Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Did The Vegas Shooter Use A Fully Automatic Weapon?
hot air ^ | 10-2-17

Posted on 10/02/2017 8:58:36 AM PDT by doug from upland

Opinion is divided this morning on Twitter among people who, unlike me, know more than the most basic basics about firearms. It’s not a matter of mere curiosity; as you (should) know, fully automatic weapons have been illegal in the U.S. for decades, which is why even mass shooters hellbent on murder unto death never use them. If Stephen Paddock used a machine gun, how on earth did he get it?

(Excerpt) Read more at hotair.com ...


TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: banglist; lasvegas; lvmassacre; mandalaymassacre; massmurder; paddock; paddockweapons; stephenpaddock
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-259 next last
To: backwoods-engineer
A few guns is one thing, but ten fully-automatic weapons? That's going to require a lot of luggage cases and big duffel just to get to the room if the guns were disassembled, and that should have raised red flags among the bellhop and housecleaning staff.
201 posted on 10/02/2017 11:49:45 AM PDT by RayChuang88 (FairTax: America's Economic Cure)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 197 | View Replies]

To: Dalberg-Acton

Absolutely! There is no mistaking that full auto sound.


202 posted on 10/02/2017 11:52:30 AM PDT by Anti-Bubba182
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 4 | View Replies]

To: doug from upland
I played softball with a black guy this morning and we discussed the Las Vegas shootings. He said he has a shotgun that he was able to convert to full auto with merely turning a screw. He said it was perfectly legal to do since there was no law preventing it.

I disagreed with him and said it was felony to convert any firearm into full auto unless the appropriate stamp was obtained from the govt......

Was I correct?

203 posted on 10/02/2017 11:54:14 AM PDT by Hot Tabasco
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: doug from upland

IIRC, last week a video was floating around of ANTIFA insiders from the point of view of an infiltrator, where it was claimed that ANTIFA members on scene had full-auto weapons in their trunks.

Given this, and last night’s gunman, how is it that the most unhinged individuals have such open access to the most dangerous of weapons?


204 posted on 10/02/2017 11:55:20 AM PDT by Hiryusan
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ifinnegan

You may buy one, with a $200 tax & background check, IF it was built & registered before 1986.

The ‘86 restriction means there are few available, most are long used, are extremely expensive (20x or more “normal” price), and so are rarely owned & used. You need money & competence to obtain one, and typically own it as an investment vehicle.

So...they’re technically legal, but practically illegal.


205 posted on 10/02/2017 12:00:15 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco
I played softball with a black guy this morning and we discussed the Las Vegas shootings. He said he has a shotgun that he was able to convert to full auto with merely turning a screw. He said it was perfectly legal to do since there was no law preventing it. I disagreed with him and said it was felony to convert any firearm into full auto unless the appropriate stamp was obtained from the govt...... Was I correct?MI played softball with a black guy this morning and we discussed the Las Vegas shootings. He said he has a shotgun that he was able to convert to full auto with merely turning a screw. He said it was perfectly legal to do since there was no law preventing it. I disagreed with him and said it was felony to convert any firearm into full auto unless the appropriate stamp was obtained from the govt...... Was I correct?

You are correct; additionally, possessing a firearm that you can convert by 'turning a screw' (lol) is known as 'constructive possession of a fully-automatic firearm', meaning that it is considered full auto no matter the position of the screw; and finally, your friend is 100% full of shit, because full-auto shotguns are very difficult for legitimate gunmakers and the firearms industry to make. Lots of research, lots of technology, lots of effort, and only a few full-auto shotguns have ever been made.

206 posted on 10/02/2017 12:00:44 PM PDT by Lazamataz (The "news" networks and papers are bitter, dangerous enemies of the American people.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 203 | View Replies]

To: doug from upland

Sounded an awful lot like an older Vietnam era M-60 machine gun. There are a bunch of them still around, legal pre ‘89, but they run in the $15-20K range. Cyclic rate of fire around 600 rounds per minute. Audio recordings sounded like 50-100 rounds, a 10-15 second break to reload (that’s about right to lift the feed tray cover, reload and close cover, rack bolt back again).


207 posted on 10/02/2017 12:01:15 PM PDT by nativesoutherner ("When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Hot Tabasco
I disagreed with him and said it was felony to convert any firearm into full auto unless the appropriate stamp was obtained from the govt......

Was I correct?

You're probably right. There are all manner of homemade silencers and/or methods, each of which is going to get the attention of ATF if you don't have the stamp (can you even get a stamp for a plastic soda bottle?) LOL

More likely, there's something more to the story of being able to convert by merely turning a screw. A shottie like that is probably going to get its own attention by the ATF since they frown on anything that would make a full auto conversion that easy (or even somewhat easy).

Considering the types of things they've cracked down on in the past...things you used to be able to buy but then they started going after the sellers (suppressor kits, ahem, I mean, solvent trap kits, or SBR/SBS that really aren't, but the ATF seemed to think so upon further reflection, even with ATF letters, etc).

