Posted on 06/14/2016 6:35:59 PM PDT by digger48
It feels like a bazooka — and sounds like a cannon.
One day after 49 people were killed in the Orlando shooting, I traveled to Philadelphia to better understand the firepower of military-style assault weapons and, hopefully, explain their appeal to gun lovers.
But mostly, I was just terrified.
Many gun shops turned down our request to fire and discuss the AR-15, a style of semi-automatic rifle popular with mass killers such as San Bernardino terrorist Syed Farook and similar to the Sig Sauer MCX rifle used by Orlando terrorist Omar Mateen.
Killers in mass shootings used AR-15, thanks to NRA But Frank Stelmach of Double Tap Shooting Range and Gun Shop invited me, videographer Michael Sheridan and reporter Adam Shrier to come down. Stelmach is not like many gun lovers. He admires his weaponry, yes, and has difficulty explaining why law-abiding citizens need a gun that can empty a 40-round clip in less than five seconds. But he also hates the idea that “bad people” get a hold of a gun like this and use it to kill without difficulty.
“There should be expanded background checks — extending into your family, friends and associates,” he said. “And there should be a mental health screening. In Europe, if you want to buy a gun, you have to see a doctor (for a psychiatric examination) to see if something’s not right.”
Gersh Kuntzman works with gun ghop owner Frank Stelmach on how to handle the AR-15. Gersh Kuntzman works with gun ghop owner Frank Stelmach on how to handle the AR-15. Stelmach, who opened his shop six years ago after a career in law enforcement in Europe, even calls for government officials to take away guns from some owners — something very few gun advocates support.
He also said he never sells a gun to someone who “looks a little bit funny,” and he claimed he had prevented many guns from getting into the wrong hands because the would-be purchaser “asked stupid questions” like, “What happens to me if the gun is stolen?”
But very few gun shop owners do anything close to Stelmach’s sniff test — and he acknowledged how easy it is to find another gun shop owner willing to make the sale.
Very easy. In fact, as Philadelphia Daily News columnist Helen Ubinas showed today, you can get a military weapon in seven minutes in this country.
Richard Cohen: American insanity: Assault rifles for all Stelmach doesn’t think it should be easy. But he thinks it should be allowed.
He loves the AR-15 for cops, soldiers, hunters and target shooters. “It’s fun to shoot something like that,” he said.
Not in my hands. I’ve shot pistols before, but never something like an AR-15. Squeeze lightly on the trigger and the resulting explosion of firepower is humbling and deafening (even with ear protection).
The recoil bruised my shoulder. The brass shell casings disoriented me as they flew past my face. The smell of sulfur and destruction made me sick. The explosions — loud like a bomb — gave me a temporary case of PTSD. For at least an hour after firing the gun just a few times, I was anxious and irritable.
Even in semi-automatic mode, it is very simple to squeeze off two dozen rounds before you even know what has happened. In fully automatic mode, it doesn’t take any imagination to see dozens of bodies falling in front of your barrel.
All it takes is the will to do it.
Forty nine people can be gone in 60 seconds.
.308 boltie. Damned phone always misspells slang words.
I bet he has to flip a coin to decide which restroom to use.
Either way, I’m sure he squats when he pees.
Love that recoil.
Oh my. I went to Wikipedia and that is still up.
Hilarious.
Unreal.
“The recoil bruised my shoulder.”
Lyin sack of obama.
...has difficulty explaining why law-abiding citizens need a gun that can empty a 40-round clip in less than five seconds
Well, how about because lots of bad people already have them, and more?
Or how about, I'm not looking for a fair fight, whatever the bad guy has, if he comes to my home.
It wasn’t an AR15 that Mateen used in the massacre.
I'm no gun expert, but I know that an AR-15 does not use clips -- I read it in a magazine.
Pricelessly funny!
And like many others have noted on this thread - the AR shoots like a .22, with a LOT more muzzle blast. So does an AK. They're meant to be pea shooters with knock down power so that they're more effective CQB weapons. I'm sure the author would think CQB has to do with the orientation of the poor souls who were just mass murdered.
Perfect last name for this pussy.
His bio is he was a drama major or other such type.
Does any one believe the crap he writes.......What a frigen douche bag
Go here and send this lunatic an email.
Id like to know when he fired a bazooka and asked??
http://www.nydailynews.com/authors?author=Gersh-Kuntzman
All that and he left out the part where he soiled himself?? Guess he felt that would have made him look unmanly. LOL....
Seriously, this must be comedy. Do people like this truly exist? If so they must live a tortured life.
The Stelmach guy seems a bit flaky too.
You’re quite the optimist, aren’t you?
In this case, PTSD stands Post Testosterone Sissy Disorder.
My M16 in the Army was about as scary as shooting my Daisy 880 pellet gun. You had to use your imagination to feel recoil.
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