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Hunting rifles--the next 'sniper weapons'
St. Louis Gun Rights Examiner ^ | 20 February, 2009 | Kurt Hofmann

Posted on 02/22/2009 12:43:22 AM PST by marktwain

I wrote recently about the forcible citizen disarmament lobby's desire to ban .50 caliber rifles. In that piece, I pointed out that if such a ban were ever implemented, the gun prohibitionists would soon discover that a sniper limited to a .499 caliber rifle would not be seriously hampered by the loss of 1/1000th of an inch of bullet diameter, leading, no doubt, to calls for the banning of that caliber as well. Of course, a .498 caliber rifle would not really be noticeably less capable . . . etc.

The disarmament lobby considers it bad form for gun rights advocates to bring up the "slippery slope," and decry the logic of that argument--just as they pour some more oil on the surface, and jack the incline up a few more degrees. In a comment responding to my piece on a potential .50 caliber rifle ban, I was reminded about one potential manifestation of said slippery slope:

Don't forget, the VPC (w/ Joyce Foundation funding provided in part by Pres. Obama) has also called for the banning of 'intermediate sniper rifles'.

daysofourtrailers.blogspot.com/2008/02/for-hunters-who-dont-believe-theyre-on.html

The "VPC" referred to above is the Violence Policy Center, and this is what they have to say about so-called "intermediate sniper rifles" (a term they seem to have invented):

Some manufacturers may choose to refine the .338 Lapua Magnum, an intermediate round falling in size and power somewhere between the traditional military 30 calibers and the .50 BMG. The .338 Lapua Magnum was designed in the late 1980s "as a long-range European military sniping round," according to sniping expert John Plaster. He advises that its "great speed and heavy weight makes for especially lethal long-range shooting and good penetration against vehicles and aircraft—typical counterterrorist targets—as well as building materials." Some manufacturers already offer .338 Lapua Magnum sniper rifles. The .338 Lapua Magnum is functionally little different from popular elk (and bear, and moose) hunting calibers like the .338 Winchester Magnum, .340 Weatherby Magnum, etc., so any regulatory mechanism that applied to one of those calibers without applying to all of them would leave a large "loophole" (the dreaded "elk rifle loophole").

The regulatory mechanism the VPC recommends is placing all these rifles under National Firearms Act restrictions--treating them, in other words, like machine guns. This, essentially, would spell the end of North American big game hunting. Hunters who have no interest in handguns or detachable magazine fed, semi-automatic rifles (so-called "assault weapons), and are therefore uninterested in fighting restrictions on such guns, should realize that their "intermediate sniper rifles" are next on the chopping block.


TOPICS: Constitution/Conservatism; Crime/Corruption; Culture/Society; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: ban; banglist; bho2009; bradywatch; democrats; guncontrol; hunters; rifles; shallnotbeinfringed; sniper; violencepolicycenter; vpc; vpcwatch
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While it seems like a very long time, it was not that long ago that all the anti-freedom types vociferously declared that they were only after the regulation of handguns, and would never, ever attempt to regulate long guns such as rifles and shotguns. That lie ended when Josh Sugerman saw that he could create the lie of the "assault gun" as a wedge issue to get more control of the population. We have continued on a downhill slope since, as the anti-freedom types have become more and more open about there desire to make all gun unavailable to most of the populace.
1 posted on 02/22/2009 12:43:22 AM PST by marktwain
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To: marktwain

Only the open border gang bangers can have guns, or the Marxist goons...


2 posted on 02/22/2009 12:45:16 AM PST by wac3rd (In the end, we all are Conservative, some just need their lives jolted to realize that fact.)
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To: wac3rd
Speak for yourself....
3 posted on 02/22/2009 12:57:38 AM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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To: marktwain

bookmark


4 posted on 02/22/2009 1:06:02 AM PST by GOP Poet
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To: Westlander

I didn’t know the Mods would allow posting pics of sex toys on here.


5 posted on 02/22/2009 1:10:24 AM PST by VeniVidiVici (If the Democrats wish to foist national health care on Americans, give us the same plan Congress has)
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To: Westlander

That looks like lipstick for a pitbull!


