FEINSTEIN SEEKS TOUGHER REGULATION OF .50 RIFLE

[FWiedner]

FEINSTEIN SEEKS TOUGHER REGULATION OF RIFLE

Sen. Dianne Feinstein announced Friday the introduction of legislation that would classify .50-caliber rifles in the same category as machine guns or sawn-off shotguns.

The legislation would change the .50-caliber's classification as a "long gun,'' requiring all future sales to go through a licensed gun dealer and a background check on the buyer, Howard Gantman, a Feinstein spokesman, reported. If the legislation passed, the Internal Revenue Service would also record all future purchases of the weapon under the National Firearms Act.

The U.S. military commonly uses the large weapon, which California banned in 2004, as a sniper rifle. According to Feinstein, the destructive power of the rifle makes it different than a standard rifle, requiring more safeguards before a person can purchase the weapon.

"For instance, a sniper atop the Washington Monument (with a .50-caliber rifle) could target anybody or anything within a four-mile radius, including the White House, the Capitol, every building on or around the Mall, and aircraft flying in and out of Reagan National Airport,'' Feinstein said in a statement.

The rifles are currently classified in the same category as .22-caliber target rifles and .30-06-caliber hunting rifles.

http://cbs5.com/localwire/localfsnews/bcn/2005/05/01/n/HeadlineNews/SNIPER-RIFLE/resources_bcn_html

*FW Note:  "...anybody or anything within a four-mile radius..."

HOLY SH**! I'm gonna have to see me one o' them 4-mile shots.  You don't think maybe she's exaggerating just a tad, do you?

 :roll:
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[EsoxLucius]

First, the would be sniper would have to get a 4 foot long, 30 lbs rifle to the top of the Washington Monument.  How they gonna do that?

These rifles start at $2250 and go to $14000.  It is likely a person could do more damage with a .308 varmint rifle, and I'm sure they will be after those next.

[alsatian]

If you have the ability, if you have enough practice, is it ethical to shoot elk at 4 miles or is this just shooting instead of hunting?

Just joking.  The foolishness of the gun control crowd never fails to amuse me.  Unfortunately, they remain dangerous.  You kow Feinstein is grand standing for her constituency who believe this would be not only a useful law but needed to reduce our risk.  Maybe Socractes/Plato was right about democracy (he would have argued, I think, that the ignorant masses are not able to muster the knowledge and judgment to govern themselves wisely).  We will allow any dummy to own a powerful car and/or motorcycle, but heaven forbid anyone own a .50 cal BMG rifle!  How many innocents are killed by cars every year, but they are OK and not a threat are benevolent and talismans of our freedom.  Guns are evil and outdated and need to be banned!  That's the ticket.