hating politicians who want to deprive Americans of their birthrights.  How hypocritical is it to discuss "Homeland Security" and then opine that the only legitimate reason for a civilian to have a firearm of any type is to "shoot deer"?

 :evil:

[Robert]

Taking aim at sniper rifles  
the sniper rifle's manufacturer, Barrett Firearms, boasts it has the ability to take down airplanes with a single shot.
 

   People should write to Barret and thank THEM for running their big mouth.  "Loose Lips, Sink Ships"

[Mikey]

Robert - I agree with you.  It would seem that the owner of Barretts hasn't quite gotten the word yet.

Geez, just what you really don't need to read about these days - someone boasting of the capability to shoot down small aircraft - no wonder people like McCarthy want additional laws when manufacturers flaunt their stuff like that.  

Isn't there something else that can be said about the Barrett 50 that won't prompt lawmakers like McCarthy to seek legislation to ban that product.  One can only hope.  JMHO.  Mikey.

[FWiedner]

No .50 rifle has ever been used to commit a crime in this country.

There is no evidence that there is someone who intends to do so.

Meanwhile, there is plenty of evidence to demonstrate that politicians of the ilk of those identified above make it plain that their intent is to deprive you of your rights.

It continues to amaze me that people are so easily diverted to sniff about the politically correct when a true crime is being commited before their very eyes.

Let's weigh the evidence:

"An American citizen or terrorist can use ths gun to shoot down an airplane"

vs.

"We intend to violate the law and infringe your Second Amendment rights by banning a gun that has never been used in a crime or to harm any person on American soil because it sounds scary."

Which statement does history and documented evidence support as the more likely truth?

 :shock:

[Robert]

Yup..pretty hard to conceal a 50 BMG, plus they are expensive. Criminals like cheap and concealable.  However....I DO see the concern that a Terrorist could get one....since Barret was so helpful to point it out.  Very BRIGHT folks there at Barret.

[FWiedner]

How many airplanes were shot down during WWII using a .50BMG?

Quite a few I'm guessing.  So let's just assume that Barrett isn't the first guy to say that a .50 can bring down aircraft.

Let's blame, oh...I don't know...John Moses Browning?

The .50 BMG projectile has record of performance against a particular target and was, in fact, designed in part for that specific purpose.

This is information that has has been available for about 75 years.  Barrett is just repeating a widely known bit of information.

These politicians on the other hand, are using smoke and mirrors to distort that information to demonize an object and to imply criminal motive onto innocent people who may own and use those guns for sport.

They're not focusing on a crime, they're focusing on a gun and the right or ability to own one.

.

[dukkillr]

No .50 rifle has ever been used to commit a crime in this country.

There is no evidence that there is someone who intends to do so.

Your point may be valid, but this statement is untrue.  I live in KC where the third incident took place.  I can't speak to the truth of all these claims, but rest assured the third one was a crime committed with a .50 (Among other guns).

In March of 2005, Kyle Harness of Marina del Rey, California, was arrested after being pulled over on a traffic stop and found to be in possession of a stolen Armalite 50 caliber sniper rifle. Harness was stopped for having a broken taillight and false registration tags, and was on parole for armed robbery at the time of his arrest. (“Officer Finds Rifle in Parolee’s Car,” Daily Breeze, March 15, 2005)


In June of 2004, Marvin Heemeyer of Granby, Colorado, plowed a makeshift armored bulldozer into several buildings in response to a zoning dispute and fines for city code violations. Heemeyer armored his 60-ton bulldozer with two sheets of half-inch steel with a layer of concrete between them. He methodically drove the bulldozer through the town of Granby, damaging or leveling 13 buildings before taking his own life. Heemeyer mounted three rifles on the bulldozer, including a Barrett 82A1 50 caliber sniper rifle. ("Man who plowed armored bulldozer into seven buildings in Colorado is dead, authorities say," Associated Press, June 5, 2004; "Armored Dozer Was Bad to Go," Denver Rocky Mountain News, June 25, 2004)
Slide show of the interior of Heemeyer's bulldozer from the Denver Post


