Tennessee’s new official state rifle is so powerful it can ‘destroy commercial aircraft’

Washington Post Wonkblog ^ | February 26, 2016 | Christopher Ingraham

[Olog-hai]

The Barrett .50 caliber rifle is a powerful gun. Widely used in the military, its rounds can "penetrate light armor, down helicopters, destroy commercial aircraft, and blast through rail cars," according to a report from the Violence Policy Center, a gun safety group. The Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence describes .50 caliber rifles like the Barrett as "among the most destructive weapons legally available to civilians in the United States."

And as of Wednesday, the Barrett .50 caliber is now the official state rifle of Tennessee, joining an illustrious roster of other state symbols including the raccoon (state wild animal), the tomato (state fruit), and Tennessee cave salamander (state amphibian).

The gun's inventor, Ronnie Barrett, is a Tennessee native and NRA board member who was referred to as "the rock superstar in the world of weapons" at a 2014 birthday bash attended by politicians Mike Huckabee, Lamar Alexander, Marsha Blackburn and others. The rifle bearing his name is manufactured in Christiana, Tennessee. ...

[Tennessee Nana]

a state rifle ???

We’unz have a state rifle ???

:)

[Rinnwald]

...the Barrett .50 caliber is now the official state rifle of Tennessee...

That is not the way I thought this story would go.

...among the most destructive weapons legally available to civilians in the United States.

If VPC gets their jollies and gets this weapon banned, like in California, then they'll just want the second-most powerful gun banned. There's always a "most powerful" waiting in line.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

Years ago, a state was declaring so many things to be the “STATE WHATEVER”, some state senator suggested the state declare a “State Nut”, and said he would nominate the members of the State Congress to that position. I don’t remember if it was Tennessee or NUT, er, not.

[CrazyIvan]

Welcome to Tennessee, patron state of shootin’ stuff.

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

To keep the VPC and California from peeing their pants over the 50 cal, Barrett redesigned his rifle for the .416 Caliber.

[Fido969]

Great.

Now the gang-bangers know where there is one to steal.

[archy]

Tennessee’s new official state rifle is so powerful it can ‘destroy commercial aircraft’

Well, I just got one, new in the box! Let's load it up, and see what she'll do! Hey! Here comes one now!

Got him! I got one!!!

[Disambiguator]

These liberal weasels can go sob hysterically into their pillows.

They're already biting them, so why not.

[Lurker]

ROFL.

Good one.

[Delta 21]

Here is a .50cal wheel gun for when the attack melons get in really close!

[IronJack]

It’s almost as powerful as an .88 Magnum ASSAULT RIFLE!!! Those have been known to alter space and time!

[Bidimus1]

I guess the reporter as usual has done a little research. If one looks you will note that the British Spitfire and hurricane both can equipped with .303 calibre weapons they did a fine job of knocking down aircraft. .50 is better of course but that does not change the fact that .303 and .30 us just like their counterparts 7.7 Japanese 7.92 German were effective at shooting down aircraft

[Celtic Conservative]

Make sure you let the TimeLife people know that. They might want to write a book or sonethin’

CC

[Ace the Biker]

All I can say is when I take my Barrett to the range, when I let go of the first round everyone at the range stops what they are doing and stares. It is quite the attention getter. :)

[muir_redwoods]

it can do all that and yet human shoulders can manage the recoil. Damned fine engineering!

[Tonytitan]

... when I take my Barrett to the range, when I let go of the first round everyone at the range stops what they are doing and stares

I was so involved with my friend's SKS that I was unaware of the guy in the station next to me setting up his Barrett. When he squeezed off his first round the wind from the brake about blew me across my station. Got my attention!

[Salamander]

Born on a mountain, raised in a cave, bikin’ and.....uh...never mind.

:)

[Recompennation]

state symbols including the raccoon (state wild animal), the tomato (state fruit), and Tennessee cave salamander (state amphibian).
And the mockingbird as the state bird and the purple iris as the state flower.

[backwoods-engineer]

Question: how did the police know he did it? Did the kid brag about it or something? The police are not omniscient. If there are no witnesses on the ground, and the perp does not talk about it, it becomes just another “unsolved crime”.

[Squantos]

Afghan muzzleloader lead ball meet Hind-D tail rotor etc etc ....