6 posted on 02/22/2009 1:29:52 AM PST by Randy Larsen ( BTW, If I offend you! Please let me know, I may want to offend you again!)
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To: marktwain

The Enfield P14 .303 is a fine sniper rifle. An oldie but a goodie!


7 posted on 02/22/2009 1:32:22 AM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: DieHard the Hunter

I’ll stick with the good old Remington 700.


8 posted on 02/22/2009 1:40:46 AM PST by Lancey Howard
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To: Lancey Howard
I am fond of the M1A SOCOM myself.

I also love the M1 Garand as well:


9 posted on 02/22/2009 1:45:04 AM PST by Prole (Please pray for the families of Chris and Channon. May God always watch over them.)
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To: marktwain

Uh I don’t think the 2nd Amendment exists to protect sportsmen. It’s to protect guns. To kill people with. In case it’s necessary. Not to kill deer.


10 posted on 02/22/2009 1:51:03 AM PST by exist
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To: Lancey Howard

> I’ll stick with the good old Remington 700.

A truly fine rifle, to be sure.


11 posted on 02/22/2009 1:53:25 AM PST by DieHard the Hunter (Is mise an ceann-cinnidh. Cha ghéill mi do dhuine. Fàg am bealach.)
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To: Lancey Howard

....and a Remington 870 with a slug barrel for the swamp.


12 posted on 02/22/2009 2:47:01 AM PST by Westlander (Unleash the Neutron Bomb)
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To: Westlander

What are those for? A personal howitzer?


13 posted on 02/22/2009 3:08:28 AM PST by central_va (Co. C, 15th Va., Patrick Henry Rifles-The boys of Hanover Co.)
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To: marktwain

Urban newspapers have, for the past 20 years, referred to multiple firearms found during a search as an “arsenal” and any rifle with a scope as a “sniper rifle”.

These papers weave the mental image of a high-rise dwelling used as a nest for terrorizing citizens. These journalists hope to sow the seeds for future firearm bans via their prose.


14 posted on 02/22/2009 3:23:30 AM PST by Erik Latranyi (Too many conservatives urge retreat when the war of politics doesn't go their way.)
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To: Westlander

2 bore?


15 posted on 02/22/2009 4:04:13 AM PST by dljordan
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To: marktwain
LOL Barrett is already making a .460 and marketing it "for sale in California". Gun control @ssclowns.

Μολὼν λάβε

16 posted on 02/22/2009 4:25:33 AM PST by wastoute (translation of tag "Come and get them (bastards)")
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To: marktwain
Quotable:

nearly 2,000 yards, or almost 10 times a deer hunter's maximum effective range.

Watch for an emerging demand that "rifles with an effective range over 200 yards" be banned.

As we note, they're gonna have a tough time differentiating between a scoped hunting rifle and a real-world "sniper rifle". "Effective range" could be abused suitably, with the ignorant thinking they know what it means but haven't a clue.

Oh, BTW, real-world snipers rarely operate over 100 yards.

17 posted on 02/22/2009 4:41:27 AM PST by ctdonath2
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To: Westlander

Why is such a little man, with tiny little hands, allowed to own a .22 rimfire firearm? :)


18 posted on 02/22/2009 4:43:32 AM PST by DocH (The WAR on our RIGHTS must NOT go unanswered - Keep your powder dry)
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To: ctdonath2

So should I worry if my little 10/22 Ruger can effectively hit the 12” steel plates at 200yds?
I guess the 50 cal Muzzleloader must be on their banned list too. You can drop a deer sized animal at 250 yds.


19 posted on 02/22/2009 5:20:07 AM PST by RIGHTWING WACKO FROM MASS. (Better to have and not need than to need and not have...my theory on gun control)
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To: marktwain; hiredhand
Courtesy of Oleg Volk:


20 posted on 02/22/2009 5:27:31 AM PST by DuncanWaring (The Lord uses the good ones; the bad ones use the Lord.)
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