In February of 2004, Donin Wright of Kansas City, Missouri, lured police officers, paramedics, and firefighters to his home where he shot at them with several guns including a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle. Authorities discovered at least 20 guns, thousands of rounds of ammunition, and the makings of 20 pipe bombs inside Wright's home. ("Body is Identified in KC Gunfight, Fire," The Kansas City Star, March 30, 2004)
Slide show of the crime scene from thekansascitychannel.com


In June of 2000, Robert W. Stewart of Mesa, Arizona, a convicted felon, was charged with felony possession of firearms for being in possession of Maadi-Griffin 50 caliber "kit guns" he was selling from his home, along with other firearms alleged to be in his possession. Stewart has become a folk hero among hard-line gun advocates and 50 caliber enthusiasts. He was distinguished, among other things, by his assertion that convicted felons have the right to possess firearms: "I don't care if he's a mass murderer, he killed 50,000 people. He still has a right to have a gun. A gun is just a tool." (MSNBC transcript, "The .50-caliber militia," http://msnbc.com/news, May 15, 2001)


In April of 2000, convicted felon Wayne Frank Barbuto of Salt Lake City, Utah, was charged with attempting to sell two 50 caliber sniper rifles to undercover federal agents. The government believes Barbuto manufactured the guns himself. During a search of Barbuto's home, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) agents discovered more than 32 firearms and thousands of rounds of ammunition. ("Sandy Gun Dealer Charged by Feds," The Associated Press, May 5, 2000)


According to the General Accounting Office (GAO), 50 caliber sniper rifles have been found in the armories of drug dealers in California, Missouri, and Indiana. A federal investigation in 1999 was "targeting the movement of .50 caliber semi-automatic rifles from the United States to Mexico for use by drug cartels." ("Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter, August 4, 1999)


On March 19, 1998, following an undercover investigation, federal law enforcement officers arrested three members of a radical Michigan group known as the North American Militia. The men were charged with plotting to bomb federal office buildings, destroy highways, utilities, and public roads, and assassinate the state's governor, senior U.S. Senator, federal judges, and other federal officials. All three were ultimately convicted. A 50 caliber sniper rifle was among the weapons found in their possession. ("Prosecutor: Hate Was Motive Behind Plot," The Associated Press, November 18, 1998)


Wisconsin father and son James and Theodore Oswald were sentenced in 1995 to multiple life terms for armed robbery and the murder of a Waukesha police captain. The two had "a small armory of sophisticated and expensive weapons, including two custom-made .50-caliber rifles powerful enough to assault an armored car—which the two were considering doing," according to the Waukesha county sheriff. ("Possible Links Between Robbers, Far Right Sought," Chicago Tribune, July 10, 1995)


In the summer of 1995, Canadian officials in British Columbia found a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle, 500 rounds of ammunition, and enough explosives to fill a five-ton truck at a remote site. It is believed that members of a Texas militia group planned to set up a training camp at the site. Although at least one convicted felon was identified as a suspect, the investigation was dropped due to difficulties in prosecuting across international borders. The incident prompted one Texas Constitutional Militia official to observe, "We are not all raving maniacs. I'd kind of like to keep our lunatics on our side of the border." ("Arms Smugglers Won't Be Charged," The Vancouver Sun, October 26, 1996)


On April 28, 1995, Albert Petrosky walked into an Albertson's grocery store in suburban Denver, Colorado, and gunned down his estranged wife and the store manager. Armed with an L.A.R. Grizzly 50 caliber sniper rifle, an SKS Chinese semiautomatic assault rifle, a .32 revolver, and a 9mm semiautomatic pistol, Petrosky then walked out into the shopping center parking lot, where he exchanged fire with a federal IRS agent and killed Sgt. Timothy Mossbrucker of the Jefferson County Sheriff's Department. Petrosky, who was known to his friends as "50-cal Al," fired all four weapons, including the 50 caliber rifle, during his murderous rampage. ("Authorities Investigate Gun Sale: Rifle Used in Albertson's Slayings Wasn't Illegal," Rocky Mountain News, May 1, 1995)