Find out what shotgun that is and let us all know...we could either dispel the myth of an easy conversion, or see if it's the type of thing that's technically possible but is going to land you in a heap of trouble.

208 posted on 10/02/2017 12:02:14 PM PDT by MPB
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 203 | View Replies]

To: jonno

at 8:40 in that LV video sounds like an M60


209 posted on 10/02/2017 12:02:31 PM PDT by Steve Van Doorn (*in my best Eric Cartman voice* 'I love you, guys')
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 190 | View Replies]

To: RayChuang88
but ten fully-automatic weapons?

not that hard if you think about it. Two per case, 5 cases, will easily fit on a bellman's cart. One or two trips to a truck or van in the parking lot from a room for 5 cases and additional supplies. Even if it took more runs than that, easily accomplished in less than an hour. Would not have looked suspicious at all, except maybe to someone versed in firearms. Then you might wonder why so many, but Nevada is where many, particularly Californians, take refuge to shoot and train with their firearms, so again its not out of the question that some normal Joe has come to Nevada to shoot legally, and is just enjoying a night in Vegas afterwards.

210 posted on 10/02/2017 12:03:02 PM PDT by Magnum44 (My comprehensive terrorism plan: Hunt them down and kill them)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 201 | View Replies]

To: cableguymn

A competent metalworker can convert a semi to full auto without much difficulty. Cheap to do.
A competent metalworker WON’T convert because getting caught means a $250,000 fine and 10 years in prison. Very very costly consequences.

Of all federal crimes, this is one of the most aggressively prosecuted.


211 posted on 10/02/2017 12:04:50 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: mazda77

I would tend to agree, 7.62, .30 caliber. This being said by someone on both ends of one for 1000s of rounds... Also would explain the number of casualties. What’s cover for a 5.56 is merely concealment for a 7.62.


212 posted on 10/02/2017 12:04:51 PM PDT by nativesoutherner ("When seconds count, the police are only minutes away.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: BuffaloJack

We have recordings of the shooting. The interesting number is the total shooting time (seconds, not 10 minutes) divided by shots fired.


213 posted on 10/02/2017 12:07:04 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 52 | View Replies]

To: precisionshootist
No manufactured fully auto weapon has a variable rate such as the one produced in the videos I have seen.

The slide fire I used wasn't variable, either you held enough pressure on the stock/foregrip, and it went quick (much faster rate of fire than I'm hearing in the video), or it stopped and went to normal single shot. I wonder if it's some type of hand-crank setup.

214 posted on 10/02/2017 12:09:30 PM PDT by IYAS9YAS (There are two kinds of people: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 98 | View Replies]

To: Georgia Girl 2
You buy them from your cartel connection that smuggles truckloads of coke, heroin, method and aliens across the wide open southern border into Vegas.

No mystery

215 posted on 10/02/2017 12:12:48 PM PDT by Eagles6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 78 | View Replies]

To: Sopater

Yep.


216 posted on 10/02/2017 12:14:03 PM PDT by Eagles6
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 81 | View Replies]

To: rarestia

Crowd density means he didn’t need to particularly aim to hit someone.

275m isn’t far. With a .300 Win Mag, or any decent centerfire, you should have little difficulty hitting 1” groups at 100m with iron sights. .223/5.56 will be likewise accurate to >600m (6” group at that distance); it won’t “tumble” unless very badly matching ammo with odd-sized barrel.

With a large dense crowd viewed at an angle, we’re talking “broad side of a barn” accuracy - not hard to hit.


217 posted on 10/02/2017 12:14:26 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 111 | View Replies]

To: nativesoutherner

Another poster stated the rates on each. The 7.62 AK is flat rated at 600. The AR, not mentioning the round size is 700 to 900. I would assume the 7.62 AR would be the slower and going to some audio of each, it is tough to tell. I would have to go into some audio analysis software to compare the noise spikes on a time chart to actually determine. What I was hearing in the thud verses the echos was the sound, not so much the speed. There are two distinct noises of the noise for each round. What most were hearing were the echos.

To any event, we will know sooner than I can find the time to do the audio analysis unless someone else here has the capability. An old audio editing program called Tsunami Pro was good for this.


218 posted on 10/02/2017 12:16:41 PM PDT by mazda77
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 212 | View Replies]

To: Flick Lives

Maid service isn’t going to enter until the next morning after check-in. “Do not disturb” sign will ensure it.

Can easily move 3 long guns in a decently large case. Full auto can probably break several down into a duffel bag. 1-2 trolleys will move it easily. 10 isn’t that hard to move unnoticed in a place where people are moving lots of odd-shaped luggage.

1000 rounds, pre-loaded in belts or large mags, fits a small suitcase.

Upshot: nobody gives a $#!^ about someone moving the luggage needed for that. Maids are easily kept out.


219 posted on 10/02/2017 12:24:28 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 125 | View Replies]

To: RayChuang88

Not a big deal. See #219.


220 posted on 10/02/2017 12:25:14 PM PDT by ctdonath2 (It's not "white privilege", it's "Puritan work ethic". Behavior begets consequences.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 201 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 181-200201-220221-240241-259 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson