[Tijeras_Slim]

Some yahoo in Albuquerque shot down the Sheriff’s Department helicopter with a .30-06.

[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.

[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!!!

[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

[muir_redwoods]

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

[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.

[NorthMountain]

its rounds can "penetrate light armor, down helicopters, destroy commercial aircraft, and blast through rail cars,"

Yes, .50 BMG can do all of that ... usually from a heavy machinegun, not from a single shot rifle.

[OldSmaj]

And the Newnited States Goobermint thought so highly of them, they have bought or contracted to buy, well over 800 of them.

I know the Army has bought over 100...the USMC over 125.

So, it must be a good 'un.

[OKSooner]

Well, very cool. I’d like for my state to have an official state rifle to. I suppose it would be the Winchester model 70. Pre-64, of course.

[WMarshal]

Gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “fly over-country!” Maybe someday it’ll be called “pucker-over territory.”