Branch Davidian cult members at a compound in Waco, Texas, fired 50 caliber sniper rifles at federal ATF agents during their initial gun battle on February 28, 1993. The weapons' ability to penetrate tactical vehicles prompted the agency to request military armored vehicles to give agents adequate protection from the 50 caliber rifles and other more powerful weapons the Branch Davidians might have had. Four ATF agents were killed. ("Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter, August 4, 1999)


On February 27, 1992, a Wells Fargo armored delivery truck was attacked in a "military style operation" in Chamblee, Georgia, by several men using a smoke grenade and a Barrett 50 caliber sniper rifle. Two employees were wounded. ("Two Armored Truck Guards Shot," The Atlanta Journal Constitution, February 27, 1992)


In 1989, two members of a church in Gardner, Montana, who were part of what ATF has described as a "doomsday religious cult," were arrested and charged with federal firearms violations. The two suspects had purchased hundreds of firearms, including ten 50 caliber semiautomatic rifles and thousands of rounds of ammunition, using false identification. ("Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter, August 4, 1999)

[FWiedner]

The one where the guy shot at the cops?

Yeah, I'm guessing that that taking pots shots at cops in public places could be against the law in some states.

The paragraph implies that he used several weapons, of which the .50 was but one, but I do stand corrected on that point.

Thanks for the information.  

Many of the others seem to involve possession, trade, or non-action intent.  Those seem like 2nd Amendment questions to me too.

But still, why focus on the firearm and not the crime itself?  Would outlawing the tool make it impossible to commit the crime?

 :?

[Leverdude]

I reckon outlawing cars would handicap the bad guys more than any gunlaw ever will.

Branch Davidian cult members at a compound in Waco, Texas, fired 50 caliber sniper rifles at federal ATF agents during their initial gun battle on February 28, 1993. The weapons' ability to penetrate tactical vehicles prompted the agency to request military armored vehicles to give agents adequate protection from the 50 caliber rifles and other more powerful weapons the Branch Davidians might have had. Four ATF agents were killed. ("Weaponry: .50 Caliber Rifle Crime," GAO Office of Special Investigations letter, August 4, 1999)

& this is why law abiding Americans should always be able to own these guns. Its also the reason they dont want us to have them.

Heaven forbid one of their guys gets shot when theyre attacking American citizens on private property. I'm not saying the guy was or wasn't a whacko as thats not important, the way our Gov't handled it was.

Far as the airplane remark, it wasn't real smart IMO but I didn't say it either. Seems it would be better for him to push how different it is from a 50 cal machine gun. I realize alot of planes have been shot down by the 50 in combat but a 50 cal machine gun is a bit different than what they allow us to have. I'm ignorant on the subject but cant help thinking it would be tough to shoot a modern jet from the sky with a bolt or semi auto.  :?

[Garthag]

I hope wether or not a particular weapon has ever been used or capable of being used to commit a crime is not going to become a criteria for its ban.  Think of how one would respond to a ban on .44 Magnum (Clint Eastwood said it is the most powerful handgun in the world... It MUST be banned!)

Just because it CAN be used for illegal purposes doen't mean it will.  How many cars are able to exceed the speed limit?  To allow a drunk person to operate it?  Nobody calls for a ban on Vipers or Corvettes because "nobody needs that kind of horsepower!"

It is not a question of "Why?"  When a neighbor (and school teacher) asked me, kind of mockingly, just why I had to have a certian ugly black rifle, I told him "Because this is America, and I can."

As far as aircraft are concerned, I'm sure they mentioned in SGN how the Germans tried all they could to use small arms to shoot down aircraft.  I'm sure the .50 BMG is not the only round that is still in use today that has been used successfully.  I wonder, if using that criteria is successful, what will be next.

[darrell8937]

Oh I miss the M2 Heavy Barrell 50 cal. One of the great perks you get in the Army. I would always try to be last when we went to the range. If there is excess ammo you can shoot it up. Nothing like the rattle of a fifty on a tripod.They never did let us shoot at a plane! Still serving stong after all these years.