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Two questions for those who support another assault weapons ban ...
1) What would be the most positive results from passing such a law?
2) How would you make it better and more effective than the previous assault weapons ban which was allowed to sunset in 2004?
30 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
For one thing it would never pass the Republican controlled house. An assault weapons ban would be difficult to pass in the Senate as many Democratic Senators come from gun friendly areas of our nation and voting for it would simply be political suicide. The current leader of the Senate, Harry Reid, has expressed little interest in passing this law.
Reid says he has no plans to bring gun bill to Senate floor
By Alexander Bolton - 07/24/12 02:22 PM ET
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said Tuesday that he does not plan any action on gun control despite calls to pass an assault weapons ban and other measures.
***snip***
Reid, who received a "B" rating from the National Rifle Association in 2010, rebuffed a reporter’s question about extended ammo clip.
***snip***
“You guys, I am not going to be here with each of you debating gun control,” he said. “I’ve told you my feeling on that.”
Reid, who was thought to be in the running for an NRA endorsement during his last election, disagrees with many liberals in his party on gun regulation.
http://thehill.com/homenews/senate/239805-reid-says-he-has-no-plans-to-bring-gun-legislation-to-senate-floor
While few people outside of the gun culture realize this, rifles that fit under the definition of assault weapons ARE used for hunting.
Sporting ARs
by Dick Metcalf • January 3, 2011
Virtually every type of centerfire sporting rifle in existence started off as a military weapon. The classic lever-action deer gun, long the most popular type of hunting rifle in America, began as the Henry Rifle of the Civil War era, designed to bring rapid fire against the enemy. The lever-action was succeeded in universal popularity by the bolt-action–the standard hunting rifle of today–which we owe to Paul Mauser’s classic battle-rifle design.
***snip***
Technically speaking, it makes all the sense in the world that proven military rifle designs should be inherently appropriate for hunting use. All successful military rifles are specifically designed for rugged, reliable function and durability under extreme conditions, which translates automatically into use under even the most extreme field-hunting use. They’re also designed for reasonable weight, portability and ease of fast handling by people who may be carrying other heavy gear and wearing bulky clothing. They have an inherent capability for follow-up shots, and they must be deadly accurate against targets of the same basic dimensions and at the same distances typically encountered by hunters.
The AR in particular is a superb hunting design, due primarily to its lightweight synthetic and corrosion-resistant alloy construction. And, it’s surprisingly accurate, due primarily to the fact it’s an “assembled” gun rather than a “fitted” gun. Its major components essentially snap together. Unlike a traditional bolt-action rifle, which generally requires close-tolerance, hand-work receiver/barrel mating and precise bedding into the stock for maximum accuracy and consistency, a hunting-grade (or even competition-grade) AR can readily be assembled from modular components literally on a kitchen table, by anybody with a modicum of ability to use relatively simple hand tools. Likewise, a service-grade “standard” AR15 can readily be brought up to minute-of-angle performance by selective replacement of key modular elements with match-grade parts. And, once tuned, an AR stays that way, due to the fact that its entirely nonorganic components (nonwood) are not susceptible to environmental distortion (warpage or swelling). All an AR really needs is a quality barrel to shoot as well as the best hunting rifle you can buy.
Hunting versions of the AR design, in a wide variety of chamberings, are currently offered by several manufacturers. One of the early leaders in AR hunting rifle and sport configurations has been ArmaLite, which offers both lightweight and heavy-barrel configurations in .223 (M-12A series) for long-range varmint and predator hunting, .308-chambered versions (AR-10 series) for deer hunting and competition and even a super-accurate .300 Remington Short-Action Ultra Mag (AR-10T Ultra), which is as good an elk, moose or general heavy game chambering as you can get. ...emphasis added
http://www.shootingtimes.com/2011/01/03/longgun_reviews_ar15zum_030207/
A common argument against the use of a "black rifle" is that there is no legitimate reason to hunt game with a rifle holding 20 rounds. In most states that allow the use of such rifles for hunting the magazine capacity is limited. Florida sets a magazine limit of five rounds in any semi-auto rifle used while hunting deer.
In Florida wild hogs are considered pests as they do a lot of damage to the environment. They are often hunted and, when prepared properly, their meat is very tasty.
Wild Hog
The wild pig (Sus scrofa), also called the wild hog, wild boar or feral pig, is not a Florida native and may have been introduced by Spanish explorer Hernando DeSoto as early as 1539.
***snip***
Hunting
Wild pigs are legally defined as wildlife and are the second-most popular, large animal hunted in Florida (second only to the white-tailed deer).
On private property with landowner permission, wild pigs may be trapped and hunted year round using any legal to own rifle, shotgun, crossbow, bow or pistol. There is no size or bag limit, and you may harvest either sex. Also, no hunting license is required. A gun and light at night permit is not required to take wild hogs with a gun and light on private lands with landowner permission.
http://myfwc.com/hunting/by-species/wild-hog/
"Black rifles" are commonly used for hunting wild hog in Florida and there are no magazine capacity limits that I can find while hunting this animal.
I would not lose a minute of sleep if all fire-arms were banned for civilians, with the possible exception of fire-arms used for hunt food that is eaten.
The problem with your definition is that there is little difference between firearms that have been designed to shoot people and those designed to shoot other animals.
This is a 7.62x39 caliber rifle commonly used for hunting:
This is the exact same rifle, with different furniture on it:
The problem with your definition is that there is little difference between firearms that have been designed to shoot people and those designed to shoot other animals.
This is a 7.62x39 caliber rifle commonly used for hunting:
This is the exact same rifle, with different furniture on it:
British Medical Experts Campaign for Long, Pointy Knife Control
By JOHN SCHWARTZ
Published: May 27, 2005
Warning: Long, pointy knives may be hazardous to your health.
The authors of an editorial in the latest issue of the British Medical Journal have called for knife reform. The editorial, "Reducing knife crime: We need to ban the sale of long, pointed kitchen knives," notes that the knives are being used to stab people as well as roasts and the odd tin of Spam.
The authors of the essay - Drs. Emma Hern, Will Glazebrook and Mike Beckett of the West Middlesex University Hospital in London - called for laws requiring knife manufacturers to redesign their wares with rounded, blunt tips.
The researchers noted that the rate of violent crime in Britain rose nearly 18 percent from 2003 to 2004, and that in the first two weeks of 2005, 15 killings and 16 nonfatal attacks involved stabbings. In an unusual move for a scholarly work, the researchers cited a January headline from The Daily Express, a London tabloid: "Britain is in the grip of knives terror - third of murder victims are now stabbed to death." Dr. Hern said that "we came up with the idea and tossed it into the pot" to get people talking about crime reduction. "Whether it's a sensible solution to this problem or not, I'm not sure."
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/27/science/27knife.html?_r=3&
As a police officer, I am not responsible an individual citizens safety unless they're in my custody, I'm responsible for the general publics safety.
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